Which EBMM has the most Les Paul like tone?

[guertzi]

Hi all,

last year I sold my 54 Reissue LP Standard.
I loved the tone very much but I just couldn't cope anymore with the ergonomics of that instrument, especially the baseball bat neck size and the absence of the body contour on the back.
Maybe I'm just spoiled from playing Strat-type guitars for the last 20 years...

The thing is that I sometimes just have the need for that thick meaty wooden tone and I was wondering which EBMM might get me there?

I would just LOVE to find another EBMM for me that would suit those needs, because the craftmanship that all the guys 'n' gals in SLO put into their instruments is just outstanding and my Luke II is an absolute brilliant workhorse that does most of the few tricks I am capable of

Problem is that it's kinda hard to find a store here in Germany that has a good selection of EBMM instruments where I might check some out.

So go ahead fellow forumites and let me know what you think!

My impression is that a BFR Axis or a 25th might get me there but I am open to your suggestions!

Thanks in advance and rock on!

 

[Spudmurphy]

Possibly a JP6 - however I prefer the JP6 pickups to my Les Paul.

The EVH buckers are hotter but because of the lack of Tone Control I can't really offer a comparison.

It will be interesting to here the opinions of the 25th Anniversary owners.

Anyways - I recon the JP6 can cover the Les Paul.

 

[colinboy]

The 25th would indeed give you alot of tone and sustain like a LP.
Also worth considering would be a BFR axis or a JP BFR.

 

[Mike Y]

I have never lived long term with a LP so maybe my opinion might be short-sighted but I would say given what I do know that the 25th will come close (or better) with the tone, warmth, sustain etc.

The JP6 has some pretty hot pickups (Dimarzio D-Sonic in the bridge for the current version) that may be too hot (too much output) compared to the LP's?

The 25th has the larger body, tone chambers routed in the body and the mahogany tone block. It's pretty much the culmination of every great feature EBMM has come up with.......

The sustain on the 25th is amazing, add the warmth of the tone from the pickups and body wood, with the right amp, it's quite a combo......

 

[leftyguitarblue]

I've been hearing around here that the silo gold roller is a tone monster. Check out Pete's video review.

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-guitars/38812-gold-roller-vid.html

 

[fogman]

I would say

25th
Gold Roller
20th Silo

 

[bkrumme]

The '54 reissue has P90's in it. I'd say get yourself an Axis Super Sport with MM90s.

 

[Astrofreq]

I'd say none sound like a LP. That's why I choose ernie ball. I'm not knocking gibson, BTW. if you want a gibson sound, buy a gibson.

 

[Dante]

I have never lived long term with a LP so maybe my opinion might be short-sighted but I would say given what I do know that the 25th will come close (or better) with the tone, warmth, sustain etc.

The JP6 has some pretty hot pickups (Dimarzio D-Sonic in the bridge for the current version) that may be too hot (too much output) compared to the LP's?The 25th has the larger body, tone chambers routed in the body and the mahogany tone block. It's pretty much the culmination of every great feature EBMM has come up with.......

The sustain on the 25th is amazing, add the warmth of the tone from the pickups and body wood, with the right amp, it's quite a combo......

well, except for the neck pickups hifi tone, the jp6 will be pretty close the LP. i have a LP for about 5 years now. people should really get to know the D-Sonic better cuz it's not really more abrasive than the alnico pro V in the bridge of my LP. LPs have really brutal middy soundig pickups.

 

[Sweat]

None are going to sound like LP's, because thy are Ernie ball Music Man guitars, very unique instruments and tone is subject to each individual but with that said I think somethings that might float your boat would be a 20th, definetly a 25th and most definetly a Gold Roller, I think in Petes vid thread on the Gold Roller someon posted one of the pups sounded single coilish, thats most definetly not true, its a humbucking rock machine

 

[lenny]

