Epi Lp
- Thread starter Robbyk
- Start date
phil_104
Cheesesteakologist
Re: Epi Lp
That's what I am saying, some epis are better. I had to play a boatload of gibsons to find a good one, and if you find one, you are right, get it.
I think I got my opinion across, lol, you guys can have the thread now, sorry bout the hoggin'.
That's what I am saying, some epis are better. I had to play a boatload of gibsons to find a good one, and if you find one, you are right, get it.
I think I got my opinion across, lol, you guys can have the thread now, sorry bout the hoggin'.
Diocletian
BrandNewGlossologist
Re: Epi Lp
I have to be honest and admit I've never even played a Gibson, so I'm not about to make comparisons between Gibby and Epi.
But I CAN say my Epi Black Beauty is a lovely playing guitar. I really love the thing - the weight, the feel, the look and yes it sounds alright too with the stock pickups. It's certainly worth the money I paid for it.
To the OP though - please remember to wipe clean your gold hardware regularly! I've had mine a few years now andthe hardware is all tarnished to almost silver. It looks "live in", yes, but I prefer the pristine look to be honest.
Replacing the tailpiece and bridge isn't too expensive, but changing the pickups (or even just the covers) every few years could get very annoying.
Wipe em down!
I have to be honest and admit I've never even played a Gibson, so I'm not about to make comparisons between Gibby and Epi.
But I CAN say my Epi Black Beauty is a lovely playing guitar. I really love the thing - the weight, the feel, the look and yes it sounds alright too with the stock pickups. It's certainly worth the money I paid for it.
To the OP though - please remember to wipe clean your gold hardware regularly! I've had mine a few years now andthe hardware is all tarnished to almost silver. It looks "live in", yes, but I prefer the pristine look to be honest.
Replacing the tailpiece and bridge isn't too expensive, but changing the pickups (or even just the covers) every few years could get very annoying.
Wipe em down!
kcrknp
New member
Re: Epi Lp
I bought an Epi LP Custom off eBay without playing it, which in retrospect was quite risky. It was a good deal so I couldn't pass it up, and I'm glad I didn't. It's one of the best guitars I've ever played. I just got a Duncan Custom put in the bridge and now it sounds as amazing as it plays. I don't see myself ever selling this one.
I bought an Epi LP Custom off eBay without playing it, which in retrospect was quite risky. It was a good deal so I couldn't pass it up, and I'm glad I didn't. It's one of the best guitars I've ever played. I just got a Duncan Custom put in the bridge and now it sounds as amazing as it plays. I don't see myself ever selling this one.
phil_104
Cheesesteakologist
Re: Epi Lp
I've seen pics of your 79. If its anything like you describe, I don't know if anything would touch it period.
I've seen pics of your 79. If its anything like you describe, I don't know if anything would touch it period.
Re: Epi Lp
I've got an Epi Goldtop and think its a great guitar. I used to have a Gibson R8 as well, another great guitar (though one that wasn't worth keeping it around due to my value of it verses the dollar value it had, if that makes sense)
I've obviously played a bunch over the years as well
To simply say that Epiphones are better than Gibson's is just a silly thing to say. Its just not true.
Sorry but I used to work in a music store for many years and we sold a ton of Epi's and some were real dogs. Some were darn fine, and just as everyone says, if you play a bunch of them, you'll get a great one.
My Goldtop is every bit on par with a Gibson but I also spent about 6 months go through shipments before I finally pulled the trigger on one.
Frustrating insight huh, the guitar store guys actually buy up the real gems before they go onto the floor which makes it that much harder for the average buyer to find one =(
Anyways, you go grab off the shelf 10 Epi LP standards for $400, and you go grab 10 Gibson LP Standards for $2200 or whatever they cost these days and you bet me that the Epi's are going to have more excellent playing/sounding guitars than the Gibsons.
Odds are stacked very much against your favor.
You want to find one Epi that beats a Gibson ? Sure its possible enough. great epi beats a good Gibson to say the least, not even talking about value
But we are making dumb blanet statements in this thread right ? That Epi's are better than Gibson, so that means ALL Epi's vs ALL Gibson's right ?
