I went throgh this myself the EPI vs gibby thing...I first bought the epi sg (a nice one custom shop edition) great guitar...NOT a GIBSON! it just looks like a sg doesnt sound like one at all or play like one either Its like you just cookie cut out diffrent gibson shapes and all the guitars are basicaly the same flavour. nice fiddles mind you but not the authinic distinct tones found in there real counterparts.
This will not do if you want to experiance a Real SG or an Explorer a Les paul get a gibson. of the 3 I think Epi comes closest with its Lespaul copies. That Zak wild one is cool I played it but go pick up the Gibson version of that and you will feel and hear the diffrence imidiatley.
If you cant afford one like me... trade up the epi until you can. I think Epis are great little guitars for the price but it ate at the very core of my being that it was not a authinic tone and over time it just made me want a real gibson even more.
Wow :shock: no one's even mentioned the wood of the guitar's, where you get at least half of the tonal quaility's of the guitar.
Pick up an Epi LP and the Gibby LP at the same time, then tell me with one you want. I think there's about a 5 pound difference.
Which brings up something abit off topic, do you have the lower back strength to play a Gibby LP. That will be the first thing you notice after an hour of playing, lower back and shoulders.
I think it really comes down to where do you want to invest your money? A real LP, that will retain or even increase in value, if cared for? Or, you don't mind cheapin out and getting an Epi, and spending money on \"Hot Rodding\" it out, and kickin it around the house.But it will never be the same as a Gibby LP because of the wood.
The Gibson vs Epi is an old battle, my question is would we have same thread if it was Jackson vs Charvel? Probly not. Both Charvel and Jackson can be hot rodded to be just as good as the other, BUT there not even in the same class as a Gibson.
The Epiphone Elite or newer Elitist series are made with bookmatched hand selected woods, use the same electronics, Grover or Gotoh tuners, and are individually inspected and set up by a Luthier by hand. They are top of the line Epiphone, and the same as the Gibson, but without the Gibson logo. You do save money, and don't settle for less guitar.
Above is my '61 Reissue, and my Tak Matsumoto sig LP. The Tak has special wound Busrtbuckers, made to Tak's style of playing. I call it my Capt.Crunch. It's an older Elite series. Both come with the cases too.
The action on that LP at the 12th fret is 3/64th treble side...4/64th bass side.
If I could play any Gibson or play my Epi 7-string Les Paul, I'd stick with my Epi.
I WANT! I WANT!
Then I wouldn't have to tune my Epi LP down to C!
That's really the only thing I miss playing my LP over my Jackson & ESP 7 stringers. That low B helps sooo much with the bottom end.
CHUNK, CHUNK, CHUNK, CHUNK!
All I can say is check ebay every so often. They go for about $500. Someone mentioned appreciating value? I paid $199 from Sam Ash about 5 years ago! There's an Epi 7-string Flying V too.
Whenever I play out live with my LP, it's always a conversation piece. I love it.
There are better guitars out there then Gibson IMO. Those who truly believe you are not paying for the Gibson name on the headstock need to wake up. Marketing is powerful! Gibsons are overpriced.
There are better guitars out there then Gibson IMO. Those who truly believe you are not paying for the Gibson name on the headstock need to wake up. Marketing is powerful! Gibsons are overpriced.
Not bieng a snob...I love knock off guitars I play a SX tele right now too. I really like epis ...but they are not the same guitar and you can here the diffrence in my tone between the 2 SGs easily at practise. So could the other guys and they comented on it too. it took me forever to get one at the price they sell for. \"I was the guy who said hey your paying for the name man just upgrade your harware and the epi are the same guitar\"...It just isn't the same. now keep in mind that only matters if you actually like the way Gibsons play. If your a music man fan or kramer charvel whatever you could care less about gibson setups cause they are not your cup of tea. so ya they would be way overpriced and not worth it you. to each his own. who cares what you play as long as you personaly dig it.
never buy just for a status symbol like the name. If it sounds and plays great to you then thats the guitar you should buy.
of course being the Garage hack that i am its just my lame opinion
Oh, I never said I don't like Gibson....I just said they are over priced. I love my Gibson V and maybe some day I will own an LP, but for the price of a nice flamed top LP, I could get 2 Carvin guitars, that are as good or better.
You are 100% right though ODannyboy, who cares what you play as long as you personaly dig it.
I recently bought a Washburn guitar which was on clearance. It had the Humbucker/Single/Single configuration on the pickups which I wanted to try. I took it to my guitar tech who set it up for me. After dropping the action and adjusting the strings, he played it for awhile and commented that it played better than his Charvel-Jackson. Which it does, because I compared the two guitars at his shop. Anyway, he then asked me how much I paid for the guitar. I told him I got it on clearance for $99. His jaw dropped. Now this Washburn is not my best guitar and it does not have best sound for some of the music I play. However, my clearance priced $99 guitar plays better than my tech's Charvel-Jackson which he paid $$$ more for when he got it. My only point is that sometimes you pay a lot more for a brand name than is justified. Or, maybe I was just lucky and got a good deal on the clearance Washburn.
Ya my SX Tele I got for 50 bucks ...Im not saying its a better built fiddle ...but it does have its own kool tones and due to the price diffrence I do play it more than my SG :!:
My buddy just bought that reissue version of that double cut 59 les paul jr with p-90s and gave it to me to checkout last night.
what a great playing guitar frets were a bit sharp but it played so ...friendly. the p-90s were diffrent ...lets say plain-er\" sounding but after a few hrs I found there strengths and the right patches that they responded too and it was a great jam! I definatley thought the p-90s had there set of kool tones to pick from. 2 thumbs way up for GC and ther 519.00 Gibson. it rawks.
A seasoned player can make things work on cheap guitars, but if you can afford it, I think the extra quality is worth it. I can definitely tell the difference. Do my pricier guitars make me play or sound better? I doubt it, but it does make it a more rewarding experience.
It really comes down to personal preferences. If you don't care about the nuances that the extra quality provides, why waste the money? If you do notice and don't want to compromise, there just is no substitute.
ODB, my pickin buddy just got a '57 Gibson ES-125, a hollow body arch top with one P-90 pu in the neck position. Someone had put a tune-a-matic bridge on it. He replaced the tune-a-matic with a traditional arch top bridge. That old P-90 sounds great with flat wound nickle strings.
My buddy has a '57 Gibson pickin ES-125, hollow body, with a P -90 PU top of the arch in the neck position. Some people on the adjustment of A - matic bridge. He replaced the traditional arched top of the bridge tone - A - MATIC. That sounds old P -90 Nickel wound strings with the plane.
I find that many brand names, on any product, no longer live up to their past reputations.
I have an old Epiphone...the one with the scroll work on the top of the body. , from when Epi was an independent company. Its cool. Especially since I found it for free.
To me, Gibsons are guitars made in Kalamazoo Michigan.
The Nashville company makes decent guitars, but you pay for the name.
Buy what you like and you will never go wrong.
Whatever guitar that sounds and plays well and inspires your music is the \"right\" one in my opinion.
The thing you can not cheep out on IMO is a quality set-up be done to any guitar that you bring home. A good setup can make even a inexpensive guitar play like budda. So don't cheep out on getting a quality setup done.
It will be the best 60 to 100 bucks you could spend.
Wow...We're getting old...Is that what happened to the forum. All the old guys retired???
AYUP :shock:
The only thing I can figure is that since the GNX is such a dated piece o' gear and so much new stuff has come out since DT decided to abandon the concept, that the only people with any interest in it are us ol' die-hards who love the rig and still use it.
Either that, or everyone's so embarrassed that they ran into Anne Hathaway at Starbucks and failed to give her my phone #, that they won't sign on. :P
Wow...We're getting old...Is that what happened to the forum. All the old guys retired???
AYUP :shock:
The only thing I can figure is that since the GNX is such a dated piece o' gear and so much new stuff has come out since DT decided to abandon the concept, that the only people with any interest in it are us ol' die-hards who love the rig and still use it.
Either that, or everyone's so embarrassed that they ran into Anne Hathaway at Starbucks and failed to give her my phone #, that they won't sign on. :P
I felt so bad shredd.. :oops: when the barista handed my latte to me, I turned and ran right into Anne! She jumped, I jumped and my dang latte spilled on this chrome dome sitting at a table on the other side of the CD/mug shelf.. I spontaniously belted out a gut busting laugh.. At which point she proclaimed that he was her manager, then proceded to call me a goat humping something or another etc :roll: ... Then chrome dome stood, I had to look up at him! ... So I said \"Baaa\" and took off running....
:oops: I am so sorry mate, but it just didn't seem like the approiate moment to hand her a phone #.. :oops:
I reread my initial response to this thread from years ago. I still believe I made the better decision to buy my $599 Epi Les Paul Custom instead of the $3000+ Gibson Les Paul Custom. I'm a working musician, not a collector. And I'm a hack player, not nearly worthy enough even for the $600 Epi I bought. I know that a better guitar can make you a better player. But at my level, I need to be a better player period. It's not the quality of the Epi v. Gibson that makes a difference in my performance. It's lack of Woodshed time and talent that limit me.
BTW, I drive a Ford to work, not a Ferrari. I could not afford a Ferrari, but I'm sure it would be more fun to drive than my old Ford Crown Victory. Having said that, the commute time in either car would be the same. And I never worry about my old Ford sitting in the employee parking lot.
When I play guitar at a bar gig, I don't worry about the guitars I jam with being broken. I would never even consider taking a $3000+ Gibson to a bar gig, because I would be too worried about it. And I seriously doubt I would play or sound any better with the Gibson over the Epi. At least in my hands. Take care.
I reread my initial response to this thread from years ago. I still believe I made the better decision to buy my $599 Epi Les Paul Custom instead of the $3000+ Gibson Les Paul Custom. I'm a working musician, not a collector. And I'm a hack player, not nearly worthy enough even for the $600 Epi I bought. I know that a better guitar can make you a better player. But at my level, I need to be a better player period. It's not the quality of the Epi v. Gibson that makes a difference in my performance. It's lack of Woodshed time and talent that limit me.
BTW, I drive a Ford to work, not a Ferrari. I could not afford a Ferrari, but I'm sure it would be more fun to drive than my old Ford Crown Victory. Having said that, the commute time in either car would be the same. And I never worry about my old Ford sitting in the employee parking lot.
When I play guitar at a bar gig, I don't worry about the guitars I jam with being broken. I would never even consider taking a $3000+ Gibson to a \"bar gig, because I would be too worried about it. And I seriously doubt I would play or sound any better with the Gibson over the Epi. At least in my hands. Take care.
Another reason .. \" not to bring your $3000+ Gibson to a bar gig\"
Comments
This will not do if you want to experiance a Real SG or an Explorer a Les paul get a gibson. of the 3 I think Epi comes closest with its Lespaul copies. That Zak wild one is cool I played it but go pick up the Gibson version of that and you will feel and hear the diffrence imidiatley.
If you cant afford one like me... trade up the epi until you can. I think Epis are great little guitars for the price but it ate at the very core of my being that it was not a authinic tone and over time it just made me want a real gibson even more.
just my 2 cents
Pick up an Epi LP and the Gibby LP at the same time, then tell me with one you want. I think there's about a 5 pound difference.
Which brings up something abit off topic, do you have the lower back strength to play a Gibby LP. That will be the first thing you notice after an hour of playing, lower back and shoulders.
I think it really comes down to where do you want to invest your money? A real LP, that will retain or even increase in value, if cared for? Or, you don't mind cheapin out and getting an Epi, and spending money on \"Hot Rodding\" it out, and kickin it around the house.But it will never be the same as a Gibby LP because of the wood.
The Gibson vs Epi is an old battle, my question is would we have same thread if it was Jackson vs Charvel? Probly not. Both Charvel and Jackson can be hot rodded to be just as good as the other, BUT there not even in the same class as a Gibson.
I WANT! I WANT!
Then I wouldn't have to tune my Epi LP down to C!
