Get to Know the New Epiphone EJ200CE: The Guitar You Want and Need

"The new Epiphone EJ200CE is another model that has Gibson’s influence all over it. In fact, it is the brand’s version of a Gibson classic, the J-200. Appearance-wise, the EJ-2-00CE sports a Jumbo body with a solid spruce top and select maple back and sides, a maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard, and Grover turners and royal crown inlays. It is truly a wonder to look at. This guitar is not only visually appealing, it also performs great. The sound is the most important thing when it comes to guitars, and since the EJ200CE is able to deliver a broad range of sounds, it is able to adapt to any musical style. It can, for instance, capture a wider and more balanced frequency range with superb harmonics. In addition, it has Epiphone’s eSonic2 preamp system, which provides greater vibration transfer and accurate tonal fidelity, both of which give the guitar an unparalleled tone."
http://www.rainbowmusic.co.uk/blog/get-to-know-the-new-epiphone-ej200ce-the-guitar-you-want-and-need/

Gibson to Epiphone:100 Years of Les Paul, 50 of Guitar Legacy

"In light of insistent public demand, the organizers of the upcoming “100th Birthday of Les Paul” have issued more tickets (although, by this time, they’re probably all sold out, too). The grand event would be held on June 9 at New York City’s Times Square and feature legends like Joe Satriani, Steve Miller, and the Les Paul Trio. Whether you are a veteran or a newbie music fan, it’s impossible to miss the name “Les Paul” in virtually every guitar store around the world. Brands from Gibson to Epiphone design and create their respective versions of the Les Paul standard. Who exactly was Les Paul and why was he that influential in the music scene?"
http://www.rainbowmusic.co.uk/blog/gibson-to-epiphone100-years-of-les-paul-50-of-guitar-legacy/

How to Spot a Fake Gibson Les Paul Traditional (and Other LP Lookalikes)

World-famous Gibson guitars, like the iconic Gibson Les Paul Traditional, are practically the byword for quality, beauty, and overall musical sophistication: this has made them objects of desire for musicians and enthusiasts the world ove for many years. The Les Paul family of electric guitars has in itself been a huge influence in shaping the today's musical soundscape, and this heritage alone make the guitar a valuable and pricey investment as well.
http://www.rainbowmusic.co.uk/blog/how-to-spot-a-fake-gibson-les-paul-traditional-and-other-lp-lookalikes/

Epiphone or Gibson? The Art of Choosing Your Les Paul Icon

"For music fans and guitarists, the legendary Gibson Les Paul is probably as recognisable as Superman’s logo, Michael Jordan or any other icon from the pop culture of the westernised world. It’s no surprise that millions of guitar lovers, collectors and musicians around the world covet this marvel of an instrument with an almost obsessive passion. First appearing on the stage in 1952, the Les Paul family of electric guitars has helped shape the sound of popular music for more than 70 years. With its rich, thick tones, midrange-focus and its unrivalled ability to sustain notes, the original opened up a significantly richer playing and listening experience... which took a little while for guitarists to understand and take advantage of! It wasn't until Eric Clapton (and an almost accidental combination of guitar and amp) hit the fans ears with John Mayall and the Blues Breakers album ""Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton"" aka the ""Beano Album"", in 1966 with a 1960 Les Paul Sunburst (li
http://www.rainbowmusic.co.uk/blog/epiphone-or-gibson-the-art-of-choosing-your-les-paul-icon/

Epiphone Guitars: The Electro Acoustic Delight That is the AJ-220SCE

The Epiphone brand is a well-known manufacturer of many different levels of guitars, from affordable beginner models to lush archtops worth thousands of pounds. One of its prestigious models, the Texan, was an acoustic favoured by musical luminaries such as Peter Frampton, Noel Gallagher, and Paul McCartney. With the release of the AJ-220SCE, it appears the guitar maker wants to bring its success with acoustics to the electro acoustic realm, and from the looks of it, Epiphone is succeeding. The AJ-220SCE Epiphone electro acoustic combines incredible playability, easy top-fret access, and sound perfectly suited for the stage due to its balanced highs, controlled lows, and crystal-clear mids. The guitar costs less than £200, but make no mistake—both first time players and seasoned professionals will find plenty to love with this baby.
http://www.rainbowmusic.co.uk/blog/epiphone-guitars-the-electro-acoustic-delight-that-is-the-aj220sce/

