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Elitist snobbery?

TheX

By TheX
in Epiphone Electrics

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JefferySmith

JefferySmith

Posted
Posted
I have an acoustic being shipped to me in about a week' date=' I am getting ready to put a ARC300 in lay-away (I miss my old one after one month that I am buying another one) and then TheX and the rest of you go and make one hell of a pitch on the value of an Elitist.

 

You are one cruel bunch of characters.

 

[/quote']

Same time next month?

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RotcanX

RotcanX

Posted
Posted

I did pretty much the exact same thing. I dumped my first G-400 simply because it was so disappointing as an SG replica... and then a couple of years later I got very excited about the new Epiphone 'Elite' line... picked up my Elitist SG in 2004. The Dot got replaced by an Elitist ES-335 and the Epi Les Paul that I sold off to finance the SG eventually got replaced by an Elitist too. No regrets and there's nothing snobbish about it.

 

Now that I managed to find a Gibson '61 SG at a reasonable price and have had the opportunity to A/B it against the Elitist, well, all I can say is that my original position, that Elitists are as good if not better than their Gibson counterparts, has only been confirmed. People compared the Elitist to the Gibson SG Special since they were priced the same but I always felt that the correct comparison should be between apples and apples, i.e. the Gibson '61 reissue vs the Elitist. Now that I have both I can honestly say that the Elitist meets if not exceeds the level of the Gibson '61, and the Gibson SG Special is a rancid piece of crap compared to the Elitist.

weeladdie

weeladdie

Posted
Posted
2) Electronics: I tried pricing out the pups in the Elitist' date=' but I couldn't find a cost. I'm sure they are of good quality, but not knowing the value I can't really make a statement about being worth it. I also don't know what it would cost to upgrade a $400 Dot.[/quote']

 

My Elitist LP has Burstbucker2 and 3 in neck & bridge, if thats any help to yah.....

RotcanX

RotcanX

Posted
Posted
knowing the value I can't really make a statement about being worth it. I also don't know what it would cost to upgrade a $400 Dot.

 

4) Fit: BINGO' date=' THE MOTHER LOAD, JACKPOT [/quote']

 

Just price the Gibson 490R/498T. These are pretty much identical to the Elitist 50SR/60ST. Also the 490T would be the same as the 50ST as used in the Dot for example. It's only the Tak Matsumoto that has BurstBuckers.

 

That's Mother Lode, FYI. It's a mining expression.

Just Strum

Just Strum

Posted
Posted

 

Just price the Gibson 490R/498T. These are pretty much identical to the Elitist 50SR/60ST. Also the 490T would be the same as the 50ST as used in the Dot for example. It's only the Tak Matsumoto that has BurstBuckers.

 

That's Mother Lode' date=' FYI. It's a mining expression.[/quote']

 

Hey thanks. I was just ready to post a question about changing pups on a Dot, I'll check this out first.

 

Oh, and thanks for the clarification of lode vs load. Just when you learn it's Led Zeppelin and not Lead Zeppelin...:-/

Dr. Killmore

Dr. Killmore

Posted
Posted

This might seem silly, but I never liked the headstocks on the Elitists. They are really great guitars (better quality than what Gibson is putting out lately) but it just sort of looks like a knock off headstock to me. That's just my opinion.

charlie brown

charlie brown

Posted
Posted

Elitist are the best Epiphones...that's not "Snobbery," it's just a fact!

Why they are (IF they are) discontinuing the line, is another "Mystery"

in the ongoing saga, of Epiphone/Gibson. Perhaps, the "Elistist" are "

"Too Good?" Who knows? I DO know, that my "Assembled in USA"

Sheraton (which is essentially an "Elitist" with a Nitro finish) is as good,

and nice a guitar, as I have ever owned, by any company! Period/Exclamation point! ;>)

 

CB

Digger

Digger

Posted
Posted
I've sold all but one of my normal Epi's (still have a sunburst Joe Pass on CL) and I'm hunting for Elite/Elitist replacements. Have a couple LP's already and semi's are next. The Firebird was a tough one to let go of but there is a very happy guitarist in Austin right now playing the crap out of it' date=' he blew me away when he was in my loft testing it.

 

Is this bad? The Elitist guitars are so far beyond the normal guitars for me and if you shop around there are serious bargains to be had. I understand that outside of the US it can be more expensive and that's truly a shame. [/quote']

 

Much more of a problem than the expense, we just don't get Elitist models in this country at all ~

Discrimination against Aussies I reckon, probably because we have Vegemite and you don't!

