Gibson or Epiphone?
I want to get either a Gibson SG Menace or a Gibson Explorer, but i don't know whether to just go and spend a lot of money on a gibson which i will knock about in my room multiple times daily or just buy an epiphone until i get more money and space to move about. What do you think?
Comments
But what about the little plate on the head that says Gibson on it? :P
The SG Menace is $800. Epiphone doesn't make one. They make some fair SG's, but the electronics are cheaper....unless you go to the Elitist series. Then they are the same...but so is the price.
In the Explorer...Gibson's run $1100 and the Epiphone versions $500. Biggest dif again is in the electronics.
I own two Epiphone's in the Elitist series, and wouldn't trade them for anything....not even another Gibby. It depends alot on the guitar. A well made guitar is a well made guitar. The name won't matter as much as the sound and feel. Some guitars just sound better than others. Pick up and play half a dozen SG's and you'll see what I mean.
Japan makes some nice guitars. I love my Ibanez JS 1000 with a passion ....and my Jackson DK2. In my opinion...Japan always did make great guitars.
My point is...pick out a good one....either brand. Eventually you will own them both. Just the main thing is...when you pick out a guitar...choose one you will own your whole life. Play as many as you can get in your hands before you decide. That is the key....to finding the one you will feel good about.
From what I understand, the differences between the Epi and Gibson Les Paul Customs are the Gibson has slighhtly upgraded electronics and first choice on wood for fretboards. Most of the expense comes from Gibsons being built in the good old U.S.A. Since the Epi's are built in Asia to Gibson's specs, I can't believe that the US Gibsons are much better playing guitars than the Epi's. I'm sure some would disagree. I was more concerned about saving the $2700 difference in cost than buying a Gibson for its logo. I agree that a well made guitar is a well made guitar, and I am very happy with my Epi.
I don't think I would shell out thousands on a gibson though, I'd rather buy another Ibanez or a Nuno Bettencourt sig washburn 8)
I voted Epi. After playing mine and comparing it to a Gibson Zakk Wylde, I can't justify the additional $$ the Gibby costs. I know some swear by \"brand names\" and shun anything less....meh....mo-powah-to'em.
I go for the \"more bang for the buck\" principle. Brand names never meant that much to me.
YMMV
Even though the Gibson's workmanship is second to none, the EPI is worth every penny.
Looking at the poll numbers there's exactly one vote for Gibson...
Wonder who cast that vote
In my book, it aint even a race...GIBSON'S RULE........................
Notice the multiple PERIODS at the end or RULE.............................
Can I just ask what you are on? I would also like to ask, how much and where? :P
I can assure you....what Tal is on...most of us can not afford, or deserve.
He is like madly in Love with his beautiful new Gibson L5 CES....
although...she sounds really hot and very sweet.
I can only imagine.
I voted Gibson to
my 2 cents.
God Bless!!
Partch
But the Elitist SG appears to be not available anymore except a few pieces in Europe. There too, the price has gone up 50% in the last 6 months.
I had my eye on the Elitist SG but was late on pulling the trigger. I expect that this will be a collectors item over time.
Next choice on my list is the Santana Yamaha Sg2000 which Yamaha have recently started to produce again. But maybe this is artificially expensive due to the Santana connection.
Or ESP's range of Vipers, They appear to be good value for the money.
I am not against brand names. However I mentally do allocate 50-90% of the cost towards an \"advertisement budget\"
I am sure that the materials that went into my Omega watch are only worth about 600-800USD. Why pay five times that much ? Well, it does create some impressions and does its little bit in making it easier to get bank loans, get contracts signed etc etc
But it still keeps time only as accurately as my 90$ G-shock !!
You get what you pay for, but many times, its not what you need. You get brand premium and brand awareness and maybe more designs etc while maybe you were looking for basics like better workmanship.
Did Gibsons cost as much as Gibsons before they were Gibson ? I mean, did Gibson in the early days command a brand premium before their brand was built ? I suppose not. Yet many might tell you the earlier Gibsons were the best. So what did the extra dollars get you : Brand image !!!
8) That would be nice! I just got one two months ago. My favorite guitar at the moment is my Elitist SG! Before I bought it, I tested it side by side with a Gibson 61 reissue and both guitars were identical in sound and playability. Where the Elitist had the Gibson beat was the overall finish and of course, the price, $1800.00 (Gibson) $650.00 (Elitist)
I don't know if it was mentioned here, but Epiphone Elitist guitars are all US Gibson made parts but assembled and finished in Japan.
My 2 cents - In many cases in life, you get what you pay for. But in just as many cases, manufacturers understand that many people feel this way, and once they develop a solid brand name, the $$$ starts going up, while the quality stays the same. Supply and demand.
For the guitars in question - yes, Gibson is a superior guitar. But, it takes years and years of playing to be able to distinguish some of the subtle differences. I relate it to golf balls. I can't tell the difference between a $0.50 Maxfli and a $4.00 Nike. I'm sure Tiger Woods can. So, what's my long winded point? If you're just starting out, don't spend the significant extra money on a name brand. If you are a seasoned player, it is definitely worth spending the extra moola for the differences.
