Jammin' Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 Is there much difference between the Gibson LP and SG vs the epiphone ones? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Zeplin Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 Is there much difference between the Gibson LP and SG vs the epiphone ones? No. They are exactly the same except for price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jammin' Posted October 14, 2013 Author Share Posted October 14, 2013 No. They are exactly the same except for price. Why is the price so much higher if they're the same? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iommysg Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 that's like asking why is bmw so much more expensive that a more reliable (car of you choice) your buying the name imo.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jammin' Posted October 14, 2013 Author Share Posted October 14, 2013 that's like asking why is bmw so much more expensive that a more reliable (car of you choice) your buying the name imo.... Got it. So there's no quality/ sound difference at all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amx05462 Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 there is a difference in sound. gibson vs epiphone. better pickups better pots etc. there is a difference. best way to find out go to your local guitar dealer and try one of each clean through a good amp. and if you want to talk about acoustics. the difference is real large in my opinion. went to guitar center to buy a ej 200. while i was there i tryed a j200 gibson. they felt the same they played the same. but the sound... night and day. now you can make an epiphone sound like a gibson simply by putting the same parts in it when it comes to the solid body electrics. then again these days withthe kids distorting to the max and using who knows how many pedals to find the sound they want.. it doesnt make much of a difference inthe end if you own an epiphone or gibson or a tin pan with strings on it fron bum f&^K china its so distorted and noisy i doubt you will be able to tell the difference B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 Yes, there IS a quality, and sound difference! How much, compared to the actual price difference, is debatable. Epi's are awesome quality/dollar valued instruments. Owning both, Epiphone and Gibson, there IS a difference. Though, in my own case, it's almost non-existent, due to the fact that my Epi's are either Made (or Assembled) In America. Still, a lot of the difference, is marketing, and perception. As good, even great, as Epi's are, they're still marketed as being Gibson's "budget" Asian brand! That (right or wrong) gives them a different perception, in the marketplace, and people's minds, as well. I would always say, buy on merit, not merely brand name...all things considered. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeman Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 Got it. So there's no quality/ sound difference at all? nope EDIT, i don't want to sound like a jerk but take a look at the search feature on these formus. There are hundreds of threads about peoples experience and opinions and all the whole gibson/epiphone line-up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobF_ Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 Yes, there are differences. Epiphones are great guitars for the price. Gibsons are great guitars and they are expensive. You are the only one that can decide for you whether or not the differences between a Gibson and an Epiphone of the same/similar model are worth the higher price of the Gibson. I own both Gibsons and Epiphones. I like all of them - I have them all because I think they are all great guitars. If somebody forced me to get rid of one brand or the other, I would choose to keep the Gibsons. I don't really think this will ever happen though :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 And, for what it's worth (my opinion), to me the biggest difference is in Finish! Epi=poly finishes...Gibson=Nitrocellulose lacquer! Epi's are getting much better, in that they're using thinner poly finishes, nowadays, for the most part! But, there's still some very subtle tone, and "feel," differnces. I still prefer "Nitro," but it's not as big of a deal, as it once was. If Epi's were done in "Nitro" finishes, I'd say the physical diffences, between them and Gibson's, would be even that much less. My AIUSA Sheraton (Nitro finished, Assembled in USA, American parts and electronics/pickups) is identical, in quality and feel, to my Gibson "Lucille." The differences are only cosmetic, particular to their model spec's. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 You guys that think you're being funny by claiming that there is no difference are really cracking me up. Not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 Yes, it's been an eternal "tail chase" question/debate, since Epiphone was moved "off shore," to Asia! Mostly, by folks that want to believe their 400 dollar Epi, is the exact same guitar, as a 4000 dollar Gibson! NOT!! But, it doesn't mean they aren't awesome instruments, on their own. Especially, nowadays! To me, the differences are much less, than in any previous Asian Epiphone time period. There were, some "growing" pains/bumps, along the way. But, Epi's quality has improved, drastically, and is continuing to do so. And...Kudos, to them, for that! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 Let me tell a few general things first, and finally compare an Epiphone and a few Gibson Les Paul guitars of mine. The biggest differences are those in costs of labour and material. Labour is much cheaper in the Asian countries where Epiphones are made, compared to the wages in the USA where all Gibson instruments are crafted. As of material, Gibson uses quartersawn woods for all parts of the SGs and body and neck of the LPs which makes them more expensive. The flatsawn tops are massive on figured Gibson LPs whereas they are plain on Epiphones with a figured veneer. Most of the Epiphones use Asian made pickups, and most of them are copies of Gibson pickups. The top-of-the-line Epiphone guitars feature Gibson USA pickups which can be a significant advance. The finishes are different, too. Epiphone widely uses polyurethane whereas Gibson applies the traditional nitrocellulose lacquer. The latter is more expensive. They feel different to the player's touch, and so it is about taste in the end. Gibson creates fret nibs at the neck bindings which may look nice but may be a certain limitation of the usable fretboard width. When comparing my Epiphone 1960 Tribute Plus Les Paul with the Gibson '57/'57 Plus pickup combo to my Gibson Les Paul guitars, they are different in first order, with no general advantages or shortcomings. The Epiphone's dull note is a bit more obvious than that of one of my five Gibsons, two of my Gibson LPs have one different weak note each, the Alex Lifeson Axcess and the Traditional 2013 have none. In general, the Epiphone's sustain comes very close to that of the Gibsons. In particular, when recording same parts of a song using the Epiphone Tribute and my Burstbucker Pro loaded Gibson 2012 Std with standard series wiring provided by them both (the Epi features parallel, the Gibson capacitor coil split option), I can't sonically discern them when listening to the recorded tracks in a blind test unless the Epi's dull note appears. However, I hear out all the other Gibsons. Finally, the Epiphone finish tends to feel slippery for me when I'm sweating, the Gibson finish slightly sticky. All my Les Paul and SG guitars are very fine, including the Epiphone Les Paul among them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 Yeah, anymore...it really all comes down to one's budget, and expectations. Epiphone, is really good, at exceeding expectations, compared to their cost! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Zeplin Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 Why is the price so much higher if they're the same? This has been debated/agrued ad nauseum on this and other forums. You asked this on the Epiphone forum so what do you think the answer is going to be? Epis are decent guitars for the price point and I have owned 5 over the years. On the other hand as soon as someone expresses their views of Gibson being better they are deemed corksniffing snobs who are stupid for spending their hard earned cash on the guitar of their choice. Just cutting out the middleman and going straight to the meat and potatoes. Try doing a search of Epi vs. Gibson and you will see what I mean. You need to decide what best suits your own musical style, feel, tone, budget, etc. and decide for yourself because opinions are like a$holes, everyone has one and they are all different and none are perfect. Good luck in your quest. I hope you find the guitar of your dreams. Z. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Zeplin Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 You guys that think you're being funny by claiming that there is no difference are really cracking me up. Not. Just having a bit of fun. You have been here long enough to know how this inevitably will end up. Just trying to save us all a little time. Peace. Z. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemans335 Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 Epiphone, is really good, at exceeding expectations, compared to their cost! Epi is always improving their quality, and keeping prices competitive. I think the current ones are the best yet. If you love Gibson-design guitars (and what sane person doesn't?), Epi's are a great value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeman Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 You guys that think you're being funny by claiming that there is no difference are really cracking me up. Not. sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spamonkis Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Yes, it's been an eternal "tail chase" question/...Mostly, by folks that want to believe their 400 dollar Epi, is the exact same guitar, as a 4000 dollar Gibson! NOT!! Well, here I am! To me Guitars are like people, individuals. Go play them and decide. Yes, I have a $600 Casino that I have put about $300 in parts and several hours of labor into and it would humiliate anyone who paid $4000 for a Gibson ES-330. When the wood resonates right and the neck/ frets are perfect, what could possibly make spending several times as much a good idea? Hardware and electronics are cheap and easy to upgrade beyond stock Gibson quality. Now there are differences in some models that may make the Gibson the right guitar for you. If you want a compound radius finger board, or a chambered body on your Les Paul, you are not going to get those features with an Epi. But if you just need an axe that plays and sounds right, you may have to look a little harder to get nirvana from an Epi than you would with a Gibson, but when you find a jewel, it is quite satisfying, especially knowing how little you paid for it. God bless, Spamonkis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amx05462 Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 that is a very good point. id put my dot up against any gibson . but thats my one dot. ive tryed others and dont like them but the one i bought .. well as you say i found a jewel. and ive never had to do a thing to it pickup or electronics wise. guess i got lucky. otoh the newer dot models with the worn finish and the thick necks . well i had one . the key word is had . its long gone. i just couldnt get used to the difference. but im guessing that those are the economy line of epiphones. so whats being said about going out and trying them till you find the one thats right is very true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Epiphones have a nice finish which is hard and easy to clean. Gibsons have a horrible finish that turns white and mushy when it gets near any piece of plastic like a chair or guitar stand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Some people like the nitro finish as they say it allows the wood to breathe and helps the sound open up as it ages. But yeah, it can have a chemical reaction when it comes into contact with certain materials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemans335 Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Some people like the nitro finish as they say it allows the wood to breathe and helps the sound open up as it ages. But yeah, it can have a chemical reaction when it comes into contact with certain materials. But most players don't know that the formula for nitrocellulose has changed over the years, and isn't like what it used to be. Today's nitro isn't that different than poly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 I did not know that either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 But most players don't know that the formula for nitrocellulose has changed over the years, and isn't like what it used to be. Today's nitro isn't that different than poly. Nitrocellulose is an incorrect name for cellulosenitrate, and since the basic cellulose is the most polymere substance on Earth by nature, it should be called beta-poly-aldohexose-polynitrate which is a polyester on principal. By the way, it is a very strong explosive, but its ignition temperature is over 3100°Celsius. So it can be handled safely although its blasting power is higher than that of TNT, trinitrotoluene, or more exactly 2-Methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzen. I hope the NSA won't take care to prohibit the future use of nitrocellulose finish when they read this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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