Ibanez AF125 jazz box vs. Epi Elitist Dot

[rabies]

So I just got my new Ibanez AF125 jazz box. Read more about it here: http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=480965

 

It's very difficult to find any new or used elitist dot guitars. I had a regular Epi Dot a while back and kinda liked it (other than the fretwork and pups).

 

So anybody compared the Ibanez Artcore Custom series to the Epi Elitist Dot? I know that my AF125 looks absolutely gorgeous but it doesn't have a bone nut and I can't play dirty with it (doesn't handle distortion well). I also think the neck width is slightly smaller at least near the head stock compared to my epi elitist LP and ibanez rg1570.

 

sounds fantastic with cleans/chorus/delay/reverb, etc...

 

obviously you'll get higher neck access with the dot due to the cut of the body.

 

any comments?

[rabies]

btw, why exactly did Gibson/Epi discontinue the elitist line? is it b/c the sales were cutting into Gibson models' sales? my elitist LP is one of the best guitars I've ever played. the smoothest frets and bending I've done, esp. compared to the AF125.

[JefferySmith]

btw' date=' why exactly did Gibson/Epi discontinue the elitist line? is it b/c the sales were cutting into Gibson models' sales? my elitist LP is one of the best guitars I've ever played. the smoothest frets and bending I've done, esp. compared to the AF125.[/quote']

After seeing an article on the woes of Toyota, I now wonder if the Japanese didn't end the deal with Epiphone. Due to differences in the worth of currency, Toyota is losing money on some of their models sold in the USA. There was a brief raising of prices on the Elitists just before the onset of the Great Recession of 2008. They were discontinued soon after. Perhaps the Japanese company making the guitars decided it wasn't cost-effective at their going price.

[rabies]

After seeing an article on the woes of Toyota' date=' I now wonder if the Japanese didn't end the deal with Epiphone. Due to differences in the worth of currency, Toyota is losing money on some of their models sold in the USA. There was a brief raising of prices on the Elitists just before the onset of the Great Recession of 2008. They were discontinued soon after. Perhaps the Japanese company making the guitars decided it wasn't cost-effective at their going price.[/quote']

 

you'd think that the Ibanez Prestige line would be discontinued as well as they're MIJ too.

 

Sheraton has different pups.

[Red 333]

This is not to denegrate the quality of Elitists. I have 11 of them. But if enough people were willing to buy them at a price Epiphone could profit from them, they would not be discontinued, plain and simple. People continue to buy Gibsons when the costs escalate. They are unwilling to pay enough for the Elitists for Gibson/Epiphone to profit.

 

They were not discontinued because they were "eating into" Gibson's sales. Someone hellbent on buying a Gibson is going to buy a Gibson, anyway. On the other hand, many Elitist customers have BOTH (the Elitist is like a gateway drug in that respect), but the majority of Gibson customers would not consisder an Elitist (regardless of the parity in quality) becasue it says...Epiphone on the headstock.

 

Gibson is happy to get their profit from the sale of Elitists, other Epiphones, and Gibsons. And Kramers, Steinbergers, Valley Arts, Tobias basses, etc. These brands smartly appeal to guitar buying customers with different needs, quality expectations, and pocketbooks. There just weren't enough customers in the Elitist price niche, which is too bad for those of us who got to know, respect, and appreciate the product.

 

Happy New Year.

 

Red 333