Epiphone Les Paul - sound & size question.

Total Ukphoria

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A few questions...
Is it closer to a soprano size or concert in size?
How does its (non-pickup) sound compare to Mahalo's LP model?
How loud is it(non-pickup)?
How good is that pickup? (any knobs/controls on it?)
Anything else I should know?:eek:

Answers to any of the questions will be much appreciated.
 
concert
not sure
not very
no knobs but plugged in it sounds really good.
For $100 it is pretty sweet. I like mine and enjoy playing it. It looks really nice too. I'd put new strings on it though. I put Aquila and it sounds a lot better unplugged now.
 
It is a Concert size ukulele.

It has a deeper, "thicker" sound. It is built more heavily than the Mahalo.
The Mahalo has a lighter, tinny sound, whereas the Epiphone has a darker, mellower sound.
In my opinion, the Epiphone sounds better fingerpicked, and the Mahalo sounds better strummed.

It is not a particularly loud acoustic uke. But it's not a "dead" sound either.
It has a mellow, rounded tone that sounds good fingerpicked.
Wouldn't be the uke of choice for trying to play publicly in an acoustic setting (especially with other instruments) - but it is great for accompanying yourself in singing, or just to have beside the desk for some fun. The sound also depends a lot on what strings you put on it.
I have D'addario Pro-Arte strings on it, and in my opinion, it's the ideal string for the uke (but tastes may differ).
Fremont black line fluorocarbons also work well. Aquilas... not the best match in my opinion.


It is a passive (no batteries) pickup with no knobs/controls.
Advantages: no battery or power source needed. Just plug and play. Sounds decent if plugged into the right gear.
Poorer quality cables or a non-acoustic amp may result in some hum (typically of passive acoustic pickups). But plug it with good quality cables, a nice acoustic pre-amp or amp, then it will sound fabulous. The piezo pickup itself installed by Epiphone is one of the better ones I've encountered in terms of ukes.
(the pickup is a lot better than the Mahalo one)


In a nutshell, if you can find one, for the price, it's good value. There aren't that many acoustic-electrics out there in this price range.
Plus it also has the Gibson fan value of having an ukulele that is "officially" a "Les Paul" model.

However, if you're looking for a uke that excels as an acoustic instrument, it is not a good choice.
It's a bit quieter than the standard "reasonably priced laminate ukulele". Softer than your Kalas, Makalas, Luna's, Lanikai's etc in terms of volume.

It's not the best electric ukulele either, but yes you can plug it into an amp.


Here's a video where I use the Epiphone Les Paul uke acoustically (at the start):


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1DcqU15NtI


For comparison, here's a very old video I made using the Mahalo Les Paul:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHTi2gTx0Ts
 
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