charlie brown Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 Well, they're all only as good as what we can make of, or do with them. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG player Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 Simple, I would put Gibson pickups in an Epi Good point Not only pickups my friend ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 I have 5 USA made Gibson guitars. I have 5 Epiphones. One is an elitist, the other 4 are standard production runs. They all do something different, and do it well. I don't have a problem with the names on the head stock. You can get a dud in any brand/model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 Here is a USA Epi that is up for auction on thursday: Its a 1962 Crestwood. Estimated value £3,500 - £4,000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG player Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 An Epiphone isn' t a Gibson. It' s possible to upgrade an Epi with better tuners, pickups, switch, potentiometers, wiring, hardware, etc.. An Epi will never become a Gibson. <_< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPS1976 Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 An Epiphone isn' t a Gibson. It' s possible to upgrade an Epi with better tuners, pickups, switch, potentiometers, wiring, hardware, etc.. An Epi will never become a Gibson. <_< who said an Epiphone was a Gibson? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Not only pickups my friend ... Turn all your knobs to 10, eliminates all the so called tone in your hardware. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 An Epiphone isn' t a Gibson. It' s possible to upgrade an Epi with better tuners, pickups, switch, potentiometers, wiring, hardware, etc.. An Epi will never become a Gibson. <_< And how do you feel about those PCB's rather than proper wiring in your Gibbys? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG player Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Enjoy ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 I just wish they'd use the Gibson-style headstock... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt.taylor14 Posted June 16, 2016 Author Share Posted June 16, 2016 I just wish they'd use the Gibson-style headstock... Me too, I prefer it the concaved sides on the Epiphone. I find it feels weird when tuning because the middle tuning peg feels twice the size as the top and bottom pegs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG player Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 OMG... A Gibson is not only a headstock ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt.taylor14 Posted June 16, 2016 Author Share Posted June 16, 2016 OMG... A Gibson is not only a headstock ... It is about a feel though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mz-s Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 I think it would be interesting for Gibson to re-invigorate the Maestro brand (or some other brand, just as an example since they already own Maestro) as their low-end models: the all-laminate Epiphones sub-$300 would switch over to this name. Epiphone would be budget solid wood instruments of both electric and acoustic, a mid tier. $400-$1k. I'd like to see the AJ-220s, Hummingbird, Dove, etc., switch to all solid wood and stay Epiphones. Build a real Made in America Masterbilt for $1k-1.5k, with every bit of quality as the Gibsons. If Martin can make guitars in the USA for $1k then so can Gibson. People that want a Gibson will still buy it, but people who like Epiphones will buy the Epiphone. Maybe the J-15 would switch it's headstock and become an Epiphone in this scenario. Gibson would remain the top shelf in the top price bracket. This avoids the feeling that Epiphones are sub-standard, because when a lot of people think Epiphone they think the plywood guitars from the 70s and the more modern laminate guitars with high action, low prices, etc. Epiphones are typically built better than Wal Mart specials, but not by much at the lowest end. I also think Epiphone should do more exclusive models and not just copies of Gibsons - this furthers the cheap sentiment in my opinion. If Gibson has to charge $3k for their Hummingbird, the Epiphone must be junk because theirs is only $300. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad1 Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 I also think Epiphone should do more exclusive models and not just copies of Gibsons - this furthers the cheap sentiment in my opinion. If Gibson has to charge $3k for their Hummingbird, the Epiphone must be junk because theirs is only $300. They do this already and always have. They were a company before they were bought by Gibson. They have a number of models that are only Epiphone, including but not limited to, the Casino and the Wildkat. They have never just made copies of Gibsons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 About Epi 335s or SGs being copies. That's debatable. They might be more accurately be describes as 'versions'. The designs are essentially the same. If you think of the carcass of the