# Epiphone Les Paul (56 gold top 2006) VS Gretsch projet (G5435T)



## Frank Fargon (Apr 11, 2013)

Here's what i like about the Les paul...The price,i can get one for cheap.But not to sure about the neck,Beefy?,jumbo frets?wtf!?
Plus there's no Bigsby...Les paul with Bigsby seem to be expensive even the Epi's

On the other hand, the Gretsch comes with a tremolo...But what about the neck?..never played one..Never played a Les paul neither

What about the sound?..i mean those pick up on the LP seems somkin hot..Plus i like the "bold,hot sound of and LP..how could it be compared to the projet?
The projet cost more..but do i get more?

Help me buy the PERFECT gift for my girlfriend...Even if i'm the one that will probably end up playing it most of the time 
Any info about those two would be gladly appreciate
Thanks 
Frank )


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## OldGuitarPlayer (Feb 25, 2013)

Well, I am not a fan of Bigsby's but to each his or her own. I do like the look of the Gretch though and you can get it in a gold top as well. I do like those Epi 56 goldtops too though. If it were me I'd probably go with the Epi. I have played one and it was pretty nice however it was so long ago I couldn't give you an accurate description of the neck but I do recall it was nice to play and sounded good.


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

Dang that Gretsch is pretty sexy. Mini humbuckers? 

If memory serves me correct Gretsch necks are pretty slim and flat. I'm leaning towards this, I like the look of it. Stands out more than the ubiquitous Les Paul IMHO.


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## Frank Fargon (Apr 11, 2013)

For me at this point, looks dosent matter..It's more down to my budget,and tru friends, i can get those 2 models at good prices..But still will have to drop 100$ more for the Gretsch.I want the Action of the guitar and overall feel to be "friendly"...What i'm affraid to NOT get on the LP 56. I live in a "country ass" town..The only music store,is like at 3h drive,with my BIG pick-up truck,just the drive back and forth is the price of a cheap guitar,loll Gas is EXPENSIVE here Quebec. So i'll get it tru internet..with no test drive,loll
Plus she'll be less suspicious that way,then if i have to go out for the entire day...leaving her with the farm work and shit.Plus Since its from friends in michigan,they'll ship it as a "gift" and i know both guitars are in very good condition.I just wonder if soundwise..There at least in the same ballpark..or two diffrent beast?

When it comes down to the gretsch my questions leans toward Sound and playability.. But the LP i only wonder about the playability?...I kinda know what to expect soundwise,loll

Frank


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## Built4Speed (Aug 31, 2009)

The Gretsch you're considering does not come with mini-humbuckers. The 5435T is an updated model with Gretsch Blacktop Filtertron pickups. They're more of a Gretsch sounding pickup than the mini-hums were. They won't sound like Gibson style humbuckers. All the reports and reviews of read of them indicate they are a bright twangy pickup, not a beefy humbucker. Great for guys who want that Gretsch sound, not so good for someone who wants something that sounds like a Gibson.

So it depends what you want this guitar to sound like. I have no direct experience with these though, so take my comments with a grain of salt.


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## corailz (May 1, 2008)

Both of the are nice guitars!I have a couple Gibson at home and i've tried a Gretsch Duo Jet and it felt great! 
I like the gretsch style with the Bigsby and it's a great sounding guitar! For sure, it's not a Lespaul, but it feels as good and
ever if the gretsch has is own sound and tone, the guitar's as good as a Lespaul for all kind of music.
For the Epiphone '56, i'm a goldtop lover and even if i've never tried one , i've read and heard soo much good things about this particular guitar that i could consider it as a no-brainer!

Finally, i think you've choose two great guitar's and the easier way to make you choice will be to try it(highly recommended before buying any guitars), or going with the one that is offered at the lower price(considering that they are both in similar shape and condition).


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## Frank Fargon (Apr 11, 2013)

Thanks for the info guys.I still have till the end of May to get it,so a little more then a month.Maybe i remember the weight and bulkiness of the 56LP wrong..
I mean if she can rock an acoustic guitar she can probably handle it...Right? Even if iM not a gibson kinda guy..Those goldtop are wicked cool! And most important sounds great.


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## Frank Fargon (Apr 11, 2013)

I have the feeling getting more quality buying an Epi instead of a gibson..then if i bought a Squier instead of a Fender.
The more i look, the more i feel like having an epiphone in the stable.. The 1966 SG G-400 Pro or the 56 gold top...Both great brutal Rock&Roll machines..Well to me 
So do you feel also that epiphone>Squier? 
Is actually squier the equivalent of Epiphone when it comes down to Lower entery level instruments?
Could Epiphone be more in the same ballpark as MIM Fenders?


