Should have watched this before getting one. Mine has a faulty ground wire and bad fret finish. Not even a Jackson Monarkh for half the price was this shoddy. FML.
I bought the wanderlust green SG muse. I love it. Such a fun guitar and besides some minor fret work that I did the guitar has blown me away. Thanks for the review Phil!
My LP studio was perfect , no sharp frets , no nut problems and no blemishes or flaws. The intonation was perfect , all i did was change the strings and was good to go!
If you have any hand issues or do not want to develop them I would not recommend it, because it has a radius mismatch (neck 9.5", bridge 12") that gave me tendonitis. Even worse, the only company (staytrem) who made a replacement bridge to fix the mismatch stopped making them and will not take custom orders. lol
I picked up an SG Muse in passion purple and I'm really happy with it so far. First thing I did was brought it into the local shop and had them go over the frets. I find myself reaching for this gaudy thing over my strat at this point.
Three years ago I bought two Epiphone Les Paul 60s Tribute Plus guitars and they were both perfect in all ways. Great fret work and Gibson '57 pickups with a solid maple top. Also, upgraded electronics, CTS pots and Switchcraft jack. Great guitars except for the plastic nut. I also checked out many Epiphone Les Paul instruments at Guitar Center. $400 and up to the $800 for the Les Paul Tribute. All the fretwork was excellent. It seems to be different with the last two years of Epiphones. All the reviews I have read seem to be the same when it comes to frets. The Tribute is no longer available. Trogly reviewed almost all of the new Epiphones from 2020 and the frets were always a problem. I was lucky to get the two Tributes before they stopped making them.
I have 3 of the new Epiphones inspired by Gibson. SG Standard, Les Paul Custom and Les Paul Traditional. The SG and Custom both needed a fret level and dress. All 3 needed the ends of the frets rounded and smoothed out. That said I absolutely love all 3 guitars and they play and sound fantastic as well as look very sharp. I can do the fret work so it wasn't an issue for me. Everyone else though ... you may need to pay to have it done.
You should try the Epiphone LP Standard 50s if you get the chance. The PAF style pickups have gotten great reviews, and it also has 50s wiring, maple cap, rounded medium C neck with rolled fingerboard edges.
I got one from ams.. very comfortable to play. Decent sound but enormous ground buzz.. ended up fixing it myself by reseating the bridge post onto more of the ground wire(dealer and manufacturer refused to help) .. beautiful finish and the fret ends felt great on mine.
Thanks for reviewing the muse, i was one of those that requested that you have a look @ the new line of Epi LPs, BUT i wanted you to review the LP Modern, anyway, to cut a long story short, i went ahead & pulled the trigger on the LP Modern & i have to say that it blows the muse out of the water, in all areas -although i have to admit that my instrument needed fret leveling & dressing, but Zoundhouse (the retailer) paid for me to get it done (Kudos to them). Epiphone have been knocking it out of the park of recent, long may it continue. Again though, i strongly suggest that you have a look @ the Epi Modern LP, if even just for yourself (you dont have to do a video :) ), you will be very impressed, and you wont have to do a 'Sharpen my axe' on the LP modern either, it comes with a ton of great specs, the only think you could change are the pups, but then again that could apply to any guitar since pups are a very personal choice.
@@lewisbeeman Modern upgrades to Probuckers from the Alnico Classic Pros, adds the improved neck heel carve, ebony fretboard instead of laurel, clear back instead of black, different finishes. $150 more.
I just saw the Epi Les Paul Studio in Alpine White with gold hardware and WOW is that a nice looking guitar!!! Although I'm a sucker for gold hardware 😜
I bought the Muse SG (same color smoked almond)used on Reverb, absolutely love the guitar. So easy to play no fret issues whatsoever when I received it, only paid $371 total, best deal on this guitar. I am liking the LP version, so might have to look for a deal now.
Always wanted a Les Paul-this is one I could afford used $350,well with the coil split this sounds and plays like the best Strat I’ve never played- it’s so killer in single mode! The lows! The sweet pleasant highs! I love this damn thing and man if you ain’t got big old hands,like me -it’s so damn perfect! Shit! I might buy another! Only downside-Replace the knobs with hex keepers-the ridiculously cheap knobs pop off when you coil split! Pfffft so minor really just a chance to pick out knobs you like,I went with black knurled aluminum with the little hex screw - in out in out 😮
Bought one of these in pink color a week ago, same exact issues as yours, fret ends are sharp, after fixing that the guitar is perfect. The finish as your mention is the real big plus, perfect on every way plus you know it's a pink Les Paul
I have a Epiphone LP modern . Its very similar . Has locking tuners. Same issue with frets just not finished on the edge & needed a good set up. Now it plays beautifully.
I have several Gibsons, but I like my Epiphones also. I think they are really nice for the money. I also think that the necks are much better post 2020. Prior to 2020, the necks were very thin. Like an SG. Nice fair review.
I bought a Les Paul Muse in Wanderlust Green 4 months ago, and it’s wonderful! I see what you mean about the fret ends, but it doesn’t really bother me (probably because I’ve never owned a high-end guitar, so I have no basis for comparison). With string action at around 0.70 mm at the high-E, the guitar plays absolutely like butter!
Thanks for the review. I picked up a used Epi Pro II (made in China) while I was killing time at a GC, brought it home, and it ruined me because I've since tried to buy a couple Gibsons, but that Epi plays so well, I can't justify the extra $$ difference. A total surprise to me how nice these Epis are these days. Oh, and the frets were perfect on mine.
Picked one up in black, and yes the frets need some refining. Mine are also high on 9-11-12, but nothing that cannot be fixed. Very comfortable to play.
You are the most honest, thorough, guitar gear reviewer and technician in the whole wide Web. BTW, please do some reviews on not that popular, but outstanding guitar brands such as Jericho, Daemon, Balaguer, G. Angelo guitars, Japanese guitars (Edwards, Navigators, Aria, FGN) and etc.
