We keep enabling Epiphone price madness

[Mustard Tiger]

I have two Epiphones. I agree with avoiding Chinese made things in general, but recently picked up a used Crestwood Custom because it was $300. I cannot find anything wrong with it. Fit and finish is superb, tuners are solid, trem works flawlessly and stays in tune and these mini humbuckers are amazing.

My other Epiphone is a USA-made Frontier acoustic.

The Bonamassa yearly additions are out of control. His SG is way overpriced, especially when you can get a new Gibson USA SG Special for like $100 more than the Bonamassa Epi, or a used SG Standard for less than the Epi. And there's nothing special about that Bonamassa SG at all. The body cuts and contours aren't period correct, it still has Epiphone pickups, still has the cheaper wiring, cheaper tuners, etc. Those are going to be the ones that take the biggest hit in the used market. Unless your some crazy Bonamassa fan, I can't see why someone would go with one of those over a Gibson.

 

[Maggot_Brain]

There's been a lot of talk about recent Epiphone prices. It's becoming a norm to see supposedly custom models priced around $1500. We can blame Epiphone for being greedy and pushing the envelope higher and higher, however in a way it's our fault that Epiphone prices are so insane.

Let's look where it all started. Before Epiphone updated their model lineup with Inspired by Gibson with new headstock shape around 2020 their average prices were much lower. Even IBG were priced quite low in 2020 (look here https://www.gearnews.com/epiphone-inspired-by-gibson-range-more-than-just-a-new-headstock/
LP Standard - $599
LP Classic - $449-499
SG - $380-450
Flying V - $599
ES 335 - $499

Then they slowly started introducing their custom and signature models, each pushing prices higher and higher.

First we got 59 Outfit priced at $799. People complained it was too high, but justified the hike because of Gibson pickups and collaboration with Gibson Custom Shop, thinking it was OK if they were getting something unique (limited edition said Epiphone, it's still engraved on the switch cover plate!) on par with Gibson for 1/3 of the price.

Epiphone Limited Edition 1959 Les Paul Standard Review

Made in collaboration with the Gibson Custom Shop, this LP offers late-50s-era taste without the eye-watering price tag.

www.guitarplayer.com

BTW, the limited edition turned out to be a lie, Epiphone made tons of 59 Outfit guitars and they are still in production, yet Limited Edition is boldly engraved on each guitar!

Then came Black Beauty and Lazarus, each pushing the price higher and higher. Then $500 ES 335 became $1300 Bonamassa thing, which they still trying to sell almost one year later (launched in Nov 2022).

And now we have $1400-1500 SG and $1500 Greeny.

Along the lines of these increases most of us enthusiastically endrsed and posted glaring review on various forums, youtube and other media. But while we cheered, Epiphone managed to lift their lineup from being affordable $500 guitars into $1500 instruments. I get it that not all Epiphone offerings are at $1500, however there are many around $1000, and at the rate this is going we will see $2000 Epiphones soon.

And the dishonesty of Epiphone is starting to be an issue as well. They misled about limited editions (59 Outfit, Bonamassa Lazarus and ES 335, LP Custom Silverburst, etc) and the pickups (we our appetite with Gibson pickups in higher models, it was a clever bait, but now they don't even bother with Gibson pickups in their most expensive release model - the $1400-1500 SG).

We certainly see people becoming tired of this and pushing back. Adam Jones' sit there for months after the release, Bonamassa ES-335 is unsold one year after the launch.

Perhaps we need to start pushing back more by rejecting these insane prices? At least not blindly endorsing everything that comes out of Epiphone at the endless price increases?

What makes you think you have to buy an "Inspired by Gibson" model? They still sell cheap ones too. No ones forcing you to buy a $1000 Epi. You choose to. You had other, much cheaper models to choose from but you CHOSE to buy the most expensive line they have. Now you wanna say their prices just keep going up? Lol Yea OK.

 

[Maggot_Brain]

Guitar companies manipulating us/you into buying the same guitars over and over again. Its all bullshit, just different pricing.

That's 100% your choice. They ain't got anything to do with it.

 

[monwobobbo]

What makes you think you have to buy an "Inspired by Gibson" model? They still sell cheap ones too. No ones forcing you to buy a $1000 Epi. You choose to. You had other, much cheaper models to choose from but you CHOSE to buy the most expensive line they have. Now you wanna say their prices just keep going up? Lol Yea OK.

Actually any LP from a Studio on up is an IBG model.

 

[Steve T 667]

What makes you think you have to buy an "Inspired by Gibson" model? They still sell cheap ones too. No ones forcing you to buy a $1000 Epi. You choose to. You had other, much cheaper models to choose from but you CHOSE to buy the most expensive line they have. Now you wanna say their prices just keep going up? Lol Yea OK.

you can effectively buy a IBG standard 50's for 699 or less i figure, even buy gibson 490's p/u's and your still way under a new gibson studio. Plus you get all the features for the most part of the standard.

