New Elitists for the Japanese Market only

[cliffenstein]

Yep...a great guitar is a great guitar. I wouldn't buy the Elitist Texan even if it were offered here in America, because I've already got my great IB64.

 

We must remember that most people just want a good looking guitar that feels and sounds great. Most people don't even know the small details, let alone get all worked up about them. I didn't know anything about the Epiphone Texan history when I bought my IB64. It just caught my eye enough to want to hold it and play it. It was such a great player right away. I compared it against the vintage J-50 they had and it held it's own (and wonderfully so). I bought it and haven't looked back since.

[byrds1965]

We all have certain criteria in our minds that stands out. I can understand your position, but personally find it to be a moot point.

 

In my mind, every attempt to reissue a "golden era" instrument is simply an approximation. The real deals were built in the Kalamazoo factory, with wood available at that time & utilizing somewhat different techniques of construction. Montana, Memphis, & Nashville all build great guitars, and so does Terada. They stand on their own merits, and I don't need them to follow every golden era spec to a tea. It's a nice feature when they do get close, but so what? It's still a guitar built in a different factory with different equipment, wood sourced from different parts of the world, different specs under the hood (such as Montana's locater holes & plugs in the bridge & fingerboard), etc.

 

So bottom line for me is this: A great guitar is a great guitar, wherever you find it. If it happens to look a lot like my favorite vintage pieces, it may hold even more appeal. But am I going to let Grover tuners vs Klusons keep me from owning a stellar instrument?

 

Absolutely not.

 

To each their own.

 

I have ordered several Gibson CS guitars to get what I want. My J160E is as close as I could get them to build a 1962 J160E. The burst is wrong as it is the current Gibson burst but other than that pretty close.

 

My point is if I spend Gibson money for a guitar I want the Casino to have the Klusons as they did back then. I am not paying Gibson money to change things out.

 

I know many guys buy Gibsons and PU swap, Gibson has so many options I find the one I want and buy that, to me that is the point of spending that kind of money to get what you want in the first place not a project guitar.

 

My Epiphones are project guitars and I have paid a price I don't mind changing things out.

 

For the Elitist Casino to be called a 1965 with Grovers and Poly sorry not happening.

 

I am also a Rickenbacker fan and John Hall listened to the complaints of the first run Vintage series (V64 Harrison 12 string) they replaced it with the V63 models. I owned the V64 and it was real close the V63 my bandmate owns one, and it is as close as you can get without a time machine.

 

What I am asking is not an unusual request to make at least some of your historic guitars accurate or at least a graduated tier like Fender offers.

 

Some things I don't mind chasing the vintage models and waiting years to score. Some things I would be happy with brand new under warranty like Ric, Fender does.

[capmaster]

To me, it seems strange that a company would limit the distribution of it's products...but that's just me

It's not just you. I agree completely. This is simply poor. <_<

 

I remember Fender sold the MIJ 65 Mustang Bass RI in Japan exclusively for about eight years. Then they realized that a respectable number of items were privately imported to the USA and eventually decided to offer them worldwide. I know because I was looking for them since years and finally got me one.

 

Weird company politics in my opinion...

[bobouz]

To each their own.

Yes indeed, we all chase what we chase for a number of wide-ranging reasons.

 

I will say though, that you're point of spending "Gibson money" for something that is period correct can often be compensated for through careful shopping. For two of my Terada instruments, I paid what I would consider to be very reasonable prices. In the third case, what I paid was like a gift falling into my lap. So effectively, I've been fortunate enough to have not spent anything close to Gibson prices for three fine instruments.

 

Regardless, let's hope these two new Elitist models see the light of day worldwide. Whether period correct or not (where's the Frequensator!), putting two more quality Epiphone products into circulation would certainly be a good thing.

[byrds1965]

Yes indeed, we all chase what we chase for a number of wide-ranging reasons.

 

I will say though, that you're point of spending "Gibson money" for something that is period correct can often be compensated for through careful shopping. For two of my Terada instruments, I paid what I would consider to be very reasonable prices. In the third case, what I paid was like a gift falling into my lap. So effectively, I've been fortunate enough to have not spent anything close to Gibson prices for three fine instruments.

 

Regardless, let's hope these two new Elitist models see the light of day worldwide. Whether period correct or not (where's the Frequensator!), putting two more quality Epiphone products into circulation would certainly be a good thing.

 

 

I have scored several that way my current Elitist Riviera I got on close out.

 

My point is the only guitar new I could spend Gibson money for in the Epiphone line is the Elitist Casino right now and for that price I want it correct.

 

I understand their graduation to Gibson with LPs, SGs etc you can step up those models to the Gibson model.

 

I did not pay full price for my LP Traditional Gold Top either, I wanted the 57s, Tulip Klusons and got a 2011 model on year end closeout. Not changing a thing as those are all the things I wanted, I did not want burstbuckers or Groves etc. I am not buying a Gibson level guitar to start changing things out, I know some do.

 

My J160E I had to go the Custom Shop route and pay full price to get what I wanted.

 

There is nothing in the Epiphone specific line you can step up to Gibson quality in an acoustic or electric these days if you want to buy new besides the Casino.

