3 of the BEST Affordable Les Pauls!! - Guitar Tone Comparison!

What's the BEST $200-$300 Les Paul? Let's find out!
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[DarrellBraunGuitar]

Hope you like blue Les Pauls 😂
Let me know which guitar you liked the best!

[RafsGearReviews]

'If you don't like blue' ... Who are those people??? We all know blue guitars sound better. It's science.

[Gunsultra]

I've had a Xavier since September, and have been having so much fun with it. Recently I speced it out and once you polish the frets, it feels like a mid-top tier gibson.

[hapwheeler]

The xaviere also has pickup splitting and quick plug pickup swapping for other Guitar Fetish pickups. I bought one after Darrell's review last year and I love it!

[SeasonedSalmon]

Xaviere had the most clarity, best looking and the best sounding my opinion.

[joermnyc]

Having played a lot of guitars (and basses) over the years, both bolt on and glued… I think as long as the bolt on neck pocket is tight and has great contact between the neck heel and body, there’s really no difference between them.

[tlevans]

I love my Epi LP Plus Top Pro, it's very well made and sounds great.

[keithconville]

I have the Firefly 338, the Epiphone Les Paul Special (Korean model), and a Xavier XV-570. I've swapped the pickups in all but the Xavier. But, I've had it the shortest period of time, too. They are all great guitars!!

[sydguitar]

Personally I recommend getting an Epiphone Les Paul studio on the used market (~$250-$300), very good pick ups, set neck, grover tuners, can't go wrong

[dcinsc]

I have actually had all 3 and the Xaviere is hands down the best imo. In fact, it's the only one of the 3 I still have. It has more nicer features like brass saddles and coil taps on the neck and bridge pickups too.

[CakedNinja]

I have the same Epiphone. It's a 2013 and since has now faded more into a green/blue. Still love it.
I threw on some locking tuners, replaced the plastic dots with abalone shell, replaced the pick ups with Seymour Duncan Whole Lotta Humbuckers with nickel finish, and a bone nut.
It plays beautifully. I've had friends tell me it competes with high end Epiphones even some Gibsons.
Bone nut was a nightmare. It doesn't have a traditional Les Paul size, so I had to hand carve a nut out of a bone block. Totally worth it.
Great vid!

[taz]

I agree! So I have an update on my quilted green Firefly Elite FFLPS. After having it for a month, it still sounds great and stays in tune. The neck is straight as an arrow. I have went from 10-46 to 9-42 gauge strings and that tightened up the low end. Of course I replaced everything (bridge & tail piece, tuners, nut, all the electronics & wiring and the pickups) on the guitar to be able to get low action, stable tuning and great sound but it was worth it. The Firefly guitars are a great platform for someone who is into modifying and upgrading an instrument. The one thing I can add is with the Dimarzio Tone Zone and PAF pickups that I installed in it, you can play metal and hard rock with the guitar. I tune to E standard, so my metal and hard rock playing style is that of Boston, AC/DC, Dokken, Cinderella, Lynch Mob, Slaughter, Ratt, WhiteSnake, Anthrax, Black Sabbath, Ozzy, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, OverKill, Testament and Megadeth. How I love 70's and 80's music!

[rudraigh]

I picked up my Epi LP Spc II off Craigslist for a hundred bucks. I love it.

[a]

I bought a guitar and I widely watched YouTube videos. You are so on point for anyone who wants to get one guitar! Love these parts of what can and cannot do for guitars. Great jobs!

[davidmonterroza]

Loved the clean tone on the Xaviere! Need to get me one of those baddies.

[domoniquebrooks]

Get the Firefly if you want the iconic look of an LP standard and are gonna immediately swap out the pickups anyway.
Get the Epiphone if you want something a bit more stripped down aesthetically with hotter pickups (it also says Les Paul on the headstock if you care about that)
Get the Xaviere if you want unique features plus good sounding alnico pickups right out the box.

[herbiehill]

I like the epiphone les Paul 2, very nice, and blue is alright brother. Thank you Darrell 😎 nice playing brother 😎

[carpathus]

Went for the Epiphone. Got a used 2014 model LP Special II plus top blue burst. Has a nice rosewood board unlike those made after 2017 CITES. All it needed was a set of Grover 133N tuners and a setup. Love the simple controls, light weight and flat top. Epiphone's are great for a stay at home hobby player like me that prefers Fender guitars but wants to experience playing a Les Paul without the weight or spending too much. Like the pre CITES 2011-2017 SG's as well. Cheers!

[PastorDanMoore]

For me, it is the Xavier. I have one (green) with the push/pull feature. The balance and the sounds are great. I bought it last year. I also like the ability to swap out the pickups (Guitar Fetish) that simply plug in.

[paradiswest]

I like the tones on the Xavier the best. I would like to see a comparison like this with semi hollow guitars maybe using a low-end beginner amp.