EPIPHONE Guitars: The good, the bad and the not so ugly??

ZarK · 2010-07-07T11:56:39+00:00

In my quest for some decent budget guitars to be used for alternate tunings only, I have considered many. One brand that stuck in my mind over the years is E...

EPIPHONE Guitars: The good, the bad and the not so ugly??

BMU

PRS SE? Aren't they in the same R5k price range?

Just tell me to STFU if I'm talking out of line, I don't know much about all o' them vintage style guitars. All I know is that SE Custom 24 I bought on a whim has amazing resonance (I'm talking about how the wood rings out when not played through an amp), seems well made and really pretty. (There's photos and a thread in My Gear somewhere) And it's mahogany, although only with a maple veneer (we're talking about a R5000 guitar here c'mon). Just a thought...

ZarK

BMU wrote: PRS SE? Aren't they in the same R5k price range?

Just tell me to STFU if I'm talking out of line, I don't know much about all o' them vintage style guitars. All I know is that SE Custom 24 I bought on a whim has amazing resonance (I'm talking about how the wood rings out when not played through an amp), seems well made and really pretty. (There's photos and a thread in My Gear somewhere) And it's mahogany, although only with a maple veneer (we're talking about a R5000 guitar here c'mon). Just a thought...

I'm fond of PRS SE's. For their price I think they offer a lot. I especially like the Tremonti, Allender and Custom 24 models...

ZarK

I put in an offer on an Epi Les Paul Custom yesterday. If accepted, I'm well on the way to see how much Gibson I can get out of an Epiphone... Will keep you posted...

doncorleone

there's this Ibanez Artcore Semi - hollow. It kinda sounds like a les paul. but thats my opinion only.

ZarK

I checked out some Epiphone Les Pauls yesterday and (?). Back in the 90's The Epi's I tested had a better finish than the Gibsons I tested, but the new ones are a totally different ballgame... I tested a Standard and a Custom. The Standard's fit and finish was terrible! The Custom was much better but still had some obvious flaws all round. If this is the standard of the current Epiphones, there is no way I'm buying one. The only positive was that the Epi Custom's feel and tone was very close to the real deal. (At almost a tenth of the price!) Quality wise the Tokais and PRS SE's I’ve seen are way superior to the Epi’s I saw yesterday.

I'll check out some other Epi's at a larger shop before I decide if this will continue to be my verdict. The shop I was at is quite small and they told me they had just received this "special batch". Their prices are low and I wouldn't be surprised if these guitars where rejects not intended for sale that the shop picked up for cheap... >☹

doncorleone

ZarK wrote: I checked out some Epiphone Les Pauls yesterday and (?). Back in the 90's The Epi's I tested had a better finish than the Gibsons I tested, but the new ones are a totally different ballgame... I tested a Standard and a Custom. The Standard's fit and finish was terrible! The Custom was much better but still had some obvious flaws all round. If this is the standard of the current Epiphones, there is no way I'm buying one. The only positive was that the Epi Custom's feel and tone was very close to the real deal. (At almost a tenth of the price!) Quality wise the Tokais and PRS SE's I’ve seen are way superior to the Epi’s I saw yesterday.

I'll check out some other Epi's at a larger shop before I decide if this will continue to be my verdict. The shop I was at is quite small and they told me they had just received this "special batch". Their prices are low and I wouldn't be surprised if these guitars where rejects not intended for sale that the shop picked up for cheap... >☹

if only Gibson's were as cheap as the Epiphones..

AlanRatcliffe

Someone is bringing some in - not directly, but the prices are still reasonable. The Bothners branches and Marshall here in CT each seem to have a few.

I also looked at some of the new Cort LPs (not sure what the model is), and they are in the Epi Ballpark at R3600 - R4200 (IIRC). I played three and one was a bit iffy, one was alright and one was quite nice (didn't plug them in though). Different shape pickguard and headstock as well as a slightly thinner body. the top carve is a bit different too.

doncorleone

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Someone is bringing some in - not directly, but the prices are still reasonable. The Bothners branches and Marshall here in CT each seem to have a few.

