# Edwards LP Custom vs ESP Eclipse II



## rummy (May 2, 2007)

The time has come for me to finally get myself a Les Paul. I narrowed my choice down to Edwards LP Custom and ESP Eclipse II. We all know about the Eclipse, and how nice of a guitar it is. For less than $1500, it doesn't get any better than that. (minus the EMGs, imo.) I have no experience what-so-ever with the Edwards brand. All I'm going by is word of mouth, what I read on message boards and reviews. I also hear they're fantastic guitars, and their LP will cost me about $800. 

1. Before I spend $800 on a guitar that I've never played or heard, does anybody have any experience with Edwards LPs? Are they as good as they look?

2. How feasible is it to get snappy clean jazz sound out of EMG 81 within a mahogany body.

The Eclipse II







Edwards LP


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## SHREDTOKILL (May 2, 2007)

damn i dont know but both of those guitars are fuckin sexy.
i would go with the esp just because i could actually play one as with the edwards im sure you not going to fly to japan just to play one.


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## noodles (May 2, 2007)

There is absolutely no way you can shop for a Les Paul without considering Heritage.


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## rummy (May 2, 2007)

Does Heritage make vintage white Les Paul Custom?


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## playstopause (May 2, 2007)

Edwards looks closer to the real thing imo, if that's what you're looking for.


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## 4nkam (May 2, 2007)

If you want a Les Paul, get a Les Paul  Meaning, the Eclipse and LP might look similar, but they are different beasts with their own thing going on. An Eclipse really won't give you that classic les paul tone but is surely capable of heavy chunk. Different body styles, body thickness, neck profile, frets, etc. 

I'm pretty happy with my edwards lp:


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## rummy (May 2, 2007)

4nkam said:


> If you want a Les Paul, get a Les Paul  Meaning, the Eclipse and LP might look similar, but they are different beasts with their own thing going on. An Eclipse really won't give you that classic les paul tone but is surely capable of heavy chunk. Different body styles, body thickness, neck profile, frets, etc.
> 
> I'm pretty happy with my edwards lp:
> http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/living2win/gear/030207/1.jpg[IMG][/QUOTE]
> ...


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## D-EJ915 (May 2, 2007)

do you want a les paul or an eclipse? This is a serious question.


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## rummy (May 2, 2007)

rummy said:


> ...I want a new Les Paul, but I don't want a Gibson Les Paul for $1700+...


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## D-EJ915 (May 2, 2007)

The Eclipse is not a Les Paul copy and I would not buy one if you want a les paul


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## Shawn (May 2, 2007)

I've thought about getting an Epiphone LP for cheap, a friend of mine has like 3 or 4 of them and they're actually quite nice. He also has an ESP LTD Eclipse that is flat black with gold hardware and that plays awesome. I've always wanted an oldschool Gibson LP. 

That Edwards looks very nice, I love that color, my favorite finish for a Les Paul.


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## Edroz (May 2, 2007)

damn! they look really nice, i'm tempted to buy one of those edward's LPs... it would be cool having my name on the headstock too . i know gibson doesn't get much respect around here, but i  my '05 gibson LP custom. i've played the epiphone version and and esp (not ltd!) eclipse and they really don't come close to the real thing.


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## sakeido (May 2, 2007)

I went and tested out a bunch of Les Pauls awhile back when I had a hankering for a Gibson. All the real Gibsons sucked ass, especially when you consider how much money they were. A Les Paul Custom had glue seeping out around the neck joint that they just painted over, a LP Standard had the same problem, and a Les Paul GT ($3700cad)... I played on it, did one bend at the 5th fret and the string popped sideways out of the nut because there was only the tiniest nick in the nut for it. 
The best Les Paul I played that day was a Epiphone with a transparent black finish on I think flame maple. It was great! Especially compared to the Custom (cost four times as much), Standard (three times as much) and GT (five times as much). 
Then the ESP Eclipse II I played awhile back played great, sounded awesome, looked sweet (vintage black finish) and was just a really nice guitar. It had a great open, rich tone but it was something different then a Les Paul and not really a suitable substitute for the real deal. It was still closer to a LP sound then a Soloist kind of sound, but it could best be described as uniquely great. The Edwards might just be the same thing for less money.


