Epiphone John Connolly Les Paul Custom?

[toejam]

Anyone ever play one of these? I think I eventually want one. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] MF says they're discontinued, though. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/...base_id/83030/

[MountainDog]

Re: Epiphone John Connolly Les Paul Custom?

I have one of these, got it from Musician's Friend as a blem for $425 w/free ship. How many Les Pauls/set necks do you see with Maple fretboard...just about zero! That's why I had to have this.

I was very pleasantly surprised..it's a very good quality guitar. The brass nut and USA pickups add a touch of class. The pickups sound great, no need to change (and the pickups are the 4-wire type, so you can set it up for coil splitting or whatever (I like a single coil in the neck, so I just grounded the coil tap).

The neck is much thinner than a real Les Paul (its 0.785" thick at middle of 3rd fret)...a lot closer to Jackson/Charvel than a Paul (which on mine is 0.890" thick @ 3rd fret). The Eip also appears to have a flatter radius on the neck, again more J/C like. The Epi is also a few pounds lighter than a Paul. The body is a black translucent flamed maple, kinda hard to tell from the pics but if you stare at the pic close you can see that feature. The flame paint application was well done. It even has a bound fingerboard.

Just to put things in perspective, I have a Gibson Les Paul Custom Lite (the ebony fingerboard, no pickguard, black hardware, translucent blue color, chamber filled with balsa wood one). The Epiphone plays equally, sounds almost equally, and I actually prefer the Epi due to the thinner neck. The epi intonates very well, my Gibson needed an Earvana nut in order for it to intonate correctly.

For some reason these came and went soon, don't really know why...and I think I've only seen one on ebay since they came out a year ago.

I highly recommend this guitar!!

[VitaminG]

Re: Epiphone John Connolly Les Paul Custom?

it's still listed on the Epi site.... http://www.epiphone.com/default.asp?...CollectionID=6

I like the specs on that. The only sig model Epis I've seen over here are the Zakk Wylde ones.

[toejam]

Re: Epiphone John Connolly Les Paul Custom?

Yeah, I also saw it listed on the Epi site but don't know why MF says it's discontinued. [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

Thanks for the review MountainDog!! Definitely sounds like I'll need to get one. I love the maple board and the fact that the neck is closer to a J/C. I did see one on Elderly's site and noticed the nice flame top could be seen underneath very sublte. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Black Mask]

Re: Epiphone John Connolly Les Paul Custom?

I love Epiphone Les Pauls. I think they're incredible bang for the buck if you get a really nice one. Judging from what I've seen and heard, the Connolly is a solid buy... but not for me. I can't stand the way a Les Paul with maple fretboard looks. Les Pauls LOVE rosewood. But then again, it's cool to do your own thing, so if it's your bag, go nuts. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

I own an Epi LP Standard, and I've always found it to be an incredibly solid guitar considering I only paid a few hundred for it.

[VitaminG]

Re: Epiphone John Connolly Les Paul Custom?

are they strung to standard pitch? Connolly uses .013s tuned to Double Drop C, doesn't he?

[toejam]

Re: Epiphone John Connolly Les Paul Custom?

Hmm, good question. [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img] I saw one review on Harmony Central, but it didn't mention string size. If they came with 13s, I'd change them out to Ernie Ball Purple Power Slinky 11-48 (11/14/18/28/38/48) and tune to D, sometimes Drop C. That's the lowest I like to tune, and the heaviest strings I'll use.

[MountainDog]

Re: Epiphone John Connolly Les Paul Custom?

Standard pitch, and I believe mine came strung with 9's. I don't think the brass nut is even cut to accept 13's if that's what Connolly uses.

[Genebaby]

Re: Epiphone John Connolly Les Paul Custom?

Is that what that is? They have one at my local store. I only wish it had a natural finish neck/fretboard, but that would never happen. can't remember the price they had on it.

[VitaminG]

Re: Epiphone John Connolly Les Paul Custom?

I said before the only sig models I'd seen were Zakk's, but I forgot I've also seen Ace's too. If the Connolly's are priced similarly, they probably sell for about AU$1899 over here. [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]