Best Les Paul clone/copy/etc

[Fullmoon 1971]

+1 on the Revelation's, was looking at one of these yesterday:
View attachment 343


Although the photo doesn't do it justice, it is extremely well made and sounds pretty good.

Although Revelation got it slightly wrong/mixed up with the naming of the 'Professional' model, as it was originally called the 'Les Paul Personal' and the pic I have of a 1972 original 'Recording' model is different, full scratch plate behind the control knobs. Also missing a control knob next to the selector switch but....still pretty close.

Yeah the Revelations guitars are really well made. They make a 55 LP custom that I'm trying to track down. However and I don't to sound like a know all here but I must correct a few points you made.

Gibson released 2 models in 1968 the Les Paul Personal & Les Paul Professional. The personal mimiced the one Les Paul Played on stage with an extra knob by the toggle switch to control the mic that could be attached. The recording model didn't have the mic input or the extra knob.

Other differences btween the models were.

LES PAUL PERSONAL =
Bound ebony fingerboard with block markers (as Les Paul Custom)
Body binding front and back (like LP Custom)
Split Diamond inlay on headstock
Gold Hardware
Grover tuners

LES PAUL PROFESSIONAL =
Bound Rosewood Fingerboard with crown markers (as Les Paul Standard)
Plain headstock
Chrome Hardware

Both models were replaced in 1971 by the Les Paul Recording Model. At first this featured the same oversized body but then changed to standard LP dimensions.

A nice of 3 original 68-69 Models, Recording @top. Bass middle & Personal on bottom.


Like I said I don't want to come over as a know all but just thought I'd share the history of these fantastic models.

 

[Shawn]

Hagstrom makes a sweet LP style guitar. When I was 14, my parents got me a Super Swede from a pawn shop as a Christmas present and it was an awesome guitar!

Shawn

 

[Parabar]

The Hagstrom Swede is an excellent LP substitute. My own personal favorite, though, is a Yamaha SG3000.

I've owned three Dillions (though not LP models) --- all have been excellent.

 

[eS.G.]

Agile

 

[elephantrider]

i'd let anyone compare my 2013 tokai ( r9 clone ) to any gibson, or other clone. it's an amazing instrument.
fit and finish is flawless. pups are paf awesomeness.

 

[Cozmik Cowboy]

Who makes the best non-Gibby/Epi LP? Well, that would be Heritage, of course; they're where you go to get a real Gibson.

 

[Paruwi]

I like my 'Clone'

 

[wildeman]

Well, my best Les Paul period..... Was a Greco Black beauty, why i ever traded it i will never know. My second best, 93 Epi std., 3rd '90's Gibson studio in dark cherry. 4th '80 Deluxe/ Std. pro rout for full size hb. They all were killer though.

 

[eS.G.]

My fAVORITE

 

[Fullmoon 1971]

Most of these have been posted before but I'll play. Not really clones but certainly inspired by.
CJM Thru neck LP

Got this off evilbay for £100 secondhand about 5 years ago, the guitar played and sounded great but I decided to swap the pickups out for a set of Epiphone Elitist 50SR & 60ST pickups that I got for £60 off the net. The end result is a guitar that has become one of my main live guitars.
CJM LP Specs
Mahogany Slab Body
5 Piece Maple & Rosewood Thru Neck Design
Rosewood Fingerboard with Abalone Crown Inlays
22 Medium Frets
24 ¾” Scale Length
12” Neck Radius
Epiphone Elitist 60ST Bridge Humbucker
Epiphone Elitist 50SR Neck Humbucker
Gold Tune-o-matic Bridge
Gold Stop Tail Piece
Gold Kluson Style Tuners
2 Volume, 2 Tone & 3 Way switch
Natural Satin Finish

PRS SE Tremonti

This guitar is my live backup for the CJM

PRS SE Bernie Marsden

ITS A BERNIE - nothing more to say

PRS SE Marty Friedman

Not a huge marty friedman fan but I have always loved the everly brothers guitars with the star inlays and as a teenager I was fixated on Richie Sambora's custom made 3 pickup LP with star inlays on the neck. This guitar is my answer to both fixations. I swapped the original pickups for a Axetec Alnico IV Blues Engine in the neck and a Axesrus Alnico 3 Classic 50's in the bridge.