I have the Jet black one and I absolutely love it. Mine has a proper filed nut and good level frets. I also have a little bend pickup ring. I think they slap it on the body to quickly. Have to address this at some point. The sounds though! OMG these pickups are great. No mud whatsoever
I have a 2018 335 and I just bought a P-90 SG. Both of them needed the frets polished. Also the intonation needed to be done. Well, a full set up. The pickups on the 335 were muddy so I replaced them with Seymour duncan 57 blues and orange caps and 500k pods. No push/pull crap. The SG sounded great right out of the box.
Thats what Ive heard as well from many people who purchased some of these new line of Epiphones. Theres been a lot of hype but judging by the ones Ive played at Guitar center and reviews ...I'll pass as well.
Im not sure if its a quality thing or just a cost cutting thing, frets probably arent polished to save money, someone didnt forget, checking out the SG Muse on their website and zooming in on the nut had the same issue with it sticking out, albiet even on both sides, it looks like they have a standard nut size and dont do any filing, which I guess is what you'd expect from budget guitar. Pickup rings to warp like that would mean low quality plastic, no QC issue there, plant is probably up to speed , the standards Gibsons set could be the issue, but I dont think you can have top quality standards at low budget prices so thats the trade off i suppose.
I don't have the Les Paul version, but I bought the SG version in December. Love the guitar, and I play it everyday. I had a similar issue with the fret ends a couple of months in, but I was able to correct it with a couple of passes with a sanding sponge along the edges of the fretboard.
The Epiphone Modern looks good on paper: weight relief, countoured heel, asymmetrical neck, ebony board, locking Grovers, PAF style pickups with coil split, treble bleed.
I got a muse in purple passion and it was very nice. All I had to do was polish the frets, the nut was perfect as the action but I has to change the position of three saddles to get the intonation right.
My only issue with the Epiphones I've purchased recently is the fret ends (Crestwood, SG, and a LP). I'm getting better at filing them down (thanks to StewMac files), but it still is another thing I have to take care of when getting the guitars. My recent Fender Player had pretty bad frets, too, so it just isn't Epiphone. The new roasted Squiers were actually pretty good out of the box, which was surprising given the price point.
I’m a Muse SG guy...it was amazing out of the box. Flawless. I stillyanked out the pickups and wiring and replaced them with traditional wiring and Seymour Duncan “Whole Lotta Humbuckers.” It’s as good as any entry level Gibson I’ve ever played.
Just saw an Epiphone Les Paul Studio in Alpine White with gold hardware. WOW is that a nice looking guitar!!! I'm a sucker for gold hardware, though. I'd like to see what you think of one of the LP's! I only have a used Epiphone Viola Bass, but I really enjoy it for the smaller size that fits me best. It's cool that you go over the guitar in such detail. Very cool for someone like me that really doesn't know too much about electric instruments! (I play piano, trumpet, uke, some bass and some acoustic) :) I learn a lot from the channel. Keep it up!
I bought an SG Muse and it was actually a solid purchase. I did not have the issues that you described. Fret ends were fine and not gritty. For the action and strings I prefer I had no issues with buzzing. All in all I am happy with it but will probably change out the pups eventually but they are fine as is and are much quieter than my recent purchase, an Gibson SG Tribute ....and much better tonally than the Epi ProBuckers. Hit or miss I guess as it always is with Epiphone.
Purchased this guitar for my son, and the fret ends on his where good, it did have one high fret that needs to be leveled and all the frets needed a little polishing. That said with the weight, belly cut and neck profile maybe the most comfortable Les Paul I’ve ever played, and believe it is a good value guitar.
G'day Phil. Thanks for the review & demo. I got an Epi SG Muse in this same colour a few months back. The nut is properly fitted flush with the sides of the fretboard and the frets ends are decently smooth. Again, a sample of one, for what it's worth. The colour finish is very nice.
I don't have a Muse LP, but I do have an Epiphone LP Plustop Pro I bought new last year and the thing has been pretty good so far. Pickups sound sweet, it's frets are well buffed and it does look pretty I'll admit, though a bit showy for my tastes. But it was on special and what can I say. I tried it on a whim while considering a Squire or a Gretsch, yet here we are. My only gripe was it had a plastic nut which wasn't cut deep enough. But I had my guy swap that out for bone and it's been good to me ever since.
I have the red Muse. Actually won it in a contest. I have the exact same issue with the frets. High end of neck is rough! I plan on ordering a fret dress kit from Stew Mac to clean it up.
I tried for so long to get a new Epiphone...finally gave up with the shortage pushing my “possible” ship date back every few months...ended up going to a local shop and finding a different guitar. If I have the money when and if the shortage is over, I still want to get a good affordable epiphone.
personal experience with the LP muse after 4 months: The frets on my muse were also scratchy but quickly became smooth after playing and breaking in the guitar. I actually liked this as it gave the guitar a little more character but the fret ends are smooth. my nut was smooth, although i did round over the nut corner as it was slightly sharp, nothing out of the norm but i prefer the nut corners to me more smooth and rounded. I also have the pickup ring issue. this guitar is more of a modern player, and female friendly (small hands) for the thin neck. when compared to my Gibson SG tribute and Epiphone SG 66 reissue, id say its closer to a Gibson, lightyears ahead of the old Epiphones in sound and quality. if i had to choose a guitar to buy, id probables recommend saving your money for a little while and purchasing a more affordable Gibson, maybe second hand as they are amazing. especially the Tributes. simple, affordable and sound massive.
I have a muse LP in radio blue. I would say your assessment is spot on. The frets aren't terrible but they aren't great. The nut definitely needs filed. I don't have a file set so I just sanded down the base of the nut to drop everything. Probably not the best method but it got the action to where I want it. I actually spend more time with the coils split than with the humbuckers but I'm also coming to terms with the reality that the Telecaster is the best guitar ever made. Either way I really like mine. It plays great. The neck feels amazing. The action gets low enough and it has a very usable variety of good tones. Both coil tapped and humbuckers.
