A: Gibson can make a great product.
B: I don't believe you have to pay Gibson prices to get Gibson quality.
If you want to pay top dollar for Gibson, PRS, et al. Go right ahead. Those are great guitars.
For me that would be a dreadful waste of money that would make me inconsolable. Even if I were to buy a Gibson, it would be used and at a giveaway price. I wouldn't mind owning one. I just don't think they're worth the money.
Before I'd buy a Gibson, I'd by the Epi, rewire it, add GFS pickups, mod the hardware and have a guitar that plays and sounds so close to a high priced Gibson that it would make the stockholders sad. Also, I'd take my family to Disney World with the difference in Gibson price and what I spent.
Besides which, I think most Epi Standards play well and sound pretty good anyway.
I've been playing guitar for over 40 years and was around when Fender and Gibson were the only game in town. They're not anymore and it's silly to presume that they are.
I have seen all kinds of guitars wear badly, suffer abuse and look like {censored}. I believe it's called relic'ing.
+1