Listen To These New 'Inspired By Gibson' Epiphones

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

Looks mighty fine to me.
You could treat the bridge and fretboard with a little Music Nomad F-One conditioner if you wanted to darken up their color ... or not.

Yeah, that's the only thing I'd do to BoneDigger's new Bird. That rosewood is way too light!

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

....that name, tradition, genuineness, perceived mystique and the “Made in the U.S.A” is representative of a higher value to some folks, myself included.....

Heh, me too. When I started "collecting" (and playing), I acquired five Epiphone Masterbilts over a period of a couple years. Loved 'em. They're all gone now. I've got a Gibson Songwriter 12-string that is just superb and sounds great, but I'm really loving my Guilds, both 6- and 12-strings.

[Martin_F]

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

I want to like the videos by the JP guy that was at the start of the thread. I too want a range of affordable, but different sounding instruments myself, and he's obviously a good player who puts me to shame. But to my sense he pitches too hard in the OP's linked video. I have no reason to know that isn't just his honest opinion, but the pitch is so like a slick salesman with an informal just-between-us sheen to it, that I can't help but be skeptical.

I have watched many of his videos and I don't think JP is trying to play the salesman. I think he is very much for the "underdog" guitars that aren't in the highest price brackets. Of course, he also plugs Boucher, which he plays regularly and now Gallagher, as the guitar of one of his hero's, Doc Watson. However, a theme in many of his videos are cheaper guitars that can sound as nice or just about as nice as the higher priced guitars. I don't think he can be faulted for this. I doubt very much that he is getting rich from companies paying him to push product. I don't think his views are that high to warrant any serious money/goods changing hands. He says that he has been playing Yamaha's since the 70's.

He does make those Epiphones sound nice though. It makes me a little more interested in them. I hope that I can find one to try one of these days. I would very much be interested in a Hummingbird.

Martin

[BoneDigger]

I'm not sure if it's just this particular Hummingbird, but this guitar is not lacking in bottom end in any way, shape, or fashion. Like I said in my easier post, I sat down with the Gibson and the Epi and the Epi gave up very little to the Gibson.

[reeve21]

I'm one of those who thinks the Farida knock off of the L-00 is great, it has a really dry tone. It may not have the same "bite" as the Gibson, but at a small fraction of the cost I'm good with it for a finger-picking blues box

Makes me think I might like the "inspired by" J 45. A couple of you folks are giving me gas

[FrankHudson]

I was at a local GC today (first time since the pandemic) for a brief stop. Decided to look into the acoustic room and saw one of these Epi J45s. I played it for about 3 minutes. I'm a cross-picking flat picker mostly. Take the rest of this for what it's worth.

Nice guitar. Sounded good, well balanced for a dread. I'm not a booming low end guy, but I didn't feel it was deficient there. Looked and felt good, even had good playing action.

I have a 'hog dread I'm OK with, but if this had a 1.75 or better nut I'd consider it personally. Of course many like the slightly narrower nut or don't care, so that's not a knock, just personal preference.

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by Martin_F

I have watched many of his videos and I don't think JP is trying to play the salesman. I think he is very much for the "underdog" guitars that aren't in the highest price brackets. Of course, he also plugs Boucher, which he plays regularly and now Gallagher, as the guitar of one of his hero's, Doc Watson. However, a theme in many of his videos are cheaper guitars that can sound as nice or just about as nice as the higher priced guitars. I don't think he can be faulted for this. I doubt very much that he is getting rich from companies paying him to push product. I don't think his views are that high to warrant any serious money/goods changing hands. He says that he has been playing Yamaha's since the 70's.

He does make those Epiphones sound nice though. It makes me a little more interested in them. I hope that I can find one to try one of these days. I would very much be interested in a Hummingbird.

Martin

I too play inexpensive guitars, happily. I want good, valid sounding instruments to be affordable, just as JP expresses.* When he suddenly has three of this new line and says that they are are better than most of the Gibson models the are patterned after, that's were I suddenly think I'm listening to a salesman, not a guy telling us how he's found a useful music making tool that meets his needs. But of course folks are misunderstood, and I misunderstand folks too.



*I just posted to the thread on a short experience with the Epi J45. It does seem to be nice guitar, even it's design isn't what I would buy personally. If he'd said "nice guitar, and I'll happily play it, and you don't need to spend 4K Canadian for something that works" I'd just be saying amen JP!

[FingahPickah]

My favorite local shop just got some of these "Inspired" Epiphones in stock... I would be very interested to play the J45s... Always loved the classic look as well as the feel of a short scale sloped dread. Don't have a tobacco sunburst in the tool box or anything with a classic J45 sound.. if they sound and play like many reviews claim ... An all solid wood "Gibson" design for $700 or less... could be very tempting...

I haven't read every post - have any fellow AGF'ers played one?

P.S. - I'm reminded of the "Are you a guitar snob?" AGF threads as I wonder about these Epi-s. I wonder how many players would simply not be interested because of the logo.. Yikes...what if my other guitars are snobs?

[steverok]

I am interested in these also. IMO, the bling on this Epi J-200 is clearly not as classy looking as on the Gibson version, and the sunburst on their J-45 is simply not a Gibson J45 burst. No one's is, really. Looks-wise, I think the new Epi Hummingbird is the pick of the bunch.

[BoneDigger]

I have now had a chance to play all three, the Hummingbird, J200, and the J45. The Hummingbird was definately my favorite of the bunch.

[fpuhan]

I have long said (well, for a few years, anyway) that the "little brother" brands (Epiphone, Squier, etc.) have been working to break out of the shadows. As prices for the "mainstream" models has gone up and innovation has all but disappeared, the "new" stuff originates at a price point that is more appealing to the -consumer- and not the cork-sniffer.

Call me a reformed cork-sniffer. It used to be the name on the headstock was all-important. Imagine my surprise when I got a $149 Gretsch Jim Dandy that just powers the sound and is a nifty player (I just wish it had 14 frets)!

[FingahPickah]

All righty then.... I just came from my favorite local shop where I tried out the Epi "Inspired by Gibson" J45 ..in fact I played it against two new Gibson J45s (both really nice reissues)..... one was an all black '50s and the other a cherry red '68.

In short, the Epi's body was noticeably heavier, the neck was chunkier than the slimmer, tapered Gibsons (but comfortable), the pickguard was quite thick, the action and intonation were good ... and the sound was amazing. Did the Gibsons sound better?.... I say marginally but not overwhelmingly.

But.... the Epi sounded really, really good for a $700.00 all solid sloped shoulder dread.... I have purchased several guitars from the shop and he offered me 15% off... which means $600 for the Epi vs. nearly 5 times $ more for one of the Gibsons....
Hope I don't regret sleeping on it vs pulling the trigger on the spot.

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by BoneDigger

I have now had a chance to play all three, the Hummingbird, J200, and the J45. The Hummingbird was definately my favorite of the bunch.

OP here ... I've ordered one.

Aged Cherry Sunburst finish with hard case.

[jricc]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

OP here ... I've ordered one.

Aged Cherry Sunburst finish with hard case.

Nice one Brucebubs! Look forward to your thoughts!

[Wildgift]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

OP here ... I've ordered one.

Aged Cherry Sunburst finish with hard case.

Where did you order from?