Why Epiphone....

[charlie brown]

So, beside price/quality...why did you purchase your epiphone guitar?

Was it because "Lennon/The Beatles" used the Casino, or some other

"idol" used/uses them? Did you like the shape, tone, feel, etc.? And,

also, how have your criteria changed, over the years...IF they have?

 

I bought my first Epiphone (a Casino) at 16...because Lennon had one, and

because I didn't have the cash for a 335, at the time. It was only then,

that I realized WHY he loved his, so much. The Beatles were a big

influence in my guitar purchases....in the beginning, I fully admit!

Later (and now) what a player uses is of much less importance to me,

in purchase related ways, but...I still like to know...LOL.

 

How about you all...what were/are your reasons?

 

CB

[pohatu771]

I wanted a Casino, and it's still the only option I've ever seen, without going to the Custom Shop.

 

That said, looks are important, and all the other hollowbodies I've seen are ugly.

 

I've been looking now at Les Paul-style guitars, but Epiphone hasn't been very high on my list. Prices are pretty high on them now. I like the way the PRS SE Custom feels, and I looked at the Agile website today.

[Sleeko]

My grandfather, who passed away before I was born, left 2 banjoes and a guitar, and had boxes and boxes of Epiphone strings in all the cases. Apparently he liked their strings. As a child, I was always intregued by that name on the box.

Here is a shot of one of them;

 

[charlie brown]

My grandfather' date=' who passed away before I was born, left 2 banjoes and a guitar, and had boxes and boxes of Epiphone strings in all the cases. Apparently he liked their strings. As a child, I was always intregued by that name on the box.

Here is a shot of one of them;

[img']http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v302/L4sleeko/DSCN0313.jpg[/img]

 

Wow, those would have been a "luxury" where I was raised...all we could get were "Black Diamond"

everything! LOL!

 

Cool!

 

CB

[dcooper830]

I had been wanting a Les Paul for some time, and several years ago, I bought an Epiphone Alpine White Les Paul Custom.

 

It is truly a GREAT guitar! I was playing it all the time and the frets were starting to wear a little. So I realized I needed to get another so I wouldn't wear it out so fast.

 

Nowdays I have 7 Epi Les Pauls and 3 Gibson Les Pauls. I gig with all of them and they play and sound great.

 

The reason I buy Epiphone: Price, quality, looks. I can have a "Gibson" guitar for cheaper and its still a great instrument.

[CodeMonk]

Went into a pawn shop, saw this black Epi LP Standard.

Played it, liked the way it felt, bought it.

I didn't even bother plugging it in. For me its all about HOW the guitar feels.

[JefferySmith]

In the 1960's, I immediately recognized Epiphone as a very attractive and affordable alternative to Gibson. I had a Firebird, an SG bass, and a 335, so I didn't buy any Epiphones until 1968. I picked up a Texan for $179 and immediately found it more playable and far better sounding than my Martin D35. A friend of my cousin bought a Sheraton or Riviera (I don't remember which), and I found it to be very similar to my 335.

 

My biggest reasons for buying Epiphone are:

 

(1) Looks - As attractive as a Gibson or Heritage, and better looking than Gretsch or Rickenbacker (don't flame me)

(2) Workmanship - I've never gotten a turkey from Epiphone

(3) Playability

(4) Sound - I obviously go for the humbucker/semihollow sound.

[twiggy]

oasis

[Beans]

oasis

 

Pretty much the same reason I initially wanted one. I was 11, Oasis were the first band that made me pick up the guitar as well as many other young mancunians. Noel had an Epi, which meant I had to have one. 12 years later when I look at it, I think "man I had great taste as a kid!"

[Just Strum]

I purchased an Epi SG because as a kid my friend had a Gibson SG that I would stare at with envy. I purchased the Epi only a little over two years ago when I finally decided to learn how to play guitar. About a year later I received an Epi Dot that became my #1 guitar. Shortly after that I sold the SG and purchased the Wildkat.

 

None of the Epiphones were purchased or received because they were Epiphones, but they all have been enjoyed and never have I felt that they weren't worth the money. The Dot remains my #1 even after owning a number of other guitars, some much more expensive than what the Dot would have cost me had I purchased it.

 

Epiphone for me has been a good value and the ones I own I don't see myself selling. Oh, I forgot, I also have the acoustic PR350.

[duane v]

Good question.......

 

I've pretty much have owned Gibson, Charvel and Fendor guitars for the most part, thus never bothering to even try an Epiphone, due to the stigma it used to carry back in the 80's and early 1990's as a second rate instrument.

 

It wasn't until 2004, I actually played and evaluated my pals JL Rev, and was shocked how damn easy the guitar was to play... not to mention the shear beauty of the guitar.

 

With me being a Beatles fan, I've always associated the Beatles with Rickenbacker, and owned one for a short stint, but grew tired of the same sound the guitar produced, plus the neck had a gloss finish that made playing uncomfortable.

 

Now that I've had my JL Rev for over a month, it is by far the best guitar I've ever owned, and I've owned quite a few. Which has now triggered a recent purchase of a 1970 E-275 Crestwood, which I also enjoy playing.

 

I would like to support Epiphones effort with a new Epiphone guitar purchase, but it would have to be an American or Japanese made product. And it would have to be in the form of a Crestwood Deluxe (see image). I've been looking for one for about 2 years now, but the price of them is so far out of reach.

 

 

[Ricochet]

Never could afford a real Gibson LP, so I bought the Epi-version. It was better as expected(especially after a PU upgrade) and is my current go to guitar. Even if I do own the Gibson LP now.