I used to hate my cheap jay turser but....the more I've learned it's been great with fit and finnish..it's neck thru and the nut and frets have been great..I'm nervous tho cause it's almost time for fret work there getting flat by the 12
I have wanted to buy an epiphone for a while, but I’m yet to find one that has been finished good enough to justify the price over other guitars in the same range. All of the ones I have looked at seems very similar to what you have stated in this review
Hey always great tuning to your channel. I recently got the SG Muse in the same color smoked Almond and the frets almost cut your fingers bad going to see if you have a video addressing this issue. Keep up the good work
I tend to favor single coils and traditionally single coil guitars, but there's something about that edge of breakup/light gain tone that you get from a low output bridge humbucker or p90 in an lp style guitar. I used to question the purpose of single pickup guitars like the lp junior but as I've gotten older, they just seem to make sense.
My first electric 6 string was an Epiphone SG-400. It is now one of my best loved guitars, and a go to for me. The only thing Epiphone about it is the wood, bridge and tuners. I replaced the pickups with Seymore Duncan Hot Rodded Humbuckers, the pots and switch and Jack were replaced as a unit that I had made for me. I now call it my Red Growler. Epiphone make some great guitars. Their craftsmen are top notch. But I think the electronics can be lacking.
I have the Epiphone Les Paul Classic 2020 in honey burst and the fret ends are superb. The whole guitar is finished beautifully. The only issues are the knob pulls off one pot when coil splitting (I swapped them around and strangely it cured that) and the frets are gritty.
I recently bought an Epi Les Paul Modern. The frets were rough and had sharp ends. With some painter’s tape, 3M Flexible Polishing Papers and a lot of elbow grease, I was able to give the frets a beautiful makeover. I have to give Schecter a shoutout: Over the years, I’ve bought nearly a dozen mid-priced Schecter guitars and all of them game with terrific frets. I’ve never had to file or polish them on day one. As such, going forward, I will buy more Schecters and fewer Epiphones.
I bought one and had similar issues with the frets, fairly easy fix. The worst problem was a ground buzz which ended up being the conductor going to the bridge pin. Pulled the bushing, doubled up the exposed copper and reinstalled the bushing, problem solved..
My neighbor tasked me with putting together a shortlist of guitars for his teen son who wants to start learning to play. It's good to know the price range for stuff that can carry a beginner through intermediacy that won't get in the way of progress starts out this low, especially used.
I bought the SG muse in Purple Passion. Lighter and brighter than a Les Paul. Sounds amazing. Very thin neck. The only issue I have is that the push/pull knobs sometimes come off in my hand.
Here's one for you to track down, Phil. Love your posts, bro!: A Grote 12-string setup for 6 w/Gibson bridge & tailpiece, pickups and pots left alone. Johnny Winters and others chose the 12-string for the wider string space for arpeggios. This setup is the most harmonically balanced guitar I've ever played (except for Thomas Humphrey's "Mellennial" classical guitar, under Lo'Prinze in Clearwater, FL.) This setup tops any guitar at any price. Your appraisal, I'll always consider as top dog! I know of no one who goes into the depth of the machanics like you.
Hey Philip. Could you do the Epiphone Extura next please? I'm very interested in it but I can't find anyone who does the same things you do when reviewing guitars. Thanks: Brock 👍
I have this guitar with the exact same colour but with no fretwork faults. I believe that the one in this video has this issue. The only thing that bothered me with this guitar is the knobs were too lose that when you want to push them to split coil, they came off very easily. However, within a couple of minutes, they repaired it before I left the store and I have never experienced it again since then. Being a long time strat player, I bought this guitar just for back up purposes. However it instantly became my go-to axe and I love this guitar so much.
I recently purchased one and the frets are fine,but I got the shop to file the nut. The neck feels great. Nice sounding guitar for just over 400 pounds.
I have the white one it plays awesome. Neck is great,with no fret problems. Weight is perfect (not a boat anchor). Very happy plays better than a Gibson.
i bought one for my store.. i had same basic problems ended up doing a full fret crown and polish as well as taking care of sprout and finish..i took the nut out and sanded to match the neck ..and shielded all the electronics..paid 500.00 put 200.00 worth of time and materials..so now i have a 700. guitar only worth 499.00.. i would expect this to be on an entry lvl around 250-300. unless u just want the name epiphone.alot of other manufactures doing it better cheaper at this point
Ha, ha congrats , i'm 5 behind you and a gretsch is definitely on the list along with a prs....P.s. my b-day is coming up so thats as good of an excuse as ever for #16!!!
My Epiphone 1959 Les Paul Standard is flawless in every way though I haven't had a peek inside of the control cavity yet. The `59 is Epiphone's most expensive Les Paul though, so I would hope it gets more attention than a Muse would.
On several guitars ,own 2 USA Gibson Les Paul Standards . I just purchase the Epiphone Les Paul modern its every bit as good as my other Les Pauls I paid over 2000 Dollar for them buying Epiphone Les Paul modern is as good if not better than any guitar out there on the market for that type and style of guitar you can't go wrong I love my Epiphone modern Les Paul great choice for me, why pay $2,000 to 3,000 when you can buy one just as good for $800
yea, frets on my ES needed work too (polish & fret ends), but the thing I couldn't take care of was that the neck feels bumpy in spots when you slide your fingers up the back of the neck. Could have used some more sanding in the 'made-by-hand' factory. Anything over $200 shouldn't really have that issue.
Isn't fretwork very dependent on humidity and temperature? I bought a Sire Marcus Miller M5 bass and it had the best perfect smooth frets I ever touched. After hanging in my (very dry) living room for a few months and me neglecting it a bit (because I'm a guitarist first and foremost) the frets were sticking out so much almost making it unplayable. Thanks to your channel I knew how to fix the fret ends so it's a joy to play again :)
There’s a Pelham blue one at my local music store and they want like 450 bucks for it or something. Would probably buy it but my parents wouldn’t let me.
