Epiphone 1959 Les Paul Reissue

[rickfish99]

Opinions?

Epiphone's 1959 Les Paul Reissue captures the vintage vibe of the original and puts it into a gig-ready instrument. In the name of tone and playability, the 1959 Les Paul Reissue features a non-weight-relieved body, a 1950s rounded neck, Gibson Burstbucker 1 and 2 pickups, and a solid maple cap with a highly flamed veneer. It's available in Faded Cherryburst and Faded Tobacco Burst.

Epiphone 1959 Les Paul Reissue Features:


Reissue of the 1959 Les Paul with correct-era knobs
Non-weight relieved body, solid maple cap with flamed veneer
Gibson Burstbucker 1 and 2 pickups
Long neck tenon, CTS Pots, Kluson tuners, and nickel hardware
Available in Faded Cherryburst and Faded Tobacco Burst

http://www.sweetwater.com/images/publications/reports/Epi_1959_LP.jpg
http://www.sweetwater.com/publications/reports/?action=day&day=1&sid=41

[The Last Rebel]

To anyone with previous reservations, Gibson is willing to stick '59 in front of anything and make you pay more for it. Start looking out for Gibson's new '59 Line!

Including:
'59 Bluesbird
'59 RD
'59 Marauder
'59 Invader
AND
1959 '59 Replica- Even more '59-ier than before!

[AaeCee]

To anyone with previous reservations, Gibson is willing to stick '59 in front of anything and make you pay more for it. Start looking out for Gibson's new '59 Line!

Including:
'59 Bluesbird
'59 RD
'59 Marauder
'59 Invader
AND
1959 '59 Replica- Even more '59-ier than before!LOL! Always enjoy reading your musings, Reb. '59-ier.....great stuff!

[Bankston]

An Epiphone '59 Reissue?

Oxymoron.

[Catoogie]

And that damned fugly headstock. UGH! I might buy one of those guitars if they didn't have that headstock

[beNsteR]

utter pointlessness!!! :jo:NUTS:dunno

[re-animator]

maybe they should reissue some of the EPIPHONES that were around in the 50s and 60s.

[jowe]

How are they able to build these with long tenons, and cts pots yet the Gibson les paul standards can't get the same treatment?

[hank]

I'm really glad that the R9 is going to be correct ..... finally. I am comforted by that. Koolaid, anyone? :drink

[Johnnytone]

Looks like their recent "Slash" model without the silly headstock decal.

[mark norwine]

The son of a friend of my neighbor (follow that?) needed a setup on his epi les paul. I said I'd do it.

I cleaned it up & did what had to be done, allthewhile listening to this (otherwise well-meaning) kid carp on about how epi's were every bit as good as gibsons.

When we were finished, I handed him my R7. He held it in his hands and, rather sheepishly said "oh".

You want my opinion? Epi's are not Gibsons. Never were, never will be.

Sorry to sound harsh.

[CitizenCain]

Looks like their recent "Slash" model without the silly headstock decal.

That was my first thought as well.

[saxophonist56]

premier guitar did a review of it. said it was like the old epiphone elitist lesters.... it's long neck tenon. at least they are trying! i'd love to check one out.

[gkoelling]

The son of a friend of my neighbor (follow that?) needed a setup on his epi les paul. I said I'd do it.

I cleaned it up & did what had to be done, allthewhile listening to this (otherwise well-meaning) kid carp on about how epi's were every bit as good as gibsons.

When we were finished, I handed him my R7. He held it in his hands and, rather sheepishly said "oh".

You want my opinion? Epi's are not Gibsons. Never were, never will be.

Sorry to sound harsh.

Hey, sometimes the truth hurts, right?

[Buzzkill]

How are they able to build these with long tenons, and cts pots yet the Gibson les paul standards can't get the same treatment?

Les Paul Standards DO have long tenons, as of 2008.
Just sayin', hahaha

I get what you're saying though. What about Les Paul Studios and Traditionals?

[Help!I'maRock!]

What about Les Paul Studios and Traditionals?

short neck tenon.

[dspellman]

You want my opinion? Epi's are not Gibsons. Never were, never will be.

Sorry to sound harsh.

At one point, some Epiphones were better than Gibsons. Some models were easily as good. When they were two different companies, pre-WWII, Epi and Gibson were equivalent heavyweights when it came to building quality guitars. I've got a '39 Epiphone Emperor that was pretty much the top of the line of production jazzbox type archtop acoustics (non-electric). Right there nose to nose with guitars like the Gibson Super 400.