So that means that each and every Epi I pick up down at Guitar Center tommorow is going to play better than any Gibson they have in stock ?
Yeah right......
I've got an Epi Goldtop and think its a great guitar. I used to have a Gibson R8 as well, another great guitar (though one that wasn't worth keeping it around due to my value of it verses the dollar value it had, if that makes sense)
I've obviously played a bunch over the years as well
To simply say that Epiphones are better than Gibson's is just a silly thing to say. Its just not true.
Sorry but I used to work in a music store for many years and we sold a ton of Epi's and some were real dogs. Some were darn fine, and just as everyone says, if you play a bunch of them, you'll get a great one.
My Goldtop is every bit on par with a Gibson but I also spent about 6 months go through shipments before I finally pulled the trigger on one.
Frustrating insight huh, the guitar store guys actually buy up the real gems before they go onto the floor which makes it that much harder for the average buyer to find one =(
Anyways, you go grab off the shelf 10 Epi LP standards for $400, and you go grab 10 Gibson LP Standards for $2200 or whatever they cost these days and you bet me that the Epi's are going to have more excellent playing/sounding guitars than the Gibsons.
Odds are stacked very much against your favor.
You want to find one Epi that beats a Gibson ? Sure its possible enough. great epi beats a good Gibson to say the least, not even talking about value
But we are making dumb blanet statements in this thread right ? That Epi's are better than Gibson, so that means ALL Epi's vs ALL Gibson's right ?
So that means that each and every Epi I pick up down at Guitar Center tommorow is going to play better than any Gibson they have in stock ?
Yeah right......
Robbyk
New member
Re: Epi Lp
What part of "as good as, If not better" Than, do you not get?
I have owned many Gibsons in the past and love them. But when I find a Epi that plays as well, "if not better" than the studio, or the lower end gibson pauls, I repeat what was said. Sure not all are as good as the one I found. But they are made from the same blue print and supposedly under Gibson watchful control.
The statement I made was for those who were kinda leery about purchasing the 'inferior' brand. I feel I made a wise choice by purchasing this. It leaves me open to getting another Marshall, ( tube type).
I still need to take pics and post them up though.
What part of "as good as, If not better" Than, do you not get?
I have owned many Gibsons in the past and love them. But when I find a Epi that plays as well, "if not better" than the studio, or the lower end gibson pauls, I repeat what was said. Sure not all are as good as the one I found. But they are made from the same blue print and supposedly under Gibson watchful control.
The statement I made was for those who were kinda leery about purchasing the 'inferior' brand. I feel I made a wise choice by purchasing this. It leaves me open to getting another Marshall, ( tube type).
I still need to take pics and post them up though.
guitarded
New member
Re: Epi Lp
I bought my first EPI Paul from a local shop. Picked the best out of 4 and the other three were not bad. Liked it so much I mail ordered a plain top from MF as a backup. Well the thing shipped with the the action like a mile off the fretboard. Once I set it up, I found it was better than the one I hand picked, so the hand picked one became the backup. I am quite pleased with both of them. They both hold their own against my friend's Supreme. Of course they don't feel and play as nice as the Supreme does... but both of them combined are less then 1/3 the price of the Supreme and they sound super with the stock pickups. I installed Sperzel locking tuners and graphite nuts on both. The action is low and relatively buzz free on both. I think these are great guitars and I have gigged with both.
I bought my first EPI Paul from a local shop. Picked the best out of 4 and the other three were not bad. Liked it so much I mail ordered a plain top from MF as a backup. Well the thing shipped with the the action like a mile off the fretboard. Once I set it up, I found it was better than the one I hand picked, so the hand picked one became the backup. I am quite pleased with both of them. They both hold their own against my friend's Supreme. Of course they don't feel and play as nice as the Supreme does... but both of them combined are less then 1/3 the price of the Supreme and they sound super with the stock pickups. I installed Sperzel locking tuners and graphite nuts on both. The action is low and relatively buzz free on both. I think these are great guitars and I have gigged with both.
guitfiddle
firstlessonologist
Re: Epi Lp
I think the dividing line is whether or not one makes a living playing guitar...the Epi, to me, would be a better value to someone who's never gonna have gigs pay for it. If someone is playing enough to quickly make a guitar pay for itself, the Gibson is a better value in the long run.
I think the dividing line is whether or not one makes a living playing guitar...the Epi, to me, would be a better value to someone who's never gonna have gigs pay for it. If someone is playing enough to quickly make a guitar pay for itself, the Gibson is a better value in the long run.
ImmortalSix
John Mayer's Mankini
Re: Epi Lp
I played 3 nasty Dots and found 1 great Dot, nothing in the middle :dunno:
Pros: Plays really well, loud unplugged, doesn't feel cheap, I like the pickups --- YMMV on the pickups, this my first HH guitar since I've been a guitar geek. I've had HH's before but wasn't simultaneously aware of the amp's clean channel :laughing:
Cons: 3-Way switch failed --- no sound in neck position, fixed by flicking the switch a few times, annoying; Tone pot (I have a Dot Studio, has 2 knobs, master volume and master tone) rotates against the top, fixed by removing the speed knob and tightening the nut, intonation was off so I intonated it, but it's out again now that I changed string gauges, that would never happen on a Fender; tuning stability is lower now that I have 10's on the guitar, was very good with 11's and 12's.
Roundup: I was trying to decide which guitar to take to band practice yesterday, (I'm a one-guitar-at-practice kinda guy) and I really wanted to take my Dot, because it sounds amazing, but between being unable to keep it in tune, the intonation being off (especially bad on the G-string both times I've set it up :dunno
and not having the hour to do it, and the neck and middle positions being worthless most of the time, I opted to take my Squier '51 instead.
The Squier is a $99 guitar and the Dot is a $269 guitar, both bought new, so I don't expect much from either, but after similar amounts of time spent on set up and fixing factory problems, Squier beats the Epiphone in quality by a long shot.
Just like with cars, CHEAP, CAPABLE, RELIABLE, pick 2
The Epiphone is definitely CAPABLE and CHEAP
The Squier is definitely RELIABLE and CHEAP
-Hunter
I played 3 nasty Dots and found 1 great Dot, nothing in the middle :dunno:
Pros: Plays really well, loud unplugged, doesn't feel cheap, I like the pickups --- YMMV on the pickups, this my first HH guitar since I've been a guitar geek. I've had HH's before but wasn't simultaneously aware of the amp's clean channel :laughing:
Cons: 3-Way switch failed --- no sound in neck position, fixed by flicking the switch a few times, annoying; Tone pot (I have a Dot Studio, has 2 knobs, master volume and master tone) rotates against the top, fixed by removing the speed knob and tightening the nut, intonation was off so I intonated it, but it's out again now that I changed string gauges, that would never happen on a Fender; tuning stability is lower now that I have 10's on the guitar, was very good with 11's and 12's.
Roundup: I was trying to decide which guitar to take to band practice yesterday, (I'm a one-guitar-at-practice kinda guy) and I really wanted to take my Dot, because it sounds amazing, but between being unable to keep it in tune, the intonation being off (especially bad on the G-string both times I've set it up :dunno
and not having the hour to do it, and the neck and middle positions being worthless most of the time, I opted to take my Squier '51 instead.The Squier is a $99 guitar and the Dot is a $269 guitar, both bought new, so I don't expect much from either, but after similar amounts of time spent on set up and fixing factory problems, Squier beats the Epiphone in quality by a long shot.
Just like with cars, CHEAP, CAPABLE, RELIABLE, pick 2
The Epiphone is definitely CAPABLE and CHEAP
The Squier is definitely RELIABLE and CHEAP
-Hunter
Markk
New member
Robbyk
New member
Re: Epi Lp
I disagree, I play out 3-4 times a week and will use this because of its sound and feel. I said this before, I could have plopped down 3 grand easily for a Gibson, but this one had my name on it.
I disagree, I play out 3-4 times a week and will use this because of its sound and feel. I said this before, I could have plopped down 3 grand easily for a Gibson, but this one had my name on it.
phil_104
Cheesesteakologist
guitfiddle
firstlessonologist
Re: Epi Lp
Hey man, when one's right for you, you gotta do it.
