Epi- get your **** together- I'm done trying to buy an Epiphone Casino Coupe

[Scott0]

I've been trying to buy this guitar for months now. I've had it pre-ordered at 2 guitar stores the whole time, it was supposed to ship in May, then early June, then late June, then early July then late July, now sweetwater is saying september and zzounds has given up telling me when. And Epiphone "customer service" tells me they don't have that sort of information so they have no ideas when it ships, they say they are there for tech support and I should call my retailer for exact shipping info. well, I did that already.

 

 

<------Tired of going around in circles trying to be a loyal Epiphone customer.

[Not-Too-Late]

I've been trying to buy this guitar for months now. I've had it pre-ordered at 2 guitar stores the whole time, it was supposed to ship in May, then early June, then late June, then early July then late July, now sweetwater is saying september and zzounds has given up telling me when. And Epiphone "customer service" tells me they don't have that sort of information so they have no ideas when it ships, they say they are there for tech support and I should call my retailer for exact shipping info. well, I did that already.

 

 

<------Tired of going around in circles trying to be a loyal Epiphone customer.

 

It is frustrating when one can't get an answer to an inquiry like this. There are so many things that could have gone wrong. Either a manufacturing problem to a cargo ship sinking. But what I don't quite understand is the constant change in shipping dates. They must have some info on the guitar's whereabouts then. Did you try GC? Odd when you consider Sweetwater gets raved reviews. Then again, I'm sure they get their information from their suppliers and so on down the line to Epiphone. If Epiphone's customer service doesn't know - then who? Got any local guitar stores in you area? Try them and see what they have in stock.

[tonematter]

I've been trying to buy this guitar for months now. I've had it pre-ordered at 2 guitar stores the whole time, it was supposed to ship in May, then early June, then late June, then early July then late July, now sweetwater is saying september and zzounds has given up telling me when. And Epiphone "customer service" tells me they don't have that sort of information so they have no ideas when it ships, they say they are there for tech support and I should call my retailer for exact shipping info. well, I did that already.

 

 

<------Tired of going around in circles trying to be a loyal Epiphone customer.

 

They can't give you a product that's not available. Patience, my friend. Should be a killer guitar when it arrives.

 

Meanwhile, I look at pictures of the Coupe and think, 'Got To Get You Into My Life'.

[burchster]

Same thing with my Union Jack sherry...last I knew late July but who knows...I think they over hype the new models to soon..just patient it will be worth the wait!

[Scott0]

I believe I have been patient. The issue isn't when, it's the lack of providing a realistic when combined with Epiphone customer service not having info like this and passing the buck back to the 1-800 sales guy at zzounds.

 

Epiphone is a billion dollar + outfit, they make 10s of 1000s of guitars every year, maybe 100s of 1000s. Logistical assembly line production plans are created and implemented and verified months, sometimes years in advance of production. At this level of production EPi knows exactly when this guitar will ship.

[Not-Too-Late]

I believe I have been patient. The issue isn't when, it's the lack of providing a realistic when combined with Epiphone customer service not having info like this and passing the buck back to the 1-800 sales guy at zzounds.

 

Epiphone is a billion dollar + outfit, they make 10s of 1000s of guitars every year, maybe 100s of 1000s. Logistical assembly line production plans are created and implemented and verified months, sometimes years in advance of production. At this level of production EPi knows exactly when this guitar will ship.

 

Absolutely, and computerization makes all that possible. Can't help but think that perhaps something happened during shipment. Still, Epiphone should have tracking information on everything that has been manufactured and information on that which hasn't, and on top of that they should know when certain models go into and or planned for production. Why they can't dig into that for you I don't know.

['Scales]

Well I'm with you on this ScottO - it seems pathetic when the guys at Andertons were doing reviews on the Gibson 2014 models at the end of 2013 and yet the Epiphones were also designated as 2014 by the same company. Production would be scheduled well in advance so shifts in shipping dates don't inspire confidence that the things are actually being built at all. These (Casino Coupe and Union Jack) are actually models that have generated interest, could be additions to anyone's collection and could be volume sellers as they are unique to Epiphone. Having said that, one is a variation on the already produced 339 (albeit with some fundamental added complexity) and the other is a paint-job dammit! How hard can it be to tool up for that?

 

Maybe they are waiting for currency fluctuations - who knows. It's getting beyond a joke for people like yourself who supported the company with early orders.

[burchster]

Its really kinda sad to think about a ship loaded with brand new Epiphones sinking....something is definily wrong somewhere because I dont think any of the new models are in stock anywhere...it would interesting to know if any have even arrived at the inspection facility in Nashville...

[charlie brown]

They've done this, before...especially on "limited edition" models.