I also looked at some of the new Cort LPs (not sure what the model is), and they are in the Epi Ballpark at R3600 - R4200 (IIRC). I played three and one was a bit iffy, one was alright and one was quite nice (didn't plug them in though). Different shape pickguard and headstock as well as a slightly thinner body. the top carve is a bit different too.

what is that guitar in your prof pic?

AlanRatcliffe

http://www.ratcliffe.co.za/gear/sanox/

Bob-Dubery

I was at Music Connection today. The got Gibsons, lots of Epiphones, lots of Tokais. So clearly somebody is bringing Gibson and Epiphone into the country.

ZarK

vic wrote: Should Zark still wish to proceed with his upgrading project, my advice to him (if I may) is to replace the Epi PUPS with a pair of Customshop PAFS, even it's expensive. But not just any ol' Epi...it MUST have a mahogany body and a mahogany -set-neck and a solid maple cap. Buy it used if possible.
Doing this will ensure that the sound is at least not tinny (as in metal) and hopefully the mahogany and maple cap will come to the party as well.
I am eagerly looking forward to the result...good luck! ?

PS: you may also need to change the tone caps to bumblebees...I dunno

Eish... I’ve decided to postpone my Epiphone upgrading expedition for the time being…

Two reasons:

1. The new Epis I’ve tested are not nearly the quality I remember when last testing Epi’s in the 90’s…
2. I’ve just purchased an ESP Truckster. (What a great guitar!)

DonovanB

ZarK wrote: 2. I’ve just purchased an ESP Truckster. (What a great guitar!)

Naaaiis. I like those animals. When will we see pics?

singemonkey

ZarK wrote:
1. The new Epis I’ve tested are not nearly the quality I remember when last testing Epi’s in the 90’s…
2. I’ve just purchased an ESP Truckster. (What a great guitar!)

Yeah, I made a bit of a visual inspection of an Epi LP at Marshall and it definitely looked like a "beginner" guitar - in terms of build quality. Oddly though, the Epi Dots looked better put together.

Ltds seem to be a great compromise of quality and affordability. It's just a slight pity that ESP's in-between brand - Edwards - doesn't seem to be available outside Japan. Edwards guitars are considered extremely good bang for buck. They're made in China, but the QC is done in Japan. I've mentioned before that Edwards includes Gibson and Fender clones (as does the Japanese version of LTD called "Grassroots"), but they also do a lot of the ESP original designs - including their artist models.

But yeah. I think you'll have a better base for modding with that LTD than with the current batch of Epi LPs imo.

DonovanB

Epiphone seem to have varying quality across their range.

Of the Epi's I have owned I came to these conclusions;
Les Paul Special - not great. It has the shape and a name but it is so far from anything Les Paul it is scary. Paid R1,000 new
LP100 - A little better, still the thin body but with a slight contour on top and the pick guard to give it that Les Paul look and is merely ok but not great at all. R1500 used
Goth Flying V - Better quality. Had decent tuners, average pups. My main gripe as the body shape which I can't blame Epiphone for. R1800 in kak shape
Zakk Wylde Custom Bullseye - This is a Les Paul. It is heavy, has sustain for days and a nice chunky neck. Some don't like the EMG pups but they are better than the Epi Alcino's to me. R4500 used.

I suppose the old adage that you get what you pay for rings true here. Saying Epiphone make a good Les Paul is true, but not true for all their guitars.

The chances of me buying another Epiphone are slim, unless it is a really good deal on a Custom I'll probably let it pass.

ZarK

Donovan Banks wrote: Epiphone seem to have varying quality across their range.

Of the Epi's I have owned I came to these conclusions;
Les Paul Special - not great. It has the shape and a name but it is so far from anything Les Paul it is scary. Paid R1,000 new
LP100 - A little better, still the thin body but with a slight contour on top and the pick guard to give it that Les Paul look and is merely ok but not great at all. R1500 used
Goth Flying V - Better quality. Had decent tuners, average pups. My main gripe as the body shape which I can't blame Epiphone for. R1800 in kak shape
Zakk Wylde Custom Bullseye - This is a Les Paul. It is heavy, has sustain for days and a nice chunky neck. Some don't like the EMG pups but they are better than the Epi Alcino's to me. R4500 used.

