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Inspired By Gibson, Epiphone ES-335


mihcmac

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  • mihcmac changed the title to Inspired By Gibson, Epiphone ES-335
2 hours ago, Pinch said:

Because Gibson charges too much?

Epiphone was been making 335's for a long time, more in line with the Gibson Spec. If Epiphone stopped building them, someone else would, and they do.

My modified 339 is excellent and I have no desire for a Gibson.

UcqGuWz.jpg

The Fit and Finish on my 339 was perfect, I couldn't find any flaws anywhere.

Edited by mihcmac
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2 hours ago, ghost_of_fl said:

I guess I wouldn't mind as much if they would continually make the real Epiphone models available.  They seem to roll out 1 or 2 at a time max. and mostly focus on selling LPs, SGs and ESs. 

 

Epiphone

Crestwood, Wilshire, Casino, Sheraton, Coronet, Broadway, Riviera, Emperor, Wildcat

Currently the Epiphone design Crestwood, Wilshire, Casino, Sheraton, Coronet, Riviera, Emperor, Wildkat and DC Pro are in production.

I think the profits from Epiphone are keeping Gibson afloat. Epiphone is re-introducing their earlier product line as well, like my Wilshire, which is also excellent.

AovIPtC.jpg

Edited by mihcmac
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1 hour ago, ghost_of_fl said:

I don't understand the need.   Epiphone has their own unique models.   Why cut back on Epiphone models and push these wanna be Gibson guitars??   Especially when there are so many other companies that already produce Gibson knockoffs.   

There is no 'they' for Epiphone. Its KKR, a private equity firm who owns the brand names Gibson and Epiphone (here in Australia they make biscuits/cookies) - if they didn't make these, KKR would be missing out on the large and assumingly lucrative Gibson knockoff market which is much bigger than the Epiphone model market - unless they branded these much cheaper guitars Gibson ...in which case they would maybe wipe out the competition in the knockoff market. Mostly Epiphone just means cheap Gibson to buyers nowadays is my guess?

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1 hour ago, SteveFord said:

Case could use some stickers.

Indeed.

I already have a heap ton of stickers on my HD-28V and 00-18 cases, but the one thing my V case needs is a few more latches. 18 is not enough.

 

6PDCuji.jpg

YzRfRpo.jpg

 

Edited by Sgt. Pepper
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Have always had a soft spot forEpiphone since I got my first new one in 64, at that time there was also a new Gibson SG Special  in the store that was less than double the price of mine. The price difference stayed pretty stable until Epiphone went off shore. It seemed the around 80's 90's Gibsons price seemed to start increasing exponentially.

These new Epiphone ES's starting in 2020, replaced the awkward headstock that so many were uncomfortable with, using Epiphones earlier Kalamazoo style. The three 2020 versions that I recently bought were setup RTP (ready to play) right out of the box.

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Michmac - Same here - I have a '69 the slightly different shape as the red one you posted with batwing headstock made in Kalamazoo. Its a fine guitar and sold as an alternative to an SG.  I suspect most people who are 'uncomfortable' with the headstock are just wishing it looked like the Gibson one so they could better pretend it was a Gibson - the old batwing isn't pretty to my eyes but then again anything other than a Les Paul or Strat headstock looks slightly odd to me for whatever reason.

Ghost - yes. Back in the seventies could have kept using Orville or Kalamazoo for the cheap stuff and left Epi as it was.

Edited by 'Scales
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1 hour ago, 'Scales said:

Michmac - Same here - I have a '69 the slightly different shape as the red one you posted with batwing headstock made in Kalamazoo. Its a fine guitar and sold as an alternative to an SG.  I suspect most people who are 'uncomfortable' with the headstock are just wishing it looked like the Gibson one so they could better pretend it was a Gibson - the old batwing isn't pretty to my eyes but then again anything other than a Les Paul or Strat headstock looks slightly odd to me for whatever reason.

Ghost - yes. Back in the seventies could have kept using Orville or Kalamazoo for the cheap stuff and left Epi as it was.

I had a 65 Silver Fox with Batwing Headstock and single P90, it was a great playing guitar, I have always loved the Batwing Headstock.. Oh I bought it in a pawn shop for $75 in the early 90's, wish I had it now.

In truth having owned several of the early Kalamazoo made Epiphones,  they didn't spend  a lot of time on fit and finish but they played good. In my opinion these 2020 Epiphones, since the re-org, have easily surpassed the quality level of the first Kalamazoo electrics. My 2020 59 style Wilshire is the best built of its family so far.

Edited by mihcmac
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1 hour ago, ghost_of_fl said:

And that's a shame.  There used to be but the brand has been ruined and the original history erased.  

What are you talking about?  The original history hasn’t been erased. 

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Mexicans yes, Japanese no, not ever.  But they aren't Inspired By anybody, they are a company making them in that country instead of in this country.  Although the Japanese Fenders were intended to stay over there and undercut the fake industry.

rct

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3 minutes ago, rct said:

Mexicans yes, Japanese no, not ever.  But they aren't Inspired By anybody, they are a company making them in that country instead of in this country.  Although the Japanese Fenders were intended to stay over there and undercut the fake industry.

rct

"Inspired By Gibson" is a product line on the Epiphone web site that lists licensed LP's ES's, SG's and so on. My Marshall AVT stack was MIM, but no worry I won't mention who made your TM.

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7 hours ago, 'Scales said:

There is no 'they' for Epiphone. Its KKR, a private equity firm who owns the brand names Gibson and Epiphone (here in Australia they make biscuits/cookies) - if they didn't make these, KKR would be missing out on the large and assumingly lucrative Gibson knockoff market which is much bigger than the Epiphone model market - unless they branded these much cheaper guitars Gibson ...in which case they would maybe wipe out the competition in the knockoff market. Mostly Epiphone just means cheap Gibson to buyers nowadays is my guess?

I own 3 Epiphone's for that reason alone. They would have all been Gibsons If, I could have afforded them. One thing I have noticed, I have 2 Standard guitars. One a Gibson and one a Epiphone. The Gibson, a $3,450.00 guitar and the Epiphone, a $400.00 guitar. While the Epiphone sounds very good and looks great, It is not the same quality as the Gibson. When I put them on the same amp and play both, The Gibson can clearly be heard as the better guitar.  Then again; The Casino with it's P-90's in it and hollow body is even better than both on tone. But I would never say Epiphone is better than Gibson. You pay for what you get. 

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59 minutes ago, merciful-evans said:

I liked the sound on that demo. Except for the pick attack, but that might be the recoding setup.

Yes, that sound could make me look at Epiphones again. 

Yeah I thought it looked like it was quite effortless to play and nice range of tones - I kept thinking that would make a lot of sense to gig rather than taking a big dollar, beautiful but somewhat fragile Gibson 33X into a drunken pub gig environment where nobody can hear any difference, and much less care. Very nice.

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