Why the Epiphone EJ-200CE Models Are the Choice of Great Musicians

When recording a song in the studio or playing their hits live, great musicians prefer nothing but the best instruments for the best performance they can give their fans, and Epiphone guitars have been the choice for many of them. For more than 60 decades, Epiphone guitars have been revered by all but a few musicians worldwide. Epiphone has been the choice instrument maker during different music eras, from pop, jazz, R&B, early rock n’ roll, and even during the onset of the “British Invasion”. As the decades went on, Epiphone guitars, especially the well-balanced Epiphone EJ200CE guitars, became the choice instruments of several famous musicians. In fact, these musicians have made their love for these guitars known, using them to record emotional songs and perform on-stage in order to produce nothing but the best music.
http://www.rainbowmusic.co.uk/blog/why-the-epiphone-ej200ce-models-are-the-choice-of-great-musicians/

Meet the 2014 Gibson Les Paul Traditional: An Updated Iconic Guitar

The 2014 Gibson Les Paul Traditional is a vintage-styled guitar, perfect for avid followers of the vintage Les Paul line. According to Chorder, “Les Paul Traditional carries on the torch of the 1950s and 1960s LPs into the future with pride and honor of a thoroughbred Les Paul.” It has an all mahogany body with an AA figured maple top with 1959 Tribute humbuckers. The mahogany body is solid, unlike the majority of current Les Paul Standard models, making it a truly unique guitar. This give players the authentic feel of early non-weight relieved Les Paul body,.
http://www.rainbowmusic.co.uk/blog/meet-the-2014-gibson-les-paul-traditional-an-updated-iconic-guitar/

Gibson Les Paul Standard 2014 and Its Many Improvements Introduced

The Gibson Les Paul Standard has undergone numerous upgrades over the years, but the 2014 model introduced in the same year as Gibson’s 120th anniversary brought about the most significant changes to date. According to Music Radar, “For its latest Standard, Gibson felt the time was right to bring both boutique elements and technological advances into play, dragging the instrument bang into the 21st century.” It brings the usual presence of a Standard, but with a little more kick to it.
http://www.rainbowmusic.co.uk/blog/gibson-les-paul-standard-2014-and-its-many-improvements-introduced/

Gibson Les Paul Standard 2014 Specifications: Why You Need a Les Paul

The bridge and tailpiece of the Gibson Les Paul Standard electric guitar is made of chrome to add to the piece’s aesthetic value. For pickups, Gibson gave the LP Standard a Rhythm BurstBucker Pro for the neck and the Lead BurstBucker pro for the bridge. These enable the LP Standard to deliver warm and punchy tones with plenty of rich sustain. The out-of-phase settings and single coil also make this guitar a staple studio tool. These features gave the LPS a high-quality parametric equalizer which can deliver expressive and articulate sounds whether played on clean or distortion. Combined with the Min-Etune, you’ll be able to switch settings from standard to modified tunings in one click.
http://www.rainbowmusic.co.uk/blog/gibson-les-paul-standard-2014-specifications-why-you-need-a-les-paul/

The Gibson Les Paul Standard: Origins of a True Rock n’ Roll Icon

According to About.com contributor and guitar expert Dan Cross, the Les Paul lineage has been with us since 1952, and has been a fixture in the worldwide music scene ever since. To understand its rise to prominence, however, delving into its rich past is a good place to start. The story begins with American musical pioneer Lester William Polsfuss, also known as “Red Hot Red” and by his renowned stage name “Les Paul”. He was a country music guitarist who released his first two records in 1936, using guitars which were apparently not up to his expectations.
http://www.rainbowmusic.co.uk/blog/the-gibson-les-paul-standard-origins-of-a-true-rock-n-roll-icon/

A Basic Buyer’s Guide to Testing an Electric Guitar in the Music Shop

Purchasing a decent electric guitar can be a pricey affair; especially when you have set your heart on an icon like one of the Gibson Les Paul Standards. Even if you've spotted it for a great price on a trustworthy website like our friends, Stewart and Kevin's over at Rainbow Music in Carlisle: a classy guitar like that is something you'll want to get your hands on first before committing your cash. You don't want to set yourself up - only for regret to creep in after your purchase.

It's just plain common sense to test out an electric guitar before purchasing it, not just to see if there is anything wrong with it, but to get the feel of the neck and whether it really suits your playing style. Of course, you should go beyond a simple sound check through a familiar amp and inspecting the body for any scratches or dents. Whether this is your first electric guitar or your tenth, be sure to check for the following: