Epiphone

[Sleeko]

For me it was this little gem of a string box found in my grandfathers banjo case when I was a kid. For years I couldn't quite get the pronunciation of it (epi-phony etc.) but I never forgot it. Years later I read a few books about the history of Epiphone and was hooked.

 

 

[mcgruff]

Couldn't afford a Gibson.

[redstick]

Yep me to

[Versatile]

History, innovation, craftsmanship...

 

A big part of 20th century America

 

Dreams begin hereabouts...

 

V

 

[midiman56]

I got my first Epiphone way back in the early 70's ... and I really didn't like it very much!

 

 

Despite that, I kept coming back for more. Epi's are by far the MOST represented brand in my collection. I'm continually impressed by their quality and "bang-for-the-buck". They allow many of us who might not otherwise be able to own the variety of guitars we do the opportunity to create music on fine instruments ... at a fraction of the cost of other brands ... and THAT is what is most important to me!

 

Jim

[Bender 4 Life]

I saw this in a shop yrs ago.......

 

 

I took it from the wall .......and it immediately disspelled everything i'd read & heard about Epis. It felt like heaven & played like a dream. It sounded good unplugged and good plugged in, especially in the tiny Mom-n-Pop I was in.

 

still have it, & 5 more Epis now, each of which is ideal for my needs.

[Bluemans335]

I love Gibson designs, and do not like the look or sound of Fenders. A lot of players don't realize that Leo's goal was to design guitars to be cheap to produce, and tone quality was not a concern. Too many guys buy them because 'everyone else has one' and then can't EQ the things right, and they sound thin and shrill. I've heard too many screechy Strats over the years, ruin too many songs. As famous guitar collector, dealer, and author George Gruhn said: 'Tele's look like a high school shop project.' My feet are firmly planted on the Gibson side of the fence. Ted McCarty is a hero of mine.

 

I like to install a variety of upgraded PU's and wirings in my guitars. I don't want to pay the price of most Gibsons, and modding them reduces their value. Plus, I'm just not comfortable taking a couple $3,000 guitars to a dive bar gig. Epiphone was the obvious choice. Afforable prices, and a great platform for mods. In the past 10 years, Epi's introduced so many new models and limited editions, along with continually improving their quality. I'm thrilled. I have a bunch of Epi's.

 

When I get on stage, whether a gig, jam, or sitting in with a band, I've gotten some 'looks' from guys when they see Epiphone on the headstocks, but when I step offstage, they come up to me and shake my hand, buy me drinks, and compliment me on my tones. What more do I need?

[Spamonkis]

 

Go to 7:20 and within 30 seconds you will know!

['Scales]

Getting a guitar made in the same factory in Kalamzoo by the same people out of the same top quality materials (single piece honduras mahogany body, honduras mahogany neck, brasilian rosewood board) to the same finsihed quality as a Gibson SG for way below what I'd pay for that same SG and about the price of a few year old Strat. Having something I can enjoy playing, have pride in owning, that is a little different and should at least hold value should I ever want to sell it.

 

Even though Epiphone is owned by Gibson I think it still stands as a seperate and major brand (I believe the biggest volume guitar brand in the world?) much like Gretch vs Fender.

 

I kind of liken it to being like Chrysler - versus GM/Ford being Fender/Gibson.

[BaZie]

After ten years of playing Ibanez RG270 I composed a blues song and sound of Ibanez was not good for it. Having listened for many years to Gary Moore I knew I needed a Les Paul but surely I could not afford original Gibson. I knew Epiphone made "original copy" of LP. I went to the shop, played for an hour and I knew I found the guitar I wanted. I was so pleased with it I began more interested in other Epi models. Now I have three but still want (at least one) more...

[Big Norm]

Played almost all my life with Fender Stratocasters and few Telecasters. I ounce bought a LesPaul Epiphone Classic about 10 years ago, because I wanted to at least try the feeling of playing one in my life. I liked it but did'nt fell in love with it and I did still play my Fenders as a main guitar. Last year ( well let say 6 or 7 months ago ) I decided to try out another Epiphone. So I bought a Casino in natuarl color, only because John Lennon had one and felt it would be nice on my wall if I did'nt like to play it. Believe me, it was love at first sight. All Fenders are on the wall...looking nice and the main guitar and the only one I use is my Casino. The next step might be a better Casino, but I can hardly think there's a better one than mine. So that's my story about loving Epiphone. I also bought an ES339, but don't like it at all... I'll get rid of her pretty soon. So it's CASINO all the way.

[Coz52]

Played almost all my life with Fender Stratocasters and few Telecasters. I ounce bought a LesPaul Epiphone Classic about 10 years ago, because I wanted to at least try the feeling of playing one in my life. I liked it but did'nt fell in love with it and I did still play my Fenders as a main guitar. Last year ( well let say 6 or 7 months ago ) I decided to try out another Epiphone. So I bought a Casino in natuarl color, only because John Lennon had one and felt it would be nice on my wall if I did'nt like to play it. Believe me, it was love at first sight. All Fenders are on the wall...looking nice and the main guitar and the only one I use is my Casino. The next step might be a better Casino, but I can hardly think there's a better one than mine. So that's my story about loving Epiphone. I also bought an ES339, but don't like it at all... I'll get rid of her pretty soon. So it's CASINO all the way.

