Epiphone VS Gibson (give me your insights plz!)

Re: Epiphone VS Gibson (give me your insights plz!)

I got my Epi Les Paul Classic Plus for $500. It has a wine red highly figured quilted top with cream binding on the body and neck. It has the slim profile 60's neck. It's a factory second with a 1mm blemish (light spot) in the finish between the pickups. I've modified it by dropping in two '59 SDs, dressing the frets, swapping out the electronics, setting the action and intonating it (basically everything you pay extra for in a Gibson). I will hold my LP against any Gibson for tone, playabilty and aesthetics. I personally believe, except for the Custom Shop stuff, that Gibson guitars are over priced for what you get. I've played both and I think that most people have name recognition influenced tone preferences. If you put a recording of my Epi and a Gibson next to each other you would not be able to tell which is which. That's my two cents worth.
 
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Re: Epiphone VS Gibson (give me your insights plz!)

Gibsons hold Value better than Epi's do. So if you are planning on buying a guitar, and selling it in a few years, you will get more return out of a Gibson. That being said I agree with what Jolly said, Buy an Epi... put some good quality Duncans in it and presto! a great guitar. Once you plug an electric guitar into an Amp, and it sounds really good does it really matter what Logo is on It?????
 
Re: Epiphone VS Gibson (give me your insights plz!)

strat_master said:
what does dressing the frets mean?

It means smoothing the edges with a fine file so that your fingers won't hang up on any fret-wires on the edges of the fretboard and feel rough to play. It also means making sure all the fret-wires are level with each other and have the proper curvature corresponding to the neck's contour.
It makes a huge difference in playability!
 
Re: Epiphone VS Gibson (give me your insights plz!)

texasguitarslinger said:
I got my Epi Les Paul Classic Plus for $500. It has a wine red highly figured quilted top with cream binding on the body and neck. It has the slim profile 60's neck. It's a factory second with a 1mm blemish (light spot) in the finish between the pickups. I've modified it by dropping in two '59 SDs, dressing the frets, swapping out the electronics, setting the action and intonating it (basically everything you pay extra for in a Gibson). I will hold my LP against any Gibson for tone, playabilty and aesthetics. I personally believe, except for the Custom Shop stuff, that Gibson guitars are over priced for what you get. I've played both and I think that most people have name recognition influenced tone preferences. If you put a recording of my Epi and a Gibson next to each other you would not be able to tell which is which. That's my two cents worth.

Don't you just hate it when the factory stamps that big, ugly "2ND" into the back of the headstock for such a minute blemish? My G400 has the smallest of small specks in the finish which can't be detected unless you almost get a magnifying glass out to see it....hence, it was "branded" for it's flaw. I had to go over and over the guitar when I bought it new to find it, and found it hard to believe that Epiphone would do that for such a petty thing like that. But I guess that goes to show that they at least take the quality of the finishes they put on their axes seriously. Wish they would take the same approach to the rest of the guitar, but then I guess the price would rise accordingly.
Still, and IMO, there are Epi's out there that can hold up to a real Pauly no matter what anybody says. After all, it's not just the guitar, it also takes a little skill by the player to get those classic tones out of any axe.
Can anyone agree with me on that?
 
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Re: Epiphone VS Gibson (give me your insights plz!)

Burny or Greco LP clones kick major ass.
 
Re: Epiphone VS Gibson (give me your insights plz!)

texasguitarslinger said:
I got my Epi Les Paul Classic Plus for $500. It has a wine red highly figured quilted top with cream binding on the body and neck. It has the slim profile 60's neck. It's a factory second with a 1mm blemish (light spot) in the finish between the pickups. I've modified it by dropping in two '59 SDs, dressing the frets, swapping out the electronics, setting the action and intonating it (basically everything you pay extra for in a Gibson). I will hold my LP against any Gibson for tone, playabilty and aesthetics. I personally believe, except for the Custom Shop stuff, that Gibson guitars are over priced for what you get. I've played both and I think that most people have name recognition influenced tone preferences. If you put a recording of my Epi and a Gibson next to each other you would not be able to tell which is which. That's my two cents worth.

I own both a real LP and an Epi like yours and I can tell you they are two totally different animals.The main difference between the guitars is the quality of materials, hardware and craftsmanship. While your instrument may sound great there are huge differences in quality between the two. I'm not knocking the epi, I play mine all the time, but the real LP is a better axe.

J
 
Re: Epiphone VS Gibson (give me your insights plz!)

JfromHouston said:
I own both a real LP and an Epi like yours and I can tell you they are two totally different animals.The main difference between the guitars is the quality of materials, hardware and craftsmanship. While your instrument may sound great there are huge differences in quality between the two. I'm not knocking the epi, I play mine all the time, but the real LP is a better axe.

J
I totally agree with that statement seeing as I have both as well. I also agree with "If you put a recording of my Epi and a Gibson next to each other you would not be able to tell which is which".
 
Re: Epiphone VS Gibson (give me your insights plz!)

Dont forget that some Epis are now made either of Mahogany or Alder...
 
Re: Epiphone VS Gibson (give me your insights plz!)