That's really the only thing I miss playing my LP over my Jackson & ESP 7 stringers. That low B helps sooo much with the bottom end.
CHUNK, CHUNK, CHUNK, CHUNK!
The Epiphone Elite or newer Elitist series are made with bookmatched hand selected woods, use the same electronics, Grover or Gotoh tuners, and are individually inspected and set up by a Luthier by hand. They are top of the line Epiphone, and the same as the Gibson, but without the Gibson logo. You do save money, and don't settle for less guitar.
Above is my '61 Reissue, and my Tak Matsumoto sig LP. The Tak has special wound Busrtbuckers, made to Tak's style of playing. I call it my Capt.Crunch. It's an older Elite series. Both come with the cases too.
The action on that LP at the 12th fret is 3/64th treble side...4/64th bass side.
All I can say is check ebay every so often. They go for about $500. Someone mentioned appreciating value? I paid $199 from Sam Ash about 5 years ago! There's an Epi 7-string Flying V too.
Whenever I play out live with my LP, it's always a conversation piece. I love it.
There are better guitars out there then Gibson IMO. Those who truly believe you are not paying for the Gibson name on the headstock need to wake up. Marketing is powerful! Gibsons are overpriced.
Tal needs a 7 string.
I know, but 20 grand for a buscarino 7 string is just a tad out of my price range..
http://www.buscarino.com/7string.asp
never buy just for a status symbol like the name. If it sounds and plays great to you then thats the guitar you should buy.
of course being the Garage hack that i am its just my lame opinion
You are 100% right though ODannyboy, who cares what you play as long as you personaly dig it.
Now here's a guy that's got it right...
http://krcollection.blogspot.com/
My HERO...
what a great playing guitar frets were a bit sharp but it played so ...friendly. the p-90s were diffrent ...lets say plain-er\" sounding but after a few hrs I found there strengths and the right patches that they responded too and it was a great jam! I definatley thought the p-90s had there set of kool tones to pick from. 2 thumbs way up for GC and ther 519.00 Gibson. it rawks.
It really comes down to personal preferences. If you don't care about the nuances that the extra quality provides, why waste the money? If you do notice and don't want to compromise, there just is no substitute.
I go with Carvin. Martin for acoustics.
I find that many brand names, on any product, no longer live up to their past reputations.
I have an old Epiphone...the one with the scroll work on the top of the body. , from when Epi was an independent company. Its cool. Especially since I found it for free.
To me, Gibsons are guitars made in Kalamazoo Michigan.
The Nashville company makes decent guitars, but you pay for the name.
Buy what you like and you will never go wrong.
Whatever guitar that sounds and plays well and inspires your music is the \"right\" one in my opinion.
It will be the best 60 to 100 bucks you could spend.
AYUP :shock:
Either that, or everyone's so embarrassed that they ran into Anne Hathaway at Starbucks and failed to give her my phone #, that they won't sign on. :P
I felt so bad shredd.. :oops: when the barista handed my latte to me, I turned and ran right into Anne! She jumped, I jumped and my dang latte spilled on this chrome dome sitting at a table on the other side of the CD/mug shelf.. I spontaniously belted out a gut busting laugh.. At which point she proclaimed that he was her manager, then proceded to call me a goat humping something or another etc :roll: ... Then chrome dome stood, I had to look up at him! ... So I said \"Baaa\" and took off running....
:oops: I am so sorry mate, but it just didn't seem like the approiate moment to hand her a phone #..
BTW, I drive a Ford to work, not a Ferrari. I could not afford a Ferrari, but I'm sure it would be more fun to drive than my old Ford Crown Victory. Having said that, the commute time in either car would be the same. And I never worry about my old Ford sitting in the employee parking lot.
When I play guitar at a bar gig, I don't worry about the guitars I jam with being broken. I would never even consider taking a $3000+ Gibson to a bar gig, because I would be too worried about it. And I seriously doubt I would play or sound any better with the Gibson over the Epi. At least in my hands. Take care.
Another reason .. \" not to bring your $3000+ Gibson to a bar gig\"