Pretty close to my story. Just insert Sheraton II for the Casino.

[milod]

Actually in the '60s and '70s I saw few Epis, and the ones I saw didn't seem much to write home about from my own perspective. For what it's worth, there also weren't any Gibsons around, either.

 

Fast forward to a serious period of GAS 'stedda just "pickin' when I wasn't working/on the road."

 

I played a cupla Epi Dots and was impressed. I now have five Epis.

 

It's pretty much "me" also in that the Gibson design concepts as seen on Epis is done well, at a decent price point and with increasing overall quality.

 

Complaints? I worry a bit about climate differences that have cause me some problems with Epis as they were shipped my way - and I've even noticed that at the Epi dealer an hour or so away. Sometimes outa the packing case the strings are flat on the fingerboard.

 

That's why I tend to "trust" my Dots more than flattop Epis with solid wood tops 'stedda laminates, too.

 

OTOH, price vs. quality = value, and I don't think there's a much better value out there.

 

m

[Dennis G]

 

Go to 7:20 and within 30 seconds you will know!

+1 but I also recommend watching the entire video. Interesting stuff.

 

For me, I was intrigued by the Dot so it was my first one, then came the Elitist Casino, then the Wildkat. Who knows what's next!

[kidblast]

for me, I like archtops.

 

Epiphone's are good values. I have a Broadway, Emperor Regent, Swingster Royale and an Elitis Chet Atkins Country Gent.

 

Are they everything a Gibson counter part would be? most assuerdly not, but -- they're also NOT 7/8 thousand bucks a pop.

 

The all perform perfectly for me, they play great, they sound good, and it feeds the archtop itch that dwells within me.

 

Not everyone would agree, but maybe they have more money to throw at the GAS than I would be able to justfiy.

[charlie brown]

Admittedly, "The Beatles," in 1966! My original Casino was a dead ringer,

for the one John's holding, here!

 

 

CB

[milod]

kidblast...

 

ain't no way I'm gonna argue... great values in working guitars.

 

m

[jonny_2_owls]

My first nice guitar was an Epi les paul. Never really bonded with it...

 

...I traded it for an epiphone matsumoku casino. As soon as I picked up the casino it felt right. I no longer own that guitar but but I love Epis!

 

My current guitar is an '86 matsumoku Riviera....love it.

[tweed2]

Decided to switch to bass, back in the early 70's and being a semi-hollow guitar player, went to a Rivoli. Wasn't much of a bass player, so I ended up selling. Didn't think too much about Epi's until I played a Casino, about 5 years ago. I've been smitten ever since.

[Sada Yairi]

For me it was the guitar first, then the brand. I was looking for a singlecut semi-hollow, and there weren't many options at a reasonable price point. Once I found the Wildkat, that was that. Bought it, love it, and it opened my eyes to the world of Epiphone.

[LP121]

I first looked at Epis because everybody, their brother, and cousins play strats in my neck of the woods. Not being one to follow the crowd and also not being able to afford a Gibby, I looked at Epiphone. My first was a G-310 SG. Sure it's a cheaply priced beginners guitar, but it sounds, plays, and feels great. Still have it and play it. Haven't really looked at Gibbys since. So when the time came to get an LP, I got an Epi and love it too.

[Dave]

I played a 79 Strat through the late 70s and all through the 80s. In 1993, my wife bought me a Gibson Les Paul Studio in Wine Red with gold hardware. I thought it was cool, but still preferred the Strat. I started playing the Les Paul more and more and began to get some familiar tones out of it and became hooked on the growl.

 

About 7 years ago I started itching for a custom flametop LP. I went to Guitar Center and played every flametop they had. I came home with an EPI LP. After playing it for a while, I decided that it needed pickups. I checked around for a while and listened to all the sound samples and decided Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates was the ticket.

 

Now, 7 years later it's my go to guitar. Everybody who hears it walks up to talk to me and does a double take when they see the Epiphone logo on the headstock. They can't believe the sounds they heard could come from a lowly Epiphone!

 

I still play the Gibby Studio here and there. I played a Gibson SG through the earlier part of the 70s and my Epi SG ranks right up there with the Angus axe, IMO. All the sounds are there.

 

[Dave]

I first looked at Epis because everybody, their brother, and cousins play strats in my neck of the woods. Not being one to follow the crowd and also not being able to afford a Gibby, I looked at Epiphone. My first was a G-310 SG. Sure it's a cheaply priced beginners guitar, but it sounds, plays, and feels great. Still have it and play it. Haven't really looked at Gibbys since. So when the time came to get an LP, I got an Epi and love it too.

 

My G-400 with the push pull single/dual coil switch is every bit as good as my old early 70s Gibson SG. It's been a few years since the Gibby but I have no complaints. I'm a big fan of the Epiphone line. Chinese manufacturing has taken quite a few steps forward through the years.

[frenchie1281734003]

This guitar, and it`s owner!

 

http://www.thecanteen.com/lennon8.html

 

Steve.

[clarkuss]

Paul, John and George...