guitar (the wooden body & neck), the only design difference is the headstock shape. Also they are entitled to use the same names; SG, ES-335, Les Paul etc. The designs and the Epiphone name belong to Gibson, so they are not really copies IMO. Its other guitar companies that make copies of Gibsons. The Reverend Manta Ray, Eastman T386, Hagstrom Viking, Ibanez AS100, Greco SA-900. These and many more are all copies of the 335. As we know the Epiphone LP Tribute Plus has Gibson Pickups & Hardware. Its cheaper to buy one of those than swapping out all the components yourself from a cheaper Epi LP. So what else is different about a USA Les Paul? The woods used may not be identical species but they are of the same genus (mahogany, maple cap etc). Are they any better or worse? There are some Gibson users who say Gibson woods are superior, but I haven't heard them back this up with any data (Janka hardness figures might be a start). Both Gibson & Epiphone change the species of woods they use all the time anyway. So I dont think the woods used make any practical difference. So if the design & woods are equal, what else is different? Only where they are built. Qingdao or Memphis. I cant see that the jigs & NC programs will be much different except for Memphis's Plek machine. Are Americans workers more skilled? Does Memphis operate a sticker QC? Maybe. I dont know. All I do know is that Chinese & US pay scales are very different. My Epiphone guitar (Casino Coupe) is not as good as my 2 Gibsons. The wood is less stable and it needs adjusting more often. Maybe the wood was not seasoned for long enough? Maybe that's one difference. Maybe not. Its all just guesswork. But there isnt a vast difference between the Epi & Gibsons. I played a few Epiphone & Gibson guitars last year and from the couple of dozen or so I played, the Gibsons varied in quality more so than the Ephiphones. Some people get hung up on whats on the headstock, but you cant win. If you gig an Epiphone, guitarists will say 'yeah well he couldnt afford a proper Gibson'. If you gig a Gibson, others say 'what a mug? He only bought a Gibson because of the name on the headstock'. You cant win where other people are concerned. When I play, I'm to occupied to worry about whats written on the thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mz-s Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 They do this already and always have. They were a company before they were bought by Gibson. They have a number of models that are only Epiphone, including but not limited to, the Casino and the Wildkat. They have never just made copies of Gibsons. I realize that Epiphone has exclusive models, and variations of Gibson models that are exclusive to their brand. I am simply saying they should do more of them to keep the brand more distinct from Gibson. I suppose copy was the wrong word to use, because as has been pointed out Epiphone is a brand of Gibson so they are not illegitimate. Copy suggests unauthorized. I am suggesting that they make Epiphone a more unique brand, and not just a Martin Sigma or a Fender Squire. More exclusive models, fewer variations on existing Gibson models. Make Epiphone it's own brand with models you can't get anywhere else. Even if that means raising prices, because as I said they could bring in a different brand to pick up the low end for the sub-$300 players. Epiphone should stop being a price point brand I suppose is the crux of my argument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 I realize that Epiphone has exclusive models, and variations of Gibson models that are exclusive to their brand. I am simply saying they should do more of them to keep the brand more distinct from Gibson. I suppose copy was the wrong word to use, because as has been pointed out Epiphone is a brand of Gibson so they are not illegitimate. Copy suggests unauthorized. I am suggesting that they make Epiphone a more unique brand, and not just a Martin Sigma or a Fender Squire. More exclusive models, fewer variations on existing Gibson models. Make Epiphone it's own brand with models you can't get anywhere else. Even if that means raising prices, because as I said they could bring in a different brand to pick up the low end for the sub-$300 players. Epiphone should stop being a price point brand I suppose is the crux of my argument. I think MOST of the Epi stuff is based on their own models, even though most of those made now are based on the Gibson counterparts when conceived, thinking Sheraton and Casino. They were created side by side with the ES-335 and ES-330. But as far as being a price point brand, there really is no reason to stop that practice, as there is already Gibson. In other words, Gibson owns Epi, it's the same company, so there would be no reason to "up" the Epi brand when that brand IS already the higher end in the Gibson. Epi DOES occasionally make high-end models, and they sell, and they are respected. Or I might say, GIBSON has and does occasionally make some Epi's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bacongrease Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 the thing with epi, the reason why it causes such gas is, it's hot and bad and affordable--or within reach anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burchster Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 So some of you would really buy a guitar based on headstock shape?? You will NEVER see an open book headstock on a US sold Epiphone. But if you really have to have one several sellers in Ebay sell Japanese market ones with the open book shaped headstock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 Why would I want a Gibson headstock? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 Pete: LOL! Burchster: no. I'm crazy in love with my Epi LP. But given the choice, I'd PREFER the Gibson headstock shape over the headstock shape of my Epiphone, which I think looks suspiciously like a sad Dachshund puppy crossbred with a wilting flower of some very, VERY girly variety. But hey... can't have everything, I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzoboy Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 I have to laugh when I see people putting so much silly emphasis on guitar brands and especially those who insist everything other than "their" chosen brand is junk etc. As far as I'm concerned nothing screams complete ignorance about guitars more than brand snobbery.I have been playing guitar since 1964(when for my 10th birthday- 1 month after seeing The Beatles for the 1st time) when I got a no name acoustic hand-me-down from my uncle.I haven't put the guitar down since and played my first paying gig in 1969.Over these past 50+ years I have played,restored,repaired,set up etc. literally hundreds of guitars and have amassed a small collection of 33 guitars of various brands and vintages.Over these years I have observed that even the "best" brands of guitars have had some absolute "pigs" pass through their doors,I have heard and played "some" '50s and '60s Strats that sounded no better than Walmart El Cheapo guitars and the same goes for Gibsons too.Having said all that,in fact,the absolute best Les Paul that I ever played was a 1959 Epiphone Les Paul reissue from about 4 or 5 years ago.This guitar just played and sounded absolutely sublime,I was totally gobsmacked.I own 6 Epis myself and have a couple that are exceptional,but this Les Paul was an anomaly if there ever was one,even the bookmatching was in the same category as the best 'bursts from the late '50s.My biggest regret of all time is that at the time I had bought 3 new guitars,2 new amps and at least 6 effects in the previous 12 months and if I had brought that beauty home it would have caused a meltdown that make Chernobyl as inconsequential as a butterfly fart.The Epiphone name is a famously storied name and in its heydays Epiphones were the benchmark against which most other brands were judged,it's a pity that previous brain dead executives of the Gibson family of brands took that once hallowed name and stuck it on their "budget" aka "low quality" line of guitars,in the not too distant past. Thanks to the efforts of Jim "Epi" Rosenberg and the dedicated luthiers at Epiphone, the Epiphone name has been brought up out of the basement and is finally getting recognized for turning out some exquisite guitars and if allowed to keep growing,once again it will be seen in the same glowing light as its forebears.Since I own 6 Epis-so far- it's pretty obvious that I have no problem buying one instead of a Gibson-money doesn't enter into it either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Bonzo: wise words. Obviously, this is a never ending discussion - which is cool, because we all love to talk about guitars. One thing that factors into it... A Gibson LP (standard) is somewhere between $3000-$4000 over here in Sweden. An Epi Plustop LP that sounds great is in the vicinity of 700 smackers. Even if I could pony up the wampum (can't), there'd be too much of a price difference between the two for me. Given that the Epi actually DOES sound great, of course. But mine actually does. It sounds and plays like a guitar that costs a whole crapload more, and apparently better players than me agree. It'll be interesting to see if, a, my LP wasn't a fluke, and b, if not, if Epi will keep up the good work. Again, that price difference... Fender were smarter - their US models is roughly twice the price of the MIMs. I think a lot of consumers would consider that the pain threshold. Then again, sure - it's got "Fender" stamped on it. Carry on.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. C.O. Jones Posted June 22, 2016 Share Posted June 22, 2016 What's wrong with Epiphone? To me it sounds good, looks good. When I think Epiphone this comes to my mind..... To me it makes no sense to contantly compare tose two brands. Gibson makes guitars in the USA wth quality parts so you pay more. And with Epiphone you get a lot of guitar for very little money, IMHO the electronics could be better, but for what they cost even those beat some of other brands. That reminds me that I need a Casino someday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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