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## swedenuck (May 2, 2007)

noodles said:


> There is absolutely no way you can shop for a Les Paul without considering Heritage.



 My Heritage H-150 has played like butter from day one. People ask me if it's a good copy and I always tell them who actually make them and that it's more Les Paul than their newer Gibson with noticeable flaws right out of the box.

Bottom line is that Heritage makes a great "old style" Les Paul at a price that doesn't break the bank.


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## jacksonplayer (May 2, 2007)

I would probably go for the Heritage over the Edwards, but based on what I've heard about the Edwards, it wouldn't be a bad way to go. As others have said, the Eclipse is not really an LP copy--it sounds and plays a lot different.


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## Edroz (May 2, 2007)

oh, believe me, i've played some horrid gibsons newer and older , i wouldn't have paid $2850 for mine it if wasn't good. you have to weed through some shitty ones before you find a really good one.


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## garcia3441 (May 3, 2007)

Although the Edwards is an excellent choice as well.


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## garcia3441 (May 3, 2007)

swedenuck said:


> Heritage makes a great "old style" Les Paul at a price that doesn't break the bank.



+1


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## rummy (May 3, 2007)

Ok, I guess I can count out the Eclipse. 

Honestly, I've never played a Heritage LP, so I'll just have to take your words for it. Back to my question; does Heritage make a Les Paul Custom in vintage white like the two I posted?


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## Seedawakener (May 3, 2007)

Id surely like an edwards!


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## Zepp88 (May 3, 2007)

I personally love my 2 Epiphone Les Pauls


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## JPMDan (May 3, 2007)

Seedawakener said:


> Id surely like an edwards!


 
Both are sick!


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## jim777 (May 3, 2007)

noodles said:


> There is absolutely no way you can shop for a Les Paul without considering Heritage.



Amen to that, Heritage guitars rule.


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## noodles (May 3, 2007)

4nkam said:


> If you want a Les Paul, get a Les Paul  Meaning, the Eclipse and LP might look similar, but they are different beasts with their own thing going on.



Or just get a Heritage. Seriously, they're made in the old Gibson plant by the old Gibson workers. They *are* Les Pauls.












Just look how thick the binding is. They're so much better than anything Gibson is making these days. The pickguards come in the case, uninstalled, so you can decide if you want the dealer to put it on for you or not. 






See? It still says Gibson on it. Old factory pic FTW.


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## ibzrg1570 (May 3, 2007)

That old factory looks pretty run down... At least the work on the inside is still good. 

Those Heritage LPs look like they're good quality, but they just don't look like LPs with the headstock and pickguard. I personally have GAS for an Edwards LP as well, although I want something with a nice flamed vintage honeyburst.


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## darren (May 3, 2007)

You might also want to look at the Tokai Love Rock.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320106205648

They're considered to be one of the best Les Paul type guitars out there. Made in Japan, cost around $800.

http://www1.odn.ne.jp/tokaigakki/products/seb/ls/ls130seb/ls130sebs.html <-- hot


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## noodles (May 3, 2007)

ibzrg1570 said:


> Those Heritage LPs look like they're good quality, but they just don't look like LPs with the headstock and pickguard.



There agreement with Gibson specifically requires a unique headstock and pickguard shape, in exchange for being able to use the same body profile. Every other LP copy sold in America has a different radically cutaway. You'd have to live with the headstock, but the pickguard is fixed by a trip to Guitar Center for a Gibson pickguard. One of the Heritage upgrade options, though, is a flame maple pickguard that matches the finish of the guitar.

The Edwards can copy more directly, because they are Japanese market only.


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## rummy (May 3, 2007)

noodles said:


> Or just get a Heritage. Seriously, they're made in the old Gibson plant by the old Gibson workers. They *are* Les Pauls.
> 
> http://www.heritageguitar.com/models/Images/H-150%20Burnt%20AMBER-ULTRA.jpg[img]
> [img]http://www.heritageguitar.com/models/Images/H-150%20CM%20VSB.jpg[img][img]http://www.heritageguitar.com/models/Images/h-157.jpg[img]
> ...


