The_Sentry
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Between all the damned polls, this forum is starting to smell like a fish tank. 
Last week I wrote a post that put forth the argument that Epiphone was dropping the ball. To be fair about it, and to be constructive, I thought I'd follow it up with what I think Epiphone should do...
1. Don't forget what "Epiphone" means historically...
Even though I know Epiphone makes a mint with their Les Paul and other solid body knockoffs...IMHO that's not the heart and soul of Epiphone. I said it in another thread, but what Epiphone stood for was top of the line archtops and hollow bodied guitars that had lots of bling and great tone. I think with this marketing move to cater to the metal crowd, Epiphone's getting away from that, and I am of the impression that this unto itself was a disastrous marketing move.
It's also true that Epiphone makes copies. Well, which product do they offer the best copies of? Here's a clip by DB Cooper that offers an argument towards this assertion:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7o7iv0veTk&feature=channel_page]YouTube - Gibson 335 vs. Epiphone DOT[/ame]
Does anyone hear 2000 dollars worth of tone difference? I don't. And, by and large the best feedback Epiphone has gotten on their products from consumers (no, not guitar mags that are biased due to advertising revenues) ARE towards these archtops and hollow body electric guitars. I'd go so far as to state that the Casino probably has a higher profile these days vs. many of Gibson's ES models because of associations with groups like the Beatles.
If Epiphone is going to R&D, THAT IS WHAT IT SHOULD have went for. Innovations on an archtop. I have nothing against a Les Paul Ultra II, or the Prophecy line, but at the same time....that isn't what Epiphone, as a brand, represents. For the money that they R&D'd into that Ultra, they could have introduced a killer archtop guitar that might have offered an ever broader variety of sounds.
So...as cool as the LP and SG copies are, ARCHTOPS and HOLLOW BODIES are what got Epiphone to the dance, and what brought them back to the dance. It seems like they are really, really forgetting that.
Moving on...
2. If you're going take something away, then give something back.
Needless to say, and I won't waste too many words on this...but cutting the Elitist line was NOT a very popular move...at all. For whatever reason, it's done. No one believes it was associated due to poor sales (the backorder time should have been a clear indicator of this.) But whatever the reason, Epiphone DOES need to offer something "Elite". I'd go right back to that archtop argument for that if Gibson is worried about Epiphone cutting into their market of Les Pauls and SG solid body guitars.
And on Les Pauls...now that they're done with Elitists, how about bringing the Custom Plus back online? It's not like it's lost in the shuffle now is it?
Gibson/Epiphone: Let's have some standards...please!!!
This is about the dumbest marketing move ever. First, you have your Gibsons..top of the line, great guitars. Then you have your Epiphones...cheaper models, but can be upgraded to rival the more expensive Gibsons...with some modifications. Now...question: Has anyone ever tried to find parts for their Epiphone, like a pickguard as an example? How much of this was done via stabbing in the dark vs getting it right? What about those "Gibson/Pure" parts?
This just irks me to no end..if you're going to make a damned copy, then please make the parts interchangeable. There shouldn't be any difference at all between a ring for an Epiphone vs. one for a Gibson. The backplates should measure out the same. The tuner holes should always be the same..and preferably, the pot holes in the body should be the same. (I'm a bit torn on this, but if the manufacturer just went ahead and drilled 3/8" holes for the pots they'd save a lot of people some massive headaches, even if they had to use washers to hold the cheap pots in there.)
I also know there's been a lot of hoopla over Gibson putting a PCB board in their guitars. Should Epiphone follow suit on their solid body guitars? Hell, I don't know...but on these guitars (and I think Gibson should do this anyway), they really should develop a quick connect system so that pickups, as an upgrade, can be completed in a manner of minutes.
On some Epiphones, I'd like to see them instantly upgradable to active EMG pickups if they are already using the passive versions. Maybe that would hurt All Parts business ever so slightly, but at the same time it would probably drive up demand for Gibson aftermarket pickups...especially if it was as easy to replacing as simply unplugging the old pickup, and plugging the new one in. Purists will balk at that, but I suspect the sales for the aftermarket pups would go up if upgrades could be finished in a matter of minutes (with some guitarists even acquiring multiple sets for one guitar.)
Furthermore...Epiphone should put out a list of parts that are compatible with their guitars. If they wanted to make even more money, they should introduce their own aftermarket parts, just like Gibson has. One or the other...but right now? They have NOTHING whatsoever. This is doubly foolish in light of how they're putting really cheap electronics in the guitars in the first place. Arrggghhh....