 

Dig

Digger

Digger

Posted
Posted
@Just Strum' date='I have total sympathy on the GAS my friend, i have the option to buy another Elitist LP and an Elitist Casino,but i also have GAS for another Blues Custom Amp.Don`t you just hate that damn GAS.Not sure what the Amp version of GAS is :)/ [/quote']

 

*** ?

Just Strum

Just Strum

Posted
Posted

 

*** ?

 

GAAS = Guitar Amp Acquisition Syndrome

 

or GAS = Gear Acquisition Syndrome (this one covers all our toys hahahaha hahahaha - said in evil tone while rubbing hands together)

 

A$$?

charlie brown

charlie brown

Posted
Posted

Yeah, I like the Elitist headstocks, too. If they were still making them,

I would have been totally OK, with that version of the '61 SG. But, since

those are "history," now...and when I found the Japanese Epi (with Gibson

style headstock, and Nitro finish), I thought...YEAH, Why Not?! LOL!

Getting a bit "antsy," to have it, but I know it will be another week, or so...

So...I just have to be Patient. "God Grant me patience, and I want it RIGHT NOW!"

;>)

 

CB

byrds1965

byrds1965

Posted
Posted

I don't mind the Elitist headstocks on the the guitars that are Epiphones but don't like them on the others. I like that MIJ Epiphone line several of you here have found and ordered much better.

Suicidehummer

Suicidehummer

Posted
Posted
Yeah' date=' I like the Elitist headstocks, too. If they were still making them,

I would have been totally OK, with that version of the '61 SG. But, since

those are "history," now...and when I found the Japanese Epi (with Gibson

style headstock, and Nitro finish), I thought...YEAH, Why Not?! LOL!

Getting a bit "antsy," to have it, but I know it will be another week, or so...

So...I just have to be Patient. "God Grant me patience, and I want it RIGHT NOW!"

;>)

 

CB[/quote']

 

Man, at least you're getting one! We're all sitting at home eating Oreos at our computers dreaming of getting that thing! [-(

charlie brown

charlie brown

Posted
Posted

 

Man' date=' at least you're getting one! We're all sitting at home eating Oreos at our computers dreaming of getting that thing! [-( [/quote']

 

Well, it's true, I'm glad to be able to get one, for sure!

But, there ARE other's...and, since they are made for the

"Japanese Market," I don't see them going away, anytime soon.

So...your chances are good/excellent, if you really want one!

 

 

CB

Suicidehummer

Suicidehummer

Posted
Posted

 

Well' date=' it's true, I'm glad to be able to get one, for sure!

But, there ARE other's...and, since they are made for the

"Japanese Market," I don't see them going away, anytime soon.

So...your chances are good/excellent, if you really want one!

 

 

CB[/quote']

 

My chances would be good/excellent if I didn't have to save for a car![-(

jwl325

jwl325

Posted
Posted

Well, in my limited experience with the choices, I guess I kind of inadvertently bracketed the "Elite/Elitist" category. My first Casino was an MIK in dark cherry that was quite candidly an impulse buy. My next was a JL Revolution, which is similar to the Elitist, but with a lacquer finish, some minor tweaks in dimension, and of course a pedigree of sorts.

 

In general, IMO, Epi is producing quality products ascross the board--and I'm not sucking up here for the sake of the forum, believe me. I thought when I got my Rev, I'd sell the Epi. Not so, she's still with me.

 

I subsequently acquired a JL 1965 Refurb during last Fall's blowout at MF--paying substantially less than a new Elitist costs today. Recently I sold the Rev, and picked up a Chinese-made Natural Casino.

 

So my Casino family consists of MIK, Elitist/USA, and MIC.

 

Yes, in my opinion, and to my ears, there is a difference in natural (unplugged) tone between the three--the JL '65 Refurb (as was the Rev) are warmer, more full sounding unplugged than the MIK or MIC. But how much of that is due to individual factors is hard to say. I'm guessing the wood choice/lacquer probably has the most to do with it.

 

But plugged in? Well even I can get near-identical tones out of all three.

 

So, is one version worth more than the next? Well, that's the age old question that keeps these boards going isn't it?

 

Having paid a little over $1K for the JL Refurb (which was obviously an overrun), there's no way I'd pay more for a mainstream Elitist. Would I pay new (or near new price) for a JL? No. OTOH, if I found an Elitist within a $200 or $300 of an MIK/MIC with a HSC, I'd jump. Other than that, I'd pass.

 

Bill

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