Posted: 3/19/2017 9:02:16 PM EDT
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Good evening guys,
I know NOTHING about guitars but have always wanted to try. Please help me! Is there any difference from say a sunburst model to a black beauty model to a blue sunburst other than asthetics? Do they sound different I mean???? Thanks, SK |
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The colors generally don't matter. What makes the difference is the woods used. I'm? assuming you're talking about Epiphone Les Pauls since you mentioned a Black Beauty. Generally, an Epiphone, or Gibson for that matter, Les Paul is going to have a mahogany body, maple top, mahogany neck, and a rosewood fretboard. That's your bread and butter Les Paul wood combo. There are some models that don't have a carved top and are just a mahogany body, and there are some that have a carved top that is mahogany, like the back. And there are some out there with ebony fretboards. Gibson has made some with maple fretboards and some other mystery wood I can't remember the name of.
So what does all this mean? Mahogany is generally considered a warm tonewood with an emphasis on the mids, although there is the occasional odd example that has a really, and I mean really bright top end on its own. I have a mahogany bodied Ibanez RG that is a prime example of this. That guitar is ****ing bright! Maple is a tonewood that is generally on the bright side and adds a crispness when combined with other woods, such as mahogany. Maple can also have figuring, one version is called flamed (also called tiger by furniture people), and quilted. Flamed maple is figuring that is more even with wide undulating "waves" that will go all the way across the piece of wood. Quilted is more random figuring, but still produces a sort of wave effect. Both are quite beautiful when properly dyed, sanded and lacquered. Rosewood is another wood that is warm with a midrange emphasis, although it can have a more crisp sound than mahogany. Ebony is a fairly balanced wood, but it has a very crisp and somewhat prominent top end. It adds more of a "hi-fi" tone when used for a fretboard. And like I mentioned above, the colors don't matter too much. There are arguments over various finishes, but it's a moot point. And to a certain extent, the higher priced models are more blingy. |
| Pretty open ended question. If you have the exact same model Guitar, ie Les Paul Studio than color will have no difference. Epiphone is the brand. Just like Fender, or Ibanez and many more. Les Paul would be the model and studio for lack of a better term would be the trim level. Most people and virtually all non audiophile or non musicians can't hear the different in wood types. I've been playing for 37 years and can't hear the difference. Pick ups contribute to 90% of the sound. but being a noob you probably won't hear the differences between good, average and junk pickups. There is more to a quality guitar than just sound, like fit and finish, quality of parts used, balance etc... If you are buying your first guitar take somebody who knows what they are doing with you. Setneck Epi's are pretty good guitars for the money, the bolt on's are junk. They are probably the best band for the buck under $400. |
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Do you know a guitar player IRL? If so, see if they'll go to a store with you and help you pick one out. Have them play it to make sure it isn't awful and then have them let you mess with it to see if you like it.
When you're starting out the only things that really matters is having a guitar that you like the look of and having a playable guitar. |
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Quoted:
Step 1: Find a Gibson Les Paul Studio on Craigslist for $500. Step 2: Find a Decent tube amp. Step 3: Take lessons. If you decide it isn't for you, someone will buy your old gear and you won't lose your butt. Beats having a Squire under your bed for 20 years .  |
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Quoted:
Most people and virtually all non audiophile or non musicians can't hear the different in wood types. I've been playing for 37 years and can't hear the difference. Pick ups contribute to 90% of the sound. but being a noob you probably won't hear the differences between good, average and junk pickups. Yes, pickups make a difference in what you hear, but I have a few pickups that I've swapped in and out of several of my guitars, and yes, the wood, construction, and body shape does make a difference. I'll give you an example. I have a Seymour Duncan Black Winter set. I've had them in my Gibson Explorer (mahogany body & neck with a rosewood board and set neck construction), my el-cheapo Jackson King V (alder body, bolt on Maple neck with a rosewood fretboard), my Epiphone Les Paul Custom (mahogany body & neck, maple top rosewood board, set neck), and they are currently in my Ibanez RG321MH (mahogany body, bolt on maple neck, rosewood board). In the Explorer, I got this highly annoying nasally, half cocked wah sound that annoyed the hell out of me. In the bolt on King V, I got a nice balanced tone with a nice crisp top end. In the Les Paul, I also got a fairly ballanced tone, but it was warmer and beefier. In the cheap Ibanez, well, that's when I discovered that it's extremely bright. Exact same pickups and I used Bourns 500k pots with .047uf Orange Drop caps in everything but the Ibanez. The Ibanez still has the stock 500k pots and .022uf cap. That .022uf cap should have made that guitar sound darker, but it didn't. And back when I was a noob, the first time I heard decent pickups, my ears liked it. |
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I beg to differ. Yes, pickups make a difference in what you hear, but I have a few pickups that I've swapped in and out of several of my guitars, and yes, the wood, construction, and body shape does make a difference. I'll give you an example. I have a Seymour Duncan Black Winter set. I've had them in my Gibson Explorer (mahogany body & neck with a rosewood board and set neck construction), my el-cheapo Jackson King V (alder body, bolt on Maple neck with a rosewood fretboard), my Epiphone Les Paul Custom (mahogany body & neck, maple top rosewood board, set neck), and they are currently in my Ibanez RG321MH (mahogany body, bolt on maple neck, rosewood board). In the Explorer, I got this highly annoying nasally, half cocked wah sound that annoyed the hell out of me. In the bolt on King V, I got a nice balanced tone with a nice crisp top end. In the Les Paul, I also got a fairly ballanced tone, but it was warmer and beefier. In the cheap Ibanez, well, that's when I discovered that it's extremely bright. Exact same pickups and I used Bourns 500k pots with .047uf Orange Drop caps in everything but the Ibanez. The Ibanez still has the stock 500k pots and .022uf cap. That .022uf cap should have made that guitar sound darker, but it didn't. And back when I was a noob, the first time I heard decent pickups, my ears liked it. Quoted:
Quoted:
Most people and virtually all non audiophile or non musicians can't hear the different in wood types. I've been playing for 37 years and can't hear the difference. Pick ups contribute to 90% of the sound. but being a noob you probably won't hear the differences between good, average and junk pickups. Yes, pickups make a difference in what you hear, but I have a few pickups that I've swapped in and out of several of my guitars, and yes, the wood, construction, and body shape does make a difference. I'll give you an example. I have a Seymour Duncan Black Winter set. I've had them in my Gibson Explorer (mahogany body & neck with a rosewood board and set neck construction), my el-cheapo Jackson King V (alder body, bolt on Maple neck with a rosewood fretboard), my Epiphone Les Paul Custom (mahogany body & neck, maple top rosewood board, set neck), and they are currently in my Ibanez RG321MH (mahogany body, bolt on maple neck, rosewood board). In the Explorer, I got this highly annoying nasally, half cocked wah sound that annoyed the hell out of me. In the bolt on King V, I got a nice balanced tone with a nice crisp top end. In the Les Paul, I also got a fairly ballanced tone, but it was warmer and beefier. In the cheap Ibanez, well, that's when I discovered that it's extremely bright. Exact same pickups and I used Bourns 500k pots with .047uf Orange Drop caps in everything but the Ibanez. The Ibanez still has the stock 500k pots and .022uf cap. That .022uf cap should have made that guitar sound darker, but it didn't. And back when I was a noob, the first time I heard decent pickups, my ears liked it. |
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Lots of great Epiphone info here
http://epiphonewiki.com/index.php/Main_Page 
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Quoted:
Step 1: Find a Gibson Les Paul Studio on Craigslist for $500. Step 2: Find a Decent tube amp. Step 3: Take lessons. If you decide it isn't for you, someone will buy your old gear and you won't lose your butt. Beats having a Squire under your bed for 20 years . Sound advice! |
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Black Beauties generally are a triple humbucker setup aren't they? Attached File |
| Stonerkalish here is a good vid comparing 4 different types of guitars, as you can hear, the differences are vey subtle. The LP is mahogany, the strat and tele are probably alder and RG is probably basswood altho mine is mahogany with a bubunga top, but is s much lower level than the one in the vid. Also, 3 different types of pick ups, humbuckers in the LP and RG and single coil in the strat and tele, but they are different from each other. https://youtu.be/9AEp4R7v_oc |
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Quoted:
Step 1: Find a Gibson Les Paul Studio on Craigslist for $500. Step 2: Find a Decent tube amp. Step 3: Take lessons. If you decide it isn't for you, someone will buy your old gear and you won't lose your butt. Beats having a Squire under your bed for 20 years . Quoted:
Step 1: Find a Gibson Les Paul Studio on Craigslist for $500. Step 2: Find a Decent tube amp. Step 3: Take lessons. If you decide it isn't for you, someone will buy your old gear and you won't lose your butt. Beats having a Squire under your bed for 20 years . A lot of people will claim that Gibson uses inferior tone wood for the Studios. Straight from Gibson's mouth, that's BS. Les Paul Studio Wood Debate. RE: Les Pauls From: Jon Sutherland ([email protected]) on behalf of Customer Service ([email protected]) Add contact Sent:Monday, March 03, 2008 12:59:48 PM To: Stef De Smaele ([email protected]) Cc: CS Mail ([email protected]) Hi Steven, Thanks for the email. The Les Paul models listed use the same high quality woods for the body and top, but the Standard models use a higher grade top, which means there is more figuring in the wood than a plain top which is used on the Les Paul Studio. The flame(figuring) does not affect tone. Thanks again!! Best regards, Jon Sutherland Gibson Customer Service 1-800-4GIBSON [email protected] Sign up now to receive the latest news from Gibson http://www.gibson.com/emalesignup.aspx AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, & MSN Messenger users can IM Gibson Customer Service at [email protected] To locate a Gibson Dealer in your area, please visit http://www.gibson.com/Dealers/ For schematics, repair tips, FAQs , Authorized Service Center locations and more, please visit the Gibson Customer Service website at http://www.gibson.com/Service/ ***CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This communication is considered a private and proprietary exchange between Gibson Musical Instruments and its customers, and is intended for the eyes of the original recipient(s) only. This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. *** From: Stef De Smaele [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 5:05 PM To: Customer Service1 Subject: Les Pauls Dear Mr., I'm trying to decide between a LP studio, a LP standard faded, and a LP standard. I like all 3 guitars equally as much cosmetically, and if i don't like the pickups, I can always swap them for some others. However, i'm not sure if all three guitars use the same quality of wood... could you tell me which LP uses the highest quality wood ? if they all use the same wood quality i would obviously get the studio, but if the LP standard or standard faded has the best wood out of those three, i wouldn't mind spending the extra cash for better wood. so basically my decision will be completely based on which guitar has the best quality of wood. hwo would you rank the 3 guitars for wood quality ? or do they all use exactly the same quality of wood ? Yours, Steven.  Cheapest Gibson vs Most Expensive Epiphone - A Les Paul Challenge! |
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