I should have used IMO...:doh:
Myself, I try every Epi in a store sometimes, and the first Gibson I pick up, I'm like "There it is...THAT tone".
I'm not in the market for a new guitar these days, as I got my '78 Gibby LP Custom for $900 used. Neither the new Gibsons nor the new Epis can hold a candle to it, IMO.
Hey man, when one's right for you, you gotta do it.
I should have used IMO...:doh:
Myself, I try every Epi in a store sometimes, and the first Gibson I pick up, I'm like "There it is...THAT tone".
I'm not in the market for a new guitar these days, as I got my '78 Gibby LP Custom for $900 used. Neither the new Gibsons nor the new Epis can hold a candle to it, IMO.
phil_104
Cheesesteakologist
guitfiddle
firstlessonologist
Re: Epi Lp
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Epi Lp
I disagree. I have friends that are full-time musicians that play Epi's. While some bands are lucky enough to play several nights a week year round, there just aren't enough venues to support that for everyone. Maybe that happens in the big cities, but for the rest of the country it doesn't. You often have a poor economy & many areas with annual seasonalities so that most musicians keep a day job to support their families. Not as much fun as playing every night, but there aren't enough gigs to go around, nor enough people coming out to see live music.
For a $100/man gig in a smokey little bar in a rough neighborhood, playing on a crowded stage, where a guitar could get knocked over or stolen, an Epi makes a lot of sense. I don't see the sense in taking a $3,000 guitar or two. The gig isn't worth the risk. Plus the wear you put on a gigging guitar; it's going to lose a lot in value. It's a lot easier to deal with an Epi that's lost half it's value, than a Gibson.
Buy a used set-neck Epi LP, SG or 335 for several hundred dollars, put in a pair of Duncans, DiMarzios or Gibsons, and you have a nice sounding guitar for a minimal investment. That's fine for most small bar gigs. Save that expensive guitar for upscale gigs, recordings, & home use. Take the "beater" out for the day-to-day grind. An expendable guitar makes a lot of sense.
I disagree. I have friends that are full-time musicians that play Epi's. While some bands are lucky enough to play several nights a week year round, there just aren't enough venues to support that for everyone. Maybe that happens in the big cities, but for the rest of the country it doesn't. You often have a poor economy & many areas with annual seasonalities so that most musicians keep a day job to support their families. Not as much fun as playing every night, but there aren't enough gigs to go around, nor enough people coming out to see live music.
For a $100/man gig in a smokey little bar in a rough neighborhood, playing on a crowded stage, where a guitar could get knocked over or stolen, an Epi makes a lot of sense. I don't see the sense in taking a $3,000 guitar or two. The gig isn't worth the risk. Plus the wear you put on a gigging guitar; it's going to lose a lot in value. It's a lot easier to deal with an Epi that's lost half it's value, than a Gibson.
Buy a used set-neck Epi LP, SG or 335 for several hundred dollars, put in a pair of Duncans, DiMarzios or Gibsons, and you have a nice sounding guitar for a minimal investment. That's fine for most small bar gigs. Save that expensive guitar for upscale gigs, recordings, & home use. Take the "beater" out for the day-to-day grind. An expendable guitar makes a lot of sense.
phil_104
Cheesesteakologist
Re: Epi Lp
Agreed. I wouldn't bring a custom shop gibson into a little local bar with a small stage full of drunk people. In such situations, an epiphone or economical guitar is of the order, a "player" as some people call them.
I think in this big discussion, it comes down to the " break point". You can spend money up to a certain ammount and quality will go up in steady mesures, and after that you hit the break point. The break point is where you start paying a lot of money for little things. Most people concider gibsons to be passed the break point.
Once again it's all about opinion. Concider this post to be another reminder that we need pics!!!!
Agreed. I wouldn't bring a custom shop gibson into a little local bar with a small stage full of drunk people. In such situations, an epiphone or economical guitar is of the order, a "player" as some people call them.
I think in this big discussion, it comes down to the " break point". You can spend money up to a certain ammount and quality will go up in steady mesures, and after that you hit the break point. The break point is where you start paying a lot of money for little things. Most people concider gibsons to be passed the break point.
Once again it's all about opinion. Concider this post to be another reminder that we need pics!!!!