Epiphone Tribute Les Paul Standard

See the features, everything is said Made in China, original Gibson classic 57 pickups in neck and classi57 + (higher output level) at the easel. Channel Profile 1960, relatively late for a Lespaul. The frets do not hang

UTILIZATION

Handle very nice, comfortable and fast access to acute in accordance with the standard Les Paul. Not at the SG but perfect for my style

SOUNDS

The classical sound of Lespaul, sounds more vintage and very hot. The bonding of mache in Long Tenon gives it incredible sustain, harmonics come out very easily. We get all the sounds jazz blues and rock with a high level. You can try on my riffworld: http://www.riffworld.com/Members/chavilbus
Many pieces are played with in all styles
Splitter can be micro single, I do not use, for sounds I have a clear strat and tele who do that much better but it makes it versatile for rhythmic funk or casseroles

OVERALL OPINION

I've had three months, I have many other guitars but I missed that one. It is a little overlap with my sheraton equipped to SH1 and SH4 but has a more aggressive rock with equal sustain.
The value for money is amazing with real gibson pickups, a collage long post, a super comfortable neck, a classic look (it is red sunburst) finish excellent (although a meileure Worn LP, I have tried both , at the same price no photo), the strap locks, and a beautiful padded hard case, I do it again the same choice without problems
To judge the piece I did: http://www.riffworld.com/Members/chavilbus/modalballad
to test fully with the sounds
Unfortunately it is very difficult to find, especially in red. I do not like the translucent black gibson does not exist, but it's just like

Made in China in 2009 (the year of birth of my toddler, I hope to keep it long enough to offer him!)
Channel Type 1960 Slim Tapper long tenon rosewood fingerboard (22 frets).
Mahogany body with cream binding and solid maple table.
Faded Cherry Burst finish plain top.
Grover wraps.
Pickups Gibson Classic 57 (neck) and 57 + (bridge).
2 volume knobs good, two tones of good quality as with the possibility to split each of the 2 microphones!
Electronics concrete: selector beefy, condos and building quality.
Mounted strings 10-46 (rare for Epiphone).
The purpose of Gibson with these machines more or less limited series is to bridge the gap between the Epiphone start / mid-range 1st and Gibson, the Epiphone Elitist fire since disappeared. That did it! It compares to Elitist or Custom77 LB CS4. When comparing this guitar to the Jap, I can not say because I do not know them well. Tokai and then also the beautiful stew Made In China now compete for entry-level Epiphone (LP with alder body!).


UTILIZATION

The handle is different from a Epiphone LP Standard. Strangely, I found it confusing at first for all agreements with stroke, but easy for the solos. Now I myself am getting better.
It's a good LP very heavy (not surprising given the wood used for the body and the table).
Access to acute is easy? Okay, like any self-respecting LP is not really for shredder in the treble.

SOUNDS

I play mainly in all its periods Slash: Guns, Snakepit, Velvet Revolver. Apart from that, a little AC / DC, Aerosmith old period, Queen ...
For it is the type of handle that Slash prefers (Slim Tapper 1960).
For microphones, is the high class in the big leagues. Alnico II magnet forces, is approached very near Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro uses Slash (bcp it has guided my choice of model, the preferred Burstbuckers, 1959). So to sound very fat with sharp rhythms and solos on the neck pickup velvety shape with the tone to zero.
But the interest of these pickups splitter is also to explore different sounds (a bit of Brian May We Are The Champions). The choice of making splittable microphones on the 1960 Tribute is a good idea because the 57/57 + is enough music for humbuckers, so when they are splitted it's still nice, it's not flat. I'm not sure it would have been fine with BB in 1959.
Caution still at higher output of 57 + compared to 57, I got screwed.
I play on a tube amp Blackstar HT-5 at home, with a wah, compressor, delay and sometimes a Boss DD-7 (the main effects of Slash in fact).

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 3 weeks. A passage from my luthier for adjustment was imposed because the high E string touched a microphone at the origin. But once back on its feet, this guitar is killer and it was frankly the feeling of playing on the quality Gibson. From an Epiphone Standard, long tenon neck really adds sustain, it's not tall tales, and maple table reinforces this effect I think.
As for sounds, I dropped my Epiphone previous reasons for violin cited above, but also because I was tired of the eternal couple of Seymour Duncan humbuckers SH4/SH1n. They are very good mics, but the SH4's too FM for me to want to make the mat. As for SH1, it is very beautiful in neck is smooth, but he drools when he is a bit of saturation. No, frankly, without these Alnico Alnico II to V 57/57 + Gibson has done me well for my style of Zique. And Alnico II is a grain "old rock" inimitable makes me shiver one that makes me want to rock!
Whoever sold it to me was a collector, he kept his little sister from 1959 Epiphone, which he calls "more attractive" with, above all, a logo "1959" which thrilled fans of LP. He called the 1960 Tribute to "more music, more playable [by the handle] and more versatile" in styles. He compared these models to Elitist he had known.
For me, it's an EXCELLENT value for money for bcp intermediate guitarists playing in my style of music. It is the equally excellent Custom77 LB CS4, but a tad more expensive at this point, I think it's not totally flew under smicros Gibson 57/57 + we have on this Tribute 1960.

September 2010 EDIT: Since I sold the excavator for the benefit of an Epiphone LP Japan (Black Beauty). In fact MIJ Elitist and remain above question violin. Wood heavier (it's not necessarily a sign of quality, of course ...), but more resonant vacuum, more sustain. MIJ pickups but with derivatives of the 490 t / r a tad worse than the Gibson '57 Classic. After the '57 Classic is a style, to love, it's not going anywhere. It is not necessarily the LP also reflecting the better.