This is the kind of decision that more and more players are facing these days. A lot of the most popular Asian made guitars are coming out with a high level of quality, but now you can also find American made electric guitars for less than a thousand dollars.
LTD EC 401 Review
Sound: 4.5/5
Playability: 4/5
Construction Quality: 4/5
Finish: 4/5
Overall Value: 4.5/5
As most of us know what makes a Les Paul guitar special is its combination of features, not necessarily the name. The market is flooded with clones, some are horrible, some are great. But some are really good, like the ESP LTD EC-401.
The differences between a Les Paul and this guitar are minimal. The neck and body are thinner than in a Gibson, and there's only one tone knob.
The Seymour Duncan pickups featured on this guitar, the JB and the 59', are two of the most popular after market choices available. I'm really glad ESP chose to go with the 59' and not the Jazz model for the neck, for the sake of Rock n' Roll this is a better choice.
Another feature that stands out from this instrument is the finish, this sunburst is probably one of the best available in the industry. The Japanese ESP guitars that come with these kind of finishes look a little more upscale, I won't deny that, but this LTD version looks very good.
For more detailed info about this guitar please visit my Squidoo page
-->LTD EC 401 Review
Gibson Les Paul Studio Faded Review
Sound: 4.5/5
Playability: 4.5/5
Construction Quality: 4.5/5
Finish: 4/5
Overall Value: 5/5
One could easily argue that what most of us know as a Les Paul electric guitar has a piece of maple on top of a thick piece of mahogany. But this is mainly a product of tradition.
It's documented that Les Paul often preferred an all mahogany Les Paul Custom. The absence of a maple top makes what already is a meaty sounding guitar even darker.
There are still some all mahogany Gibson Les Paul Custom electric guitars available, but their price is steep.
The Gibson Les Paul Studio Faded is a Les Paul stripped to the bone. The all mahogany body and neck are substantial. After years of playing mine the back of the neck has naturally smoothed in a way that makes it really comfortable.
The most exciting feature of the Gibson Les Paul Studio Faded is the choice of pickups, the Burstbucker Pro. These are the high end pickups that Gibson uses for some of their most expensive Les Paul guitars.
The sound is unbelievable, the first time I played out with this guitar I was complimented on the sound of my palm mutes. It's rock sound at its best, and the dark tonality of the all mahogany body makes the neck pickup perfect for more jazzy stuff or Santana like tone.
PRS SE Custom Review
Sound: 4/5
Playability: 4/5
Construction Quality: 4/5
Finish: 4/5
Overall Value: 5/5
The PRS SE Custom is one of those guitars that I consider blend perfectly the best attributes of the Les Paul and Stratocaster design.
The materials mainly follow the formula of a Les Paul guitar: mahogany body, maple top, mahogany neck and humbucking pickups. The neck, which is offered with 22 or 24 frets, is more on the thicker side, but not as much as some other PRS guitars.
They call it wide/thin but don't be fooled, it's not an Ibanez. The perfect 25 inches of the freatboard is a feature unique to PRS guitars and give the guitar a special feel.
PRS has the luxury to own the design of many excellent pickups that only come with their guitars. The humbuckers featured on the SE are versions of American made PRS models.
They sound very good, especially for hard rock and blues, and keep good definition even with distortion. Something I appreciate from PRS is having the nice touch to offer an original gig bag.
In a sea of guitars that either imitate a Les Paul or a Stratocaster, the PRS SE stands out. Its sound and playability, given you're not looking for super thin necks, are very good.
For more detailed info about this guitar please visit my Squidoo page
-->LTD EC 401 Review
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