Epiphone Les Paul Modern Figured (2021) in Caffe Latte Fade
A surprisingly excellent impulse buy, I was not in the market for a Les Paul. I never considered myself a “Les Paul Guy”. In the past, I have had two of them. The first one, over twenty years ago. It was an Epiphone Les Paul Standard in Ebony. It was a great guitar that I never used. My second was an Ultra Pro that I picked up in December of 2024 for a really good price.
The Ultra Pro needed to be cleaned up, have some bits and bobs added but overall it was a very nice guitar, just not my style.
Then for some bizarre reason that I still have not figured out, I got an itch. So, I started looking online for a reasonably priced Les Paul.
I found this particular one on American Musical Supply (AMS). It was listed as a “Minor Blemish” product and priced way below retail ($799) for only $447. Well, that destroyed any resolve that I had left.
Epiphone has been absolutely crushing it in terms of build quality, finish, and sound.
Photographs do not do this guitar justice. The Caffe Latte Fade finish is gorgeous, the Ebony fretboard is vastly superior to that miserable Pau Ferro that plagues a lot of guitars, and the quality of the build is perfect.
Initially, I left off the black three-ply pickguard. However, the more I looked at it, the mroe I thought it looked incomplete. So I installed the guard that was included. I think it looks much better this way.
Epiphone Sheraton II Pro (2019) in Midnight Sapphire
Over the past three years I have bought and sold two Epiphone ES-335s and I continue to regret selling both of them. The first ES-335 had the “Cherry” finish, the second was “Raspberry Burst”. Those 335s were, in my opinion, the most beautiful, versatile guitars I have ever had the pleasure of owning.
John Lee Hooker is said to have described the Epiphone Sheraton as an “Out-Did 335”. And I think Epiphone’s modern take on the Sheraton captures that sentiment. Its Mother-of-Pearl and Abalone fretboard inlay, the 5-ply binding on the body, neck, headstock, and pickguard are beautiful, classy details not found on ES-335s. The Midnight Sapphire color was what initially drew me to the guitar when I saw it online.
This is a definite “Keeper” that will continue to cherish as I have decided to (never again) sell any 335-shaped object that I acquire.
Squier Vintage Modified Thinline Telecaster (2008) in Shoreline Gold
Besides having the distinction of the longest name of any of my guitars, this Squier is pure single-coil bliss.
Some folks say that the love for Telecasters takes on a cult-like flavor. Indeed, nothing is like a Telecaster. Its equal has never been created and every Squier Tele I’ve owned has given Fender a true run for the money at a lower cost.
A Thinline is the semi-hollow version of the classic Telecaster, with a cool F-Hole detail. Now, I have not noticed a distinct difference in tone but some folks claim that they can hear it. All I know is that I love, love, LOVE! this guitar. It also has a slightly shorter scale that standard Telecasters but (again) I have not noticed the difference.
It has the classic Telecaster Twang and that is what counts. As well, the Shoreline Gold color is absolutely stunning and has grown on me in a way that I never expected. The Rosewood fretboard is far superior to the later Pau Ferro Fender/Squier started using when the Tree Huggers began to whine.
I upgraded the machine heads to Guyker locking tuners, installed a Fender vintage bridge, and added a Pearloid pickguard.
It may be “just a Telecaster” but it’s my Telecaster and I love it.