I suppose the old adage that you get what you pay for rings true here. Saying Epiphone make a good Les Paul is true, but not true for all their guitars.

The chances of me buying another Epiphone are slim, unless it is a really good deal on a Custom I'll probably let it pass.

I have the opportunity to buy a brand new Epi Les Paul Custom for R4700 from a local shop. Almost did but the workmanship and finish was just too bad to fork out the cash... Tone was surprisingly good for the price...

In the 90's I played some Epi's that where better finished than the Gibsons I compared them with but recent experience testing guitars has swayed my opinion of both brands in the exact opposite direction... The Tokais I played (granted at twice the price) where also light years ahead of the Epi’s I played… Almost identical to Gibsons, if not better finished. (Please note I keep mentioning ‘that I have played’. I don’t think it’s fair to diss the whole brand based on only 6 or 7 guitars I’ve tested per brand... I suspect that with Gibson and Epiphone out of the country, grey imports are now coming in and that may be a reason why the quality I’ve experienced has dropped, as has the prices?) I don’t think the same quality control is applied when guitars don’t enter through the official channels? I may be wrong.

DonovanB

Epiphone have increased their range a lot since the 90's. My main gripe is with their lower end guitars.

The LTD and PRS SE guitars I've seen have pretty good finishes. So Singemonkey is right, modding those is a pretty good idea.

Where did you see this custom for R4700?

chris77

I have a Epiphone strat that I bought by mistake. Seriously, my cuzzie phoned me up one day and said he's standing in cash converters looking at a Gibson for R1500.00, with a case. I nearly peed myself. So I asked what kind of Gibson, and he said an Epiphone model. Sooo, the penny dropped, but I still asked him to describe it to me. He said naah, you know its that classic electric guitar shape and is black on the back with a pretty black to light brown wood finish on top, and it is spotless. So i'm thinking newish les paul with a nice burst for less than 2grand. Bargain. He offered to buy it and I can just pay him when I go to bloem again. Deal done. Man, what a suprise when I opened the case... It's quite heavy and plays kinda chunky. The build quality is better than my Squier strat, but it doesn't play as nice. I have since played around with pups on it a bit as well. Firstly tried a set of s.c's that I took out of my u.s strat, then added a sd pearly gates bucker in the bridge and finally put in a set of gfs hb size p-90's. Now I'm thinking of adding a active boost circuit as well. So its not a sentimental guitar for me at all, but rather a nice base to try out different things with. And I reckon every player should have one of those.?

singemonkey

ZarK wrote: I suspect that with Gibson and Epiphone out of the country, grey imports are now coming in and that may be a reason why the quality I’ve experienced has dropped, as has the prices?) I don’t think the same quality control is applied when guitars don’t enter through the official channels? I may be wrong.

I believe that they are officially supplied - with the usual Gibson crap of having to carry a lot of stock and take whatever they happen to give them. That's what I've heard anyway. Gibson is notorious for poor quality control. It's much complained about even in the states.

The prices are impressively low. I wonder what's up with that? Is the same true of the Gibson models? If they were priced equivalent to the Epiphones, I reckon that would put a Les Paul Standard at around R20K.

ZarK

Donovan Banks wrote:
ZarK wrote: 2. I’ve just purchased an ESP Truckster. (What a great guitar!)

Naaaiis. I like those animals. When will we see pics?

I'm not modding this one... Love it as is!

ZarK

Donovan Banks wrote: Epiphone have increased their range a lot since the 90's. My main gripe is with their lower end guitars.

The LTD and PRS SE guitars I've seen have pretty good finishes. So Singemonkey is right, modding those is a pretty good idea.

Where did you see this custom for R4700?

A shop in Kuilsrivier (CapeTown). Price is after discount. Les Paul Standard would be around R4000-R4200 from them at my discount. This is as much if not less than most Epi's are advertised for on the second hand market, I’ve noticed! If I had had to go Epi, I would certainly look for an older model. Also, I've only been looking at and referring to Epiphone Les Paul Standards and Customs throughout. None of the other models where of real interest to me at the time...
I agree. The Ltd's and PRS SE's I've tested are substantially better quality than the Epi's I've tested recently. The PRS SE Tremonti is a great Les Paul shape guitar imo.