Opinions on Epiphone

[posternutbag]

I am looking for opinions on Epiphone guitars, specifically SG and Les Paul clones. I have been a Fender player my whole life, and have never really looked into Gibson or Epiphone. That being said, I wouldn’t hesitate to gig a Squier Classic Vibe. Is there a CV equivalent from a Epiphone?

[rmp]

Originally Posted by posternutbag

I am looking for opinions on Epiphone guitars, specifically SG and Les Paul clones. I have been a Fender player my whole life, and have never really looked into Gibson or Epiphone. That being said, I wouldn’t hesitate to gig a Squier Classic Vibe. Is there a CV equivalent from a Epiphone?

not sure there is a EQ for classic vibes, but there's quite a range of models.

If you were to buy one, LP /SG Standard I don't think you will be disappointed.

IME the QC from the Far East imports are pretty consistent.

Overall in the last decade, the quality in general has been quite good re: Epiphone. Better hardware, better electronics.

[Steve DeRosa]

IME the pickups are excellent - every bit the equal of the first-run Gibson PAF reissues I had in my '86 SG '61 RI - but the rest of the package is mediocre to middling at best, and many of the necks have a chunky hard-D profile that can be a real pain (literally) to handle; if you're looking for a vaguely "Les Paul" solid in this price range, check out an Ibanez AR420/520 - better total package IMO...

[Texsunburst59]

This thread started out as you wanting opinions on Epiphone guitars, and ended up with not having an issue with gigging a Squier Classic Vibe.

I'm not really sure if you're looking for a Squier CV Strat or Tele.

I see in your sig, that you own a Fender Deluxe Nashville Tele, which is a combination of a Strat & Tele, and new is about $1k.

Now you want to a buy a $450 Squier CV instead of the Nashville Tele?

This makes no sense to me why you'd want to buy an Epi or Squier to gig over the Nashville Tele.

You already have a WAY better gigging guitar in the Nashville Tele, than you could find in any Epi or Squier new or used.

[rmp]

Originally Posted by Texsunburst59

This thread started out as you wanting opinions on Epiphone guitars, and ended up with not having an issue with gigging a Squier Classic Vibe.

I'm not really sure if you're looking for a Squier CV Strat or Tele.

I see in your sig, that you own a Fender Deluxe Nashville Tele, which is a combination of a Strat & Tele, and new is about $1k.

Now you want to a buy a $450 Squier CV instead of the Nashville Tele?

This makes no sense to me why you'd want to buy an Epi or Squier to gig over the Nashville Tele.

You already have a WAY better gigging guitar in the Nashville Tele, than you could find in any Epi or Squier new or used.

he's not talking about gigging persay.

He is simply asking for opinions, wrt the Epiphone QC is as good as the Squire CV.

[lowrider]

I was at GC last week looking for the Epi 335 or 339. They didn't have either one, but they did have two of the new Epi Les Pauls; the LP Modern and an LP Classic worn.

I've never owned an electric, so I'm not a great judge but I tried both of them and they were beautifully made and sounded great to me.

Take a look at this one;

https://www.epiphone.com/Guitar/EPIM...ged-Dark-Burst

[posternutbag]

Originally Posted by Texsunburst59

This thread started out as you wanting opinions on Epiphone guitars, and ended up with not having an issue with gigging a Squier Classic Vibe.

I'm not really sure if you're looking for a Squier CV Strat or Tele.

I see in your sig, that you own a Fender Deluxe Nashville Tele, which is a combination of a Strat & Tele, and new is about $1k.

Now you want to a buy a $450 Squier CV instead of the Nashville Tele?

This makes no sense to me why you'd want to buy an Epi or Squier to gig over the Nashville Tele.

You already have a WAY better gigging guitar in the Nashville Tele, than you could find in any Epi or Squier new or used.

Yeah, so, like I said, I have always been a Fender player, but I am looking for a new sound to add to my pallet, specifically a slide sound.

I could buy a Gibson, but I was interested in opinions as to the quality of Gibson’s budget import line, Epiphone, because I have played a lot of Squiers, which is Fender’s budget import line. In particular, I have been favorably impressed by the Classic Vibe line of Squiers, so I was wondering if Epiphone had an “upscale” line, similar to the CVs.

I could play slide on my Strat or my Tele, but I really like humbucker sound for slide, and I would like to have a guitar dedicated to slide, one where I could raise the action and put on heavier strings.

Hope all that makes sense now.

[Paleolith54]

Originally Posted by posternutbag

Yeah, so, like I said, I have always been a Fender player, but I am looking for a new sound to add to my pallet, specifically a slide sound.

