Members Ron Burgandy Posted July 17, 2012 Members Share Posted July 17, 2012 lol no one watched.. attention span zero.. too busy big noting yourselves..You guys aren't American by any chance?Yeah I went there.. but.. it's not like the Epi vs Gibson thing was any more riveting.The point of the story is.. the sustain on that Epi was crazy. More than 3 times that of the Gibsons, possibly because of sweet spot.. but still.. there needs to be more vids testing that {censored}.. everyone talks about sustain like it's this mystical element.. but bend a note, get a stop watch and compare guitars.. at least that way, there is some kind of rough reference point. Actually, I did watch it and commented that their conclusion was that they were all good guitars on the first page :poke: Anyway, I don't hold stop watches up to my guitars when I play them. If I need more sustain I turn the rig up louder, but really I doubt I'll ever be holding a note for the 27 or whatever seconds that guitar sustained for. In addition, as noted above, I have an Epi LPC and a Gibson LP Standard. One feels like a finely crafted, handmade instrument made of nice cuts of wood and plays like a dream. It rings like a bell, the fretboard feels amazing, the fit and finish is fantastic, and reminds me of a handmade violin. My Epiphone, while still a nice rock guitar, isn't on par. Fretboard feels like plastic with a wood grain pattern, whole guitar feels like it's dipped in plastic, it seems kinda dead in comparison to my Gibson, fretwork is rough, the electronics have crapped out more than once, and overall I don't enjoy playing it nearly as much. Also it doesn't seem to sit evenly when I play it... not sure what that's all about. However, I can and have gigged with it, and anyone that can play would have no trouble making it work. The bottom line? Play whatever the hell feels best to you. There are a ton of subjective nuances that we all look for in the perfect axe, and some are subtle differences that only the player will notice. If that makes you more comfortable when playing it, I would think it would bring out your best playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ron Burgandy Posted July 17, 2012 Members Share Posted July 17, 2012 I remember you having trying japan epis that were pretty good? Would you consider them "epiphones"? Or just japan gibbys? (well they used to be orvilles). Were they nitro finished or polyester? What is really characteristic is the sense of ...furniture finish gibsons have. Makes you feel good (if you like it, or the smell) even before plugging in.What exactly does epiphone mean anyway? They were made everywhere from many different factories subcontracted? For me it is a way for gibson to have cheap copies of the originals in shape without being immediately related to the "quality" of the US made line...Also some nice models that were never available from gibson like the del ray, or even weird colours shapes etc that wouldn't exactly make sense for the more serious parent company.Until I saw the zoot that is... I remember the Epiphones I played in Japan were very nice, and felt much closer to actual Gibsons. However that was... 6 or 7 years ago and I also wasn't playing them side by side with a comparative Gibson. I will say they were head and shoulders above the run of the mill Epiphones sold here in the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DarkHorseJ27 Posted July 17, 2012 Members Share Posted July 17, 2012 coke > pepsi fact. If you disagree, your tastebuds are wrong I find it to be an interesting fact that most people that claim to like coke better actually like Pepsi better in a blind taste test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jlb32 Posted July 17, 2012 Members Share Posted July 17, 2012 I've tried to like Epiphones but they just don't feel and play very good IMO. They feel kind of plasticy and toyish. About the same when comparing ESP's to Ltd.'s. I wish I could like them because it would save a ton of money. I guess the best suggestion to someone just getting into playing guitar would be to stay with the lower lines and you won't know what you are missing. IMO once you have played and got use to the feel and playability of the higher to middle end guitars going to the lower end guitars just doesn't work regardless of if they can be made to sound similar or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SnowStorm Posted July 17, 2012 Members Share Posted July 17, 2012 Just get a PRS SE Singlecut, swap out the pickups and put good ones in and call it a day. Good build quality and great sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarbilly74 Posted July 17, 2012 Members Share Posted July 17, 2012 I think we are lucky to have Epiphones and LTDs these days. We're at a point in guitar manufacturing that almost ANY guitar costing $100 and up is a gig-worthy instrument with a few upgrades. This is a huge improvement from when I started to play in the late 70's and early 80's, when beginner guitars had so many issues that turning them