strumbert Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 I just figured out the 2 main reasons why I like Epiphones over those "Big Name" brands. 1.) If they make a good guitar, they don't charge an arm and a leg for it! 2.) If they make a bad guitar, they don't charge an arm and a leg for it! 😄 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarLight Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 I just figured out the 2 main reasons why I like Epiphones over those "Big Name" brands. 1.) If they make a good guitar, they don't charge an arm and a leg for it! 2.) If they make a bad guitar, they don't charge an arm and a leg for it! 😄  lol..well I can't argue with that thinking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffenstein Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 Real value, good looks, excellent playability and awesome history. Â That's 4 reasons! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffmac Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 Real value, good looks, excellent playability and awesome history.  That's 4 reasons!  agreed      Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaiser Bill Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 I've got two...both great...no complaints on either. The cost was low, and the tone and playability of each is what I want to hear and feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 Yeah, bang for the buck, they're hard to beat as actual working instruments regardless of one's level of ability. Â m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffenstein Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 Milod, Â I agree completely. Owning Epiphone acoustic guitars actually gives me a wonderful sense of belonging to a club. It's a club filled with people who "get it"...you don't have to spend thousands of dollars to own a great sounding/feeling/playing acoustic guitar. We aren't interested in snobbery. We know what we have and are proud to have it. We are not people inclined to justifying owning overpriced instruments to make ourselves feel superior to others. Rather, we busy ourselves playing the instruments we do have and appreciating the company that makes it possible for us to do so (without putting our finances in ruins). We are also happy to make ourselves available to others via this message board community. Â It's a pretty cool club! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 Cliff... Â Yeah. The problem isn't, though, entirely headstock snobbery. I'd like to think so too, sometimes. For example, I got grumped at by one guy elsewhere in the forums because I've been an AE guy since they first came out pretty much as the early Ovation piezo bridges in the early '70s. Ain't no TONE (yup, all upper case) compared to a real guitar and heavy strings I was told. Â I understand where folks like that are coming from. They want a Strad, and they want it to sound like a Strad. They're willing to pay, or wish they could pay, for a Strad. Â OTOH, I've heard Strads and ... heck, I guess I'm too dumb to know the difference. I just hear a really good fiddle picker. Â But to some folks, I think they honestly want, and are willing to spend, to get what they figure is "it" in tone from their guitar. Yet other pickers want, and get different "tone." Some put that above playability, price or anything else. Â Funny thing is I've never heard anybody waxing eloquent about Mother Maybelle's big old Gibson archtop with the heaviest strings I've ever seen on a guitar when she let me try to play the doggone thing. Yup, she made the doggone thing sing and (shudder, folks), used a capo a lot, too. Â Bottom line is, I guess, is that we each have our own criteria for what we want outa a guitar. I've had a number of Epis that work quite nicely for what I do in different circumstances. Â Yeah, if all my guitars were burned in a house fire, I'd likely get around four to replace the 20. An ES175 Gibson, then a midrange AE 12, an AE big box like a J45 or Epi AJ500me if available, and a smallbody flattop like the Epi PR5e and/or an EL00 pro or Gibson LG2, depending. I really am comfortable with the relative cheapie and "laminate" PR5e. Â But "tone" ain't the reason for any of 'em, but rather what fits my various needs and physical comfort levels with guitar sizes and likely playing "out." Oh - if I needed a loud electric... I dunno if I'd go SG or a semi. I really don't. Â m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffenstein Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 Sure thing, but I will mention that the only historic high quality acoustic guitar brands that haven't gone too crazy with overpricing are Epiphone and Washburn. And I like Epiphone's offerings way more than Washburn's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 Yup... an understatement IMHO. <grin> Â m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucille64 Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Milod, Â I agree completely. Owning Epiphone acoustic guitars actually gives me a wonderful sense of belonging to a club. It's a club filled with people who "get it"...you don't have to spend thousands of dollars to own a great sounding/feeling/playing acoustic guitar. We aren't interested in snobbery. We know what we have and are proud to have