Best Les Paul Copy? Budget around $500

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bumrush101

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Hi,
I have a couple strats and wanted to try a Les Paul type sometime soon. However I don't think I could afford one of the original ones, so I heard that there were some good copies of the style that were made back in the day, or maybe even now??? Like the Japanese "lawsuit" ones, or even an Orville? I'm just now starting to try to read about these...

Would appreciate any guidance or info on this topic. I'm pretty good at tracking down stuff if I know the specifics or what to look for...along with my patience I can usually get it (now just have to stop trying to go for obscure stuff!); I've had great luck so far.
thanks mucho for your guys' advice!
 
I'm not sure if this will sound the way you want, however the prs se singlecut plays rather well. You can find a used one for well under 500 bucks.
 
With the Japanese LP's there are Tokai, Greco, Burny and Orville (Orville by Gibson) from the 70s, 80s and 90s.

A lot tend to stay away from the early to mid 70s Japanese LP's because they can vary a bit from a Gibson LP but not always as some of the 70s Tokai's can be pretty good and some Greco's as well.

The Greco LP's from late 1979 to the mid 80s tend to be favoured.

The Orville by Gibson brand are the upper models and the Orville brand are the lower models and the Orville by Gibson LP's from 1988 to 1995 tend to be favoured and there are different Orville by Gibson models and prices.

Changing pickups and even pickup magnets is pretty easy to get some sort of tone preference probably happening.

A lot of info at http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/other-single-cuts/ and http://www.tokaiforum.com/
 
Rocksoff":7s1qgs2i said:
With the Japanese LP's there are Tokai, Greco, Burny and Orville (Orville by Gibson) from the 70s, 80s and 90s.

A lot tend to stay away from the early to mid 70s Japanese LP's because they can vary a bit from a Gibson LP but not always as some of the 70s Tokai's can be pretty good and some Greco's as well.

The Greco LP's from late 1979 to the mid 80s tend to be favoured.

The Orville by Gibson brand are the upper models and the Orville brand are the lower models and the Orville by Gibson LP's from 1988 to 1995 tend to be favoured and there are different Orville by Gibson models and prices.

Changing pickups and even pickup magnets is pretty easy to get some sort of tone preference probably happening.

A lot of info at http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/other-single-cuts/ and http://www.tokaiforum.com/
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Thanks for the great info! Would these be reliably dateable by serial number (Greco, Orville, etc)? I've looked around locally and didn't find something that fits the bill, so mostly will be looking to buy on the net, Ebay, Craigslist, etc...)
 
HerbieBoogie":2zdyrn1q said:
I'm not sure if this will sound the way you want, however the prs se singlecut plays rather well. You can find a used one for well under 500 bucks.
Click to expand...

I'm looking for something heavier than the Stratocaster sound. I've already gotten some humbuckers for it (Skatterbrane, MCP, and a couple others to try), but those clips I saw and what I read about almost exclusively had them in LP style guitars. I want a good grind with diminished bluesy overtones, but this would be mostly for rhythm type work.

Is the budget enough? I could go a bit more, but that would delay the purchase for a bit, but if it is worthwhile to wait and spend a bit more, I'd be willing. I've ended up with a lot of extraneous stuff over the years from experimenting, so didn't want to keep adding without a good idea of what I'm getting...
thanks! and will check out for those...
 
The Edwards LPs are decent. You've never going to get that hefty lump of mahogany that you get with a real LP standard but the price & build quality & playability will be top notch.
 
A dude in town has a Burny, think it's a late 70's model, but let me say the thing sings. Saw his band one night at a local dive and the dude was playing thru a little Budda combo amp, and the whole setup just wreaked of tone. Thought it was a LP, but when I got up close to scope it out in during their break, I was like "Burny"?????? What the hell is that. It was all beat up and shit, but great sounding guitar and the guy said he snagged it from a local pawn shop for 425$.
If you are ever hunting around the net or a pawn shop and see one of these, especially one that is older,,,,definitely give it a try. Here's what one looks like
 
bumrush101":c2duy10n said:
Rocksoff":c2duy10n said:
With the Japanese LP's there are Tokai, Greco, Burny and Orville (Orville by Gibson) from the 70s, 80s and 90s.