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

There have been some very good reviews on the squiers. They have a narrow neck as well, which is likely a good thing for your daughter.


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## Frank Fargon (Apr 11, 2013)

It's not for my daughter...Its for my girlfriend.If i had to choose a guitar for my child, i'll be going for the Dora the explorer or a spongebob mini strat


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Frank Fargon said:


> It's not for my daughter...Its for my girlfriend.If i had to choose a guitar for my child, i'll be going for the Dora the explorer or a spongebob mini strat


The same likely applies to your girlfriend as women generally have smaller hands than men.


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## The Lullaby (Dec 8, 2010)

Steadfastly said:


> The same likely applies to your girlfriend as women generally have smaller hands than men.


*the Projet is sexier* the mini-buckers,the Bigsby, it'ill give her a chance to be more experimental than the Lester.


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## Frank Fargon (Apr 11, 2013)

The Lullaby said:


> *the Projet is sexier* the mini-buckers,the Bigsby, it'ill give her a chance to be more experimental than the Lester.


"The projet" i can get or afford is the newer one..With no Mini-buckers,but some black filtertron pick-up or sumthing like that, but it does have a b50 tremolo (g5435t) 
They try to give the projet a "new voice"...With diffrent pups and a chambered body..I'm sure about the look..Not about the sound tho..


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## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

If you need a smaller neck, I suggest that you fins a used PRS SE with the thin neck. Beautiful...females love the look. Excellent quality guitars too.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Those will both have big necks. Is it her first guitar? She should try out a bunch, make a list, then we help narrow that list down.


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## Petey D (Sep 8, 2011)

^^ That.

Speaking from experience, both the Projet & the LP have big chunky necks. Also, they're both pretty heavy each at approx 8-9lbs. Maybe a LP or a Projet is not the best gift for a gf with small hands, and narrow shoulders.

I would consider something lighter with a smaller radius neck. PRS SE comes to mind if you want it to be a humbucker type guitar. Maybe an SG?


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## corailz (May 1, 2008)

MMMMMMHHHHH! It's like when my wife's holding my guitars.....It's sooooo sexy!Sorry!


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## Frank Fargon (Apr 11, 2013)

Budda said:


> Those will both have big necks. Is it her first guitar? She should try out a bunch, make a list, then we help narrow that list down.


It will be her first ELECTRIC guitar,She plays on my Jasmine (electro-Acoustic) all the time and she sometimes rock my 1448 silvertone wich is a VERY small guitar and she hates my Supro.That been said,she dosent like the neck of the silvertone,but like the action..And love the neck on the supro,but dosent like the action,Both are real vintage from the early 60's and as seen better days.( Action=Shit),loll.She likes the sound and feel of my 78 artist..but the guitar is just to havey for her.She likes the neck on the strat...But dosent like the sound..Too thin she said.. I really want this to be a suprise..She thinks she'll get som Goats...but with 3 dogs,5 cats,2 horses, a pig, 8 chickens and 30 cows..I mean at this point i would rather Jam with my woman then having fresh goat milk in my coffee or what ever she wants to do with them,lol
I came up with those 2 guitars...but i'm open to suggestion, My budget is like 600$
Thanks


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## Frank Fargon (Apr 11, 2013)

Petey D said:


> ^^ That.
> 
> Speaking from experience, both the Projet & the LP have big chunky necks. Also, they're both pretty heavy each at approx 8-9lbs. Maybe a LP or a Projet is not the best gift for a gf with small hands, and narrow shoulders.
> 
> I would consider something lighter with a smaller radius neck. PRS SE comes to mind if you want it to be a humbucker type guitar. Maybe an SG?


I always knew PRS but didnt look as i tought they were like 2000$ guitars. yeah the SG is strongly on my mind...She likes the look for sure and with that "slimtapper" neck c profile..But i tought the les paul 56 had the same neck?...I know some model like the bonamassa as chuckier D profile.I think she could deal with Medium-jumbo frets...but not jumbo-jumbo frets like on the Mascis jazzmaster and other model


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## Frank Fargon (Apr 11, 2013)

corailz said:


> MMMMMMHHHHH! It's like when my wife's holding my guitars.....It's sooooo sexy!Sorry!


