I bought an Epi Nighthawk reissue last year. It was made in Indonesia and was beautifully put together. Workmanship...impeccable. Don't know where the Riviera or the Swingster are produced but Epi is turning out some great bang for the buck pieces lately.

yorolpal
I bought an Epi Nighthawk reissue last year. It was made in Indonesia and was beautifully put together. Workmanship...impeccable. Don't know where the Riviera or the Swingster are produced but Epi is turning out some great bang for the buck pieces lately.

I have a Standard Les Paul and a Les Paul Traditional Pro. Both made in China, set up in the US. 
 
The standard has better finition. Visually, it's hard to find anything wrong with it. The electronics never gave me trouble.
 
The Traditional has much better pick ups (Epiphone's version of a Classic 57 and a Burstbucker) but the switch started behaving after a few months, the finition is anything but flawless (the faux-binding was applied pretty sloppily, as was the paint job, the aforementioned faux-binding is actually oddly stained in a couple of spots).
 
I love that guitar and the way it feels, the way it sounds, the fat neck and the raw finish of it, but visually it's very, very easy to spot plenty of little things that weren't done properly. 
 
In both cases, the bridge was completely tarnished after a few weeks. As was the upper side of the chrome finished pick up on the Standard. By comparison, my Gibson SG is still perfectly fine after almost 6 months.
 
I'm guessing that their Les Paul Tribute model would be the best of both worlds, with the better pick ups but w/o compromising on the workmanship. 
 
But if not for the fact that I love the feel of the Traditional Pro so much and its fat neck, the Standard is actually a better guitar, one of the ones that was better put together. I guess I may change the pick ups eventually...
 
 
 
 

Changing out pickups on LP's is really fairly easy. I worry more about scratching or burning the guitar than the actual process it's self. The Dot 335 was a bit more of a challenge with no back panel to access. I ended up taking that one in to technician to change out. I watched the guy do most of the work from a ways off and he made it look so easy. I don't think I could get my fingers through the F holes and do some of the work like he was doing. Obviously he had quite a bit of practice with the Gibson hollow bodies.

MakeShift
Changing out pickups on LP's is really fairly easy. I worry more about scratching or burning the guitar than the actual process it's self. The Dot 335 was a bit more of a challenge with no back panel to access. I ended up taking that one in to technician to change out. I watched the guy do most of the work from a ways off and he made it look so easy. I don't think I could get my fingers through the F holes and do some of the work like he was doing. Obviously he had quite a bit of practice with the Gibson hollow bodies.

I wouldn't even try on the LP - I don't trust myself with tools. Anything beyond changing the truss rod cover I dare not attempt. Too bad that the luthier who used to take care of my guitars had to move to California last January. 

Rain
...
I had my wife listening to a snippet of the latest thing I've been working on last night and her reaction was worth all the energy I've put into it, a hundredfold. We knew that was it.
...
I've always needed that sense of unity when working on something, I need things to be there for a reason and relate to one another. And it also allows me to start and be really creative because now I know which rules I have to bend and twist. :P
...

It's awesome to see someone say this. And even more special that you have someone with whom you can share this.
 
That's the ultimate in inspiration, and sometimes it takes you forever to get it all out, but many times, it also gives you so much that you can't stop! And not help getting it all out!
 
Channel as much as you can and don't stop! Remember that the feeling might not be there tomorrow! That should motivate you endlessly!
 
If I may, and not that I know/understand enough of this stuff, I would like to suggest stop worrying about the special guitar or such, and stick to the stuff in your head that needs to come out. You can get them out with a 29.95 guitar that is on sale at Kmart!, if you have to! And special for me, are any sentences or words that are also there, btw ... which is where all my poetry comes from. It's like I see words floating all around in the middle of the visionary experiences. Quite psychedelic in some ways, but way further than that!

Moshkiae

Rain
...
I had my wife listening to a snippet of the latest thing I've been working on last night and her reaction was worth all the energy I've put into it, a hundredfold. We knew that was it.
...
I've always needed that sense of unity when working on something, I need things to be there for a reason and relate to one another. And it also allows me to start and be really creative because now I know which rules I have to bend and twist. :P
...

It's awesome to see someone say this. And even more special that you have someone with whom you can share this.
 
That's the ultimate in inspiration, and sometimes it takes you forever to get it all out, but many times, it also gives you so much that you can't stop! And not help getting it all out!
 