3. Signature models
This one is probably a bit tougher to call...there's two issues here. You either get the really high profile artist who endorses Gibson to release an Epiphone version, or you find up-and-comers, roll the dice, and hope they make it to the promised land. I have no illusions about the benefits of endorsements. But could we have ONE signature model at a time? I don't see the benefit of offering an ENTIRE LINE of Zakk Wydle signatures when the man doesn't even play the damned guitars in the first place. Same goes for Slash. I can understand the artists designing a model, and trying to give people a good guitar for their money...but at this point it seems like it's coming at the expense of other product lines. One signature model per artist...please...
4. Soapbar pickups
It hasn't escaped my attention that Epiphone MD'd ALL of their guitars which had the P-90 soapbars in 'em. I think this is a serious mistake. If it's a question of giving customers the option of putting in humbuckers, then introduce a size that will work for everyone. But the soapbar, as a single coil pickup, has its place, and when put into a solid body guitar gives it a crisper, punchier sound that offers comparison (or at least a role) against other guitars that exclusively employ these, ie Fender. I also wouldn't mind seeing the '56 Goldtop brought back, or better yet limited edition runs with guitars that are running combinations ala humbuckers in the bridge and soapbars in the neck. A quick connector system on these would also save a lot of people headaches (that, and gearing them for maximum tone against a 500K pot.)
5. Left handed guitars
A final pet peeve. Right now Gibson does not offer a Les Paul model for under 3,800 dollars. What does that leave most people who haven't hit the lotto?
That's right...Epiphone, if they are going to stick with Gibson.
I don't know where this assertion goes towards cutting more and more left handed guitars. More times often than not these models are on back order..this was certainly the case with my Custom. I also do not know why Gibson (or Epiphone, or whoever is making these decisions) only ships 2-3 left handed models, which are typically the LP 100, the Standard, or the Standard Plus. I've never seen a Dot in any of the Guitar Centers (and I travelled across the United States last year), I think I saw ONE G-400 that whole time, and I never saw an Iommi signature....anywhere.
I'd beg for them to bring back the Iommi signature at least....otherwise? Well, modern studies have shown that the amount of actual left handed people in the world might be as high as 20%. Now, if Epiphone wants to write these people off? Maybe it's just me, but it seems stupid to write off that many potential consumers.
Well, that's about all I can think of. I try to make it a habit of at least offering something in return if I'm going to offer harsh criticism...so there it is.
2 cents.
Last week I wrote a post that put forth the argument that Epiphone was dropping the ball. To be fair about it, and to be constructive, I thought I'd follow it up with what I think Epiphone should do...
1. Don't forget what "Epiphone" means historically...
Even though I know Epiphone makes a mint with their Les Paul and other solid body knockoffs...IMHO that's not the heart and soul of Epiphone. I said it in another thread, but what Epiphone stood for was top of the line archtops and hollow bodied guitars that had lots of bling and great tone. I think with this marketing move to cater to the metal crowd, Epiphone's getting away from that, and I am of the impression that this unto itself was a disastrous marketing move.
It's also true that Epiphone makes copies. Well, which product do they offer the best copies of? Here's a clip by DB Cooper that offers an argument towards this assertion:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7o7iv0veTk&feature=channel_page]YouTube - Gibson 335 vs. Epiphone DOT[/ame]
Does anyone hear 2000 dollars worth of tone difference? I don't. And, by and large the best feedback Epiphone has gotten on their products from consumers (no, not guitar mags that are biased due to advertising revenues) ARE towards these archtops and hollow body electric guitars. I'd go so far as to state that the Casino probably has a higher profile these days vs. many of Gibson's ES models because of associations with groups like the Beatles.
If Epiphone is going to R&D, THAT IS WHAT IT SHOULD have went for. Innovations on an archtop. I have nothing against a Les Paul Ultra II, or the Prophecy line, but at the same time....that isn't what Epiphone, as a brand, represents. For the money that they R&D'd into that Ultra, they could have introduced a killer archtop guitar that might have offered an ever broader variety of sounds.
So...as cool as the LP and SG copies are, ARCHTOPS and HOLLOW BODIES are what got Epiphone to the dance, and what brought them back to the dance. It seems like they are really, really forgetting that.
Moving on...
2. If you're going take something away, then give something back.
Needless to say, and I won't waste too many words on this...but cutting the Elitist line was NOT a very popular move...at all. For whatever reason, it's done. No one believes it was associated due to poor sales (the backorder time should have been a clear indicator of this.) But whatever the reason, Epiphone DOES need to offer something "Elite". I'd go right back to that archtop argument for that if Gibson is worried about Epiphone cutting into their market of Les Pauls and SG solid body guitars.
And on Les Pauls...now that they're done with Elitists, how about bringing the Custom Plus back online? It's not like it's lost in the shuffle now is it?