Since Gibson has owned the Epiphone name, Gibson's corporate culture has mandated that the Epiphone name will only be allowed on guitars that are somehow demonstrably inferior. When an Epiphone guitar shows signs of competing head-to-head with a Gibson on price or quality, it's generally axed. Or they move the plant to somewhere with training wheels on the quality train.

If the Epiphone name brand is ever split from Gibson again, you may very well see some interesting things happening.

[Lex Luthier]

The Epiphones that Gibson made in the '60's were every bit as good as Gibsons, made in the same factory. When the Epi line went offshore, things went downhill fast.

[pitseleh]

Yeah, that "never were, never will be" line gave me pause as well. From what I've heard and read, 60s Epiphone Casinos/Rivieras/whatever else were excellent guitars that were easily on par with the Gibsons of that era. Are you saying you've compared compared the two and found the vintage Epiphones to be lacking as well, Mark Norwine? Because this would change my perspective on 60s Epiphones.

[tamader74]

Somebody better grab a history book,old man 'epi' was a pretty decent luthier,and an amazing wood worker....shame his two sons weren't so sharp, Ted's deal with those two in '57 (I think their names were 'Ren & stimpy...Greek for...) Anywho, McCarty's,Deal with them was one of the largest corp. coup,of American History...and considered in value considerable larger than the La.,purchase...Gotta give it up to Ted....He knew how to get what he needed,...Just buy the secrets to make a 'burst....sell off and ship off the rest...HE'S STILL LAUGHING !!!, I looked up to the sky,and saw that silly little grin...

[Dawg76]

The son of a friend of my neighbor (follow that?) needed a setup on his epi les paul. I said I'd do it.

I cleaned it up & did what had to be done, allthewhile listening to this (otherwise well-meaning) kid carp on about how epi's were every bit as good as gibsons.

When we were finished, I handed him my R7. He held it in his hands and, rather sheepishly said "oh".

You want my opinion? Epi's are not Gibsons. Never were, never will be.

Sorry to sound harsh.


....and Epi's were never $5,000 either......

[Jagsound]

Yeah, that "never were, never will be" line gave me pause as well. From what I've heard and read, 60s Epiphone Casinos/Rivieras/whatever else were excellent guitars that were easily on par with the Gibsons of that era. Are you saying you've compared compared the two and found the vintage Epiphones to be lacking as well, Mark Norwine? Because this would change my perspective on 60s Epiphones.

There's a good reason for the Riviera/Casino to be as good as the 335/330 - there were essentially identical, re-badged Gibbys made in Kalamazoo. Yeah ok the headstocks were a different shape and the Riviera got mini hums, but all the construction methods, wood and parts was the same stuff used to make Gibson guitars, and the same people made both brands in the same factory.

AFAIK, this situation occurred from 1961 to 1968?

To be fair Mr Norwine is having a crack at the many people who claim that today's Epiphone guitars are as good as their Gibson counterparts.

[tamader74]

To Jagsound...Thank-you...and ...Amen

[Buzzkill]

short neck tenon.

I know, lol I was saying they SHOULD have long neck tenons, hahaha :p

[Help!I'maRock!]

I know, lol I was saying they SHOULD have long neck tenons, hahaha :p

i might actually buy one if they did.

[Troubleman]

maybe they should reissue some of the EPIPHONES that were around in the 50s and 60s.

That makes so much sense you're may be targeted by Gibson operatives for termination. The Epiphone company had some really glorious and golden years - why not revisit them with quality reproductions...?

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f314/The_Troubleman/epiphone3.jpg

Epiphone Triumph Archtop


Makes sense to me...
Good point


jb

[Matt Novak]

Anyone seen this? Jeff Beck on a budget.......

http://images6.thomann.de/pics/bdb/224006/1283921_800.jpg (http://www.thomann.de/gb/prod_bdb_AR_224006.html?image=1)


I dont really dig the '59's, but I might actually be tempted with this one.

[morgan918]

Anyone seen this? Jeff Beck on a budget.......

http://images6.thomann.de/pics/bdb/224006/1283921_800.jpg (http://www.thomann.de/gb/prod_bdb_AR_224006.html?image=1)


I dont really dig the '59's, but I might actually be tempted with this one.

Order of events of the last 3 minutes:
1 - agree with norwine to the extent that current epi's aren't as nice as gibsons and become self-righteous as I play my '65 SG jr
2 - see image of a wraparound LP for cheap
3 - look in wallet
4 - reconsider #1

[Matt Novak]

:)Order of events of the last 3 minutes:
1 - agree with norwine to the extent that current epi's aren't as nice as gibsons and become self-righteous as I play my '65 SG jr
2 - see image of a wraparound LP for cheap
3 - look in wallet
4 - reconsider #1


Haha, yeah I was wondering what an afternoon with that headstock, a fret saw, and a ''template'' would yield....

