JohnMcClane5000 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Hello, I often wondered, why Gibson and Epiphone didn't make their finishes like in the 60's? Example: New Gibson Es-335 And a beautiful old one: Or: New Epiphone Casino w/Bigsby: And two beautiful old ones: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnMcClane5000 Posted February 27, 2009 Author Share Posted February 27, 2009 This has absolutely nothing to do with aging or so. It's about the appliance of the finish before it gets it's clearcoat. I mean, they probably have some of the best-looking finishes of the world, why not do 'em like 40 years ago? F.e. the Casino: Why do they use so much black? Why aren't the horns more defined and light like the old ones or better, why don't they re-introduce the Ice-Tea finish like on some Casinos/Rivieras. Same with the gibson guitars... Does everyone have to order a custom shop made guitar just to have the right finish? Look at the new es-335... it has a disgusting finish! Sorry, I love Epiphone and Gibson. But, if no one says anything, nothing will change. And since quality is such a highly discussed subject, I think at the finish-matter should also have a higher standpoint in discussion. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 There are different finishes for those guitars... if you look at pictures of John Lennon's Casino, it looks very similar to a modern Casino, finish-wise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnMcClane5000 Posted February 27, 2009 Author Share Posted February 27, 2009 Lennon's casino had much less black on the edges and had better-looking, lighter (more yellow) horns. I mean, yeah sure, Lennon played it and all, but just cause he had it like that, that doesn't mean, the "normal" Korean/Chinese Epiphone has to have it too. Some variety in the finishes can't hurt anyone! And if Yoko get's a couple millions less just cause epi doesn't use the "trademark" finish that wouldn't be so bad either. I'm just saying.. It would be such a little thing to change the finish and make it look super-duper good! Instead, it looks okay. That's my opinion. I'm very picky with finishes, especially sunbursts! That's why most of my guitars have opaque, thick, unseethrough finishes cause there you won't have trouble finiding the perfect-looking guitar! Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabar Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Same answer as virtually every other "Why do Gibson/Epiphone ..." question: It's all about the Benjamins. Those old three-tone sunbursts required several extra steps in applying the various finish colors, and were more prone to errors. Same with the body contour-following bursts: more handwork = more time = costlier to make. The "pick-shaped" bursts are done with a stencil, so they can be done with relatively little thought or attention, hence faster, hence cheaper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnMcClane5000 Posted February 27, 2009 Author Share Posted February 27, 2009 Same answer as virtually every other "Why do Gibson/Epiphone ..." question: It's all about the Benjamins. Those old three-tone sunbursts required several extra steps in applying the various finish colors' date=' and were more prone to errors. Same with the body contour-following bursts: more handwork = more time = costlier to make. The "pick-shaped" bursts are done with a stencil, so they can be done with relatively little thought or attention, hence faster, hence cheaper.[/quote'] For the price of a Gibson one could think to get a quality made guitar, not some stencil-finished piece of profit! Same with epiphone: "Produce quality-made guitars for a little more cash and people will buy it!!!" or "Wreck your reputation and lose many of your customers and your money!" If the customers don't open their mouths, nothing will change! I'm one to be complaining about 'cheap'-looking finishes, because I want epiphone to regain the glory it had in the 60's when they were affordable Gibsons and not craply-made gibsons! It's not like we (the customers) didn't have the choice to get a quality-made 335-sort of guitar! Think of all the lawsuit-guitars that are around! Especially nowadays customers have a huge selection in guitars. Big companys shouldn't allow themselfs to ruin their reputation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 My 1964 ES 335 looked pretty much like this finish. [edit] Here is my actual guitar, in the arms of its current owner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom nair Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 yea I am a finish nut myself. I love the finish on the elitest shari. I like the twotone going out into the wings. I like the older finishes as you do. The casino finish is ok but I like the old stuff. I like Larry carltons 335. I was so unhappy with the finish on the sunburst shari that I bought the ebony. I am looking at the gibson 339 because it has the option of a very old looking red yellow finish and it sounds just like a 335 but smaller and only 1800.00. yea I like the old finishes all right. The new 335 in your picture just hurts my eyes. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frenchie1281734003 Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Hello' date='I often wondered, why Gibson and Epiphone didn't make their finishes like in the 60's? Example: New Gibson Es-335 [img']http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/Nirrik/ESDPVSNH1.jpg[/img] And a beautiful old one: Or: New Epiphone Casino w/Bigsby: And two beautiful old ones: The two finishes used on the early sixties Casino`s were called, shaded (like on the Casino`s wielded by McCartney, Lennon and Harrison) and Ice tea, which as you rightly pointed out did not have any Black in it. To be fair the Black in the shaded finish did fade depending on the amount of exposure to sunlight the instrument recieved over time(A good example being Paul Wellers Casino, which was originally shaded, and now looks like Ice tea, and the one you show in the photo underneath the Bigsby one ). But I do totally agree, that the Ice tea finish should be brought back as an option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnMcClane5000 Posted February 28, 2009 Author Share Posted February 28, 2009 Thanks... I would have never thought to get so much positive response out of this subject! Don't you find the new epiphone to look "fatter" in terms of chubbier (because of the finish not being outstanding) against it's sleeker looking "lighter" (and older) sisters? Since the epi is an archtop I personally love it when the finish fades into black (or orange) just around the curves, making it look like a piece of candy (compare the "almost no black on the edges" Casino)... What do you think? Imagine how Epiphone would rule this earth (guitar-wise) if they'd do their finishes right and go back to their roots!!! We want Epiphones, not exact replicas of Beatles-Guitars! Open your horizon darn it! It's not that difficult!!! Sincerely (sorry for swearin') Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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