WOW Well said Rob
God Bless!!
Parch
I'm a very seasoned player. I can also afford Gibsons easily. I simply choose not to spend the extra $$ when the Epi more than meets my needs.
What's the point other than (as someone else mentioned) \"brand name recognition\", which I don't buy into?
Do I really care that the Gibsons neck may be \".0000trillionto0ne\" microns thinner, or that the lacquer might be a smidge thicker? I don't.
Do I care if the guitar sounds/plays good? That's really about it.
Any \"seasoned\" player will also tell you this...a good player can make even the most modest of guitars sound like a million bucks. Truth.
That's true to a certain extent there GNX Jammer But let's face it you just can't make elcheapo construction & electronics Pickups sound like a $1000 dollar guitar
God Bless!!
Partch
Great point! I have a mate that is an awesome guitarist he plays expensive ESP's and Gibsons and he played on my mates crappy little Encore and he sounded awesome, no matter how hard i tried i couldn't make it sound as good as he made it sound =P. So i guess it's true, good players can make any guitar sound good, even though it seems like a load of bull it's actually true.
And I said \"modest guitar\", not \"el cheapo\". Even so, hand me a First Act from Walmart and I can make it sound like a modest guitar easily. Give me a modest guitar and I can make it sound like it cost a boatload. Give me an expensive guitar and watch me enjoy it (never claimed I wouldn't
Overpriced, could have gotten similar for far less fundage and spent the extra $$ somewhere else that really needed it (like an upgrade for my DAW
As always, opinions vary.
God Bless!!
Partch
Yep...They were always more expensive....I bought my 68 Paul in 68 for the unheard of price of $379 with case...Epi used to make a nice axe back then before they were bought out by Gibson, as well as many other American makers who have since been bought out by the biggies and sent overseas for the Cheap labor to build \"MODEST\" guitars....
Myself....
I spend too much time playing and practicing for a \"MODEST\" guitar..I figure \"What the hell\"..If I'm going to spend this kind of time at something I want something great to play on...Has it made me a better player??? I don't know, but it sure has inspired me to play a lot more guitar... 8)
And yes I can definitley tell the difference between my EPI \"Joe Pass\" and my ES175. Not to even mention my L5...That axe is in its own tonal universe and worth every penny...
8)
As far as solid bodies.....
My 68 LP is just about played out...25 years of 6 hour days just ruined the fret board, frets, etc... Not to mention the broken head stock...(twice) and the utterly crummy re-finishes I had done.. Plus making the worst mistake of my life and putting Dimarzios in it and selling the original P/U's.
Yeah I knew exactly what I wanted, so when it was time to replace, old reliable, I bought a 57 GIBSON LP re-issue..I believe it'll blow ANY Epi off the stage and out of the water as well..
True, a good player can make any guitar sound good, but why don't you see good players, playing inexpensive imports, unless there's an endorsement deal involved?? :? ??
An instrument does not make the player....Very true indeed..
But if one is going to spend untold hours and years playing a guitar, I would rather be playing a quality axe..
Gibson's motto of course is ...
\"When only a Gibson is good enough\"...
Marketing??? Yeah.... But try one...There may be a lot of truth to that statement...
That being said I also own 3 Fenders....
American standard Stratocaster, and American Standard Telecaster, as well as a foreign made Fender Fr50Ce dobro...
Love the Tele and the Strat.....
If I had it to do over again, I would have spent the extra bucks and bought a National dobro....I can tell the difference, now that I've played Dobro a while..
Can you get a quality axe not made in the states...
SURE!!!
I've got a Ramirez R4 classical made in Spain, whose tone is just stunning...
Unfortunately, a lot of people look at quality, but want it at a lower price..That's where the real rub is..Sure I want a bargain as well as the next guy, and I bargain hard on every guitar I buy. I do not bargain on quality though. I want a guitar that sounds great, plays like butter, will hold it's resale value. When I'm buying guitars, I think of them as \"Family Heirlooms.\" Something for my childrens to enjoy or sell at their leasure after I'm in the ground, becoming worm food.. 8)
Does a lot of money spent = Quality??? NOPE...
I drooled over a Gretsch White Falcon for years, till I played one of the new ones made over seas..3K and I have rarely played a worse axe as far as intonantion and action as that one...(And was just set up by the manager of an unnamed GC store in the states...)... And they're around $2,500..
Just a few thoughts from the old fart....
This could be the reason jazz and blues smell funny
Very nicely put Tal and Partch.
GNXjammer, I see your point. However, I think what you are talking about it playability. I agree that a seasoned player can pick up a low end guitar, and play it quite well. And I agree with Tal that I've played some $300 guitars that felt really nice, and some $1500 guitars that were stiff and really uncomfortable. However, low-end electronics is low-end electronics. My point was that someone just starting out, may not have the trained ear to discriminate differences between low and high end parts. But as you said, this is ALL subjective. The key here is that we're talking about playing guitar - nothin else I'd rather do. As per Frank Zappa... I'll take his advice and shut up and play my guitar
If I could play any Gibson or play my Epi 7-string Les Paul, I'd stick with my Epi.