[morgan918]

:)


Haha, yeah I was wondering what an afternoon with that headstock, a fret saw, and a ''template'' would yield....

Hehe, yeah I hear ya.

My biggest gripe is really those plastic poly finishes (followed closely by crappy fretboard wood). Everything else about epis (and imports in general) I could live with or change, but I can't stand the feel of a poly neck.

[Matt Novak]

How we think:

Buy the Epi Oxblood; junk the tuners, pups, electrics and hardware before upgrading to quality stuff - then I'll have the fingerboard replaced and get a decent re-fret for it. Once I've reshaped the headstock, stripped the poly and had it refinished, I should have a pretty decent, budget axe.....

XD

[morgan918]

How we think:

Buy the Epi Oxblood; junk the tuners, pups, electrics and hardware before upgrading to quality stuff - then I'll have the fingerboard replaced and get a decent re-fret for it. Once I've reshaped the headstock, stripped the poly and had it refinished, I should have a pretty decent, budget axe.....

XD

Ha, that's awesome, and right on the money. I'm trying to block myself from going down these routes. I bought this MIK First Act sheena (kind of a grestchy semi-hollow flat top) for $149 at the store closeout. It actually is at least as decent as the basic epi semis. But I'm gathering parts for a complete redo - pickups, tuners, new nut, adding a bigsby, new electronics. I'll probably put for $500 into it at the end, for a total of $650, which i guess isn't awful, if I end up actually using it (which is debatable). These projects are usually money pits.

[Matt Novak]

I've seen the Sheenas - a cool axe, especially for $149! Would appreciate seeing before / after pics. I've currently got this in bits:

http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs158.snc1/5920_140759764107_731839107_3303647_3330869_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3296965&id=731839107)

Its a homebrew mahogany (I think) body I picked up here in Prague - it also had this neck on it:

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs158.snc1/5920_140759754107_731839107_3303645_7894373_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3296965&id=731839107)

Which was totally incorrect (see body to neck fit in first pic). Interestingly, it appears to have a floyd which has been machined out of solid steel! Theres no patent numbers / makers mark and in some places you can see file marks etc. Being based in the Czech Republic, it could've been made from scratch pre-89 - which would be tres cool in my opinion. Weighs about a pound though! Anyway, the plan is to get a 24 fret scalloped Ibanez-RG style neck off the 'bay for the body, and put the Kramer neck on..... a Warmoth Soloist body? An EVH-inspired Tele body? who knows? I'll see what comes up.

On top of that, I've just scored a Koll reversed strat neck - with the intention of building something like this:

http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs196.snc3/20338_279931174107_731839107_4391613_8055689_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4391613&id=731839107)

Too many projects! And I've just realised I've got far too carried away with this reply... Sorry for the hijack, back to 59 epis :)

[Bigsby]

Mid 90's Epiphone semi-hollows from the Aria (Peerless) factory in Korea have really nice bodies and necks. I like the fretboards as much as my 70's Les Paul. They seem equivalent in quality anyway. Once you replace the electronics and hardware, you've got a beautiful playing guitar. I have one Riviera in particular that sustains for days.

[buchla300]

Well, I just played a few of the new Epiphones including the 1959 and was impressed, especially for the money. Played well and looked really nice I thought. Much nicer than other older Epiphones I have played. It all felt like Epiphone have really got it together. It was 590 euros or so with case and for that money, if I needed a budget LP, I'd grab it. As it is, I might grab an oxblood as I love wraptails..and it's cheaper but the 59 certainly seemed like a "proper" guitar.
Very nice.

[buchla300]

If the Epiphone name brand is ever split from Gibson again, you may very well see some interesting things happening.

Have you played any of the new ones? I mean, no they may not worry a historic (then again, a Historic won't worry my Sid Poole LP) but I was impressed with the new ones that I tried.
WAY better than the Gibson Studio that was next to them and certainly I would debate wether I would drop 4 times as much on an LP traditional than the Epi 1959.
I'm a believer in spending the money when you have to, but I was also surprised just how good some of the new Epiphones felt.
Seriously..

[amc]

"Since Gibson has owned the Epiphone name, Gibson's corporate culture has mandated that the Epiphone name will only be allowed on guitars that are somehow demonstrably inferior."

this statement really is not correct

when gibson first purchased epiphone, the intent was to be able to sell
instruments at stores that were not gibson dealers. (increased market share)

these epiphones were on par with gibsons of the same era ('50s thru the '70s).

it was only after norlin came in that gibson made epiphone a "lesser" brand.

just my 2 cents, ymmv