Slash Les Paul Goldtop Limited Edition(s)

I didn't get a chance to post this the other day, but you knew there was no way I would miss this. Yet another Limited Edition Goldtop on it's way, this time featuring my main man Slash. Maybe I should name this site SlashToyBox... ooh that sounds wrong.

Anyway, here is the lowdown:

Two models, Gibson and Epiphone.

Epiphone:

• mahogany body (with maple top) and neck
• Slash neck profile
• rosewood fingerboard
• 22 frets, 24.75″ scale length
• Tune-o-matic bridge
• LockTone stopbar tailpiece
• 2 Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro-II humbucker pickups
• 3-way pickup switch
• 2 volume and 2 tone controls

Gibson:

• Slash neck profile
• skull and crossbones and top hat logo with his signature headstock
• Plek system setup
• Custom Slash Electronics
• rosewood fingerboard
• 22 frets, 24.75″ scale length
• Tune-o-matic bridge
• LockTone stopbar tailpiece
• 2 Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro-II humbucker pickups
• 3-way pickup switch
• 2 volume and 2 tone controls

The Gibson is limited to 1000 guitars, and the Epiphone is not as limited at 2000.

If you go to the Epiphone website there is a contest where you can win the guitar, a hat, and a special certificate. Needless to say I have already entered.
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Which is your favourite?

I remember the day I got her. I has already realised that my BC Rich Warlock was the biggest waste of money I had ever spent. So I walked guitar case in hand to Muso's Corner looking for a trade in. I lost half my money on that guitar but it was worth it.

There she was, hanging from the shelf. Amazing figure, beautiful sunburst finish. Well within my price range. I piked her up. The neck didn't really feel like a standard Les Paul type neck. More like an SG. Thinner, more svelte. I plugged her into the stores Marshall (and I thought I'd never own a Marshall, but I do now) and fell in love with her voice. That day I walked out the happiest kid on the planet.

I've now owned that guitar for 16 years. She is Sunny - my Epiphone Les Paul Std.

Sure, she's "only" an Epiphone, but that guitar has been through hell and back with me. Even with all my flirtations with other guitars, PRS, Fenders, and even a Epiphone Goth LP with the hottest pickups I have ever heard in a "budget" guitar, she is the guitar I keep coming back to.

Is it because she is the best guitar I own? No, that would be the PRS SE. Is it because she is in the best condition? Definitely not. It's her voice. This guitar is just one of those freak things that sounds better thanthe sum of it's parts. A friend of mine recently bought two other Epiphones - an Ace Frehley and some other generic model with a beautiful wine red finish. The Ace Frehley felt the most like sunny, but sounded too hot. The other was too dark, too woollen. Sunny is just one of these rare one off's that I was lucky enough to obtain.

I'm sure several people reading this site have more than one guitar. I know I do. But do you have a favourite? Do you have a "go to" guitar that you just can't do without? And if so, what is it? Why?

Gibson in another head-up-bum shocker!

Gibson USA, now that it has been a while since the PRS scandal, has decided to start up another lawsuit to justify the expenses incurred by their legal department. This time they plan to take on the company that has probably done the most to promote their product subversively for the past few years, Activision.

Gibson's stance on the matter:

Based on our preliminary analysis, the ‘Guitar Hero’ software (including any expansion packs) and the guitar controller provided by Activision being used as a musical instrument (packaged with the software or sold standalone) are covered by the … patent….Gibson requests that Activision obtain a license under Gibson’s … patent or halt sales of any version of the ‘Guitar Hero’ game software.

Activision licenced the rights to the Gibson guitar catalogue for the Guitar Heror III release. Here is the list of Gibson guitars in that version of the game:

Gibson:
* ES-355
* Explorer
* Firebird
* SG
* Les Paul
* V-Factor
* Super CES400
* Marauder
* Corvus

Epiphone:
* Casino
* Coronet
* Sheraton

Kramer:
* 650
* Vanguard

Bass Guitars:
* Marauder
* Corvus
* Les Paul
* LP Double Cutaway
* EDS 1275
* ES335
* Firebird
* Flying V
* Moderne
* SG
* X-Plorer

They also licensed the rights to produce an official Les Paul controller. To me it sounds like Gibson wanting a bigger slice of the pie. And who was the "face of GH3? Slash, a Gibson endorser. And what is the next title in the series : GH:Aerosmith featuring one Joe Perry who funnily enough plays.... you guessed it, Gibson.

Seriously you guys at Gibson, once again you are making yourselves look bad. If a bunch of kids get inspired to play guitar from this game, what sort of guitars do you think they will gravitate to? Doesn;t it make sense they would pick their favourite guitar from the game? Stick to worrying about your product and not stupid lawsuits.

Is it just me or is Gibson suffer from severe stupidity a lot of the time?

Gibson / Epiphone Slash Guitars

This is a little old but now that the mini-site is now running it is worth mentioning. These new Slash Les Pauls look bloody fantastic. Four models have been announced so far:

• Slash Les Paul Standard
• Slash Les Paul Custom
• Epiphone Slash Les Paul + Top
• Slash Inspired by Les Paul Original Spec

They also have a contest up where you can win one of these great guitars by submitting a video of how much you love Slash and want of these guitars. I'm afraid my video would be me in a mess salivating and mumbling incoherantly... in fact, that may work. Another feature of the site is a great collection of articles highlighting Slash and his importance in the long line of great Gibson players.

And how's this gem:

Slash’s setting for his dirty tones are: presence, 7; bass, 7; midrange, 4.5; treble, 7; output master, 6; lead master, 10; input gain, 6.5.

His clean tone settings run: presence, 0; bass, 9; midrange, 3; treble, 5 ½; output master, 10; lead master, 0; input gain, 4.

What more can you want?

Get yourself some Slash gear now from our store:

Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II

My new dream guitar. In this finish. My goodness this thing is beautiful, and packed with features to boot.

• Chambered Mahongany Body
• Quilted maple top in Midnight Ebony (pictured) or Faded Cherry Burst
• Alico Pickups
• NanoMag Pickup
• Gold hardware
• Full neck and body binding

It also feature two outputs, a blended output for both the standard pickups and the Nanomag, plus the ability to send the signals independently of each other. I didn't know much about the nanoMag pickup so I did some research. The Shadow Electronics website says the following.

The NanoMAG is a magnetic pickup with an air coil and a composition of different samarium cobalt magnets incorporating active electronics in a minimum of space. The pickup is protected by an epoxy layer, and the silver-platinum shielding will provide together with the active electronics a low impedance hum free output signal.

Basically, it a real small pickup (if fits in where the "23rd" fret would be, so that give you an indication of the size) and produces realistic acoustic tones from the guitar. The authenticity of these sound I feel would be enhanced by the guitars chambered body.

I want one of these so bad it hurts. There's a video on the mini site for the guitar that you should all have a look at.

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