MY 2 all out rock machines
PRS SE Nick Catanese (with custom werewolf artwork)

Artwork was already done when I got it, the only mods I did were a custom ebony and m.o.p wolf & moon trc, then replaced tonepros bridge with a schroeder wraparound and swapped the pickups around - EMG 85 in the bridge, EMG 81 in the neck. These mods really brought the guitar to life - sure it still does rock through to heavy metal but now it cleans up and will do blues if i need it to.

PRS SE Mark Tremonti Custom (Thomann 60th anniversary limited run - only 60 made)

These were made as part of a limited run of SE's the german music store Thomann to celebrate it's 60th anniversary. I don't actually consider this a signature model as it's quite different from any Mark Tremonti I know of in either the US core modesl or SE models. The major differences are =
Flame headstock veneer (plain on normal SE version)
Ebony Fretboard with Pearloid Birds in Flight (Rosewood board on normal SE Version)
EMG 81 Bridge Humbucker *
EMG 85 Chrome Neck Humbucker *
* = SE 245 pickups on SE Range, Tremonti Treble and Bass pickups on US core models.

Vintage V100 7 string

This beautiful 7 string is actually a prototype sample guitar that the company haven't put into production (Yet). After buying it I contacted Vintage and got a email back from trevor wilkinson himself giving me information and the specifications on this model. Since posting this originally last year I have since been lucky enough to meet up with Trevor, he borrowed the guitar and did a full setup on it and also wound some replacement pickups with a more vintage spec for me (all for the price of a pub lunch). It is fantasticly made & sounds beautiful. can do everything from 50's syle jazz & blues right through to doom metal(if thats your thing), This tends to get used a lot - especially for Bonamassa covers.
Prototype specs as supplied by Trevor.
2 piece Mahogany Body
Arched Maple Cap with AAA maple veneer
3 Piece Mahogany Set Neck
Ebony Fingerboard with dot inlays
24 Medium Frets
16” Radius
25 3/4” Scale Length
Humbuckers custom wound by Trevor Wilkinson himself
Chrome Wilkinson WJ-07 E-Z-Lok Machineheads
Chrome Wilkinson 7 String Tune o Matic
1 Volume, 1 Tone & 3 way Switch
Tobacco Burst

 

[Eddie]

Do you think this Edwards is worth $300? Would you compare it to an Epiphone?

https://newyork.craigslist.org/que/msg/6096482964.html

 

[Paruwi]

Do you think this Edwards is worth $300?

Yes !

the SeymourDuncan pickups and the hardcase allone are worth the 300$

it compares with MiJ Epiphones

 

[Eddie]

Yes !

the SeymourDuncan pickups and the hardcase allone are worth the 300$

it compares with MiJ Epiphones

Thank you. I made him a trade offer. If he doesn't take the trade, then I'll probably buy it from him.

Do you think his $300 is a mistake? He hasn't replied to me.

 

[Paruwi]

Do you think his $300 is a mistake? He hasn't replied to me.

My loss your gain!

I don't think

 

[Keefoman]

Edwards LP copies are very fine instruments. Had a goldtop - p90s years ago and somehow regrets getting rid of it.

 

[Eddie]

I didn't have a chance at the Edwards. It was priced so well that someone snagged it right away. The seller didn't even respond to me. Oh well ...

 

[BGood]

You have to go with your guts sometimes. No time to consult the herd. Take no prisoners.

You got to be crazy, gotta have a real need
Gotta sleep on your toes, and when you're on the street
You got to be able to pick out the easy meat with your eyes closed
And then moving in silently, down wind and out of sight
You got to strike when the moment is right without thinking.

​

 

[Scootermuppet]

Heard good things said about Hohner L59's...



There's one on uk fleabay at the minute too, c 1988

 

[Biddlin]

I've always liked the Kraken Legion 3 mahogany model.

 

[Eddie]

I've always liked the Kraken Legion 3 mahogany model.

Hell yeah. How can I get my hands on one of these ???