Yeah!! I totally understand what you mean,loll I like to see my woman rock too


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## Petey D (Sep 8, 2011)

Frank Fargon said:


> I always knew PRS but didnt look as i tought they were like 2000$ guitars. yeah the SG is strongly on my mind...She likes the look for sure and with that "slimtapper" neck c profile..But i tought the les paul 56 had the same neck?...I know some model like the bonamassa as chuckier D profile.I think she could deal with Medium-jumbo frets...but not jumbo-jumbo frets like on the Mascis jazzmaster and other model


Slim taper neck on a 56 LP? Not sure about that. SGs are a lot lighter, that's for sure.

The PRS SE line are a fantastic guitar, Korean made and come in at your price point of around $600ish, or cheaper. I had a Standard, wich was mahogany neck and body, no cap, set neck,rosewood board, and floating bridge. It played amazing, very light, decent pick-ups. I had it listed for $350. IMO, The PRS SEs blow the Epis right out of the water.


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## OldGuitarPlayer (Feb 25, 2013)

So you want a guitar with a slim neck? Save yourself $200 and look at one of these.










It's a Squier Classic Vibe Custom Telecaster. They sell new for $400. It has a light weight alder body and a very thin comfortable neck. Of course I am a tele fan and love the design.


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## Frank Fargon (Apr 11, 2013)

Petey D said:


> Slim taper neck on a 56 LP? Not sure about that. SGs are a lot lighter, that's for sure.
> 
> The PRS SE line are a fantastic guitar, Korean made and come in at your price point of around $600ish, or cheaper. I had a Standard, wich was mahogany neck and body, no cap, set neck,rosewood board, and floating bridge. It played amazing, very light, decent pick-ups. I had it listed for $350. IMO, The PRS SEs blow the Epis right out of the water.


Well i dont know much about Les paul's...But from epiphone's website the 56' goldtop does have a slim taper neck..Again this is mabye on recent model.The ones i can get are 2006 and 2004..but in very good condition .Lots of 56' gold top out there are from those 2 particular years.The PRS'S is somthing i just started to look at like last night,lol..I really dont know much about them...SE?..Seems to have alots of variant to that model.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

The PRS SE are their offshore units, MIK, I think.
Supposedly very well built. I haven't tried one, but the people that have them, love them.

Yes, it seems strange to have a "'60s" slim taper on a '56 model, but hey, anythings possible.


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## Frank Fargon (Apr 11, 2013)

Here's the link to the epiphone's web site for the 56' goldtop...If you look at the spec on the right,at neck profile it clearly say Slim Taper with 22 med-jumbo frets
http://www.epiphone.com/Products/Les-Paul/Les-Paul-1956-Goldtop.aspx

I've looked a few Squiers..Tele's and strats, they are to much on the "thin" side of the force (Soundwise) For that "bold" sound she likes
So i thought about a squier fat strat standard... 200$ brand new in the box with a gig bag. I was like..euh what piece o shit it must be ha ;P
Then a 72' squier tele, well the one with a neck bucker,loll then i looked at it closely Ishh!..With the pickguard all over,the knobs,nah!
And then find out i could scored a MIM fender fat strat again from around 2004,very good cond,A+,For less then 400$,more in the 350-320$ and that's only in one
quick look,like for 500$ you can get a 2012 MIM fat strat deluxe...So i've put squier kinda out of the race. I belive in used guitar,loll
the classic vibe squiers and the models from early-mid 80's E-serial and JV's ,etc. Are the horses i would bet on...But they dont have what i'm looking for now


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## OldGuitarPlayer (Feb 25, 2013)

I am a fan of buying used as well. The bass player in my band managed to pick up a used Squier CV Custom Tele which the previous owner had installed a Gibson humbucker at the neck and a Seymour Duncan split coil in the bridge. He got it for $350.

I am so jealous of him...kqoct


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## Frank Fargon (Apr 11, 2013)

OldGuitarPlayer said:


> I am a fan of buying used as well. The bass player in my band managed to pick up a used Squier CV Custom Tele which the previous owner had installed a Gibson humbucker at the neck and a Seymour Duncan split coil in the bridge. He got it for $350.
> 
> I am so jealous of him...kqoct


Yeah..When you have time to be on the look for good deal,you just never know what you can get.I bought a MIJ strat a few years back a nice E-serial 62'RI from late 85, december if i remember correctly.. pencil written date,A+ cond, with american vintage RI pickup from the early 90's..in sunburst,for 500$...still have it, and i feel it worth lot more then that . But you dont get that kinda deal everyday..Sadly,loll


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