 

I would also like to see the Riviera offered here.

 

I know Epiphone will never sell a lot of them but then again how many SGJs is Gibson selling vs the VOS ones?

 

I would like Epiphone to offer us the option to buy new something "correct". I agree on the Kalamazoo and the old wood piles, Heritage finally used the last of in the early 2000s.

 

I would like something from Epiphone on the same quality level as my current day Gibsons.

 

I think Epiphone remembers the poor sales of the old Elitist line. The quality was on par with Gibson except poly vs nitro, but none were period correct.

 

As far as period correct they did build Rivieras with stop bars. Robben Ford has one and was pictured with one in Vintage Guitar Magazine not long ago.

 

I am guessing they did not build many that way and the reason they are offering it in the Japanese market and limited quantities. It is a rare bird but some were made that way.

[byrds1965]

 

My once owned 64 Gibson ES-330 felt to the touch way different to the John Lennon 65 re-issue 1171#/1965# I also owned. There is a precision in the newer instruments, that seems to make them a little souless in comparison.

 

Steve.

 

 

I am old enough to remember the 80s and you could get all this stuff for next to nothing (used guitars then not vintage yet), 50s burst LPs back then were high (not todays prices) but normal stuff like 335s, LPs, SGs etc most guys then wanted the Jacksons, Ibanez............

 

They were the same as todays Gibson's some were great and some just meh.

 

I agree with you on the current day Gibson's are more consistent in construction and in shape, the 60s 335 horns were all over the place, bevels on the SGs same but you need to play a pile like the vintage ones too, I am lucky to live in the Chicago market and the Chicago Music Exchange has a wall full of new and vintage and you can do an AB with pretty much any Gibson there, or other major brand.

 

It is just how the wood all goes together that a guitar gets what ever mojo it is going to have.

 

I have seen great looking figured wood guitars vintage and new and some are great and some not.

 

I recently sold my J45 1942 reissue and got a great 1964 J45 instead.

 

If you looked inside only you would think construction wise the 1942 reissue with hide glue and perfect fit and finished bracing would kill it, the 1964 J45 is solid construction but not anywhere near as pretty and has some glue slop vs the reissues perfect construction but the 1964 is the better sounding guitar.

 

Comparing I owned a 1966 J50 and sold that when I first played my 1942 J45 reissue left the store with that and sold off the J50.

 

There are duds in both vintage and new and the same wonderful in both too. You just can't tell how all the parts are going to react until it all goes together.

 

Finding the great ones is part of the fun.

[bobouz]

I am old enough to remember the 80s and you could get all this stuff for next to nothing

I was actively shopping for instruments at flea markets in the '70, and found some wonderful Gibsons for $20-$40!

 

That's how I purchased my first Gibson - a 1948 L48.

 

It truly was a lot of fun, and still is.

[byrds1965]

I was actively shopping for instruments at flea markets in the '70, and found some wonderful Gibsons for $20-$40!

 

That's how I purchased my first Gibson - a 1948 L48.

 

It truly was a lot of fun, and still is.

 

 

I started playing in the early 80s and my first guitar was one of those imported Japanese things, from back when they were bad.

 

My first real guitar was a Gibson SG Special brand new, never been able to find one the same again no pickguard, red with the switch where one of the 4 control knobs would be. Gibson made so many versions of the SG Special.

 

Guys were selling off Gibson's all the time for well under $500 when all my buddies wanted the other stuff and also you could not give a tube amp away back then either.

 

I still have almost all the black face Fenders I bought back then.

 

Guitars came and went but after playing that first Gibson from then on I finally knew ok so this is what a guitar should be!

 

In the 90s guitars somehow transformed from used to vintage and the prices rose to match.

 

Not too many I regret letting go but got to play a lot of great and some not so great vintage guitars while my buddies were into their Jacksons and Bradshaw type stuff.

 

 

Great times!!

[frenchie1281734003]

I have just been reading the Robben Ford interview with Epiphone (Epiphone main site), there is plenty there about his 66 Riviera with stop tail, and it crossed my mind, that maybe the new "Limited edition Elitist 66 Riviera" is based upon his own guitar. Epiphone also reference this new model in the article, and there is no mention of Japan only distribution.

 

http://www.epiphone.com/News/Features/News/2014/Behind-the-Scenes-with-Robben-Ford.aspx

 

Steve.

[byrds1965]

I have just been reading the Robben Ford interview with Epiphone (Epiphone main site), there is plenty there about his 66 Riviera with stop tail, and it crossed my mind, that maybe the new "Limited edition Elitist 66 Riviera" is based upon his own guitar. Epiphone also reference this new model in the article, and there is no mention of Japan only distribution.

 

http://www.epiphone.com/News/Features/News/2014/Behind-the-Scenes-with-Robben-Ford.aspx

 

Steve.

 

 

I saw him in Vintage Guitar Magazine with it but no mention of that specific guitar or Epiphone making one.

 

I hope you are right and we can get one down the line.

 

I have a freq Elitist Riviera now but would like the stop bar version and in Nitro and the full deal, nylon saddles etc just like a real 60s one.

 

Make a nice companion or choice of flavors to my 335 stop bar.