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## Pablo (May 4, 2007)

I really like the Edwards LPs... Here's the one I'd get (and I am actually not kidding!!!):


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## noodles (May 4, 2007)

rummy said:


> I believe you, man. I'm not counting them out at all! I just gotta know if they make 'em in vintage white!



There was a white/gold hardware LP Custom by them hanging in a shop near me forever.


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## playstopause (May 4, 2007)

Zepp88 said:


> I personally love my 2 Epiphone Les Pauls



Yeah, why not consider higher end Epiphones?


By the way, is there any OTHER website to Edwards beside this one :

¡Ú³ÚÅ·»Ô¾ì¡ÛEDWARDS E-LP-98LTC¡§CRAFT HOUSE

?


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## ibzrg1570 (May 4, 2007)

::::: Electric Sound Products :::::

The site's in Japanese (duh!), but it has enough English to make it obvious where to navigate.


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## D-EJ915 (May 4, 2007)

Pablo said:


> I really like the Edwards LPs... Here's the one I'd get (and I am actually not kidding!!!):


That's sick, Ken is pretty good


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## playstopause (May 4, 2007)

ibzrg1570 said:


> ::::: Electric Sound Products :::::


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## jim777 (May 4, 2007)

darren said:


> You might also want to look at the Tokai Love Rock.
> 
> eBay: Tokai Love Rock Made in Japan Quilted Top (item 320106205648 end time May-21-07 02:15:44 PDT)
> 
> ...



Love Rocks are 'eh' guitars; as in nice, but not great. They do have a great rep, but they simply aren't great. If you get an old one, as in pre '82, they're great. A lot of the current Edwards guitars are like that too. I've had Edwards, Tokai, and Greco Les Pauls and the Grecos (very early 80's Fuji-Gen guitars) ruled them all. I'd still get a Heritage though. I just got a Triple Nickel and love it. It's fantastically built, just total quality.


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## noodles (May 4, 2007)

^


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## skinhead (May 5, 2007)

ESP eclipse II, or maybe a LP satin black.


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## bazguitarman (May 10, 2007)

If you want a classic LP vibe, but at a lower cost then go with the Edwards LP`s. They are 100% of what a modern LP should be. The only thing you are giving up is a nitro finish. Most of the Edwards use a modern poly finish except for the lacquer taste series which have lacquer tops and poly finished backs.

With the Edwards guitar you are getting the now classic LP Custom features with the long tenon neck joint, plus upgraded pups and even locking tuners on some. A LP Custom with locking tuners, ebony fretboard and Duncans for less than $900.00 shipped to your door is a great deal no matter how you look at it.

And Japanese QC is more consistant than what we see from Gibson these days.

Check this link out. You can look at the Edwards models in all the different finishes with specs. Look under the origional series for the E-LP-92CD which is a LP Custom with Duncans and is available in Vintage white.

EDWARDS Series


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## playstopause (May 10, 2007)

^
Hollyshit.









How do you get to know the price?


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## bazguitarman (May 10, 2007)

playstopause said:


> ^
> Hollyshit.
> 
> 
> ...





The list price is on the link I posted, ut it`s in Yen. You will have to convert to get an idea of list. Once you pick a model you like do a search on evilbay for Edwards. There are a couple of Japanese shops that do a lot of business with American guitarist. Just send them a message asking for a quote with shipping costs. Look for Katana Guitars and Ishibashi.

The purple model you have posted, the E-LP-112CE is less than $900.00 shipped the last time I checked. That`s the model I want except in gloss black which has the regular triple white binding instead of the aged looking stuff on the purple model.

Eric


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## playstopause (May 11, 2007)

bazguitarman said:


> The purple model you have posted, the E-LP-112CE is less than $900.00 shipped the last time I checked. That`s the model I want except in gloss black which has the regular triple white binding instead of the aged looking stuff on the purple model.
> 
> Eric



You have a picture of this one (or link)?
When i click on the "black" button on the webpage, it doesn't work 

Also...maybe you know this : do these Edwards LP have a bridge + neck as angled as a Gibson LP?


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## ZeroSignal (May 11, 2007)

Not sure if anyone else mentioned this but try the Ibanez ARC, ART and ARX series guitars. They look sexier and are much cheeper to boot... If you want something more modern then they have the ADC and ADX120 guitars.