JfromHouston said:
The main difference between the guitars is the quality of materials, hardware and craftsmanship.

J

I don't want to give the impression that I don't like Gibson LPs, they are fine instruments. Just why would I pay three times as much for a name and different grade of electronics and woods. The bottom line is the player makes the guitar. SRV could blow you away regardless of what guitar he picked up.
 
Re: Epiphone VS Gibson (give me your insights plz!)

texasguitarslinger said:
SRV could blow you away regardless of what guitar he picked up.

Hendrix MAYBE...but SRV, not on his best day :18: :18: :18:


All kidding aside. I totally see your argument and agree. I doubt I would have my LP if my boss didn't give it to me for Christmas.

J
 
Re: Epiphone VS Gibson (give me your insights plz!)

just go to a store and play em all man!!!

it's the only true way... :headbang:
 
Re: Epiphone VS Gibson (give me your insights plz!)

You should check out Epiphone Elite. They are made in Japan and they are getting good reviews.
 
Re: Epiphone VS Gibson (give me your insights plz!)

I also have an Epi LP Std which I bought for a steal back in 2002. I am looking forward to buying a Gibby LP Std as well but so far, my Epi is doing the job quite well.

I also upgraded it with Duncans, new nut, new tailpiece, new bridge, straps and all that. It sounds and looks awesome. I think that you can have such an excellent guitar for a fraction of the price of a Gibson, it is worth considering to have one.

Take a look at it in this address: http://br.photos.yahoo.com/pointaker2000

My Samick Tele falls into the same category of cheap guitar with a great tone. This Tele can nail some serious tone after I installed some Duncans in it. And it looks awesome. And it cost me only a couple hundred bucks. Samick does great stuff just as well on their own as they do for Epis, for instance.

At the end of the day, you want to have them all. It's a disease. :smack:

Dan
 
Re: Epiphone VS Gibson (give me your insights plz!)

I have an Epi and I put Duncans in... it and it made a world of difference. If you are playing through an amp with distortion and stuff, chances are most of the people listening won't notice the difference between the wood your guitar is made of. I do agree with everyone that the hardware is ****, especially the tuners. But I suppose it just depends on you, how often you play, whether you are using the guitar just to play at home or if you plan on taking it on the road. Those are just a couple things to think about I suppose.
 
Re: Epiphone VS Gibson (give me your insights plz!)

A controversy for the century!! How many times this has been debated throughout the years? I will still stand by as an proud Epiphone LP Std. Slinger/enthusiast, as they are THE BEST you can buy for the buck - especially after being properly modded (Duncans anyone?). However, if you have the dough - don't hesitate to buy the real deal. In your case however, with a limited income - I'd highly recommend grabbing a Epi with the proper Duncans and that DSL401. No doubt about it. Killer axe - killer tone - killer fun ... + no waiting the ridiculous 2 years!!
 
Re: Epiphone VS Gibson (give me your insights plz!)

Hmmm im thinking about the prices for the gibson studio and the gibson standard, the studio goes for 1400 in canadian...the standard from 2001 (the older standard) goes for about 2700. Thats a huge jump is price. The only mian differnce between these two axes is the binding and the tuners? Do these factors make the playing that much different???? I know i want a gibson, and am probably not going to be happy with an epiphone but i would love to have a standard but i don't know if i feel right when i can get the gibson studio LP for sooo much cheaper. Even though my GAS is telling me Standard i am battling the justifcations of this.
 
Re: Epiphone VS Gibson (give me your insights plz!)

ORRR i could go with the middle choice and get a gibson LP classic and change out the pick ups for something mroe vintage like say a set of 59's or a c5/59 combo. Either way i think this would be best as i save a fair amount of cash and get a very god axe with binding and all. Add as et of duncans and im good to go. But the good thing is after two years itsd a sure thing i can afford the classic. where as the standard would require some more cash from another job or parents lol
 
Re: Epiphone VS Gibson (give me your insights plz!)

Glad this thread isn;t over at the Les Paul Forum!!! Some members can get a little, 'agitated' about such topics, shall we say :)

The arguments have all been good ones, so I'll just sum them up and add one final bit of info I read somewhere, that I thought sumed up the situation perfectly (incidently, I have three Gibson Les Pauls..).

Epi
-Electronic are crap and will need upgrading, as will tuners, switch, pups etc
-low resale value
-more affordable
-not as high quality woods or craftsmenship
-no nitrocellulose laquer finish

Gibson
-electronics are better, but pots and caps are usualyl upgraded anyway
-hardware is high quality, but often replaced (eg pups...)
-woods are better quality as is craftsmenship
-better resale value
-more expensive to buy.
-nitro finish

However, the other factor is the psychological factor. Ask yourself how you would honestly feel looking at your new Epi Les Paul, and then imagine yourself if that was a Gibson Les Paul Standard in your hands. Different isn't it? Names have psychological connotations for us, and draw affective (emotional) responses. That is something you cant measure...

Finally, the quote I read was

'The Epiphone is a good guitar for the money, but is something you will one day want to upgrade. The Gibson you will cherish for life...'

That, in my opinion, sums the difference up....
 
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