ShortScale.org

All the Heavier bands i like seam to use lps, so i think i would like to try one out.
Any good lespaul type guitars for under 500 euros? i don't really care who makes them.

Look for any of the Matsumoki factory built guitars.

http://www.matsumoku.org/guitars.html

I really like the cheaper Gretsch LP types. Junior Jet and Pro Jet... But might not be what your after for 'heavy' music, obviously you can always change pickups.

Hagstrom

Edit: for crazy delayed double post.. Didn't this happen to Robroe the other day? odd.

Edwards? (LINK)

Shecter
Samick
Hamer

Hondo II
<duck & cover>

Hondo II Pro = Matsumoku

George wrote:Hondo II Pro = Matsumoku

If so, it's not a category on the Matsumoku.org website above.

An unofficial crap website from 2006? Yeah, definitely the vanguard.

There's fair talk over them being built by Matsumoku on various forums. Enough for me at least.

Some of the better Hondo IIs are matsumoku but a lot of them were some korean factory.

but yeah look for Aria, Univox, Ventura, Electra, Memphis. or sometimes stuff is just listed as matsumoku.

It's only Hondo II Pro that are Japanese (Matsumoku) - the rest are indeed Korean made and of questionable quality.

That said, I have a Hondo II Korean acoustic that I quite like. I think only because of it's weathered charms, sound is kind of passable.

I've heard people say good things about the 'Vintage' guitars, particularly the Lemondrop which is modelled after Peter Green's Les Paul. Not sure if they're available in Portugal though.

only strats, telecasters and expensive gibsons are available in portugal.... i've heard good things about vintage to, a friend of mine has one, but it's for lefties...
thanks for all the help

If you were in the US I would suggest an Agile from Rondo guitar. People give them high reviews.

They have basic slim nut or Wide nut. and you can choose humbucker or p90. Also they have different levels of trim and parts.

They may send overseas, IDK, but not sure I would try without being able to send it back for cheap if I did not like it.

In the mid-1980s I was going to pawn shops with my dad. I once pointed out an Ice Tea burst Hondo II Les Paul to him his reply? "Hondo Crapo"

$500 to spend? Try to find an old Burny or an Edwards. You could always go the route I took: I've bought a few second hand Chinese knock offs. Re-finished them, set them up, replaced pots, pickups, wiring, and any funky hardware. All in I spent about €400 on each.

Check out the pawn shops you may find an Orville at that price.

However, they never quite hit the mark so I gave them away to friends, saved up, and bought the real deal.

Les Pauls, like most other Gibsons, are ridiculously over priced, but I've never regretted a purchase. My suggestion is save up get about $1500 and get yourself a used Gibson Les Paul.

westtexasred wrote:Edwards?

I was going to suggest this too, I'm not sure how much they cost as they're not sold in the US. I tried an Edwards LP Custom that was secondhand in Starving Musician and it was amazing, totally blew me away how much it felt like a real, high-end Gibson. Like buttah. The only real difference in the feel whatsoever was that it had a more matte finish, sort of like a goth series.

I wouldn't recommend buying a used Gibson as he's in Portugal; I'm guessing it'll be way too much trouble to find one at a reasonable price there like it sometimes is in the US.

there's a nice looking black burny LP on ebay UK just now. can't remember the price, probably sub £500 (i'd hope!)

The first thing I would suggest doing is narrowing down the spec you want.

- Old/new (old likely being japanese)
- Bolt on/set neck (plenty of great bolt ons out there but it's harder to find a good one amongst the many because the bad vintage ones tend to be bolt on too, though the advantage is they are much cheaper to buy even for the good ones)
- Colour (black custom style is common, as is white, but you can also go for plain top or standard bursts)
- Body shape accuracy

etc.

If you give yourself a shortlist of what is important it's easier to find something you'll want to buy.