Hi, Love you and your videos! Just wondering what your thoughts are and replacing the pick ups with Gibson humbuckers? Do you have any recommendations as to which ones would give it, as closest possible , to an authentic Gibson sound?
Didn't even know the Muse was a thing, but now that I've seen it, I'm intrigued. Seems ripe for upgrades, but RUclips is so hard to hear well. How do you feel about the impact of Okoume on the body, and what do you think of the pups?
They’re terrible in a mix and out to front of house. They’re not articulate and sound muffled. I pulled mine out for Seymour Duncan’s, but had to do a complete rewire to get what I wanted.
@@XciteMike Lol, you are gonna take the word of one random answer to your question? Did you even watch the video? Better yet, go find one and play it yourself... honestly, the level of credulity exhibited in general these days explains a lot of what is wrong with the world today... forgive me, this isn't meant to demean you or your question, but gawd... make your own opinion, instead of taking ONE from some random dude on the interwebs...
@@xodarap37 Mr. Burdick was nice enough to answer my question based on his experience, and I thanked him. By contrast you’re simply offering unsolicited criticism on what... whether my acknowledgement is indicative of some sort of personal flaw, gullibility, or laziness? Is it a broader social commentary on the value of opinions expressed through the same user generated media in which you are unironically expressing an unsolicited opinion? Are you just trolling? I’m really struggling to see the value added here...
Have the Epiphone SG Muse in the same color (gold) and no issues at all. Great neck and fretboard. Love the humbuckers, not so much the coil split. It's ok just kind of bland. This SG is a blast 👍
@@Glensully it is one of my favorites. Wife got me a Gibson Les Paul for Christmas and that guitar almost plays itself, so slick and smooth. I also have the Epiphone SG P90 and it's great
@@michaelrosawatkins3928 i GOT THE MUSE. arrives today. mainly so the wife can use as its much smaller and thinner. I will use as well. of course I wouldnt mind the P90, but both pickup are a bit similar as in gain, but amp gain and its very similar. maybe i might get those P-rails - they have both so you can switch them, install them myself easy
I bought unplayed from Sweetwater and they set it up for me. I paid 450 dollars for my Red one and I replaced the speed knobs with black and red numbers. Mine says made in Indonesia. I rather run mine through the VIP1 instead of my Spark 40. I was saving for the Standard but they didn't have it so to save money I bought the Muse. I'm glad I did.
Just worked on an Epi Modern (very similar model from the same factory) and just wanted to post some observations! Very similar with what you observed here wrt the fretwork and shielding (ie very rough fret ends and no shielding in the cavities). The nut was cut well and flush with the neck on his guitar although I thought the slots could have been a bit deeper on the lower strings (seems to be common on
That thing sounds really good. Your awesome amps probably help a bit. It seems like a lot of guitars in this range are basically one proper set-up away from being a guitar that easily competes with double the money. My question for you would be: does the finish work on the frets and nut cost so much in time-resources that it is worth it for Epiphone to skip those steps? Or is this something they should change at the factory to turn the corner on mid-range guitars?
My 2019 L. P. Ultra III didn't have any of the issues shown here. Frets are smooth, Nut is square, pickup rings are perfect, and she weighs in at 7.1 lbs. It's my 3rd guitar and I love it. Also dig the built in tuner, the "nanoMAG" extra pickup, and the USB port. My last L.P. was a late 60s Gibson and I much prefer this little Eppy. (the Gibson was a boat anchor). It's a shame the Ultra III was discontinued - looks like I got one of the last ones.
I own a LP Muse Radio Blue and the warped neck pickup ring bothered me so much that I took it to a guitar tech and all they did was reinstall the same pickup ring but upside down and that fixed the warp.
one of the most reliable guitar channels on youtube
One million percent, agreed.
Right?!
Should have watched this before getting one. Mine has a faulty ground wire and bad fret finish. Not even a Jackson Monarkh for half the price was this shoddy. FML.
They got so good at mimicking the way gibsons are made that they mimicked the quality control issues too!
Very AUTHENTIC
😂😂😂
Hahaha
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I bought the wanderlust green SG muse. I love it. Such a fun guitar and besides some minor fret work that I did the guitar has blown me away. Thanks for the review Phil!
i was thinking the SG too. a bit smaller and easier to get to the high frets. What do you think of the SG still after a year?
I bought an Epiphone Muse SG and I didn't have any fret issues, but the nut needed some serious filing.
My LP studio was perfect , no sharp frets , no nut problems and no blemishes or flaws. The intonation was perfect , all i did was change the strings and was good to go!
Personally own a Muse and it is a great guitar.
Thank you for posting
I would be interested in your review of the Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster. 🖖
Same here! That guitar has been on my radar for a while.
Get one, it’s a rad guitar. I love mine, the tune o matic bridge is such a sweet upgrade to it. No tuning issues at all.
I’ve got it - it’s amazing. I put Lollars in mine. Awesome neck, stays in tune like a champ...amazing value.
If you have any hand issues or do not want to develop them I would not recommend it, because it has a radius mismatch (neck 9.5", bridge 12") that gave me tendonitis. Even worse, the only company (staytrem) who made a replacement bridge to fix the mismatch stopped making them and will not take custom orders. lol
I picked up an SG Muse in passion purple and I'm really happy with it so far. First thing I did was brought it into the local shop and had them go over the frets. I find myself reaching for this gaudy thing over my strat at this point.
i feel it does get close to strat tones but i still pick the strat up for certain tunes. the Muse is soo good for the range of tones it provides.
Three years ago I bought two Epiphone Les Paul 60s Tribute Plus guitars and they were both perfect in all ways. Great fret work and Gibson '57 pickups with a solid maple top. Also, upgraded electronics, CTS pots and Switchcraft jack. Great guitars except for the plastic nut. I also checked out many Epiphone Les Paul instruments at Guitar Center. $400 and up to the $800 for the Les Paul Tribute. All the fretwork was excellent. It seems to be different with the last two years of Epiphones. All the reviews I have read seem to be the same when it comes to frets. The Tribute is no longer available. Trogly reviewed almost all of the new Epiphones from 2020 and the frets were always a problem. I was lucky to get the two Tributes before they stopped making them.