Channel as much as you can and don't stop! Remember that the feeling might not be there tomorrow! That should motivate you endlessly!
 
If I may, and not that I know/understand enough of this stuff, I would like to suggest stop worrying about the special guitar or such, and stick to the stuff in your head that needs to come out. You can get them out with a 29.95 guitar that is on sale at Kmart!, if you have to! And special for me, are any sentences or words that are also there, btw ... which is where all my poetry comes from. It's like I see words floating all around in the middle of the visionary experiences. Quite psychedelic in some ways, but way further than that!

Thanks Mosh.
 
As for the guitar, currently, I don't have time to mess with sounds and the SG just won't leave my hands - it is the easiest thing to play in the universe. OTOH, it does have a very "in your face" sound, w/ lots of bite - it can cut through a dense mix like no other - which is great if you happen to have multiple guitar tracks.
 
But for this project, I'll eventually need something a bit beefier because I am after something that's got a bit more of a live feel, so layering tracks isn't really the best idea. I need a guitar that will take a bit more room sonically, sound a bit more rich and not so much gnarling. I need the sound of wood.
 
For the time being, I can tweak it a tiny bit and get an approximation, as I prefer not to slow down the inspiration and to interfere with it. But for the final steps and live, I'd want a semi-hollow.

There's an Epiphone Dot Studio at the pawn shop up the road. The price seems a little high for a used Dot ($285), seeing how some new ones can be had for ~300. It plays great, I like the thin neck and I've always wanted an ES-style guitar. I blame Alvin Lee for that.
So I convinced myself that I couldn't afford another guitar to sit on a stand with the other guitars I play maybe once a week, then the saleslady says, "we have layaway".
Arrrggghhhh! Why do they do this to me?

Well, Rain, I'm blaming this one on you, bud.
As of 1:30 this afternoon, a Riviera P93 is on its way here from ZZounds.
I stewed on it for a while, but their "Pay as you play" 8 payment plan put it in reach.
The Gretsch is still on my someday list, but for now, the Riviera will be just fine.

RobertB
Well, Rain, I'm blaming this one on you, bud.
As of 1:30 this afternoon, a Riviera P93 is on its way here from ZZounds.
I stewed on it for a while, but their "Pay as you play" 8 payment plan put it in reach.
The Gretsch is still on my someday list, but for now, the Riviera will be just fine.

Congrats on you purchase! Do keep us posted - I'm anxious to hear your thoughts about it. As for me, it'll probably have to wait until after the computer upgrade, though maybe I'll be able to take advantage of my birthday to raise the funds for the biggest part of it... :)

57Gregy
There's an Epiphone Dot Studio at the pawn shop up the road. The price seems a little high for a used Dot ($285), seeing how some new ones can be had for ~300. It plays great, I like the thin neck and I've always wanted an ES-style guitar. I blame Alvin Lee for that.
So I convinced myself that I couldn't afford another guitar to sit on a stand with the other guitars I play maybe once a week, then the saleslady says, "we have layaway".
Arrrggghhhh! Why do they do this to me?

First, I am glad you have found something that you are both happy with, that is great!
About the guitars:
PAwnshop: Make them an offer of 210.00 (never pay asking price unless you have to) and work up to a meeting point, maybe 245.00, if you want it. End of the month is a good time to get a deal at a GC if they have not met their sales quota.
I have had my eye on an Epiphone ES-339 Pro in natural. I like the idea of a slightly smaller body but I don't want or need a bigsby. Can you add a Bigsby on the cheap?
Rain, if I were you I would consider, since it is only 2 or 3 hundred dollars, make a down payment with someone like Sweetwater and get the guitar you really want. It isn't like it is 2 or 4 thousand dollars... and I can tell you from a lifetime of experience... settling for something that will approximate what you really want, never really does it. It is like trying to get the Marshall sound without buying a Marshall, you can do it but you'll likely spend more than you would have on a real Marshall but you'll likely have a better amp if you do. If you try to get it cheaper... well, you'll never quite get there and you'll soon be looking again. Have you played all these guitars? Personally, I like to play any main guitar I buy before I buy it, most guitars are like Levi's jeans. You don't know if they fit until you try them on, the tag means nothing.
Good luck and if possible, don't "settle" over the matter of a couple hundred dollars... get what you really want. Find a way. Just my 2 cent.
 
J