https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/who-makes-the-best-inexpensive-les-paul-copy/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Thu, 04 Jun 2026 08:41:14 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/who-makes-the-best-inexpensive-les-paul-copy/paged/2/#post-200059 Fri, 22 Sep 2006 21:22:23 +0000
Top class work (on those that I've seen, at least) and a price tag much lower than Gibson.]]> Opinions and Polls greybeard https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/who-makes-the-best-inexpensive-les-paul-copy/paged/2/#post-200059 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/who-makes-the-best-inexpensive-les-paul-copy/#post-200053 Fri, 22 Sep 2006 21:00:09 +0000
ESP makes a Les Paul style guitar. They are a more mainstream name.

Michael Kelly makes a Les paul style in a number oif different models. You'll find the price on par with Epi.

Hamer makes a Les Paul Double-Cut guitar. Very high quality - especially the early 2000's Korean models.

PRS now makes a single-cut guitar from in their Korean line. It is called the PRS SE Singlecut. A little more pricey ($400 - 600).

These are in addition to the numerous "off brands" such as Agile, SX, Tokai, etc, etc...

I would personally stick to Epiphone or any of the above brands. Agile is a house-brand for Rondo music, and while many really like them, they are still a house "off brand".]]> Opinions and Polls The Dali https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/who-makes-the-best-inexpensive-les-paul-copy/#post-200053 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/who-makes-the-best-inexpensive-les-paul-copy/#post-200018 Fri, 22 Sep 2006 17:42:29 +0000 Since then, a number of companies have expanded their production capability, including Epi, which has it's own, Gibson-owned facility in China. They also produce Epi guitars (mostly, if not exclusively) LPs in the Czech Republic, for European consumption.

However, the fact that one "brand" of guitar is produced on the same production line as another "brand" doesn't mean that the materials are the same, nor, necessarily, the quality.]]> Opinions and Polls greybeard https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/who-makes-the-best-inexpensive-les-paul-copy/#post-200018 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/who-makes-the-best-inexpensive-les-paul-copy/#post-199959 Fri, 22 Sep 2006 07:14:11 +0000 Opinions and Polls Anonymous https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/who-makes-the-best-inexpensive-les-paul-copy/#post-199959 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/who-makes-the-best-inexpensive-les-paul-copy/#post-199951 Fri, 22 Sep 2006 05:12:01 +0000
Every single Elitist that i checked out at MF has been near perfect in construction and set up very nicely.
i have not taken them home to try on my 67 bassman so i'm not too sure how they would sound, but imo the amps they had at MF made it a coin toss.

every so often they have a sale on Elitists at MF. i have seen the red and black LPs sell for around $750. this is what i would hold out for. at that price i could justify replacing the pickups.]]> Opinions and Polls TwistedLefty https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/who-makes-the-best-inexpensive-les-paul-copy/#post-199951 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/who-makes-the-best-inexpensive-les-paul-copy/#post-199948 Fri, 22 Sep 2006 04:41:15 +0000
You can have higher quality parts in the assembly bin for one over the other.

It's not all about the quality of the automated bits.]]> Opinions and Polls kingpatzer https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/who-makes-the-best-inexpensive-les-paul-copy/#post-199948 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/who-makes-the-best-inexpensive-les-paul-copy/#post-199934 Fri, 22 Sep 2006 02:55:53 +0000 Opinions and Polls Anonymous https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/who-makes-the-best-inexpensive-les-paul-copy/#post-199934 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/who-makes-the-best-inexpensive-les-paul-copy/#post-199931 Fri, 22 Sep 2006 02:41:09 +0000 Opinions and Polls teegee420 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/who-makes-the-best-inexpensive-les-paul-copy/#post-199931 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/who-makes-the-best-inexpensive-les-paul-copy/#post-199928 Fri, 22 Sep 2006 02:08:04 +0000 they have there own factory in Japan and all American hardware, i believe they are also quality inspected here in the USA.
However having said that you can get a lower end Gibson for several hundred less.
edit---

if money was tight i would have to go with Agile from Rondo for the best quality i've seen in an LP copy.
Uncle Frank sez....
]]> Opinions and Polls TwistedLefty https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/who-makes-the-best-inexpensive-les-paul-copy/#post-199928 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/who-makes-the-best-inexpensive-les-paul-copy/#post-199901 Fri, 22 Sep 2006 00:33:54 +0000 AGILE

I have a Goldtop and it's AWESOME!]]> Opinions and Polls Anonymous https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/who-makes-the-best-inexpensive-les-paul-copy/#post-199901