I have 3 of the new Epiphones inspired by Gibson. SG Standard, Les Paul Custom and Les Paul Traditional. The SG and Custom both needed a fret level and dress. All 3 needed the ends of the frets rounded and smoothed out. That said I absolutely love all 3 guitars and they play and sound fantastic as well as look very sharp. I can do the fret work so it wasn't an issue for me. Everyone else though ... you may need to pay to have it done.
You should try the Epiphone LP Standard 50s if you get the chance. The PAF style pickups have gotten great reviews, and it also has 50s wiring, maple cap, rounded medium C neck with rolled fingerboard edges.
Great review. Appreciate the explanation of the Gibson Indonesian changes
I tried this guitar , the fret work was perfect
I got one from ams.. very comfortable to play. Decent sound but enormous ground buzz.. ended up fixing it myself by reseating the bridge post onto more of the ground wire(dealer and manufacturer refused to help)
.. beautiful finish and the fret ends felt great on mine.
Thanks for reviewing the muse, i was one of those that requested that you have a look @ the new line of Epi LPs, BUT i wanted you to review the LP Modern, anyway, to cut a long story short, i went ahead & pulled the trigger on the LP Modern & i have to say that it blows the muse out of the water, in all areas
-although i have to admit that my instrument needed fret leveling & dressing, but Zoundhouse (the retailer) paid for me to get it done (Kudos to them).
Epiphone have been knocking it out of the park of recent, long may it continue. Again though, i strongly suggest that you have a look @ the Epi Modern LP, if even just for yourself (you dont have to do a video :) ), you will be very impressed, and you wont have to do a 'Sharpen my axe' on the LP modern either, it comes with a ton of great specs, the only think you could change are the pups, but then again that could apply to any guitar since pups are a very personal choice.
So what is the difference between the Muse and the Modern?
@@lewisbeeman Modern upgrades to Probuckers from the Alnico Classic Pros, adds the improved neck heel carve, ebony fretboard instead of laurel, clear back instead of black, different finishes. $150 more.
I just saw the Epi Les Paul Studio in Alpine White with gold hardware and WOW is that a nice looking guitar!!! Although I'm a sucker for gold hardware 😜
Thank you again again and again!
would love to see you do a rundown on a yamaha revstar
I bought the Muse SG (same color smoked almond)used on Reverb, absolutely love the guitar. So easy to play no fret issues whatsoever when I received it, only paid $371 total, best deal on this guitar. I am liking the LP version, so might have to look for a deal now.
i was thinking the SG too. a bit smaller and easier to get to the high frets. What do you think of the SG still after a year?
Always wanted a Les Paul-this is one I could afford used $350,well with the coil split this sounds and plays like the best Strat I’ve never played- it’s so killer in single mode! The lows! The sweet pleasant highs! I love this damn thing and man if you ain’t got big old hands,like me -it’s so damn perfect! Shit! I might buy another! Only downside-Replace the knobs with hex keepers-the ridiculously cheap knobs pop off when you coil split! Pfffft so minor really just a chance to pick out knobs you like,I went with black knurled aluminum with the little hex screw - in out in out 😮
Bought one of these in pink color a week ago, same exact issues as yours, fret ends are sharp, after fixing that the guitar is perfect. The finish as your mention is the real big plus, perfect on every way plus you know it's a pink Les Paul
I have a Epiphone LP modern . Its very similar . Has locking tuners. Same issue with frets just not finished on the edge & needed a good set up. Now it plays beautifully.
I love the color of this thing! I think it sounded better under gain imo.
I have several Gibsons, but I like my Epiphones also. I think they are really nice for the money. I also think that the necks are much better post 2020. Prior to 2020, the necks were very thin. Like an SG. Nice fair review.
I bought a Les Paul Muse in Wanderlust Green 4 months ago, and it’s wonderful! I see what you mean about the fret ends, but it doesn’t really bother me (probably because I’ve never owned a high-end guitar, so I have no basis for comparison). With string action at around 0.70 mm at the high-E, the guitar plays absolutely like butter!
buying one tomorrow. Your reviews are always insightful. Thx Phil
Thanks for the review. I picked up a used Epi Pro II (made in China) while I was killing time at a GC, brought it home, and it ruined me because I've since tried to buy a couple Gibsons, but that Epi plays so well, I can't justify the extra $$ difference. A total surprise to me how nice these Epis are these days. Oh, and the frets were perfect on mine.
Let's say it's saved you... Not ruined you...
Picked one up in black, and yes the frets need some refining. Mine are also high on 9-11-12, but nothing that cannot be fixed.
Very comfortable to play.
If you get a chance to check out a Squier Contemporary Telecaster RH in the future that would be cool.
I would love this
Love your channel phil - would love to see you test a sterling jp150.
You are the most honest, thorough, guitar gear reviewer and technician in the whole wide Web.
BTW, please do some reviews on not that popular, but outstanding guitar brands such as Jericho, Daemon, Balaguer, G. Angelo guitars, Japanese guitars (Edwards, Navigators, Aria, FGN) and etc.
For the money it's a awesome guitar , I have a few Epiphone's and have no issues with the frets .
I have had great luck wirh Epiphones.
I have the Jet black one and I absolutely love it. Mine has a proper filed nut and good level frets. I also have a little bend pickup ring. I think they slap it on the body to quickly. Have to address this at some point. The sounds though! OMG these pickups are great. No mud whatsoever
I have a 2018 335 and I just bought a P-90 SG. Both of them needed the frets polished. Also the intonation needed to be done. Well, a full set up. The pickups on the 335 were muddy so I replaced them with Seymour duncan 57 blues and orange caps and 500k pods. No push/pull crap. The SG sounded great right out of the box.