The cynic in me, wonders if they "dangle the bait," (advertise ahead of time)

to see how many would bite (actually order), and then build the numbers,

accordingly. But, that's being pretty cynical, even for me!

 

I much prefer the way they did the Riviera P-93, when it first came out.

They did them in batches, so when I first heard of it (via a Gibson/Epi

direct e-mail) the first batch was finished and shipped, so there was

no real waiting time. Some, however, that ordered later, had a much longer

wait, due to it's wild popularity. But, it was (mostly) explained, as to

what the delay was, at that point.

 

But, they SHOULD tell us, what the delays are, for how long, etc. Nothing

like a disappointed customer, that could/would go elsewhere, otherwise.

 

CB

[capmaster]

To my experience, Epiphone production seems to be hard to forecast for whatever reason, even for their own sales management.

 

As I posted into another thread in the past, I had to wait several months for my Les Paul 1960 Tribute Plus Outfit guitar. After keeping the guitar listed a while with availability set to "on request," one day Thomann decided to remove it from their website. I called them, and they told me the situation was absolutely unclear, Epiphone seem to make them still but delivery was definitely unpredictable. <_<

 

Suddenly, some weeks later they seemed to appear from nowhere, and I got me one. No need to say that I love her Posted this several times before into several topics, too ;)

[bobouz]

FWIW - The local Guitar Center had one in stock about six or seven weeks ago, so they do actually exist! I happened to be in the same store again last weekend & it was gone. This particular Coupe was the natural finish version, with some pretty sloppily painted F-holes. Otherwise it looked nice, but I didn't even give it a test spin as I've already got a lot of P-90 options.

[Bender 4 Life]

Chinese holiday?

[rct]

Prolly not enough people ordered up front, so they aren't really tooled up to make scads of them yet. That is how business is these days, sucker them into the ol' "pre-order NOW!" so you know how many to make. Margins are tight in guitarland, no room to make something and hope it sells.

 

rct

[RobinTheHood]

This happens every year with the popular models.

[tonematter]

At least it won't meet the same fate as the 2012/2013 re-ish Coronet? Crosses fingers...

[dReit1]

Its really kinda sad to think about a ship loaded with brand new Epiphones sinking....something is definily wrong somewhere because I dont think any of the new models are in stock anywhere...it would interesting to know if any have even arrived at the inspection facility in Nashville...

 

Don't worry man, these are hollow bodies, some of them should be showing up on the beaches of Washington, Oregon and California any day now.

[tweed2]

Don't worry man, these are hollow bodies, some of them should be showing up on the beaches of Washington, Oregon and California any day now.

Good one. Might be a little early, for that though. It took 15 months for the japanese tsunami debris to start showing up. It was still floating in, last summer. I'll let you know if local news reports anything.

[Not-Too-Late]

Good one. Might be a little early, for that though. It took 15 months for the japanese tsunami debris to start showing up. It was still floating in, last summer. I'll let you know if local news reports anything.

 

Could you save one for me if they wash up in bundles.

[SV Stormy Monday]

Maybe the delay is due to training the lady painting the f holes to stay in the lines....

[Scott Marlowe]

Maybe the delay is due to training the lady painting the f holes to stay in the lines....

 

So you're saying they've cancelled production then...

[charlie brown]

Maybe the delay is due to training the lady painting the f holes to stay in the lines....

 

Why do you assume it's a "lady" or female worker? Generally

speaking, If anything, they tend to be more precise, at their tasks.

 

 

CB

[SV Stormy Monday]

Then maybe Epiphone should switch to decaf for everyone

[SV Stormy Monday]

Then maybe Epiphone should switch to decaf for everyone

[kidblast]

Hey Scott, I hear ya man at one point or another most of us have {probably} been here..

 

back on 2004, I ordered an elitist Chet Atkins.. it was back ordered, and took close to 5 months, (in the meanwhile, a price jump had occurred, and it was an additional 300 bucks, the store ate half of it but still..)

 

I knew it would come, -- eventually -- so I just decided that I would forget about until I got the call (I only had a hundred down on it,, and I knew the store was following up - E.M. Shorts) anyway, I can only say it was worth the wait,

 

If you plan to have it for ever, then it's probably worth the wait.

[Dennis G]

They've done this, before...especially on "limited edition" models.

The cynic in me, wonders if they "dangle the bait," (advertise ahead of time)

to see how many would bite (actually order), and then build the numbers,

accordingly. But, that's being pretty cynical, even for me!

I'd tend to agree. When I ordered my Elitist Casino a few years ago from Sweetwater it was "due soon". I talked to my sales rep and he said they got them "in batches every now and then". I'm thinking, that it, too, has something to do with "what's the demand?" BTW, I ordered it in May and it arrived in September.

 

When you think about the number of new guitars hitting the market on a weekly basis, being "pre-sold" has it's attractions.