 

[syco]

Actually any LP from a Studio on up is an IBG model.

All Epiphones are now IBG ! 2022 or newer

 

[musicmaniac]

I'd say they've been inspired by Gibson for quite some time. Looks like they just got to have a new name for the kids.

 

[monwobobbo]

I'd say they've been inspired by Gibson for quite some time. Looks like they just got to have a new name for the kids.

Rumor has it that adults buy them to. Not really a name but a marketing strategy.

 

[DrBGood]

All Epiphones are now IBG ! 2022 or newer

2019 that is.

 

[USTTRM]

The whole you don’t have to buy it arguments are very lame. If you’re interested in something but find it hard to justify its price, of course you don’t have to buy it. We do it every day at the grocery store, prudent way to go.
The overpricedness for what you’re getting is the topic. Let’s stick with that.
I think all of these models currently have 2nd hand buy written all over them for most.

 

[rbraad68]

2019 that is.

My 2019 Custom is an early run of the IBG's my 2019 Classic is also an early run of the IBG. I mean yeah their 2019 of November and December but still 2019's. I sold off all my Pre IBG's except for my 2016 Pelham Blue LP... I like the IBG line up and also glad I got all mine when I did. Example my 50's Standard IBG and my 60's Standard IBG back in 2020 cost me 499 a pop new in the box. Now they are what 699-749 new?? I just seen a sale on the 60's Standard the one with the curly looking top for 519 dollars!! There were multiple of these in stock. It just wasn't one they were trying to get rid of. I think they are going to blow out most all of these older "IBG" models to make room for the newer ones. They will prob have the new Gibson style head stock and the small hole bridge posts maybe even the 1 piece necks? I don't think this Greeny they are putting out is exclusive to these upgrades. I just think it's the first model to feature these "improvements". Thats where you will really start seeing the price increase!! I don't blame Epiphone as much as I do Gibson for their marketing strategy. After all Gibson own's Epiphone they are the ones pulling the strings. Does that make sense? I don't know just my thoughts after reading thru all 7 pages of this thread....

 

[monwobobbo]

My 2019 Custom is an early run of the IBG's my 2019 Classic is also an early run of the IBG. I mean yeah their 2019 of November and December but still 2019's. I sold off all my Pre IBG's except for my 2016 Pelham Blue LP... I like the IBG line up and also glad I got all mine when I did. Example my 50's Standard IBG and my 60's Standard IBG back in 2020 cost me 499 a pop new in the box. Now they are what 699-749 new?? I just seen a sale on the 60's Standard the one with the curly looking top for 519 dollars!! There were multiple of these in stock. It just wasn't one they were trying to get rid of. I think they are going to blow out most all of these older "IBG" models to make room for the newer ones. They will prob have the new Gibson style head stock and the small hole bridge posts maybe even the 1 piece necks? I don't think this Greeny they are putting out is exclusive to these upgrades. I just think it's the first model to feature these "improvements". Thats where you will really start seeing the price increase!! I don't blame Epiphone as much as I do Gibson for their marketing strategy. After all Gibson own's Epiphone they are the ones pulling the strings. Does that make sense? I don't know just my thoughts after reading thru all 7 pages of this thread....

The quilt top version are Guitar Center exclusives. I'm sure they had to order a lot of them to begin with. Supply chain issues backed up orders and then dumped them all on them at once.

 

[rbraad68]

The quilt top version are Guitar Center exclusives. I'm sure they had to order a lot of them to begin with. Supply chain issues backed up orders and then dumped them all on them at once.

I wasn't sure if it was an exclusive color or not? I just noticed because I just bought a 60's ice tea husk off stratOsphere to save a little money and something to tinker with. I could of bought that guitar and saved money by the time i was done with this one. I had damn near all the parts to build the thing but i did spend 50 bucks on e-serts. I am into the build 450 plus the parts i had laying around. I guess in the end i paid about what they are new but much better parts then the stock stuff....

 

[monwobobbo]

I wasn't sure if it was an exclusive color or not? I just noticed because I just bought a 60's ice tea husk off stratOsphere to save a little money and something to tinker with. I could of bought that guitar and saved money by the time i was done with this one. I had damn near all the parts to build the thing but i did spend 50 bucks on e-serts. I am into the build 450 plus the parts i had laying around. I guess in the end i paid about what they are new but much better parts then the stock stuff....

View attachment 730047

The quilt tops came in blue ( what I have) and a rather loud cherry sunburst. Of course not everyone loved either and quilt isn't really associated with LPs. I bought my blue because it just happened to play and sound the best out of the bunch I tried ( both 50s & 60s standards ) oh and the exclusives were both 60s.