into a gig quality instrument meant almost rebuilding the guitar completely. These days, most guitars have decent action and intonation right out of the box, solid hardware, a good truss rod and decent electronics. You install a set of good pickups, get a proper set up and maybe a better nut and you can gig with a beginner's guitar all day long, especially for bar/small venue gigs. So it's great to have all these options. I still teach guitar here and there and it's amazing the resources and gear kids starting out today have for not a lot of money. However, the top of the line guitar brands are still making better than average instruments. A mid-to-high level Gibson guitar is still considerably better than an entry level guitar, as it should be. Whether you will notice the difference or not, says more about your ability to discern the small details that make a high quality guitar than whether the details are there or not. Because trust me, they're there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cobrahead1030 Posted July 17, 2012 Members Share Posted July 17, 2012 I remember how badly beginner guitars sucked in the mid 90's... Thank God I lucked out with a MIM fender ele as my first instrument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rey Gato Posted July 17, 2012 Members Share Posted July 17, 2012 What the {censored} was that bull{censored} about Epiphone painting the binding on? That's the biggest pile of dreck I've ever heard. I have an Epi LP Standard Plus, and the binding is real {censored}ing binding. Have they changed this feature for 2012? As for the Gibson vs Epi thing, I've owned plenty of Gibsons, but only one Epiphone. I really like my Epi LP. It doesn't feel cheap or plasticky. It doesn't feel like a toy at all. The Gibson Les Pauls I've had were decent guitars, and yeah probably better than my Epi LP, but considering I bought the Epi for $300, it's not really surprising. Since a Gibson LP Standard costs about 5 times that used, I have to ask: is the Gibson really 5 times better than an Epi? I've owned 4 Gibson LP Standards (actually I lie, one of them was a Deluxe with humbuckers), and none of them were good enough that I didn't end up selling them. The only Gibson I currently own is an SG Standard, and My Epi LP sounds better and plays better (upgraded pickups of course). I don't have a problem with people who would rather pay more for a Gibson for whatever difference they perceive, imagined or real, but I don't think the differences are big enough to warrant the enormous difference in price. Back in the 80's, and even the 90's, cheap guitars were {censored}. I mean they really were unplayable pieces of garbage. Now you can go on Rondo Music, or Guitar Fetish, and buy a guitar for a couple hundred bucks, and while they may not be heirloom quality instruments, you can actually use one for its intended purpose. You can play a tune on one. They will intonate. holy {censored}! I enjoy playing my Epi LP as much (ok, almost as much) as my handmade Lado. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members -todgemistro- Posted July 17, 2012 Members Share Posted July 17, 2012 cheap Epi + some nice boutique pickups = better guitar than Gibson for half the price. Name brands are for people like Paris Hilton. This. There are some crap Epiphones but find a good one and they're solid guitars. Still prefer mine to many Gibsons I've tried. The only problem is that after playing my Gibson & Pearl for a bit the thinner/flatter neck profile of the Epiphone can start to give me hand cramps Shame as it sounds so good and does play very nicely. The sustain on that Epiphone compared to the Gibsons was ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dcooper830 Posted July 17, 2012 Members Share Posted July 17, 2012 I don't get the "dipped in plastic... feels like a toy..." comments. I completely disagree I think they feel like a fine instrument and not toy-like in any way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JR13 Posted July 17, 2012 Members Share Posted July 17, 2012 Yeah, because Pepsi has NEVER lost a blind taste test to Coke. it hasn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Miter Gauge Posted July 17, 2012 Members Share Posted July 17, 2012 This thread is making me GAS hard for an Epiphone. It's a great time to be a guitar player, you get a lot of gear for your money these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cropduster Posted July 17, 2012 Members Share Posted July 17, 2012 I've had Gibsons that sounded heavenly and some meh. I've got a Epi Les Paul that sounds like junk and an Epi V that sounds better than any Gibson V I've ever played. Sometimes they have "accidents" at the Epi factory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members spawnofthesith Posted July 18, 2012 Members Share Posted July 18, 2012 I had a studio for a bit. It was definitely no standard... Ended up offing it because it was pretty on par in terms of tone and quality with my Korean guitars, but with a higher price tag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fretless Posted July 18, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 18, 2012 IME there is good and bad versions of most instruments , or maybe not so much good or bad but one that speaks to you more for whatever reason . ex. I never bonded with a stunning black Standard I had and sold it off . My current studio smartwood oddity though is pure magic . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crunchtime Posted July 18, 2012 Members Share Posted July 18, 2012 I think we are lucky to have Epiphones and LTDs these days. We're at a point in guitar manufacturing that almost ANY guitar costing $100 and up is a gig-worthy instrument with a few upgrades. This is a huge improvement from when I started to play in the late 70's and early 80's, when beginner guitars had so many issues that turning them into a gig quality instrument meant almost rebuilding the guitar completely. These days, most guitars have decent action and intonation right out of the box, solid hardware, a good truss rod and decent electronics. You install a set of good pickups, get a proper set up and maybe a better nut and you can gig with a beginner's guitar all day long, especially for bar/small venue gigs. So it's great to have all these options. I still teach guitar here and there and it's amazing the resources and gear kids starting out today have for not a lot of money. However, the top of the line guitar brands are still making better than average instruments. A mid-to-high level Gibson guitar is still considerably better than an entry level guitar, as it should be. Whether you will notice the difference or not, says more about your ability to discern the small details that make a high quality guitar than whether the details are there or not. Because trust me, they're there. For sure. When I started in the late 80's I bought a $350 guitar that I now realize was junk compared to $350 guitars available today. If you consider inflation that's saying something for what's available today. Also, if there was {censored} like internet and youtube back then I'd probably {censored}ing shred now. lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tommy Horrible Posted July 18, 2012 Members Share Posted July 18, 2012 Gibson FTMFW / thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zeppelin Rules Posted July 18, 2012 Members Share Posted July 18, 2012 I don't get the "dipped in plastic... feels like a toy..." comments.I completely disagree I think they feel like a fine instrument and not toy-like in any way. I'm assuming that's directed at me (sans quote). I've found that I reallllllly hate the poly finishes they put on them. Especially on the back of the neck, it just has no slide to it whatsoever. I ended up going over my Epi with 000 steel wool to smooth it out. You can argue about the resonant qualities of poly vs nitro till the cows come home, but for me it's all about the feel. Now, to be fair, both of my Gibbys have faded finishes, so they're a little smoother than your average finish right off the bat, but a good nitro finished neck will become worn smooth the more you play it and only feel better over time. As for the 'feels like a toy' criterion, I can't really explain it any other way. When I pick up an Epi, it feels cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members primeholy Posted July 18, 2012 Members Share Posted July 18, 2012 When I first got my Gibby Studio after playing an epi for about 2 years, it was awkward. The gibby seemed harder to play at first, but I just had to get used to it. Now I have a Standard, but would rather have my studio than the epi. The epi was a pretty guitar too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sgt mukuzi Posted July 18, 2012 Members Share Posted July 18, 2012 its not really a fair test but the standard sounds better at the end of the clip imo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members imgooley Posted July 18, 2012 Members Share Posted July 18, 2012 Rather have a Hondo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members NaturalBornBoy Posted July 18, 2012 Members Share Posted July 18, 2012 Rather have a Hohner Fixed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members imgooley Posted July 18, 2012 Members Share Posted July 18, 2012 Fixed I already have a Hohner, now I need a Hondo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members drewl Posted July 18, 2012 Members Share Posted July 18, 2012 I only buy the really old Gibsons, which are much better than the ones built nowadays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members satannica Posted July 18, 2012 Members Share Posted July 18, 2012 This thread is making me GAS hard for an Epiphone. It's a great time to be a guitar player, you get a lot of gear for your money these days. Personally, I think that fact has waned in recent years; there's a lot of utter trash out there that's commanding near on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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