That's awesome!
Doesn't sound like Epi plant is up to speed yet. I'll give it awhile and look again. Great review Phil, thanks.
Thats what Ive heard as well from many people who purchased some of these new line of Epiphones. Theres been a lot of hype but judging by the ones Ive played at Guitar center and reviews ...I'll pass as well.
Unfortunately Epiphone quality is not what it used to be.
Im not sure if its a quality thing or just a cost cutting thing, frets probably arent polished to save money, someone didnt forget, checking out the SG Muse on their website and zooming in on the nut had the same issue with it sticking out, albiet even on both sides, it looks like they have a standard nut size and dont do any filing, which I guess is what you'd expect from budget guitar. Pickup rings to warp like that would mean low quality plastic, no QC issue there, plant is probably up to speed , the standards Gibsons set could be the issue, but I dont think you can have top quality standards at low budget prices so thats the trade off i suppose.
I would certainly appreciate it if you were to review one of the new Epiphone Uptown Kats...
I don't have the Les Paul version, but I bought the SG version in December. Love the guitar, and I play it everyday. I had a similar issue with the fret ends a couple of months in, but I was able to correct it with a couple of passes with a sanding sponge along the edges of the fretboard.
The Epiphone Modern looks good on paper: weight relief, countoured heel, asymmetrical neck, ebony board, locking Grovers, PAF style pickups with coil split, treble bleed.
I liked the sound of that one the best of the new ones.
Exactly what I was looking for - great in depth review. Thank you.
I really like the color.
I got a muse in purple passion and it was very nice. All I had to do was polish the frets, the nut was perfect as the action but I has to change the position of three saddles to get the intonation right.
hi, hope you are well, thank you for the review but I will like you to try the 2020 epiphone 1959 les paul limited edition, take care
My only issue with the Epiphones I've purchased recently is the fret ends (Crestwood, SG, and a LP). I'm getting better at filing them down (thanks to StewMac files), but it still is another thing I have to take care of when getting the guitars. My recent Fender Player had pretty bad frets, too, so it just isn't Epiphone. The new roasted Squiers were actually pretty good out of the box, which was surprising given the price point.
I bought a player strat and the frets worse than any guitar i ever bought..just awful..hurt to play
I’m a Muse SG guy...it was amazing out of the box. Flawless. I stillyanked out the pickups and wiring and replaced them with traditional wiring and Seymour Duncan “Whole Lotta Humbuckers.” It’s as good as any entry level Gibson I’ve ever played.
Just saw an Epiphone Les Paul Studio in Alpine White with gold hardware. WOW is that a nice looking guitar!!! I'm a sucker for gold hardware, though. I'd like to see what you think of one of the LP's! I only have a used Epiphone Viola Bass, but I really enjoy it for the smaller size that fits me best. It's cool that you go over the guitar in such detail. Very cool for someone like me that really doesn't know too much about electric instruments! (I play piano, trumpet, uke, some bass and some acoustic) :) I learn a lot from the channel. Keep it up!
I bought an SG Muse and it was actually a solid purchase. I did not have the issues that you described. Fret ends were fine and not gritty. For the action and strings I prefer I had no issues with buzzing. All in all I am happy with it but will probably change out the pups eventually but they are fine as is and are much quieter than my recent purchase, an Gibson SG Tribute ....and much better tonally than the Epi ProBuckers. Hit or miss I guess as it always is with Epiphone.
Purchased this guitar for my son, and the fret ends on his where good, it did have one high fret that needs to be leveled and all the frets needed a little polishing. That said with the weight, belly cut and neck profile maybe the most comfortable Les Paul I’ve ever played, and believe it is a good value guitar.
G'day Phil. Thanks for the review & demo. I got an Epi SG Muse in this same colour a few months back. The nut is properly fitted flush with the sides of the fretboard and the frets ends are decently smooth. Again, a sample of one, for what it's worth. The colour finish is very nice.
I don't have a Muse LP, but I do have an Epiphone LP Plustop Pro I bought new last year and the thing has been pretty good so far. Pickups sound sweet, it's frets are well buffed and it does look pretty I'll admit, though a bit showy for my tastes. But it was on special and what can I say. I tried it on a whim while considering a Squire or a Gretsch, yet here we are.
My only gripe was it had a plastic nut which wasn't cut deep enough. But I had my guy swap that out for bone and it's been good to me ever since.
I have the red Muse. Actually won it in a contest. I have the exact same issue with the frets. High end of neck is rough! I plan on ordering a fret dress kit from Stew Mac to clean it up.
I tried for so long to get a new Epiphone...finally gave up with the shortage pushing my “possible” ship date back every few months...ended up going to a local shop and finding a different guitar. If I have the money when and if the shortage is over, I still want to get a good affordable epiphone.
personal experience with the LP muse after 4 months:
The frets on my muse were also scratchy but quickly became smooth after playing and breaking in the guitar. I actually liked this as it gave the guitar a little more character but the fret ends are smooth.
my nut was smooth, although i did round over the nut corner as it was slightly sharp, nothing out of the norm but i prefer the nut corners to me more smooth and rounded.
I also have the pickup ring issue.
this guitar is more of a modern player, and female friendly (small hands) for the thin neck.
when compared to my Gibson SG tribute and Epiphone SG 66 reissue, id say its closer to a Gibson, lightyears ahead of the old Epiphones in sound and quality.
if i had to choose a guitar to buy, id probables recommend saving your money for a little while and purchasing a more affordable Gibson, maybe second hand as they are amazing. especially the Tributes. simple, affordable and sound massive.
I have a muse LP in radio blue. I would say your assessment is spot on. The frets aren't terrible but they aren't great. The nut definitely needs filed. I don't have a file set so I just sanded down the base of the nut to drop everything. Probably not the best method but it got the action to where I want it. I actually spend more time with the coils split than with the humbuckers but I'm also coming to terms with the reality that the Telecaster is the best guitar ever made. Either way I really like mine. It plays great. The neck feels amazing. The action gets low enough and it has a very usable variety of good tones. Both coil tapped and humbuckers.
