Epiphone vs. Squier (Two Brands Enter! One Brand Leave!)

Epiphone vs. Squier (Two Brands Enter! One Brand Leave!)

  • Epiphone

    Votes: 13 59.1%
  • Squier

    Votes: 9 40.9%

  • Total voters
    22
  • Poll closed .
No equivocation. No reasonable statements about differences in style, personal preference, etc. Nothing about "finding a good one." And definitely not a peep pointing out that I haven't established specific rules of evaluation. All valid points, but you still gotta choose.

Sopick: Epiphone or Squier?


Important note 1: I have listed the brands alphabetically, as that seemed the closest I could come to appearing neutral.

Important note 2: If you'd like to vote for "Squire," you should click "Squier" instead.

Important note 3: No really, in Beyond Thunderdome the crowd chants "Two Men Enter! One Man Leave." Not "leaves." Go listen for yourself, if you'd like. EDIT: NOPE, I'M WRONG.

Important note 4: None of these notes is actually important.

How do I vote for Skwire? Little known import brand.
 
I don't currently own any of either and I'm discounting the bottom of the barrel models that aren't really playable. I voted Squier because all of the things that I'm not crazy about are easily fixable (pickups, some hardware) while I can't stand the plastic-y feel most Epiphone fingerboards have. The MIJ models are an exception, but you're not really talking entry-level / budget models at that point.
 
A fender takes wayyyy less craftsmanship to build than a Gibson (Strat/LP)

Thus the Squire-Fender closeness is NOT a compliment to Fender

Totally different index of difficulty.
 
I voted for Epiphone too fast, before I thought it through. What popped into my mind first was my "good" Epi LP and my cheap Squier. Upon thinking of it farther, I remembered my more upscale Squier Strat and Jaguar. So, my vote is a bit wishy-washy.
 
A fender takes wayyyy less craftsmanship to build than a Gibson (Strat/LP)

Thus the Squire-Fender closeness is NOT a compliment to Fender

Totally different index of difficulty.

I've never built a guitar from scratch, but I've done enough woodworking to know that whether you're screwing or gluing, making a good fitting joint is difficult. Once you have a CNC machine doing all of it, it's really hard to say that either design is any more difficult to build.

(Unrelated, Ace, if you could go chime in on my LP pickup thread re: T Tops, it would be awesome)
 
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Both Epiphone and Squier make some excellent guitars for under $200. Squier's new Paranormal line are different than anything else out there and priced at $349 to $399. I have the Toronado and its a very nice sounding and playing guitar well worth the price. Even the lower priced bullet series are excellent for the price. You can currently pick up a Bullet Mustang for $149... Epiphone has the VE SG and Les Paul VE that's really good and cheap. For the price and quality both are very close. I chose Epiphone in the poll cause for $500 and under they're offering is a bit better in my opinion.
 
I have a guitar club that meets at the high school where I teach. I see a LOT of Epiphones and Squiers come through in the hands of students, and I have owned quite a few of each myself. Overall, I have encountered far fewer problems with the Squiers than I have the Epiphones. I no longer have any Epiphones, but I still have one Squier Strat and 2 Squier Basses. I would say to avoid anything below the "Standard" line in either brand though.
 
werd - today's "crap" instrument is way cooler than anything available when I was a kid!

Absolutely true! For all the JC Whitney glitzy stuff stuck all over cheaper Rich and Schecter C-1s and all that, they (and Epi and Squier) are miles ahead of plywood Hondos with twisty necks from way back when.
 
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