Ibanez VS Epiphone

[SirJackdeFuzz]

What would you folks get if you had a limited budget, but just had to have a thin body full hollow guitar, with P90 ?



Would you go th eold and trusted route and get an Epi Casino, or would you take a chance on the Ibanez ASR70 (a Co. that is well known for the top qaulity of their pocket friendly Artcore series)



http://www.epiphone.com/Products/Archtop/Casino.aspx - Epiphone
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/epiphone-casino-electric-guitar - $599.00



http://www.ibanez.co.jp/products/u_...7&color=CL01&year=2013&cat_id=7&series_id=177 - Ibanez
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/ibanez-artcore-asr70-hollowbody-electric-guitar - $449.00

Vote now . . . please.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Ibanez VS Epiphone

the epi looks better...
but play one first! I played one that was truly uninspiring to play, and a couple that were quite nice.

 

[jmh151]

Re: Ibanez VS Epiphone

I'd go for Ibanez just for the frets. Look in the used guitar section of any store- any Epiphone will have heavy fret wear as they use softer fretwire. Ibanez seems to use harder fretwire since any use Ibanez's I see still have plenty of life left to the frets

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Ibanez VS Epiphone

I'm using an Epiphone Casino right now, and it's a pretty awesome guitar. I'm not really a fan of Ibanez's necks (the one's I've played are too thin, and at 6'1" and hands the size of my face, thick necks are a must).

 

[Dr. Vegetable]

Re: Ibanez VS Epiphone

I'm predisposed to Ibanez, but I find they have the better quality at that price point. Definitely try to play both if you can, as you'll find a big difference in the feel of the necks on these two.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Ibanez VS Epiphone

I feel that overall, Epis best guitars are the semis and hollows, they have less deviation from the models they emulate, than the solid bodies like SGs, and Les Pauls do.

My brother has on eof those limuted edition 61 casinos and while its super well made the lack of upperfret access ruins that guitar for me wholly and completely.Same with Gibby 330s despite how completely incredibl ethey sound.

The Ibanez are also very consistent and high quality pieces for the $. They also have slightly bigger frets than the epiphones do. But the necks are slightly flatter on the back,which drives me nuts.

In this case, I would go Ibby.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Ibanez VS Epiphone

I'm using an Epiphone Casino right now, and it's a pretty awesome guitar. I'm not really a fan of Ibanez's necks (the one's I've played are too thin, and at 6'1" and hands the size of my face, thick necks are a must).

+1. Casino any day. They're nice guitars.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Ibanez VS Epiphone

+1. Casino any day. They're nice guitars.

That was my first guitar, cause I got it for a couple hundred from my brother. I'm using a Hamer 335 copy for Standard and Drop D and an Epiphone G-400 for Eb Standard and Drop Db, as well. I like the Hamer the most, but the Casino is my guitar for jazz band.

 

[youngthrasher9]

Re: Ibanez VS Epiphone

I voted casino. I just like the look more.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Ibanez VS Epiphone

imo the casino looks way better, and and ime it is probably a bit better in quality [not that artcores are bad, though]. i think the hottest looking casinos are the black ones, but i am not sure if they are still being made. the best spec'd import casino ever made was the 50th anniversary model, which you can pick up used. they were made in regular sunburst and royal tan sunburst, with or without a vibrato on the regular sunburst. they came with gibson guts and a gorgeous blue-lined hard case, not to mention the quote-unquote vintage-correct neck joint, burst pattern, and headstock.

 

[voggin]

Re: Ibanez VS Epiphone

A friend of mine has both an Artcore and an Epi dot. They are both really nice guitars. I don't think there is any inherent advantage between the brands, they both make good guitars. I'd go strictly by personal preference. In my case that would probably be the Casino, because I prefer Epi/Gibson neck shapes to Ibanez. Also, with a short fur jacket, the Casino will make you look more like John Lennon.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Ibanez VS Epiphone

imo the casino looks way better, and and ime it is probably a bit better in quality [not that artcores are bad, though]. i think the hottest looking casinos are the black ones, but i am not sure if they are still being made. the best spec'd import casino ever made was the 50th anniversary model, which you can pick up used. they were made in regular sunburst and royal tan sunburst, with or without a vibrato on the regular sunburst. they came with gibson guts and a gorgeous blue-lined hard case, not to mention the quote-unquote vintage-correct neck joint, burst pattern, and headstock.

That is the one my brother has. Nice guitar.but hes a old school rockabilly chorder and rarely plays above the 12th fret, so the upper fret access was a non issue to him.

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: Ibanez VS Epiphone

Epi fo' sho'.

 

[Kramer Guy]

Re: Ibanez VS Epiphone

Go with what sounds the best.

 

[CTN]

Re: Ibanez VS Epiphone

I'd probably lean towards the Ibanez because of better upper fret access, but I also dislike Ibanez quite a bit as a company. Their artcore series are quite nice though.

play both, pick whichever one screams "PICK ME!!!" louder.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Ibanez VS Epiphone

i think the hottest looking casinos are the black ones, but i am not sure if they are still being made.

+1. My Casino is one of the ebony Koreans, but that color's been out of production for at least 10 years. Don't know why. It's very loud acoustically too.

 

[david kornblatt]

Re: Ibanez VS Epiphone

I like the 68 John Lennon look. Its not close. Then get all his other guitars

 

[JordanM82]

Re: Ibanez VS Epiphone

I have just personally not had good experience with Epi so I vote Ibanez.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Ibanez VS Epiphone

So, Chinese copy or Chinese copy? :scratchch

The Epi has the advantage of the classic look. The visuals of the Ibanez depend very much on colour scheme. I do not like the dark sunburst posted earlier. Translucent cherry red would probably compliment the shape rather better.

For me, however, the real deciding factors are sound and playability. The only proper way to choose is to try out several of each.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Ibanez VS Epiphone

NO WAY. The modern medium-price new solutions for hollows blow... Get Matsumoku Japan late 70s - early 80s vintage stuff. ~400 on used market around here...

...maybe add a used set of Antiquities if the stock pups don't satisfy: + ~$150-175.

Random CL example I was considering a couple months back ($350 OBO) - yeah, I know it's hums not p90s, and doubt it's still around, it's just to show you this stuff exists and these price figures are realistic - never got around to scoring it though, on account of my own stuff taking longer than I expected to clear out:




Sum total ~= $400-600 - for a mid-level-Gibby grade instrument, instead of the lowest end of Epiphones ever built. Proper wood choices, top-notch craftsmanship, good hi-end hardware from Gotoh etc., which looks and works better at age 30-40 than whatever's installed on sub-$1k new guitars today.

...Exact same price range (!) as your Chinese solutions, but with A LOT more punch bite and appel... Problem solved