Would love to see you review the new Heritage Custom Cores.
Epiphone is putting out some well-made guitars these days! 🎸
Seems really good and not a lot of money, especially if you don't mind doing a bit of light fret work. Thanks for the video.
I used to hate my cheap jay turser but....the more I've learned it's been great with fit and finnish..it's neck thru and the nut and frets have been great..I'm nervous tho cause it's almost time for fret work there getting flat by the 12
I have wanted to buy an epiphone for a while, but I’m yet to find one that has been finished good enough to justify the price over other guitars in the same range. All of the ones I have looked at seems very similar to what you have stated in this review
Hey always great tuning to your channel.
I recently got the SG Muse in the same color smoked Almond and the frets almost cut your fingers bad going to see if you have a video addressing this issue.
Keep up the good work
I tend to favor single coils and traditionally single coil guitars, but there's something about that edge of breakup/light gain tone that you get from a low output bridge humbucker or p90 in an lp style guitar. I used to question the purpose of single pickup guitars like the lp junior but as I've gotten older, they just seem to make sense.
My first electric 6 string was an Epiphone SG-400. It is now one of my best loved guitars, and a go to for me. The only thing Epiphone about it is the wood, bridge and tuners. I replaced the pickups with Seymore Duncan Hot Rodded Humbuckers, the pots and switch and Jack were replaced as a unit that I had made for me. I now call it my Red Growler. Epiphone make some great guitars. Their craftsmen are top notch. But I think the electronics can be lacking.
I have the Epiphone Les Paul Classic 2020 in honey burst and the fret ends are superb. The whole guitar is finished beautifully. The only issues are the knob pulls off one pot when coil splitting (I swapped them around and strangely it cured that) and the frets are gritty.
I recently bought an Epi Les Paul Modern. The frets were rough and had sharp ends. With some painter’s tape, 3M Flexible Polishing Papers and a lot of elbow grease, I was able to give the frets a beautiful makeover.
I have to give Schecter a shoutout: Over the years, I’ve bought nearly a dozen mid-priced Schecter guitars and all of them game with terrific frets. I’ve never had to file or polish them on day one. As such, going forward, I will buy more Schecters and fewer Epiphones.
please a review of the red special version from Harley Benton
I bought one and had similar issues with the frets, fairly easy fix. The worst problem was a ground buzz which ended up being the conductor going to the bridge pin. Pulled the bushing, doubled up the exposed copper and reinstalled the bushing, problem solved..
My neighbor tasked me with putting together a shortlist of guitars for his teen son who wants to start learning to play. It's good to know the price range for stuff that can carry a beginner through intermediacy that won't get in the way of progress starts out this low, especially used.
Thank you Phillip for the honest video. Could you review the Stanford Marquee ( the rising LP style star)?
I bought the SG muse in Purple Passion. Lighter and brighter than a Les Paul. Sounds amazing. Very thin neck. The only issue I have is that the push/pull knobs sometimes come off in my hand.
Have you done a 10S???? the reliced gold top looks cool and I've seen some positive reviews on it.
Here's one for you to track down, Phil. Love your posts, bro!: A Grote 12-string setup for 6 w/Gibson bridge & tailpiece, pickups and pots left alone. Johnny Winters and others chose the 12-string for the wider string space for arpeggios. This setup is the most harmonically balanced guitar I've ever played (except for Thomas Humphrey's "Mellennial" classical guitar, under Lo'Prinze in Clearwater, FL.) This setup tops any guitar at any price. Your appraisal, I'll always consider as top dog! I know of no one who goes into the depth of the machanics like you.
Hey Philip. Could you do the Epiphone Extura next please? I'm very interested in it but I can't find anyone who does the same things you do when reviewing guitars. Thanks: Brock 👍
I have this guitar with the exact same colour but with no fretwork faults. I believe that the one in this video has this issue. The only thing that bothered me with this guitar is the knobs were too lose that when you want to push them to split coil, they came off very easily. However, within a couple of minutes, they repaired it before I left the store and I have never experienced it again since then. Being a long time strat player, I bought this guitar just for back up purposes. However it instantly became my go-to axe and I love this guitar so much.
I recently purchased one and the frets are fine,but I got the shop to file the nut. The neck feels great.
Nice sounding guitar for just over 400 pounds.
I have the white one it plays awesome. Neck is great,with no fret problems. Weight is perfect (not a boat anchor). Very happy plays better than a Gibson.
Please review Bacchus or Momose, guitars look stunning.
I really would like to know if they are worth buying.
But no reviews on youtube (:
Absolutely....
i bought one for my store.. i had same basic problems ended up doing a full fret crown and polish as well as taking care of sprout and finish..i took the nut out and sanded to match the neck ..and shielded all the electronics..paid 500.00 put 200.00 worth of time and materials..so now i have a 700. guitar only worth 499.00.. i would expect this to be on an entry lvl around 250-300. unless u just want the name epiphone.alot of other manufactures doing it better cheaper at this point
Just bought a gretsch 5220 for $550..perfect out of the box..would recomend it to anybody!! Oh, and it's my 20th guitar..congrats to me! Lol
Yes theG5220 is great!
Just got a 5230, and the cheaper Gretsch’s are really nicely made guitars. I can see more in my future!
Ha, ha congrats , i'm 5 behind you and a gretsch is definitely on the list along with a prs....P.s. my b-day is coming up so thats as good of an excuse as ever for #16!!!
@@mikeg.9238 You owe it to yourself..#16!!!
@@kingarthur1776 You know what , you're absolutely right! Thanks for that nudge , that should put my wife over the edge , haha!✌🤘😉
Thanks for the review.....
Love your video....
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
My Epiphone 1959 Les Paul Standard is flawless in every way though I haven't had a peek inside of the control cavity yet.
