[Rick Jones]

I dunno, my sonic evaluation of the whole thinline construction thing is different than all of yours.
I have owned an Eastman t185mx, all maple with a solid carved too and back, at the same time as a Gibson "Lucille" and previously had an epiphone dot.
The eastman was a total suprise, much more open toned...not at all like a les Paul sound (I have a '59 reissue LP now) and utterly controllabe when it came to feedback.
It had sparkle for a humbucker guitar, and the in between, ie two pickups on, through a clean fender twin had more depth and clarity than the Lucille, and when I kicked my Seymour twin tube overdrive on, it kept its voice more than the Lucille too.....in that notes stayed fat and bled into feedback if you wanted, not sometimes on their own.

Just goes to show how we all hear different things.