Gibson Les Paul or Epiphone Les Paul? Which one should I buy and why?
915133
Well it depends a Gibson Les Paul runs about 2,000- 3,000 dollars depending if you want a l.p studio or a standard. the l.p epiphones run 600-900 dollars they are for an intermediate level of playing. it depnds how good you are also
70752
Always play before you buy (if you can't play ask the shop assistant to demonstrate), if it sounds good check the sturdiness of the neck and  test for comfort of play (some lesser branded guitars have unusually large shaped bodies and too wide/narrow necks), but most importantly - only buy the guitar that feels like your guitar the moment you pick it up.
81058
really, it shouldn't matter what name is on the guitar, its what it sounds like, and how it plays that counts. gibson les paul is a good all around guitar, while fender, paul reed smith, gretsch and Rickenbaker all make excellent blues/slow rock guitars. If its hard rock/metal he likes than B.C rich, Ibanez, Jackson or ESP make a mean sounding guitar thats sure to please
850744
You didn't say what you meant by "affordable".  Most Les Paul copies aren't very good.  Epiphone's tend to be the best...because well...the same factories make Gibson Les Pauls and Epiphone Les Pauls.  You can probably find what I would call affordable Epiphones all over the place.  If you're just looking for the basic shape, ESP makes pretty good affordable guitars, and they have a few with the Les Paul shape.  Ibanez makes a few Les Paul shaped guitars that sound pretty good.  I've never heard of Encore guitars...and if you haven't ever heard one or played one, I wouldn't recommend getting one.  The same goes for any brand that you've never heard of.  Just as a few of the other responses have said...go to a local music store and try a few out to see what you like.  You might find that there's another guitar for you...Les Paul may have invented the electric guitar...but even he played guitars with shapes other than the one named after him.
702080
That's a double cutaway black acoustic with an "S" on the headstock. If you truly want one of these, it'll cost ya.\nYou can get one from Gibson's Custom Guitar Facility in Nashville. \nStart here: http://www.gibsoncustom.com/\nOr, if you're super serious, contact me.
590356
Not knowing how much you want to spend I would suggest a better guitar brand than the Rouge. \n\nBuying a cheap brand has it's problems, it doesn't hold resale value, rarely has good warranty support, factory made junk that sounds bad and plays bad.\n\nLook for an established guitar brand: Taylor, Washburn, Alvarez, Yahama to name a few.\n\nThings you'll need:\nA hard shel case-offers more protection to your instrument.\nStrings-you shold change strings at least once a month, start with light gauge.\nPicks if you plan to strum.\nSet-Up: a trained luthier should be able to make your guitar very playable. Most new guitars need the action adjusted.\nStrap button-Installed on the heel of the neck. DON'T DO THIS YOURSELF AS YOU CAN SPLIT THE NECK!\nBeginer books\n\nRead up on these links before you buy. Get the best you can afford, it's a worth while investment. Take a friend along who knows something about guitar to help you shop.\n\nGood Luck and happy picking!
1020435
peavey is good bang for the buck. don't get cheap fenders (like a squier) or  ibanez - they'll fall apart. the fenders made in mexico ain't bad for a beginner...
405421
No, it is not good for a beginner. I would suggest either buying a Fender or a Squire. When I started learning how to play, I decided to spend the extra money and go with a Fender, and I never regretted that decision.
844879
Fender Squier is the best beginner brand. It comes from a well known and reliable company and supplys high quality instruments. Squier basically sells the 'standard' Fender instruments for a lower price (and of course the materials wouldn't be of that higher standard). A standard Fender Squier Stratocaster would cost around $129.99USD (http://www.guitarcenter.com/shop/guitar/navigation?q=squier&x=0&y=0). You could also get a Gibson Les Paul Jr. which is I think basically a Gibson Les Paul except it's smaller, for $99.99
191143
Any guitar with the right electronics and pickups. For the best out-of-the-box sound I love my SRV-edition Fender Stratocaster. My well-worn 73 Telecaster with Texas Special pickups is a close second.
1107956
I personally suggest a Peevey Briarwood acoustic guitar for a beginner. At a guitar store you should be able to buy one for $130. Anymore than that straight off the shelves is a rip off, but that is the best guitar you can have as a beginner. It will treat you right I swear. Good luck! Also, you might be able to find for under $100 on ebay...
787295
Depends on what style of music you play.Since you say you play acoustic now i would think you dont play a whole lot of metal so,A fender is a guitar for playing classic rock or clean(no distortion.Gibson is nice but very expensive epiphone is a good choice.If you like metal like me a Jackson is awesome or ibanez.
965245
Honestly...don't buy it.\n\nIf it's for you, or for someone else as a gift, spend a little more money a decent guitar.  I've seen too many people buy a cheap guitar as a first guitar because they think it will be a waste of money if they don't like it as much as they plan.\n\nthe bad thing with a guitar like that, is it's not fun to play.  It's made of cheap materials, does not sound good and will frequently fall out of tune.  It will be more of a hassle than you want.\n\nI always recommend that you go get a good guitar for your first one.  You don't have to spend a ton, but you'll have to spend a bit more than the "Spectrum."  Check your local classifieds or www.therecycler.com and often times you'll find people who went out and bought one, and decided it's not for them and they're now looking to sell it for a pretty good price.\n\nThat way, you'll have a lot more fun learning and if you decide guitar's not for you, you can actually resell it for something.  The only thing you can do with a Spectrum is throw it away or use it for firewood...\n\nLook into a Fender (Mexican or maybe American made if you get lucky on a price)  or an Epiphone, Gibson, Martin or Washburn...but that depends if it's acoustic or electic.
64170
For what purpose? For a smooth jazzy sound, a nice hollow body with humbuckers is ideal, be it a gretsch or a gibson or whatever. For more of a twangy, sharp tone, go with a single-coil Fender or other electric. For a good all-around all purpose music machine, a Gibson Les Paul is probably your best bet. As far as brands, PRS and Gibson are the most respected names in the business.
865272
I bought a Fender DG-5 acoustic for $50.00 off of a friend of mine.\n\nIt was a great beginner guitar.  Ask your friends, see what they have.\n\nTo learn proper guitar- hand placements, how to hold, etc etc, you need a fullsize acoustic.  Then you can work your way into electric. \n\nOnce you learn Acoustic, you'll pick up an electric and make easy work of it FAST.\n\nYou'll see what I mean.....
934768
The electronics on both of them are poor compared to their more expensive counterparts, but I would lean toward the Les Paul because there are more controls and you can define your tone better.
587763
I have a Fender, it's great.  But that would depend on your style and feel for the guitat.  If one were better than the other I think musicians wouldn't use the "other"