The `59 is Epiphone's most expensive Les Paul though, so I would hope it gets more attention than a Muse would.
sweet review Phil!
Epiphone Prophecy with Fishman Fluence pickups specially made for Epiphone with Coil-tap/Coil-split volume pots
On several guitars ,own 2 USA Gibson Les Paul Standards . I just purchase the Epiphone Les Paul modern its every bit as good as my other Les Pauls I paid over 2000 Dollar for them buying Epiphone Les Paul modern is as good if not better than any guitar out there on the market for that type and style of guitar you can't go wrong I love my Epiphone modern Les Paul great choice for me, why pay $2,000 to 3,000 when you can buy one just as good for $800
yea, frets on my ES needed work too (polish & fret ends), but the thing I couldn't take care of was that the neck feels bumpy in spots when you slide your fingers up the back of the neck. Could have used some more sanding in the 'made-by-hand' factory. Anything over $200 shouldn't really have that issue.
Isn't fretwork very dependent on humidity and temperature? I bought a Sire Marcus Miller M5 bass and it had the best perfect smooth frets I ever touched. After hanging in my (very dry) living room for a few months and me neglecting it a bit (because I'm a guitarist first and foremost) the frets were sticking out so much almost making it unplayable.
Thanks to your channel I knew how to fix the fret ends so it's a joy to play again :)
There’s a Pelham blue one at my local music store and they want like 450 bucks for it or something. Would probably buy it but my parents wouldn’t let me.
Looks great, sounds great. I’d say it seem to be a nice guitar if set up nicely.
I'd be interested on your thoughts on the Yamaha Revstar
Hi, Love you and your videos! Just wondering what your thoughts are and replacing the pick ups with Gibson humbuckers? Do you have any recommendations as to which ones would give it, as closest possible , to an authentic Gibson sound?
I love sub 4 kg guitars, and especially when cheap and reviewed by you! :D
I'd play it... Love the videos, keep up the great job
I purchased through Sweetwater, no issues with frets.
Thank you for posting
Didn't even know the Muse was a thing, but now that I've seen it, I'm intrigued. Seems ripe for upgrades, but RUclips is so hard to hear well. How do you feel about the impact of Okoume on the body, and what do you think of the pups?
They’re terrible in a mix and out to front of house. They’re not articulate and sound muffled. I pulled mine out for Seymour Duncan’s, but had to do a complete rewire to get what I wanted.
@@jburdsinfuse I had a feeling. Thanks for the info.
@@XciteMike Lol, you are gonna take the word of one random answer to your question? Did you even watch the video? Better yet, go find one and play it yourself... honestly, the level of credulity exhibited in general these days explains a lot of what is wrong with the world today... forgive me, this isn't meant to demean you or your question, but gawd... make your own opinion, instead of taking ONE from some random dude on the interwebs...
@@xodarap37 Mr. Burdick was nice enough to answer my question based on his experience, and I thanked him. By contrast you’re simply offering unsolicited criticism on what... whether my acknowledgement is indicative of some sort of personal flaw, gullibility, or laziness? Is it a broader social commentary on the value of opinions expressed through the same user generated media in which you are unironically expressing an unsolicited opinion? Are you just trolling? I’m really struggling to see the value added here...
Have the Epiphone SG Muse in the same color (gold) and no issues at all. Great neck and fretboard. Love the humbuckers, not so much the coil split. It's ok just kind of bland. This SG is a blast 👍
i was thinking the SG too. a bit smaller and easier to get to the high frets. What do you think of the SG still after a year?
@@Glensully it is one of my favorites. Wife got me a Gibson Les Paul for Christmas and that guitar almost plays itself, so slick and smooth. I also have the Epiphone SG P90 and it's great
@@michaelrosawatkins3928 i GOT THE MUSE. arrives today. mainly so the wife can use as its much smaller and thinner. I will use as well. of course I wouldnt mind the P90, but both pickup are a bit similar as in gain, but amp gain and its very similar. maybe i might get those P-rails - they have both so you can switch them, install them myself easy
I bought unplayed from Sweetwater and they set it up for me. I paid 450 dollars for my Red one and I replaced the speed knobs with black and red numbers. Mine says made in Indonesia. I rather run mine through the VIP1 instead of my Spark 40. I was saving for the Standard but they didn't have it so to save money I bought the Muse. I'm glad I did.
Just worked on an Epi Modern (very similar model from the same factory) and just wanted to post some observations! Very similar with what you observed here wrt the fretwork and shielding (ie very rough fret ends and no shielding in the cavities). The nut was cut well and flush with the neck on his guitar although I thought the slots could have been a bit deeper on the lower strings (seems to be common on
That thing sounds really good. Your awesome amps probably help a bit. It seems like a lot of guitars in this range are basically one proper set-up away from being a guitar that easily competes with double the money. My question for you would be: does the finish work on the frets and nut cost so much in time-resources that it is worth it for Epiphone to skip those steps? Or is this something they should change at the factory to turn the corner on mid-range guitars?
My 2019 L. P. Ultra III didn't have any of the issues shown here. Frets are smooth, Nut is square, pickup rings are perfect, and she weighs in at 7.1 lbs. It's my 3rd guitar and I love it. Also dig the built in tuner, the "nanoMAG" extra pickup, and the USB port. My last L.P. was a late 60s Gibson and I much prefer this little Eppy. (the Gibson was a boat anchor). It's a shame the Ultra III was discontinued - looks like I got one of the last ones.
Have you reviewed a telecaster FMT? Those are great and I think they can have some small upgrades
I own a LP Muse Radio Blue and the warped neck pickup ring bothered me so much that I took it to a guitar tech and all they did was reinstall the same pickup ring but upside down and that fixed the warp.
My Epiphone LP Modern had the same fret issue. They were also uneven. That must be where the new people work at the factory.
Great in depth review!
Good stuff Phil and that paint does look sweet and it sounds great