A lot tend to stay away from the early to mid 70s Japanese LP's because they can vary a bit from a Gibson LP but not always as some of the 70s Tokai's can be pretty good and some Greco's as well.

The Greco LP's from late 1979 to the mid 80s tend to be favoured.

The Orville by Gibson brand are the upper models and the Orville brand are the lower models and the Orville by Gibson LP's from 1988 to 1995 tend to be favoured and there are different Orville by Gibson models and prices.

Changing pickups and even pickup magnets is pretty easy to get some sort of tone preference probably happening.

A lot of info at http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/other-single-cuts/ and http://www.tokaiforum.com/
Click to expand...

Thanks for the great info! Would these be reliably dateable by serial number (Greco, Orville, etc)? I've looked around locally and didn't find something that fits the bill, so mostly will be looking to buy on the net, Ebay, Craigslist, etc...)
Click to expand...

Most of the Grecos have serials with year info except some that were made in Korea in the late 1980s and Tokai also made some Grecos without serial numbers in the late 1980s as well, so Grecos without serial numbers need some model knowledge so that the buyer knows exactly what they are buying.

All of the 70s and 80s Grecos with serial numbers were made in Japan and the Tokai made Grecos (no serial number) were also made in Japan but some Grecos with no serial number were made by Cort in Korea.

It might seem strange that Tokai made some Grecos as they are different guitar companies, but Tokai is also a maker of guitars for other companies as well as selling their own Tokai brand guitars and Tokai have made some Fender Japan guitars for Fender.

All of the early "Orville by Gibsons" have serial numbers with year info but some early "Orvilles" don't but it doesn't matter too much as they all came from 1989-1993.

All of the "Orville by Gibsons" and "Orvilles" were made in Japan from 1988-1998.

Burny's don't usually have serial numbers so some model knowledge helps with the year ID.

All of the 70s and 80s Burny's were made in Japan.

Tokai's usually have serial numbers with year info.

All of the 70s and 80s Tokai's were made in Japan.
 
cardinal":66qdwna6 said:
I have a Korean Epiphone LP that I think is great.
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Ya some Epi's aren't bad. Just know going in that you'll need to replace the pickups, tuners and probably the nut.
 
^ Yes, the pickups and tuners were laughably bad. Nut is ok after some touch up. But the fretwork is great, dark rosewood board, and sustain and umph that I just don't hear with Superstrats.
 
I would look for a used PRS Bernie Marsden SE. Absolutely amazing guitar for the money. Excellent fit and finish. Very high quality. Definitely has a Les Paul vibe for a great price.
 
The PRS SE line is my vote, too. Every time I see one pop up on craigslist I have to convince myself that I don't need another guitar.
 
If you are a dyed in the wool LP guy, and nothing but a pretty close copy will do, then Edwards or Burny are your best bets, imo.

But if you are willing to look more broadly, the PRS Singlecut SE line is amazing. Heck, I like them more than USA LP Stds. Lots of variety in the line, too. But as was suggested above, the PRS Bernie Marsden Signature SE is a great place to start looking.
 
Shawn Lutz":15gf98iz said:
used Studio ;)
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This or the Future models are around $500. I agree with the above on a Korean Epi. I have one that's great after putting some decent pickups in it.
 
Try an Agile 3000 series....a new 3010 SE is like 350 shipped, try it for 30 days and return it if you don't like it. Go to Rondo music.com.....I have an agile that plays light years better than many used LPs I've tried over the past month. Nice Alnico pups, Graphtech nut...I won't say its as good as a Standard but its at least as good or better than any LP Studio I tried last month at 3 different GCs in the twin cities....and WAY better than any Epi I picked up.
 
Oh and they're Korean, not Chinese...if it matters to you.
 
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