Epiphone vs Gibson


heknowsnothing
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heknowsnothing
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09/19/2005 8:29 am
Hey ppl, I have never owned or played an epiphone or gibson but would really like to get one of them. But one thing I just don't get is why Gibson's cost around £1000 in the Uk and Epiphone's cost around £500.
What is the difference?? They are both made by the same company. I have heard alot about 'Epiphone's being cheap and nasty' but is that just you lot being picky?
Im not ok. Im not okhayhay. Im not ok.
Im not O f****n K.
# 1
HDJ
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HDJ
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09/19/2005 3:21 pm
Epiphones are made with cheaper materials to save cost. Same reason Fender makes the Squires. Same designs, just cheaper materials....
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6strngs_2hmbkrs
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6strngs_2hmbkrs
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09/19/2005 3:25 pm
well, gibsons are made in the USA, while epiphones are off being made in sweat shops in korea (I think... they are korean made right?) and also, gibson is like half machine built, and half hand built. because certain things are better done by hand, and others are more accurate and precise when done by machine (such as cutting out the shape of the body)

and hand built guitars always cost more, plus, things made in USA have higher labor costs to make them, and therefore higher final prices.

if you got an epiphone guitar and put some gibson pickups in it, you probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference (except you can't brag to your friends about having a gibson when most of them play epiphones, like I can)
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konman
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konman
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09/19/2005 3:39 pm
I have an Epiphone Elitist Les Paul Custom -- built in Japan as they say to "Lexus" standards. It has Gibson(USA)-made pick-ups that can be re-wired for that Jimmy Page push-pull coil tap (this is what I am planning to do soon). The only difference is that Elitists do not have that nitrocellullose (sp?) finish that Gibsons have (which probably is good only for acoustics as they age).
Price-wise this guitar is half-way between Gibsons and regular Epiphones, quality-wise IMHO is the real deal.
# 4
Kaffirlime
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Kaffirlime
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09/19/2005 5:04 pm
Anyone have any experience of a direct comparison between an Epiphone Sheraton and a Gibson 335? Reason I ask is I'm about to buy a Sheraton - Couldn't possibly afford the Gibson at the moment in time even if you tell me its ten times better but I'd still value any opinions. My feeling is that if a Sheraton was good enough for John Lee Hooker it's good enough for me (although JLH's probably wasan't built in Korea!)
# 5
Lordathestrings
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Lordathestrings
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09/19/2005 5:27 pm
[font=trebuchet ms]I've played my friend's Sheraton several times, and I like it. I haven't played a 335, so I can't give a comparison, but I will say that the Sheraton is an excellent guitar.

If you like a guitar enough to take it home with you, you like it enough.[/font]
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# 6
heknowsnothing
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heknowsnothing
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09/19/2005 6:33 pm
So, I'm gonna by an Epiphone Les Paul. I don't really care about materials and brands. I will probably change the pick-ups though. Thanks for the posts on this. I can't afford a Gibson which would obviously be much better but what can I do, I'm only 14 and have no job.
Im not ok. Im not okhayhay. Im not ok.
Im not O f****n K.
# 7
Kaffirlime
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Kaffirlime
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09/19/2005 7:26 pm
Originally Posted by: heknowsnothing I can't afford a Gibson which would obviously be much better but what can I do, I'm only 14 and have no job.


Let me tell you something - I'm 46 with a very good job and I'm buying an Epiphone because I can't afford a Gibson :D
# 8
jedicaster
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jedicaster
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09/19/2005 8:15 pm
I've got a black Epiphone Les Paul Custom which I bought 2nd hand. I upgraded the pickups mainly because I wanted black ones that showed the pole pieces.
As far as I am concerned it's a great guitar.
It is extremely heavy, it sounds like a les Paul should and looks the biz.

If they all have this kind of quality you can't go wrong.

:)
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StevenN
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09/19/2005 8:33 pm
My friend has one of the Epiphone LP standard and changed the pickups tuners and bridge and it is such a nice guitar to play...the only thing that i dont like about it is how heavy it is...pesonally i like my sg more than anything..just get the guitar that feels just right for you and that you think could help you become a better guitarist!!
# 10
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09/19/2005 11:56 pm
dude, gibson does make some cheaper guitar though. I got my gibson sg special faded for $650. only a bit more then an epiphone (depending on which model of epiphone you want)
it's such a nice guitar, it sounds and feels great, and they make the special faded cheaper because it doesn't have all the flashy stuff. for example, mine has dot inlays instead of trapezoid, it has no pickups covers, and the finish is "cheaper" (though, on my guitar it actually looks better then the higher end SG's) other then those three things, I don't think there is any difference between my guitar and a standard sg. and those three things only affect looks, so, my guitar still sounds just as good as a sg standard, and still looks good (better in my opinion) here's a pic for you:


see? ain't she pretty? you know, gibson also makes a les paul for $650 too... you might want to look into it.
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heknowsnothing
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heknowsnothing
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09/20/2005 8:25 am
Yea, I might look at them but I really like the Epiphone Elitist Custom because it looks good and has gold hardware not nickel. I know how I judge a guitar is wrong but I can't try out these guitars. My music store only stock Peavey's Aria's and Vintage. It's just the luck of the draw.
Im not ok. Im not okhayhay. Im not ok.
Im not O f****n K.
# 12
Tele Master
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09/20/2005 12:27 pm
I used to have an Epiphone Les Paul Standard and it was crap. The neck was chunky and un-comfortable, the pickups lacked punch and brightness, and the electronics were junk. I bought my Gibson Les Paul Classic in May of this year and it is night and day difference. The neck is slimer and very comfortable, very easy to move around on it. The pickups cut through as much as the hot rails on my tele, and I have had no problems with the electronics. Both of these guitars have been on the road with me and been through endless gigs. The Epiphone I had to take it in for repairs after a month. The Gibson has had no problems, only a neck adjustment last month.
The Gibson sustains much longer do to the higher quality wood and the fact that it is heavy. I love heavy guitars so this was perfect for me. My Epiphone was lighter than my Tele. I would look around for a used Gibson for a while, because you might as well just go for something you really want instead of going half way. Yes, changing the pickups will make some difference, but pickups aren't the only thing that makes a good gutiar a good guitar.
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# 13
PRSplaya
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09/20/2005 12:44 pm
Apart from different electronics, they will be tonally different because of the woods used. Gibsons use a thick mohagany back and a fairly thick maple top. Epiphones mostely use an all alder body with mohagany and maple laminate(1/16"-1/8" thick) back and top, to give you the "look". Retailers won't mention that, but if you go to Epiphones website, they do mention it. This doesn't mean it's not a good guitar by any means. What it does mean, is that, it's missing a few key elements that make a Les Paul sound like a Les Paul.

As far as gold hardware goes... I like the look of it on some guitars, but i wouldn't have it. After playing it regularly for a few monts, the chrome will start to come through, and eventually you'll have two toned hardware.
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# 14
muddywaters
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09/24/2005 10:53 pm
I had a Epiphone Special, and it would'nt hold its intoneanation. So I started to look at SG's and did some research. Gibson sells a SG faded for around $650. But here's the interesting stuff. Sammic Makes most of Gibsons guitars in Korea(Gibson makes them for it's special customers now). I picked up a Greg Bennet SG (TR-1) for $150 (retail $599) because a friend at work made a mistake. He bought a righty for his lefty daughter, my gain. The TR-1 has a mohogany body, mohogany set neck, Duncan design pick ups. Watch out for the TR-2, TR-3, TR-4, they have laminated necks. :) The name really does'nt mean anything it's the materials and construction that counts.
# 15
shoe72
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09/26/2005 5:21 am
I've owned and do own many different models of Gibson's and Epi-phonys. In my opinion, when price is an issue, epiphones are great alternatives. I gotta say that ALL elecronics need switched out. vol.& tone pots, toggle, and pickups of course all gotta go. get Gibson replacements and then your in there.
Materials are a big consideration also. But, if price is an issue. Uninsulated feedback crazed pickups and volume controls that barely "fade" but act as "on/off" switches are more important to consider than wheather the core of the guitar is mahogany or alder. :)
# 16
6strngs_2hmbkrs
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09/27/2005 6:46 am
Originally Posted by: PonyOneYou can get the faded SG and IMHO, if you're dead set on a Gibson product, it's a better way to go. I only really sort of trust Gibson's quality, since I've had friends who have had to take their Gibson's back for repairs for stuff my Fenders shrug off, but after my experience with Epiphone, I still trust Gibson more. Plus as far as I know, the faded SG is physically nearly identical; drop some nicer picups in and you've got no reason to ever buy a nicer SG.

my faded sg almost looks better then the high end SG's. it just needs trapezoid inlays and pickup covers. also, you throw a 498T in the bridge, and it has identical pickups to alot of gibsons higher end guitars (including the les paul supreme, a $3000 guitar!!!) changing out the pickups is the one thing I would consider doing to this guitar, it has way too much bass in the bridge pickup to make anything sound good. (the neck pickup is really good though!) I highly recommend this guitar (though, I think I've already recommended it once already in this thread... sorry!)
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# 17
Fenderalltheway
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10/03/2005 10:00 pm
(i think) one is more of a beginer brand and the other one is more pro, tho im not sure, im not very into gibson actully, dont trust wat i say about this i no close to nothing about epiphone lol, or 2 add to that not much about gibson ither
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# 18

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