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I think that's roughly the equivalent level of my old Korean Epi LP Std from the late 90s. They were always nice guitars (the "Inspired By Gibson" series now even moreso, though that line adds a huge chunk to the price). Gibson's overall strategy for Epiphones has been interesting in recent years. The first attempt to create a premium line, the Elitist / Elite line of Epiphones made in Japan should have worked.... but they saddled them with a very ugly headstock, and I think the market just looked at them as "very expensive Epis" as opposed to "affordable Gibsons". Always wondered why they didn't just call them "Gibson Japan" and give them the "correct" headstock, though I guess the fear was it would threaten the parent brand, taking away sales of the US product to those who could *just* about afford a US Gibson, and wanted to buy into the Gibson name rather than the Epiphone. The "inspired" guitars are now the price I remember Gibsons being not so long ago. Eeps. Me, I'd love to see them introduce the Orville brand into the West as a sort of middle-ground between the two brands, but clearly Gibby's marketing department (who I'm sure know much better than me) opted against that. Great looking guitar, though, yours. Have you considered removing the pickguard? I did that on mine after owning it about five years. YMMV, but losing the guard made mine look even better, richer somehow. (Course, most of the guys who inspired my LP purchase did that too, so.... horses for courses). Epiphone are really redeveloping themselves as a higher end product now rather than "only" a budget line. Increased competition plus rising prices, I'm sure contributes, but it's nice to see. I have my eye on a new Epi currently, though not an LP - the Epiphone Blues King Studio, a very nice Robert Johnson esque parlour acoustic with a subtly hidden pickup system. Unusually they've been available left handed (though sold out everywhere currently) in both the burst and the black. Probably gonig to go for the burst, though I also have a wild notion to buy the black and get it pinstriped.

Still am a massive fan of Alan Murphy ... how did this build finish up?

So after a few weeks, I have to say I'm quite pleased with the Hellbabe, BUT I have found the effective travel quite small. I saw somebody mention an easy mod for optical wahs which can fix this - anyone know how to do this? Got a short clip up here if anyone wants to hear it - NB can anyone remember how to post the link without it putting a massive embedded video preview in the post?

Odd they are releasing new stuff as they wind down. I've been hoping that as they wind down I'd be able to bag a guitar they distribute on the cheap (Godin)... maybe not!

This is, of course, the joy of well built budget pedals.... it's fun to try more and experiment. Fuzz is an especially interesting one, that way. Probably one ofc the simplest effects there are, and yet it does seem to my ear at least that there's a lot more genuine variation in it than there is when it coms to the hundreds of different versions of other effects.

I'm traveling to Heathrow -New York-Toronto in December with Delta. Hoping to carry on a 3/4 size child's guitar. Anyone have any experience of that.

OK, well now I am tempted to try another...the Behringer does the job, but I wonder if a more faithful Big Muff clone might be closer to what I'm after!

Despite JH Skewes being somewhere in the process of potentially being wound up if they can't find a buyer (perf the wishes of the late John Hornby Skewes himself), they have gone ahead with the launch of their pedal range, all available here: https://ivormairants.co.uk/collections/vintage-effects-pedals I'm waiting for payday to pick up one of the delay pedals for a slapback echo effect. A naughty part of me, though, is sorely tempted to buy a tremolo, a reverb, a fuzz and maybe a nice overdrive as well to create an all-one-brand board. Madness, obvs, but ....

Behringer can be fun. I like my Centaur! I know OP's request is sorted, but for anyone else looking for ideas, I'd also suggest Mosky, particularly the Big Fuzz: They have quite a few fuzz pedals, but this one would be my pick as it offers a couple of different runs at the obvious Big Muff sound (which went through several generations each having their own thing). Edited to add: it comes it at about forty quid as of November 2025, widely available on eBay, Amazon, and the rest.

I've often wondered whether buying a 12 with a laminate top might be helpful. I always had the impression they were a little less prone to bellying, but that may be pure superstition on my part..... (I know laminates are dismissed as inferior.... imo, somewhat in fairly. While the sound will of course never mature in the same way as a solid top, I've always held the opinion that if it sounds good, then it sounds good... it just won't change over time). Interesting that no brand ever seems to have quite solved this issue, though, that I'm aware of.... maybe to do with 12s just not being that popular now? I'd have thought one answer might be a carbon fibre top, but from what I've seen cf is still plenty expensive, so it's not going to recoup cost well at the budget level, which is in my experience much more forgiving and open to variation than much of the established market which can be very "two legs bad" about new ideas in guitar (anyone else remember the Variax??).

