brianh Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 my point is this and i guess you guy helped me clarify it a bit is that epiphone needs to offer a permanent $700-$1000 price range in like a basic feature set that pay homage to their historic style Gibson line but made overseas. You mean like this? Celebrate 50 Years of Epiphone's Classic Casino! Epiphone has made a name for itself by producing some of the greatest and most innovative musical instruments for over 135 years. While models such as Masterbilts, Broadways, Wilshires, Coronets, Emperors and Texans are some of Epiphone's most memorable models, the Casino is arguably their most famous due to it's close association with the Beatles. Now, Epiphone brings back the first Casino in celebration of it's 50th anniversary - the "1961" Casino. Classic Vintage Styling and Unique Features: Originally introduced in 1961, this version of the Casino had a unique set of features that ultimately were never offered beyond that first year. These include the pre-Gibson era triangle metal logo badge on the headstock, "Dot" fingerboard inlays, a blank two-ply "bullet" trussrod cover, a tortoise-colored pickguard with foil "E" and black dog-ear P-90 pickups. Epiphone has faithfully reproduced these features for a one-of-a-kind retro look not found on Casinos produced after 1961. Other attention to detail includes the correct "burst" patterns on front and back, a neck joint at the 16th fret (instead of the 17th), vintage style tuners with small plastic buttons and the historically accurate rectangle "blue label" inside the sound hole. Because these Casinos were originally made alongside Gibson's at the Gibson factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan they featured Gibson electronics and this reissue is no different. In the neck position is a Gibson USA P-90R dog-ear pickup and in the bridge position is the Gibson USA P-90T. Widely known as Gibson's first successful single-coil pickup, these lean and mean P-90's offer a stellar combination of high output and biting treble response. They also feature vintage two-conductor, braided, shielded wiring and black plastic covers. Other electronics faithful to the original include a Switchcraft 3-way toggle and 1/4" output jack Unlike an ES-335, the Casino is completely hollow which contributes to it's unique, signature sound made most famous by the Beatles. The body is made of 5-layer Maple/Birch with a solid Mahogany SlimTaperneck attached using the traditional mortise and tenon neck joint hand-fitted and glued to the body using TiteBond™ glue. Hardware includes a tune-o-matic bridge and a new reissue of the original Tremotone vibrato. Cool! To top it all off, each 1961 Casino features an original-style hard case with gray exterior and blue plush interior and a numbered certificate of authenticity. As with every Epiphone, it also comes with the piece of mind you get from a Limited Lifetime Warranty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fringe Lunatic Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 The limited-production issues aren't permanent, though. I think they're mostly PR/marketing tools to stir up interest in the brand. If a buyer likes one of those but can't afford one (or they're sold out), he's probably likely to buy one of the regular-production, less-expensive look-alikes or another model, which is Epiphone's bread and butter. It's kinda like someone who's got his heart set on an Acura, but can't afford one - he buys a Honda instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 To imagine that Epiphone is listening to, and basing business decisions upon a handful of forumites' opinions is naive, at best. And even if some members' opinions are actually correct, Epiphone is not paying attention to them, as has been proven historically. Not true, they do occasionally post quesitions and polls here, and Jim R contacted me personally to ask about the potential Genesis reissue. He seemed genuinely interested in my comments, and while I don't expect them to build the reissue to my specs, I think they will throw the suggestions into the decision matrix along with all of the other manufacturing, marketing, distribution, and pricing decisions that go along with developing a "new" model. And I do think they watch this forum more closely than you might think. Why else would they bother to keep it going? They could just as easily close it and not have to see all the wild complaints, unfounded accusations, and personal attacks, not to mention not having to deal with the trolls that have infested this place in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fringe Lunatic Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Why waste your time here? Is there a fanboy-only policy? Anyway, I own an Epiphone guitar and I like it, and sometimes enjoy discussing guitars and music with open-minded folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karine_plays Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 It makes no sense to me to come here and bash the company for all their decisions... Ummmm Pete, I think your "Google Translate" is on the fritz again ... Fringe was not Epi bashing He was actually defending their ability to run the company the way they want to run it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersonic Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Ummmm Pete, I think your "Google Translate" is on the fritz again ... Fringe was not Epi bashing He was actually defending their ability to run the company the way they want to run it.... Just out of curiosity, why do you keep defending him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fringe Lunatic Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Your take that I was "bashing" the company is just that - your take. If I was bashing anything, it would be the prevailing American corporate policy of putting profit first and foremost. Epiphone appears to subscribe to that policy, and I was simply stating my opinion on that. Of course, I could be like you, and tell anybody who wants to discuss Epiphone corporate policy that they should take it to some other website where that is the main topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vomer Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Epiphone is in the business of selling guitars in high volume, at maximum profit, mostly to buyers who are not in the least concerned with esoterics such as long tenons, vintage-correct beveling, etc.. The average Epiphone buyer doesn't even know about such things. He sees a pretty guitar, perhaps one that looks like one played by his favorite guitarist, and buys it. And if Epiphone doesn't sell what a buyer is looking for, most will simply look and buy elsewhere, as opposed to entertaining pipe dreams. To imagine that Epiphone is listening to, and basing business decisions upon a handful of forumites' opinions is naive, at best. And even if some members' opinions are actually correct, Epiphone is not paying attention to them, as has been proven historically. Sure, it would be nice if companies actually listened to their customers, but unfortunately, most don't. Epiphone is not primarily in the business of making guitars; they are in the business of making money. This is simply my personal opinion - there's no need to debate it or take it personally. Fringe, thanks for answering my question. I understand your point but I don't agree with it, for the reasons that brianh mentioned, and my own previously mentioned comparison of Epiphone with Fender's Mexican output. And there's no need to debate it or take it personally . I didn't like your "armchair quarterback" comment as I think this forum works better without personal sniping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibsonnick Posted February 26, 2011 Author Share Posted February 26, 2011 look im not trying to start fights i was just curios about what people thought about my ideas and if you actually read my posts im not bashing epi i am just hoping they start like an elitiist type of like with more acurate features and anestetics. I never said anything about taking they lower models away. THat is the companys bread and butter im just saying i wish that they would do a more permanent thing to offer the upscale guitars instead of making some of their coolest items they produced in years and having them dissapear as fast as they show up. I realize that this may just be a marketing ploy to drum up interest in the company but cmon why does it have to be this way. I firmly beleive that this is a great company that is capable of producing some awsome stuff i just wish that instead of offering teaser guitars they would offer them in a more permanent fasion. end of story. I figure if an assload of people post and show suport and intrest for such an idea the company may take heed. Or if you all think im full of **** and want buisness as usual and like haveing to scap and fight to get these superlative (limited editon) guitars i will just shut up and go away. I am just trying to test the waters to see if im not the only one that wants more guitar for more money or if you like to keep epi a budget beater company that ocationaly makes a pro grade axe in extreamly limited numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vomer Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 I figure if an assload of people post and show suport and intrest for such an idea the company may take heed. Could be. And through the forum we do have the ability to call Jim R. for an opinion. In the links above to the thread in which he posts, he says that the changing dollar-yen rate and consequent decreasing demand made the Elitists uneconomical. I would be interested to know if Qing Dao has the capacity and the skills to take on this idea, at a lower cost than the Japanese factories. I'd be surprised if Epi haven't thought about this already. Guitars that people want @ the right price = profit. And happy customers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vomer Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Just clearing up my mistake- I noticed the Jim R. post I was referring to was mentioned by Peter in the current 'fake casino' thread not in this one. Peter said: Don't they already do this with the newer models..... with Gibson pickups, with better electronics, with case Peter, yes to an extent, but one of my points above is that I think the potential exists for a range of price points and as gibsonnick says, some special touches that differentiate the top line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 It's to keep the oversea's "Budget" Epiphones (any of them), as a seperate entitiy, to the parent company Gibson (ALL USA made) guitars...even in cases, where the prices are nearly identical. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl00dsm0k3 Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 i would love it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karine_plays Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I don't really understand the wishes for the Elitists..... meanwhile there are real US made Gibson LPs and SGs in the 'Elitist'-price range out.... Gibson Tribute 50's and 60s are sold here between 700 - 850 Euro Because not everyone wants an LP or SG (I mean really, it's like getting a Honda and expecting to stand out) I would personally like to see: 1. Elitist Dot 2. Elitist ES-175 3. Elitist Sheraton If calling them "American Made Epiphones" makes anyone feel better, then so-be-it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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