Gibson/Epiphone: Let's have some standards...please!!!
This is about the dumbest marketing move ever. First, you have your Gibsons..top of the line, great guitars. Then you have your Epiphones...cheaper models, but can be upgraded to rival the more expensive Gibsons...with some modifications. Now...question: Has anyone ever tried to find parts for their Epiphone, like a pickguard as an example? How much of this was done via stabbing in the dark vs getting it right? What about those "Gibson/Pure" parts?
This just irks me to no end..if you're going to make a damned copy, then please make the parts interchangeable. There shouldn't be any difference at all between a ring for an Epiphone vs. one for a Gibson. The backplates should measure out the same. The tuner holes should always be the same..and preferably, the pot holes in the body should be the same. (I'm a bit torn on this, but if the manufacturer just went ahead and drilled 3/8" holes for the pots they'd save a lot of people some massive headaches, even if they had to use washers to hold the cheap pots in there.)
I also know there's been a lot of hoopla over Gibson putting a PCB board in their guitars. Should Epiphone follow suit on their solid body guitars? Hell, I don't know...but on these guitars (and I think Gibson should do this anyway), they really should develop a quick connect system so that pickups, as an upgrade, can be completed in a manner of minutes.
On some Epiphones, I'd like to see them instantly upgradable to active EMG pickups if they are already using the passive versions. Maybe that would hurt All Parts business ever so slightly, but at the same time it would probably drive up demand for Gibson aftermarket pickups...especially if it was as easy to replacing as simply unplugging the old pickup, and plugging the new one in. Purists will balk at that, but I suspect the sales for the aftermarket pups would go up if upgrades could be finished in a matter of minutes (with some guitarists even acquiring multiple sets for one guitar.)
Furthermore...Epiphone should put out a list of parts that are compatible with their guitars. If they wanted to make even more money, they should introduce their own aftermarket parts, just like Gibson has. One or the other...but right now? They have NOTHING whatsoever. This is doubly foolish in light of how they're putting really cheap electronics in the guitars in the first place. Arrggghhh....
3. Signature models
This one is probably a bit tougher to call...there's two issues here. You either get the really high profile artist who endorses Gibson to release an Epiphone version, or you find up-and-comers, roll the dice, and hope they make it to the promised land. I have no illusions about the benefits of endorsements. But could we have ONE signature model at a time? I don't see the benefit of offering an ENTIRE LINE of Zakk Wydle signatures when the man doesn't even play the damned guitars in the first place. Same goes for Slash. I can understand the artists designing a model, and trying to give people a good guitar for their money...but at this point it seems like it's coming at the expense of other product lines. One signature model per artist...please...
4. Soapbar pickups
It hasn't escaped my attention that Epiphone MD'd ALL of their guitars which had the P-90 soapbars in 'em. I think this is a serious mistake. If it's a question of giving customers the option of putting in humbuckers, then introduce a size that will work for everyone. But the soapbar, as a single coil pickup, has its place, and when put into a solid body guitar gives it a crisper, punchier sound that offers comparison (or at least a role) against other guitars that exclusively employ these, ie Fender. I also wouldn't mind seeing the '56 Goldtop brought back, or better yet limited edition runs with guitars that are running combinations ala humbuckers in the bridge and soapbars in the neck. A quick connector system on these would also save a lot of people headaches (that, and gearing them for maximum tone against a 500K pot.)
5. Left handed guitars
A final pet peeve. Right now Gibson does not offer a Les Paul model for under 3,800 dollars.
What does that leave most people who haven't hit the lotto?That's right...Epiphone, if they are going to stick with Gibson.
I don't know where this assertion goes towards cutting more and more left handed guitars. More times often than not these models are on back order..this was certainly the case with my Custom. I also do not know why Gibson (or Epiphone, or whoever is making these decisions) only ships 2-3 left handed models, which are typically the LP 100, the Standard, or the Standard Plus. I've never seen a Dot in any of the Guitar Centers (and I travelled across the United States last year), I think I saw ONE G-400 that whole time, and I never saw an Iommi signature....anywhere.
I'd beg for them to bring back the Iommi signature at least....otherwise? Well, modern studies have shown that the amount of actual left handed people in the world might be as high as 20%. Now, if Epiphone wants to write these people off? Maybe it's just me, but it seems stupid to write off that many potential consumers.
Well, that's about all I can think of. I try to make it a habit of at least offering something in return if I'm going to offer harsh criticism...so there it is.
2 cents.
)
The young ones will learn with time. If all the example they have of posting is the poll-per-day rampage and pickguard/topwrapping debates, it's no wonder that's all we see lately.