No trades/swaps please. Incredible Blue Les Paul Standard, sadly having to sell on. Sounds amazing and plays beautifully (original owner from new was a professional luthier) and I have the original receipt. Complete with original Gibson hard case. Can be viewed in Stevenage. Selling on behalf of my friends family.

I think I need to dig deeper into what it is about the Godin I like and see how that compares to some of these other options. Part of it has to be the resonance of the true hollowbody and thin top/back almost like an acoustic (also makes it super light). If I came upon a 2nd hand Kingpin Thinline I think it would be first choice.

Thomann have the Guild Aristicrat, with P90's at £660...

Conversely, an Epiphone Uptown Kat, with replacement pickups is a potential route.

If you’re happy to consider a double cutaway, then the Casino or the Casino Coupé (if you can find one) is a fine P90 beast. This is my modified Coupé…

... and down the rabbit hole he goes ...

Blinding call on the exact same Godin that I have but just Thinline... now to find a 'used' one!

Ta for the reply. I've not checked yet but a lot of those 'look' to be larger in the body than the Godin and the P90's are a tone I like... need to investigate guitar pup differences (I could quote the bass pup bible inside out). The 'slim' Kingpin would defo appeal, off to see if I can find one (anywhere).

There are several; name your budget..? There is a 'slim' version of the Godin Kingpin, but may be harder to find. A quick look around some of the 'usual suspects' shows me a nice Hofner 4560Son Reverb, in Germany, priced at €745... ...or, at the Guitar Village, UK, an Epiphone Joe Pass Emperor II, at £599... From The Music Locker, I see a Thinline Hofner President for £895... Have a search yourself for 'thinline archtop' and see what comes up..? I found my 'bucket list' guitar through Reverb, from Sweden, a Hofner Thinline President, Florentine, but paid twice that much. Happy hunting; there are bargains to be had, but they have to be hunted down. Hope this helps.

I'm primarily a bassist but through necessity I've needed to strum guitar on occasion over the last 20 years. During this time I've bought a few guitars (aco/elec/elec-acou) but never had to play them much in a full on live setting; as such I've always just adapted/adjusted to whatever guitar I needed for the occasion. However, I find myself playing a lot more guitar live in a duo and I'm developing a feel for what I like. As such I've come to appreciate, like and favour, a Godin Kingpin x2 P90 guitar. The only downside I feel with it is that I find it a bit 'clumpy' and deep bodied. Is there a guitar not too dissimilar that is slimmer bodied?

TBH, rather than mess about with the wiring, I'd look at buying a complete loom that's ready to drop in and just needs pickups attached. This sort of thing: https://www.bloodstoneguitarworks.com/shop/telecaster-wiring-loom At some point I'm considering a second Tele type (most likely a HB TE52), and I'll probably have a new loom custom ordered so I can have everything working as "normal" but with a reversed plate... no reall reason other than a point of difference with the cij 71RI, which is standard Tele set-up.

Hi, I have a Yamaha FG331 which I bought second-hand from a friend in the late 1980s. I think they were made around 1977-1981 but I can't find the serial number anywhere on it. Can anyone help? Also, my daughter has learned on this but now I want to buy her her own guitar. The FG331 is slightly smaller than 000 size but bigger than a 3/4 size like the JR1. She won't be performing and just wants a cheap guitar to play in her room or for Uni projects. Is there any guitar comparable in size to the FG331 being manufactured now, or available second hand? Many thanks!

What a cracking little unit! I've not fiddled with it exhaustively but it is not overly complicated by any means. Intuitive controls mean it will be easy to change the presets to the tones I am looking for. Straight into my RCF ART 372A, which is what I have been using for my bass. £38!! How is this even possible? Anyone want to buy a Fender G-Dec 30? I'll stick it in the classifieds soon.

Phase I instigated, just bought one of these. Looks just about as simple as can be and can't go wrong for under £40. I can't imagine taking my guitar playing on the road so just for home use. Nevertheless I have been using one of their wireless jobbies for gigging/rehearsing for 18 months or so and it has behaved faultlessly.

Hi Paul!