I could buy a Gibson, but I was interested in opinions as to the quality of Gibson’s budget import line, Epiphone, because I have played a lot of Squiers, which is Fender’s budget import line. In particular, I have been favorably impressed by the Classic Vibe line of Squiers, so I was wondering if Epiphone had an “upscale” line, similar to the CVs.

I could play slide on my Strat or my Tele, but I really like humbucker sound for slide, and I would like to have a guitar dedicated to slide, one where I could raise the action and put on heavier strings.

Hope all that makes sense now.

Your initial post was perfectly clear, FWIW.

[FrankHudson]

I own and have owned several of the modern Squire line and a smaller number of Epiphones and Gibsons. Here are a few observations that may be helpful.

I believe that different, desirable, and many cases, preferred sounds are available in higher priced acoustic guitars over their lower priced "a likes." You may note in my sig that I haven't indulged that belief to degree that others have, but I say that to say that I don't believe the same thing is true of electric guitars. That's not to say there aren't differences, including subtle sound differences. My belief includes the observation that the electric guitar is part of a more complex system than an acoustic guitar, and that the things that add the most of the electric's contribution are inexpensive and relatively easily "cloned."

Like Squier, the overall build quality and quality of the parts including pickups have improved quite a bit this century. That doesn't mean there aren't bad examples out there. In particular the pickups on Epis I experienced back in the day were very hard to be exited about, while the humbucker on my Epi 335 Pro are good enough for my purposes. I would not have said that circa 2000.

My Gibson's are from the somewhat unloved faded series. I believe I prefer the 57 Classics in my Gibson Les Paul to those in my Epi 335, but it's not night and day. On the other hand, I also have an Epi 339 P90 model and the pickup are glorious! I once had an inexpensive LP Jr type which I put a Gibson P90 on. I prefer the Epi.

I had to deal with a couple of high frets on my 339. My 335 had no fret issues. Both have unbound f-holes and are not as pretty in the fine furniture manner as some Gibsons, but this doesn't concern me.

I'd think from what I've heard here and elsewhere that if you go with the Inspired by Gibson level Epis or similar parts of their current line you should feel you have Classic Vibe level quality. Will you like the necks, balance, weights, control locations? I can't tell--a lot of that is personal.

I'm going to make one suggestion, based on your desire to use this for slide: you may not know it, but you need to try a P90 equipped guitar. Let me say that again: you need to consider a P90 guitar. The kinds of sounds slide players go for differs, but a P90 and a slide just fit together so well.

[redir]

Epiphone LP's and SG's are excellent guitars, buy with confidence.

[rmp]

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

In particular the pickups on Epis I experienced back in the day were very hard to be exited about, while the humbucker on my Epi 335 Pro are good enough for my purposes. I would not have said that circa 2000.

The pickups before they started stocking them with pro-buckers, it was a crap shot. Muddy, no dynamics, and fed back (microphonic) easily. Yuck!

The machine heads were just not good. Cheap, flimsy, just felt blah..

All the gold plating on guitars that had gold hardware was pretty much gone from where frequent contact with your hands were after a few months

The more recent ones, are vastly better.

[ChrisN]

I'm with Frank in loving the Epi 339 P90's pickups (actually bought 2 spare sets for projects), but I'm with Steve in urging "try it first" caution re: Epi's Slim Taper D neck that comes on the ones BEFORE "Inspired by Gibson" (IBG) guitars (those use a C neck, that is probably pretty nice). But, the Epi 339 IBG isn't yet offered with the P90s, so I'm hanging onto mine, which is just a great guitar.

[BoneDigger]

I generally agree with all that has been saidso far. The non-IBG Epiphone Les Pauls I have played were not bad, especially with the newer pickups. I now own two of the higher end Epi LPs and to me, they are great guitars. Definately a step up from the previous versions.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

...My Gibsons are from the somewhat unloved Faded series....

I'm going to make one suggestion, based on your desire to use this for slide: you may not know it, but you need to try a P90 equipped guitar...

Unloved - not in my book, nor anyone else who's heard/played my SG Faded bass:



- or the Faded LP '60s Tribute P-90/goldtop that I use for straight R&R and surf (been playing since surf's heyday in 1962, and I've yet to find a better surf guitar - fatter than any Fender, a match for the best original Mosrites, and tough bananas if anyone doesn't like the under-the-bed '56 LP looks ):

[mherrcat]

Epiphone has a new (?) "'59 Les Paul Standard" model for $800 that sounds nice. The YouTube video link shows a comparison with a Gibson Les Paul. You can hear the difference, but just barely.

I bought one of their Les Paul Standard models used a few years ago for about $250 and swapped out all the electronics and put in some PAF copy pickups from Stewart McDonald. It sounds great. I noticed there are a lot of used Epiphone Les Paul models out there. The new ones are using "Indian Laurel" fingerboards; no experience with that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2PKnjBuldA