NGD - Epiphone '59 Les Paul

phydaux · #1 05-07-2022, 12:54 PM

I've been wanting a Les Paul to go with my Epiphone IBG ES-335. After reviewing Epiphone's web site I knew it had to be the '59 with the AAA maple cap, hard case, and the Gibson Burstbucker PAF pickups.

I decided last Saturday to pull the trigger, and it arrived on Wednesday. I've been having a ball since then.

I knew that a nice maple cap would be important to me, so I decided to go with Sweetwater because they show you four different guitars and let you pick the one you want. I decided to go with the Sweetwater exclusive Aged Honey Burst finish. This is the one I finally chose:

I like the flame below the stop tail, that it ALMOST looks bookmatched, and the visible flame between the pickups, and that the finish is faint enough to see the flame up near the selector switch. Actually those photos don't do the flame justice. And in person the finish looks much more Dirty Lemon than tangerine.

It's a heavy SOB, so the other night I put on a set of Shaller S-Locks I had laying around. I've finally got the strap adjusted so that it hangs how I like, and it's just a joy to play.

I was strumming it a bit unplugged last night, and I noticed that is has an awesome, resonant tone unplugged. I'd always heard that a good unplugged tone on a solid body electric guitar is a sure sign that it will have an awesome electric tone, and this one sure does.

I always thought it would be the 335 that lured me away from acoustic guitars, but my IBG ES-335 never could. This one, though, might be my lure to the dark side.

guitararmy · #2 05-08-2022, 06:27 AM

Congratulations that’s a beauty!
Nothing like a Les Paul!!

GoPappy · #3 05-08-2022, 07:31 AM

That’s a real looker. Congrats!

Dru Edwards · #4 05-08-2022, 09:38 AM

Fantastic! There's something special when you can play an electric unplugged and it rings.

It has a stunning top for sure. I'm guessing it's a keeper?

Congrats and enjoy!

Chickee · #5 05-08-2022, 11:33 AM

That Tequila Sunrise stain job is really interesting, fading from the top down just like Triple Sec into Orange Juice! The more I look at it the more it’s growing on me.
Terrific looking guitar and I bet it plays like buttah!

glaze3 · #6 05-08-2022, 12:53 PM

Nice purchase! I bought one of the first release models in '20 and love mine so much that I also bought the SG model last year. I hadn't played electrics much over the last 25 years other occasionally noodling around on Gretsch 5420. After I got the LP I was almost immediately playing metal again to the dismay of my wife (my son loves it though).

phydaux · #7 05-08-2022, 01:55 PM

This afternoon I changed the strings, tweeked the set up a little bit, and rubbed some Olde English lemon oil into the Laurel fretboard.

I swear I could hear the fretboard go SLURP as I rubbed in the oil with a Q-Tip. lol

The maple flame is much more striking in person, and the "fade" is much less pronounced. In most indoor light it looks more like dirty lemon than tangerine.

Glennwillow · #8 05-08-2022, 07:36 PM

Congratulations! What a great looking guitar! Have fun!

- Glenn

Marde · #9 05-10-2022, 02:04 AM

Wow! Truly honestly very happy for you. That particular guitar caught my attention only about 3 weeks ago. I have a 3-guitar limit on electrics, mostly due to my limited budget and income. I recently decided to sell one of my Gibson LP's in order to make room for this one or maybe a similar Epi (TBD). Gotta list and sell the 2015 LP first...

I assume it did, but did your 59 Epi from Sweetwater include the Brown, pink-inside, Epi branded case? Case is good?

gmr · #10 05-10-2022, 06:31 AM

Very nice looking guitar. Those are intriguing to me as well. I’m glad you like it!

phydaux · #11 05-10-2022, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marde

I assume it did, but did your 59 Epi from Sweetwater include the Brown, pink-inside, Epi branded case? Case is good?

Yes it did. The case is very good.

That was one of the reasons I went with the Epiphone IBG '59 - Once you factor in the hard case which most other Epiphone Les Pauls like the Classic '50s doesn't come with, and the Gibson Burstbucker PAFs, it's actually cheaper at $850 than one of the other Epiphone Les Paul Standards.

The AAA maple cap is just the cherry on top.

Tonight I'll post a pic of my Les Paul next to my IBG ES-335.

FrankHudson · #12 05-10-2022, 08:28 AM

I'm happy for you. Enjoy! Fender and Gibson are both offering a lot good instruments in their Squier and Epiphone lines these days.

Onto personal stuff, full of opinions, more for others in the thread that you.
I've never cared for redish or cherry-bursts, but this one doesn't cause that reaction. Anything lemon-bursty always makes me think of the Peter Green-Gary Moore Les Paul. I'd be reversing the magnet and neck humbucker pole-piece orientation if one of those fell into my lap.

phydaux · #13 05-10-2022, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

I've never cared for redish or cherry-bursts, but this one doesn't cause that reaction.

It's down to it being a '59 reissue.

'59 was the first year Gibson offered the Les Paul with the classic Cherry Burst finish. But the stain Gibson used back in '59 wasn't stable, and was prone to fading over time.

Some of the '59s the red faded away completely. Collectors call these Lemon Drop or Dirty Lemon. Some only faded a little, and collectors call those Ice Tea.

Mine is suppose to represent one that faded completely on the bottom but only mostly on the top. It's called Dark Aged Honey, but Tequila Sunrise isn't a bad name for it.

FrankHudson · #14 05-10-2022, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phydaux

It's down to it being a '59 reissue.

'59 was the first year Gibson offered the Les Paul with the classic Cherry Burst finish. But the stain Gibson used back in '59 wasn't stable, and was prone to fading over time.

Some of the '59s the red faded away completely. Collectors call these Lemon Drop or Dirty Lemon. Some only faded a little, and collectors call those Ice Tea.

Mine is suppose to represent one that faded completely on the bottom but only mostly on the top. It's called Dark Aged Honey, but Tequila Sunrise isn't a bad name for it.

I'm hip to the age-fade effect, but good to outline it for others who might read the thread. If you look at the three pictures in this page about the Green/Moore/Hammett Les Paul you can see something like your color scheme in the top left picture of Peter Green with the around-a-decade old Les Paul with the upper bouts still not lemony yet.

One Legendary Guitar feature at Thalia web site

Bob Womack · #15 05-10-2022, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phydaux

I like the flame below the stop tail, that it ALMOST looks bookmatched, and the visible flame between the pickups, and that the finish is faint enough to see the flame up near the selector switch. Actually those photos don't do the flame justice. And in person the finish looks much more Dirty Lemon than tangerine.

That's a beautiful guitar! Congrats! Play it in good health.

Quote:

Originally Posted by phydaux

The maple flame is much more striking in person, and the "fade" is much less pronounced. In most indoor light it looks more like dirty lemon than tangerine.

I think it is almost a characteristic of striking flame with pronounced chatoyance that the depth is rarely possible to capture in a photograph. And I like it when the flame exists all the way up to the selector switch. My Gibson has this and came with the selector switch "poker chip" and pickguard unmounted and in the case. I've been trying to decide whether to mount them. I think I've decided to mount the poker chip but not the pickguard. I never thought I'd do that.

Bob