I had a Buddy over last night that digs LP's and out of all my Guitars(9)....He said the Sparkle Silo was his favorite of the bunch .and that was 2 teles(paisley and a 58 custom shop relic) and an Esquire as well as a "Studio" Vintage Mahogany "Gibson" Les paul with Alnico Pro V Burstbuckers.........he is a hi gain type player and he said he just loved the rear pup in my Sparkle silo .and the playability ad comfort...so double coil buckers and a maple cap will get you closer to the sound ie 25th or 20th anniversary silo but ...and to reiterate ....yip they(EBMM"S) have a sound all of their own....thats why i only play my balls ...i just cant bear to sell the others ...emotional attachment i guess....and its also cool to have variety ...even if i dont play em hahahaha

 

[GHWelles]

The JP6 gets a nice solid deep tone like the Les Paul, but it is more defined and articulate and has more presence than a Les Paul. Part of it is the EBMM's have the 25.5" scale length and the 'Pauls have 24.75". I like the JP6 much better, the 'Paul is too muddy.

 

[guertzi]

Thanks a ton to all of you!

Maybe I should clarify that I'm not looking for an exact duplicate of a Les Paul sound - I am just asking what you think points the most into that direction.

Otherwise I might as well get me a Gibson - which I definitely am not going to do.
I want the comfort and craftmanship of an EBMM guitar but with a tonal character that is more LP than Strat or Super Strat.

I have just seen Petes Gold Roller video and I really dug what I heard and saw.
Man, I would really like to get the opportunity and do a test run with one of these!

 

[paranoid70]

It ain't a Les Paul, but to answer the original question, I would say the 20th comes closest. Definitley more so than the others I have tried. The 25th may come close too, I need to spend more time with that one.

 

[Sweat]

Thanks a ton to all of you!

Maybe I should clarify that I'm not looking for an exact duplicate of a Les Paul sound - I am just asking what you think points the most into that direction.

Otherwise I might as well get me a Gibson - which I definitely am not going to do.
I want the comfort and craftmanship of an EBMM guitar but with a tonal character that is more LP than Strat or Super Strat.

I have just seen Petes Gold Roller video and I really dug what I heard and saw.
Man, I would really like to get the opportunity and do a test run with one of these!

I really think you would like the GR for what you seek, getting to try one is the tough part, I was\am fortunate enough to have a killer dealer like Pete who sent me his to do a test run on, played it for a week and order one ASAP

 

[robelinda2]

Agree, none sound like a LP, it has a tone of its own which not many custom builders can even get close to. Nothing wrong with a really nice LP tone, like the strat its an iconic guitar that one would be a fool to dismiss easily.

 

[Eilif]

What will get you closest to a Les Paul, IMO, will be the 20th Anniversary Silhouette.
After that, I'd guess a regular Silhouette or the Gold Roller maybe.

Here's my reasoning:
I think pickups matter more than wood in shaping a guitar's sound. The Virtual PAF or PAF Pro will be the pickups used by EBMM that are closest to those on a Les Paul.

Of course, all this goes out the window if you're willing to put LP pickups into a EBMM instrument.

 

[meenahga]

+1

20TH ANNIVERSARY SILHOUETTE

All the way!!!! Cuts thru the mix like a hot knife thru butter.

What will get you closest to a Les Paul, IMO, will be the 20th Anniversary Silhouette.
After that, I'd guess a regular Silhouette or the Gold Roller maybe.

Here's my reasoning:
I think pickups matter more than wood in shaping a guitar's sound. The Virtual PAF or PAF Pro will be the pickups used by EBMM that are closest to those on a Les Paul.

Of course, all this goes out the window if you're willing to put LP pickups into a EBMM instrument.

 

[Jack FFR1846]

I dono....he said that the LP reissue used P90's. I'm thinking Axis BFR rosewood running MM90's.

jack

 

[balance]

Owning both, I'll say the 25th has some VERY comparable tones to my Les Paul set to Series on either the Neck or Bridge position (take just a little off the top on the Tone knob). Funny this thread came up now, because I was just thinking to myself this week that my 25th sounded like the Appetite for Destruction tone.

A lot of the tones on the 25th are how you play it. If you get aggressive with it, it responds equally. If you lay back, it will lay back. I'm extremely impressed with mine and am constantly finding new tones to play with.

Current Favorite setting: Switch position 2 - Parallel Mode.