JefferySmith Posted October 23, 2009 Author Share Posted October 23, 2009 There's a sond demo of the new Emperor swingster very versatile.......... Peter I like the sounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caliban335 Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 Chet Atkins left Gretsch around 1980 for Gibson. In his book he's quite clear about his dissatisfaction with the quality of guitars being produced by Gretsch at that time and about their refusal to build a guitar to the specifications he preferred. Gibson accommodated him, resulting in the Gibson Country Gentleman and the Epiphone Country Deluxe. The most prominent feature Chet wanted and got from Gibson was a center board to cut down on feedback and enhance sustain. Chet did not like the Rowe/DeArmond Dyna'Sonic single coil pickups that were common on Gretsch guitars in the early to mid 50s. Ray Butts designed his version of a humbucker at about the same time Seth Lover designed the PAF. The humbucking Filter'Tron became an option on many Gretsch guitars in the late 50s and beyond. Chet preferred it to the Dyna and it was employed on the single cut Gent and the Tennessean he used during his stay with Gretsch. I own both Gretsch and Epiphone guitars, so I don't believe I'm a bigot either way. To me the Swingster looks like an Epi version of the G5120 which has been available from Gretsch for at least four years. I believe they are both made by Samick. I certainly don't view it as Epi ripping something from Gretsch. The market for quality budget priced guitars is a big one and everybody's getting in on the action. There's nothing wrong with having a choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted October 23, 2009 Author Share Posted October 23, 2009 Saying that it is a Gretsch-like Epiphone isn't really a cheap shot to either one. I have three Gretsches, and they fill a niche for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 Whatever anyone says, the Swingster is definitely trying to cut into the Gretsch electromatic market. How much each company owes to the other is a different argument but I'm sure 90% of people saw this guitar and immediately thought it was very gretsch like. The epiphone might be better/different. It's all down to personal taste but there's no denying it's a style more associated with Gretsch than epiphone despite how many emperors there are in the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted October 23, 2009 Author Share Posted October 23, 2009 Whatever anyone says' date=' the Swingster is definitely trying to cut into the Gretsch electromatic market. How much each company owes to the other is a different argument but I'm sure 90% of people saw this guitar and immediately thought it was very gretsch like. The epiphone might be better/different. It's all down to personal taste but there's no denying it's a style more associated with Gretsch than epiphone despite how many emperors there are in the world.[/quote'] I couldn't have said it better. Emperor speaks Gibson, but Swingster screams Gretsch. And I like both, so there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster007 Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 Whatever anyone says' date=' the Swingster is definitely trying to cut into the Gretsch electromatic market. How much each company owes to the other is a different argument but I'm sure 90% of people saw this guitar and immediately thought it was very gretsch like. The epiphone might be better/different. It's all down to personal taste but there's no denying it's a style more associated with Gretsch than epiphone despite how many emperors there are in the world.[/quote'] I agree, they even copied the 20 frets off of a Gretsch. Hmm wait a Gretsch has 22 frets. Ok, it must be the spruce top right?.. No I am sure a Gretsch has a maple top. Ohh, wait it must be the series parrallel switching right? .. No Gretsch doesn't do that either. It must be the f hole binding I know 5120's have f - hole binding correct?.. No they don't. Maybe they sound alike.. No from those clips they sound differant. Maybe they are budget minded hollowbodies. Yeah, that is what they have in common. I like having options. and they must be doing something right to make all this fuss over a guitar. Rock on Epiphone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Without a pick guard, they look "off". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordy01 Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 That member was me' date=' I regret to inform all I have not recieved the guitar as of yet. DANG IT!!!!!! [/quote'] Just as soon as you get the guitar, we are expecting a HUGE report. We just have to know!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted December 16, 2009 Author Share Posted December 16, 2009 I too await the pictures of Twangster's Swingster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altair Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 Looks like Thomann is the only one at this moment who says they have them in stock... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloozeguy Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 Today I was at thomann.........:- and checked out one of the Swingster' date=' all I can say is they don't "speak" to me nice looking and nice workmanship, BTW they're made in Indonesia, like the Joe Pass model, too so my search goes on..... Peter Are the Indonesian ones much worse off than the Korean (Samick) ones? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altair Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Ok, so it's been a while, but I felt it needed a revival because A) Thomann still shows the Swingster as "not in stock" and B) NO OTHER STORE HAS THEM IN STOCK, at least not on this side of the pond. Please please please Epiphone, when will you ship them? Oh and why didn't I win one in the contest? hmm? All this just makes me and and and :) and and Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markus Femling Posted May 1, 2010 Share Posted May 1, 2010 Hi! First, apologies for bringing up an old thread. I am a newcomer to this forum, and if you guys have already discussed this elsewhere i dont mind being corrected. I have been playing my Swingster for about a month and i really do like the guitar. I bought it for two reasons: I wanted a Bigsby tremolo and i wanted a guitar that has a lot of harmonic feedback. I got what i wanted! I choose between the Swingster and the Gretsch 5120, but settled for the Swingster because of the looks of the tremolobar. Also, the lack of a pickguard ( a clear pexiglass pickguard was supplied but not fitted) and the overall look of the guitar is much slimmer than a Gretsch. I like the push/pull switches, but tend to play mostly with both pickups in series switching. This guitar has good rumbling bass sound, even more when equipped with heavier gauge strings. But a 052 E-string will have a little trouble fitting in the roller bridge. As i said, i wanted a lot of feedback and this guitar does the job. With my Lovetone Big Cheese Fuzzbox and clever use of the tremolobar this guitar can sound like a cow that needs to be milked. F# at the fifth string seems to be one of the best notes for feedback. The volume does not even need to be extremely high. It also has a very good sound when used with a little bit of slapback echo. Overall, build quality, paint and such is very nice. I had to disassemble the Bigsby and tighten all the screws but thats standard procedure. However, there was one major issue: All the machineheads were faulty. Too soft material and excessive torque during assembly had stripped the threads on the tuners. Thomann dealt with this very quickly and sent me replacement Grovers of better quality which i installed. (Hopefully, this will be corrected in the next batch) Apart from the faulty tuners i enjoy this guitar. I have set the action a bit lower than from factory setup. The one thing i find problematic is that the volume/tone controls are a long way from the strings, which make adjustments a little less quicker than one would want (but i´m a Strat/Tele guy and used to having the controls more close). The volumecontrols also affect each other when using both pickups which is not a problem but can be confusing. Also, the flowerdesign on the headstock looks as horrible as the tremolobar is sleek. The guitar is quite loud acoustically, so if you are recording with a miked up amp at lower volumes you might need to stand a long way from the mic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted May 1, 2010 Share Posted May 1, 2010 I don't think they are worse' date='[b']the whole guitar just isn't my cup of tee[/b] Peter How so, Peter? Please elaborate, if you would. Don't know when I'll ever get to see one, much less try one out, but...I'd be interested, in "why" it's not your "Cup of Tea?" Neck, size, tone, pickups, etc.? Thanks, CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swoop Posted May 1, 2010 Share Posted May 1, 2010 I was in my local guitar store yesterday, laying down my deposit for my new Esquire, and they had an orange Swingster in there. I didn't play it, but had a good look at it, and it looked like a really well made instrument. The finish was flawless, and I LOVED the colour. It was insanely bright. Looked great. Next time I get a guitar, I think it'll be orange! The inlays and binding on the neck and headstock were also very nice, and the fingerboard looked very nice and smooth. I don't much care for the overall shape of the guitar though, the proportions are a bit off if you ask me. Interestingly, they also had a Gretsch 5120 hanging on the wall, also in orange. I much preferred the colour of the Epiphone, but I prefer the shape of the Gretsch. The finish on the Gretsch was nice, but there seemed to be a lighter patch in the finish near where the neck joins the body. I'm sure it was just an oddity though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altair Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 I've read some reviews from others about the Swingster, and overall satisfaction was very good. But they also said there was a problem with the top E string dropping off the saddle, apparently because of the Bigsby. Has this happened with you too, Markus? It kinda cooled down my GAS for the Swingster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggs Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 I'm with you Matt. I think the orange looks killer. [crying]/ Like your orange eyed avatar???... You're scaring me man[blink]! eggmuffins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennyman Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 Did we ever find out if the Swingster is a true full-hollow, or does it have a "tone-block" down the center like some other Epi's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altair Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 So I went to my fav guitar store (where I got my Wilshire too) to see if they have the Swingster yet. Alas, they didn't, but it was on order (Epi1, can you pull some strings please? thanks :) ). They'll call me as soon as shipment arrives so I can try one out. I did go home with the new 2010 catalog to drool over. They have the Dot, Sheri and Casino in stock too so I can try them all out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markus Femling Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 But they also said there was a problem with the top E string dropping off the saddle' date=' apparently because of the Bigsby. Has this happened with you too, Markus? Yes this happens. But it´s not solely because of the Bigsby. The groove in the roller is too small for a thick E-string. (i use D´Addario 052). As the Bigsby moves a little sideways during playing the angle from stringholder to roller increases and can cause a heavier string to drop off. I´ts important to have the Bigsby correct positioned when changing strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 That is, hands down, the most interesting Epi I have seen in alot of years. I just need to find me a place to see one up close and personal and get a chance to kick the tires. I like the fact that it is something original - not just a lesser priced clone of something from the Gibson catalog. Kinda like Fender's Squire '51. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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