BetterGuitar.com
recently reviewed the Epiphone Les Paul Ultra. Here's what they had to
say:
Epiphone Les Paul
Ultra
Review by Mark Starlin
For many guitar players (myself included), the Les
Paul represents the ultimate guitar design. Although it is truly a matter
of personal taste, the Les Paul’s perfect symmetry and the beauty of
its simplicity make it an undeniable classic. And when you factor in the
legion of guitar heroes who have wielded the axe, its cool factor goes through
the roof. Unfortunately, the cost of a new Gibson Les Paul is beyond reach
of many students and working musicians. Realizing this, Gibson also provides
Les Paul models under its less expensive Epiphone brand, providing nearly
everyone a chance to enjoy a Les Paul of their very own.
The Ultra
While the Epiphone Les Paul Ultra is a beauty, it
is more than just the same old Les Paul wrapped in new cosmetics. In fact,
it contains two significant changes from the standard Les Paul line. The
first change is evident the minute you pick up the guitar. If you are expecting
the heft of a standard Les Paul, you will be surprised at its lighter (around
5.5 pounds) weight. The weight reduction was achieved by carving chambers
out its Mahogany body. This not only makes the Ultra much more comfortable
to play for long periods, it also has a major impact on its tone (which I
will discuss later.)
Another new comfort feature is the “belly
contour” on the back of the guitar. This contour allows the guitar to
hug your body closely when sitting down, although I found that the rather
abrupt end of the contour where it nears the pickup selector electronics
actually poked into my belly. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but noticeable.
I guess this feature’s usefulness depends on your body size and how
you wear the guitar.
Construction
The Ultra is constructed in Korea and inspected by
Epiphone technicians before shipping to dealers. The body is chambered Mahogany,
with a quilted Maple top. The neck is Mahogany with a Rosewood fingerboard
and satin finish. It has a slightly narrower 42mm neck than the standard
43mm Les Paul neck. It has Grover tuners, an Alnico Classic pickup in the
neck position, and a HOT Alnico Classic pickup at the bridge. The body and
neck are bound with single-ply cream binding. Construction was solid throughout,
although the guitar I received for review had a warped (bowed) pickguard.
Epiphone assured me this was probably the result of shipping, as the guitars
go through thorough inspection before shipping. A pickguard is easily replaceable
by a dealer and has no effect on the tone, so I continued with the review.
Playability
The most common complaint about Les Pauls is their
weight. The Ultra’s lighter weight makes the guitar less tiring for
long gigs and jam sessions. The neck is a “medium” thickness and
is ruler flat. The action was perfect out of the box and there were no buzzes
or dead spots on the neck. There were no sharp edges on the fret ends, but
file marks were visible on many frets and all along the binding. The neck
is very fast and felt quite smooth for having a satin finish. The Ultra’s
light weight and fast neck make it great fun to play.
Tone
Here is where the Ultra makes a major departure from
its solid chuck of Mahogany brethren. The chambers carved out of the
Ultra’s body have a very noticeable effect on its tone. Acoustically
it is much more “alive” than a standard Les Paul. When using a
clean setting on my amp, the Ultra had a more acoustic quality to its tone
than my Les Paul Custom. It’s not bright like a Strat, but it does seem
to resonate more than a typical Les Paul. The biggest difference, however,
came when I added some overdrive. The attack was less defined and overall
the tone was less focused than my Custom. The best analogy is a semi-hollowbody
guitar with more sustain. Which makes sense since, technically, a semi-hollowbody
is what the Ultra is.
If you are looking for a thick bluesy tone, a clean
rootsy tone, or a raging garage band/punk tone, the Ultra may be just your
cup of tea. Fans of guitar noise will appreciate that the Ultra makes it
easier to get feedback than the typical solidbody. Shredders, metal fans,
or those looking for well-defined attack and chords would do better with
a standard solidbody Les Paul. The Ultra’s tone is not your typical
Les Paul tone, so you will want to give it a good workout before you decide
if it’s right for you.
Final Thoughts
When you name something “Ultra”, you are
setting the bar pretty high. Does the Ultra live up to its name? That depends
on your vision of the ultimate guitar. If you consider its attractive faded
Cherry-burst, quilted Maple top, gold hardware, cream binding and pickguard,
the Ultra has the looks department covered. If you like a fast, flat neck,
the Ultra provides it. If you long for a lighter Les Paul, check that off
your list also. If you want a more acoustic clean tone and a “raging”
distorted tone, the Ultra is calling your name. And if you want it all at
an affordable price, the Ultra may be just the ticket.
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