If I had to choose between the ESP and the Edwards I'd go for the ESP...


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## bazguitarman (May 11, 2007)

playstopause said:


> You have a picture of this one (or link)?
> When i click on the "black" button on the webpage, it doesn't work
> 
> Also...maybe you know this : do these Edwards LP have a bridge + neck as angled as a Gibson LP?





The pic of the black model is doing the same for me. Something wrong on the Edwards site I guess. I do have this pic from an old post of mine on Harmony Central. 








Also, from what i know, the Edwards LP`s are made exactly like a real LP. Including neck angle. I`ve played one Edwards LP standard in person and it felt just like a real LP except for a little bigger, more modern fret wire.

Eric


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## playstopause (May 12, 2007)

^

She is freakin' beautiful!!!!!
Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas!

I can't figure out if i want to get a Epi 7-strings or this...
Do you remember what the price was... (something below 900$, right?)

EDIT : found the price, will make conversion and will be back...

EDIT2 : 980.00$ U.S. without shipping. Damn...  a little too much for me... Might have to find a used one.


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## Michael (May 13, 2007)

I'd go for the Eclipse myself. I saw one in my local shop the other day. They're damn sexy, even more so in person. 



I shall go try it one day soon.


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## Jysan (May 13, 2007)

I thought that Edwards' felt a bit clunky...I don't know. They're well built though. My vote is still for the eclipse. They feel and sound incredible!


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## DarkCide (Jan 10, 2017)

Reviving an old thread...

What size frets do Edwards LP's come with?

Jumbo and modern or small and vintage?


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## vilk (Jan 11, 2017)

I play an Edwards SG as my primary guitar. I love it to death. I actually never intended to buy it, but I sat down and tried it out and said "OK. I don't want my other guitars anymore."


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## protest (Jan 11, 2017)

I just got an Edwards LP. Found it randomly at my local GC and couldn't leave without it. I don't know what size frets are on it, but if I had to guess I'd say medium jumbo. Regardless it is really well made and plays amazingly well. I picked up a used Studio that was about $200 more to compare to the Edwards while I was there and the Edwards absolutely destroyed it. I'd say the quality is on par with the ESP standard series.


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## Fathand (Jan 12, 2017)

Biased opinion: How about a used Epiphone Elitist (Fujigen Made, Japan)? 

I just got one and obvious road wear aside, it plays like a bearded m*******er on beer.


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## Tisca (Jan 12, 2017)

A someone who own an* Edwards "LPC", ESP EC-1 CTM and a Gibson LP Studio* I vote Edwards. First of all forget Gibsons. The Edwards and EC are very different beasts. The EC is very thin body and slim neck but what I love about it over the Edwards is the belly cut and XJ frets. If you want big chucky axe then forget EC unless it's the full thickness model.

I've compared a Gibson LPC, MIJ Tokai "LPC" and ofc my Edwards and besides different neck profiles there was nothing different besides the price. Tokai was like a 60's profile and Edwards closer to a 59.


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## DarkCide (Jan 12, 2017)

Tisca said:


> A someone who own an* Edwards "LPC", ESP EC-1 CTM and a Gibson LP Studio* I vote Edwards. First of all forget Gibsons. The Edwards and EC are very different beasts. The EC is very thin body and slim neck but what I love about it over the Edwards is the belly cut and XJ frets. If you want big chucky axe then forget EC unless it's the full thickness model.
> 
> I've compared a Gibson LPC, MIJ Tokai "LPC" and ofc my Edwards and besides different neck profiles there was nothing different besides the price. Tokai was like a 60's profile and Edwards closer to a 59.



How would you compare the EC and LPC in terms of tone? Is the edwards easy to play? are the frets that much smaller than the EC?


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## Tisca (Jan 13, 2017)

DarkCide said:


> How would you compare the EC and LPC in terms of tone? Is the edwards easy to play? are the frets that much smaller than the EC?



The frets size I notice in height. If XJ is not something you absolutely want then don't worry about it. Edward's frets are "normal". Easy to play is individual. Edwards has a much fatter neck which I personally like. Tone; the EC is pretty snappy with midrange bite. Cuts through nicely and good for chuggs. Edwards is typical big slab of mahogany type. More prominent in the lower range with endless sustain.


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