[Goldie]

I got mine because I didn't want to take my Gibsons or Ibanez out to play in bar gigs any more. I wanted a gold top w/P90's so I got the only one which is the same as a Gibson in shape- the Epi.

[altair]

I bought mine because, well, it told me to, sorta.

I went to the local music store to check out some "beginner guitars", not really to buy anything yet but to get some info, and try out a few different models. And there it was, in the back. The salesperson that was helping me stepped right by it a couple of times without giving it a single glance, until I asked "how about that one?"

I had to wait a week to go pick it up, and I had trouble sleeping throughout that week until I had it in my hands again.

 

Never thought a 35 y/o dude like me could feel like a 6 y/o, the night before x-mas.

 

BTW, I've bought a Toneport and I'm playing my Wilshire over my pc, trying out many different sounds. It plays like a dream #-o/

[Just Strum]

 

Never thought a 35 y/o dude like me could feel like a 6 y/o' date=' the night before x-mas.

 

[/quote']

 

It happens in your 40's, it happens in your 50's and someday I will report back that it happens in your 60's - that is if my wife doesn't kill me first.

[Ricochet]

 

It happens in your 40's' date=' it happens in your 50's and someday I will report back that it happens in your 60's[/quote']

 

Let's hope so!

[Whitmore Willy]

C.B.

 

In 1964 I got an Epiphone Olympic. Tried many other guitars but I fell in love with the "Gibson" neck profile. Have had a few guitars since. The ones I still have all have that profile. Oddly, only one is a Gibson. Bought my latest addition a year ago. (Epi L.P. standard). Same neck profile, most bang for the buck and I don't feel bad if I mod it. (Just wouldn't feel right modding a $3000 guitar....but that's me.)

 

Maybe the powers to be should take that into consideration before they make all these fancy new guitars. Don't get me wrong, I am not against a guitar that can sound like any guitar in existance, tune itself and play me to sleep at night.....but.....

Some of us just like the feel of a good neck and fretboard ! (deep breath)....Sorry about the rant, I feel better now.

[stan 58]

I allways loved and owned Gibsons so when i saw the picture of the green Iguana Brust Les Paul in the mid 90s and couldn't get it out of my mind i took the plunge. Loved the quaility of the green machine and over the next 4 years bought 3 more. Really nice guitars for the cash, i'm hooked. Stan.

[charlie brown]

I never even considered a "Green" guitar...but, I have to admit, Stan...the old Iquana Burst is a "looker!"

 

CB

[custer]

I bought my EJ-200CE and Dot because I couldn't afford the Gibson counterparts. However, now that I have them,

I love them and have no intention of replacing them with the Gibsons.

[ButchCassidy]

My first guitar was an Ibanez gax70 I believe...

 

For christmas I got a used G400 and even though I was a beginner, wow was that a big upgrade. It was really an easy to play guitar. At that point though, I was one of those kids who thought it was just a gibson knock-off. None the less I loved it.

 

 

After that I decided I wanted a bass so I could join a band. I had considered a Fender but the Thunderbird was too sexy to pass up-

 

 

I really liked that bass and from that point on, for the amount of money they cost and the quality you get, I was hooked on epiphone.

 

Next, I decided I loved the way the Sheraton looked and was very interested in trying a hollow. Having never even tried a semi hollow before, I drove an hour to a nearby town and bought this beauty-

 

 

For only $350! The previous owner was in his 60's, had bought the guitar new 15 years ago and had only played it in gigs 2-3 times. The rest of the time it sat in its case. It had the owners manual in it and everything.

 

A week later, I was hooked on semi hollows so I bought this dot for $250. I had once belonged to the guitarist for a popular local band I was familiar with-

 

 

Then shortly after I bought this sexy, but kinda useless guitar-

 

In conclusion, when entering the guitar world I couldn't pass up the gorgeous lines of the epi/gibson guitars, and to this day I'm very impressed with the ones I still have. Would I buy a Gibson like I had often dreamed of when beginning guitar? Sure, but it'd have to be in the $600-700 range and be better than my previous epi's. Would I buy a fender? Probably not, they don't fit my personality. But if some day I start wearing flip flops and play tom petty, I might change my mind.

[Just Strum]

A couple of simple answers for "Why Epiphone?"

 

* Why not? (answering a question with a question)

 

* Because they are there.

[wardog]

first guitar was a dot studio. wanted a blues machine like BB king, but could not get the green. Friend said, epi and the rest was history. upgraded dot studio to dot also got te p-93, just this week, got a 90's version coronet to test my hands at doing my first mod project.

 

I have never been disappointed by epiphones.

 

They really are great guitars with lots of styles which i like the best about them. I haved learn alot from this forum and the one thing that screams this is an epi is the variety of styles. I like different and Epi knows me well.

[Thermionik]

Alvin Lee and Stevie Marriot knocking it out on big fat semis, later the likes of BB King et al.

 

I knew a 335 was too expensive to take risks with, and I discovered that a good Sheraton was easily the equal of a good ES-335 in playability and tone.

 

And I like to play the blues.

[taxman]

Beatles.

 

It was easy to see they played Rics; so I wanted one, saved a great deal of mooney, and got one.

Then the more you get into the Beatles the more you learn about them and one learns that all three guitar players used Epiphone Casinos. I never heard of that guitar and I figured they must be some insanely expensive rare guitar. When I found out they were just the opposite, I knew a Casino had to be in my home. I love it and so do my friends. None had ever played an Epiphone before. They all want one and will have no problem buying an Epiphone for their next guitar.