it. We are not people inclined to justifying owning overpriced instruments to make ourselves feel superior to others. Rather, we busy ourselves playing the instruments we do have and appreciating the company that makes it possible for us to do so (without putting our finances in ruins). We are also happy to make ourselves available to others via this message board community. Â It's a pretty cool club! Â Â Here, here JW. Â I couldn't agree more and that is coming from a true "headstock snob" for many many years. Â One that has finally learned that it's only about making music and not what you brought to the table. Â This is a wonderful forum or club as you put it. Every one is on an equal plane and willing to share knowledge, experience and opinions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffmac Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 I also agree, in my opinion my masterbuilt is as good as any and the dove can be with a couple of in expensive modifications. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucille64 Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 I also agree, in my opinion my masterbuilt is as good as any and the dove can be with a couple of in expensive modifications. Cliff...... I couldn't agree more. Â NOTHING I have or have ever owned can outdo or outplay or out-tone my Masterbilt. Â I really am bonding with this Dove and the mods I've done to it but my DR500MNA she ain't. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffmac Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 Cliff...... I couldn't agree more. Â NOTHING I have or have ever owned can outdo or outplay or out-tone my Masterbilt. Â I really am bonding with this Dove and the mods I've done to it but my DR500MNA she ain't. :) Â how does the action and general playability compare now with your tweaks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucille64 Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 how does the action and general playability compare now with your tweaks? Cliff. the action is 3/64ths @ the 12th fret on the low E and 2/64ths at the high E. It plays excellent with no dead notes or buzzing anywhere. I leveled and polished and dressed all the frets on the Dove during the set-up process. Since I used to build my own line of guitars years ago I have all the tools and the shop necessary to do these operations. Â The tone is a tiny bit better due to the bone Colosi saddle and string vibration transfer is better with the bone saddle. It's not drastic but it is a fine line difference. The Gibson Deluxe tuners are much more accurate and sensitive to each turn compared to the imported Grover stock ones. No gear slack in the Gibson one's at all. Â The neck is a bit chunkier than my Masterbilt but still comfy. Â I think the Dove has a much brighter tone due to the laminated maple back and sides verses the solid Mahogany on the DR500 Masterbilt. Â I adore the warm woody tone of my Masterbilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revolver66 Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 A classic, understated brand. And lots of bang for yer bucks. I could go on....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffmac Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 Cliff. the action is 3/64ths @ the 12th fret on the low E and 2/64ths at the high E. It plays excellent with no dead notes or buzzing anywhere. I leveled and polished and dressed all the frets on the Dove during the set-up process. Since I used to build my own line of guitars years ago I have all the tools and the shop necessary to do these operations. Â The tone is a tiny bit better due to the bone Colosi saddle and string vibration transfer is better with the bone saddle. It's not drastic but it is a fine line difference. The Gibson Deluxe tuners are much more accurate and sensitive to each turn compared to the imported Grover stock ones. No gear slack in the Gibson one's at all. Â The neck is a bit chunkier than my Masterbilt but still comfy. Â I think the Dove has a much brighter tone due to the laminated maple back and sides verses the solid Mahogany on the DR500 Masterbilt. Â I adore the warm woody tone of my Masterbilt. Â I agree totally my DR 500 MCE is irreplaceable but the Dove Pro I received is close to it in comfort and it has electric guitar action with no buzz anywhere. At a recent get together the dove was used for leads and did an incredible job lots of volume and the player was impressed with strings and how easy they were on his fingers, he was bending and doing all kinds of over the top stuff and had a lot of fun with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Ahhh, but the question is not bang for your buck when compared to Gibsons or other "Big Name" brands but how Epis compare to other guitars such as the Guild GAD series (at least until recently), Eastmans, and those brands under the Godin umbrella. That is the arena in which Epiphone competes and the one which they will ultimately sink or swim with an individual buyer. Not trying to do any bashing here as I personally like guitars like the Epi IB Texan but there is a lot of competition out there, so much so that even playing a good cross section to form an opinion can prove a daunting task. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 I dunno... but I think Eastman price tags are growing as they become better accepted as quality instruments. Â Yet... I reeeally like my Epis. My Eastman too, but because it's exactly what I wanted when I got it - still is pretty much. The price tag on my particular instrument has really jumped. Â As for the Masterbuilt... Here's where we hit it: Would I swap it even for a J15 or J35? My response is, "I dunno... maybe but I'd have to play the one proposed for the swap. Â If I did, I'll wager another $100 US that it'd be because of the shorter scale rather than the headstock. Â m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Milod, Â I agree completely. Owning Epiphone acoustic guitars actually gives me a wonderful sense of belonging to a club. It's a club filled with people who "get it"...you don't have to spend thousands of dollars to own a great sounding/feeling/playing acoustic guitar. We aren't interested in snobbery. We know what we have and are proud to have it. We are not people inclined to justifying owning overpriced instruments to make ourselves feel superior to others. Rather, we busy ourselves playing the instruments we do have and appreciating the company that makes it possible for us to do so (without putting our finances in ruins). We are also happy to make ourselves available to others via this message board community. Â It's a pretty cool club! Â I feel bad for all those guitar players out there with multiple decades of writing, recording, and touring experience. They apparently just don't know anything about guitars except whats on the headstock. Â rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffenstein Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 I feel bad for all those guitar players out there with multiple decades of writing, recording, and touring experience. They apparently just don't know anything about guitars except whats on the headstock.  rct  Those brands weren't exceedingly and ridiculously overpriced back then, buddy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Those brands weren't exceedingly and ridiculously overpriced back then, buddy! Â Good guitars have always been and always will be expensive. In the 90's they became just another consumer commodity, traded daily, weekly, and especially holiday seasonally as all the Timmys in the world suddenly became gifted internet guitar players. Â Good guitars cost good money when I was a kid, when there wasn't anything but F,G,CFM, and then all the rest, which weren't that many. Â Just because there are literally thousands of junky guitars in every big store doesn't mean anything about how "good" they are. Â Good guitars still cost good money. Get the figures in real dollars and you'll find one of the ordinary F,G,CFMs costs today almost exactly what it cost back then. Â People use them because they are good guitars, not because of the headstock. Â rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffenstein Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Good guitars have always been and always will be expensive. In the 90's they became just another consumer commodity, traded daily, weekly, and especially holiday seasonally as all the Timmys in the world suddenly became gifted internet guitar players.  Good guitars cost good money when I was a kid, when there wasn't anything but F,G,CFM, and then all the rest, which weren't that many.  Just because there are literally thousands of junky guitars in every big store doesn't mean anything about how "good" they are.  Good guitars still cost good money. Get the figures in real dollars and you'll find one of the ordinary F,G,CFMs costs today almost exactly what it cost back then.  People use them because they are good guitars, not because of the headstock.  rct  Epiphones and Gibsons were priced similarly back when they were truly different companies. Modern Epiphone acoustic guitars can be and are extremely good guitars. My IB64 Texan is a stage-ready pro guitar and it cost me just $399. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Epiphones and Gibsons were priced similarly back when they were truly different companies. Modern Epiphone acoustic guitars can be and are extremely good guitars. My IB64 Texan is a stage-ready pro guitar and it cost me just $399. Â They can be and are extremely good guitars just as often and not often as any other guitar, no matter what the money. All of my guitars are stage-ready pro guitars, no matter what they cost or what is on the headstock, that's why I have them. I assume all other guitar players are the same. Â rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodger11 Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 One of my dear old mum's favourite sayings is that "you only get what you pay for"...while that's true mostly, Epiphone (in my opinion) makes some great bang for buck guitars - right up from the AJ100 to the Texans, EJ160es and Masterbilts. All very affordable with a great look and sound. Think I've played almost every model in stores and while some sounded just OK some sounded almost as good as high end guitars. Â Have to say I love this forum - full of generous and knowledgable people who don't mind taking time to share with others Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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