The Epiphone 1960 LP Special DC TV Yellow, an Almost Perfect Guitar
Epiphone LP Special DC TV Yellow
Continuing with the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 2025 line, the next on this personal list is the 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut TV Yellow. And if you want a spoiler before reading on, let me tell you it is one of my favorites from the whole lineup.
First, let's talk about the model it is based on. To my knowledge, or better said to my experience, the Double Cut Les Paul is not a model you see that much. I’d dare to say LP Juniors are more common among musicians, but Special Double Cuts are a bit niche to me. It is the type of guitar that many guitarists know about and many have on a list to get, but many don't jump on the wagon and buy it. The reason behind it might be the P90s or the wraparound bridge, I just can’t answer why.
Epiphone LP Special DC TV Yellow
So, out of the box, it came with a case like the rest of the line, so no surprise here. This model in particular is 3.6kg, but your mileage might differ as these guitars don't have a very constant weight. You might get a heavy one or a featherweight, and there is just no way to predetermine that.
The headstock is the Gibson style. Some people say that on this lineup you are actually getting upcharged just because of this headstock shape, and that getting a basic Epiphone is just the way to go. Okay, I'm fine with that comment, but I still like the shape of this headstock better, so shoot me.
The neck is very comfortable, not too thin. It goes along with the specs of what they call a 60s slim, but again, in my experience, there is always a variation. They are almost never exactly the same, so it is hard to assume they are just going to feel identical. To be honest, if I could have the same neck as the Gold Top here, it’d be my almost perfect guitar. Almost, because nothing is perfect, okay? As for the rest of the neck, you get a nice looking bound Rosewood board, a one piece mahogany neck, and well done fretwork with nice inlays. Also, a Graph Tech nut and Deluxe Three on a Plate tuning keys just like on the Gibson Custom. These Epiphone ones work well, so I don't see the point in changing them, but...
The body is comfortable. If you have experience with Juniors or Double Cuts, then you know that there are no contours here, so if you are fine with that, you’ll be fine. I have inspected the finish on this one and it is just good. I like the shine of it without it being glossy. Sure, it is no Nitro, but I don't crave guitar finishes, I just play the fucking thing. The wraparound works surprisingly well, and I honestly have nothing to bitch about. NADA! You get excellent reach to the lower frets, it is well balanced, and did I say already that I like this thing?
The electronics, like in all these models, are good CTS potentiometers, good capacitors, and decently wired. The pickups are good, and I mean really good. They bark with gain, like a very mid focused raw growl that sounds so good with an overdriven amp, and they work just as well with pedals. But I’m a clean amp player and a neck pickup guy mainly, and I have to say, sweet. That's it, sweet. Like, I could play Julian Lage licks here for days. I say could, because I just can’t play like that, what can I say, but you get the point, the tone is just there. The Gibson Custom USA P90s are good indeed, but I’m sure there’s a group on Reddit where people have a consensus that they are not good, and that you should change them for something else because one guy did it, so the rest need to follow. Sound like fun people, right?
So, the guitar right now on Thomann is 1019€. The Gibson Special LP DC is 1790€, the Gibson Custom LP Special 60 is 3899€, and just for the record, the non Custom Epiphone LP Special is 579€. So let's do some math here. Average Joe is not going to buy the Gibson Custom version, but then he could get the non IGC Epiphone one. But he will need to install new pickups because he wants the guitar to be a Gibson Custom at heart, and he will also need better electronics and better components for that. If this Joe brings the guitar to me, I’d be charging him roughly 150€ at least for labor, plus pickups. Assuming he wants the Gibson ones, then that is 650€ plus parts, which equals roughly 700€ plus the price of the guitar, making it 1279€. So it seems cheap ain't cheap anymore.
So the battle is IGC made in China at 1019€ versus Gibson at 1790€. The Epiphone already has the pickups that Joe wants, plus good electronics, plus a case. The guitar is ready to go. The Gibson doesn’t have the custom pickups, but it is a Gibson made in the USA. But it is 770€ more. Can you justify it? Can Joe squeeze out more money just for the Gibson logo? And should he? I’m not going to answer that for you, Joe...
I bought this guitar with my own money. I’m a guitar tech and I love guitars. I’m not a content creator HERO. I write these reviews for free, no one is giving me money or anything in exchange, and as for now, I’m going to keep this guitar because I like it and I’m utterly happy with it. No, I can’t guarantee that if you buy one you’ll like it as much, or that it won't have flaws. I just can’t promise that. Is it cheap? No, but what is nowadays? To me, the guitar is priced fairly. Now, if you can't get over the fact it is made in China, even though your phone, laptop, TV, etc. are made in China, but you just can’t accept the fact that Chinese factories can make a good guitar, if that's you, then that is a you problem, not an Epiphone problem. If this guitar was exactly the same as it is now but made in Vietnam, India, or anywhere else, I’d be writing the same review. Because what I care about is the thing I’m playing, the guitar. The rest is geopolitics, but that's a different conversation and one that I won’t be discussing here. So you do you, and I’ll be playing this guitar!