 

[rbraad68]

The quilt tops came in blue ( what I have) and a rather loud cherry sunburst. Of course not everyone loved either and quilt isn't really associated with LPs. I bought my blue because it just happened to play and sound the best out of the bunch I tried ( both 50s & 60s standards ) oh and the exclusives were both 60s.

Yeah I personally don't like the quilt on the LP. But even still I sometimes don't care about the color if I like the way it plays. When I bought my first 59 when they first came out they were so hard to find in stock. I just told my sales guy I don't care what color just get me one! I wound up with the ADB. The 60s standard epi put out. There is just something about it that I like? Probably still one of my favorite epi's I have owned out of the bunch.

 

[Spirit]

Plenty of Epiphone bargains to still be had especially here in the uk,
slash £535-thats a crazy price for what you get
Tommy Thayer-£639
customs £599
59,s £729
modern £499

thats not exhaustive but if you want a ibg les Paul for a great price they are still available

 

[WannaLesPaul]

Plenty of Epiphone bargains to still be had especially here in the uk,
slash £535-thats a crazy price for what you get
Tommy Thayer-£639
customs £599
59,s £729
modern £499

thats not exhaustive but if you want a ibg les Paul for a great price they are still available

probably because they wanna blow them out, as they seem to be releasing a new model every week now before the holidays lol

Today is the JJN Blues Power... 999 bucks (with an Ebony fretboard) hehe

 

[Spirit]

probably because they wanna blow them out, as they seem to be releasing a new model every week now before the holidays lol

Today is the JJN Blues Power... 999 bucks (with an Ebony fretboard) hehe

That’s nuts,the gold glory can be found for just over £600 here is ther any difference apart from colour

 

[efstop]

That’s nuts,the gold glory can be found for just over £600 here is ther any difference apart from colour

Gold Glory has a standard Seymour Duncan P-90, the blue one has an SD P-90 silencer.

 

[Pancreas]

There's been a lot of talk about recent Epiphone prices. It's becoming a norm to see supposedly custom models priced around $1500. We can blame Epiphone for being greedy and pushing the envelope higher and higher, however in a way it's our fault that Epiphone prices are so insane.

Let's look where it all started. Before Epiphone updated their model lineup with Inspired by Gibson with new headstock shape around 2020 their average prices were much lower. Even IBG were priced quite low in 2020 (look here https://www.gearnews.com/epiphone-inspired-by-gibson-range-more-than-just-a-new-headstock/
LP Standard - $599
LP Classic - $449-499
SG - $380-450
Flying V - $599
ES 335 - $499

Then they slowly started introducing their custom and signature models, each pushing prices higher and higher.

First we got 59 Outfit priced at $799. People complained it was too high, but justified the hike because of Gibson pickups and collaboration with Gibson Custom Shop, thinking it was OK if they were getting something unique (limited edition said Epiphone, it's still engraved on the switch cover plate!) on par with Gibson for 1/3 of the price.

Epiphone Limited Edition 1959 Les Paul Standard Review

Made in collaboration with the Gibson Custom Shop, this LP offers late-50s-era taste without the eye-watering price tag.

www.guitarplayer.com

BTW, the limited edition turned out to be a lie, Epiphone made tons of 59 Outfit guitars and they are still in production, yet Limited Edition is boldly engraved on each guitar!

Then came Black Beauty and Lazarus, each pushing the price higher and higher. Then $500 ES 335 became $1300 Bonamassa thing, which they still trying to sell almost one year later (launched in Nov 2022).

And now we have $1400-1500 SG and $1500 Greeny.

Along the lines of these increases most of us enthusiastically endrsed and posted glaring review on various forums, youtube and other media. But while we cheered, Epiphone managed to lift their lineup from being affordable $500 guitars into $1500 instruments. I get it that not all Epiphone offerings are at $1500, however there are many around $1000, and at the rate this is going we will see $2000 Epiphones soon.

And the dishonesty of Epiphone is starting to be an issue as well. They misled about limited editions (59 Outfit, Bonamassa Lazarus and ES 335, LP Custom Silverburst, etc) and the pickups (we our appetite with Gibson pickups in higher models, it was a clever bait, but now they don't even bother with Gibson pickups in their most expensive release model - the $1400-1500 SG).

We certainly see people becoming tired of this and pushing back. Adam Jones' sit there for months after the release, Bonamassa ES-335 is unsold one year after the launch.

Perhaps we need to start pushing back more by rejecting these insane prices? At least not blindly endorsing everything that comes out of Epiphone at the endless price increases?

Great point here. I just bought myself a new PRS SE McCarty 594 for $759 U.S. and the quality on this guitar puts most new and old Epiphones to SHAME. It's really opened my eyes to other options out there, I can't stress enough how good this PRS is. I would easily put it up against a new Gibson Les Paul Standard, Epiphones can't even come close to this level.
Unless Epiphone releases something new, beautiful and earth-shattering, I'm done with them.