What I've learned on the Gibson VS Epiphone debate

[PreacherCruz]

I've owned lots of low to mid priced guitars over the years and was never really happy.

What I wanted was an LP.

This year, some things got better for my family financially and I have bought some new guitars.

First I bought the Epiphone Tommy Thayer White Lightning LP

Then I bought an Ebony Gibson LP '50s Tribute

Then an Epi LP Traditional Pro Gold Top

Last of all I bought an Epi Tony Iommi Sg.

The ONLY guitar that had any issues out of the box was the Gibson. After having the frets fixed (jagged edges) and the pup rings (bezels) replaced it is a truly great guitar but if I have to be completely honest I would rank them thusly..

1. White Lightning. ($658.03) Absolutely amazing guitar that rings like a chime acoustically and plays like a dream.

2. The Tony Iommi SG ($735.08) edges out the Gibson, but just barely. It plays SO smoothly and is SO light that it is just flat out fun to play and even though it has a thinner neck than all my others it is still great sounding acoustic or plugged in.

3. The Gibson 50's tribute. ($836.07) Lighter than the White Lightning and the Gibson USA 490/498 are a really nice match for the JBs in the White Lightning.

4. Epi LP Trad Pro. This one was only ($319.93) so it was no surprise that it is the least awesome guitar and yet it is totally playable, had no issues out of the box and has grown on me visually. The pups are far less hot than my other guitars but totally serviceable.

I was also less than thrilled with Gibsons response to my phone call on the issues with my Gibson USA LP.

Just goes to show...

The Most expensive Guitar I bought is number three on my list. I've been lucky though, they're all great guitars and all three Epi's were perfect for me out of the box. Nothing "needed" done to them.

I'm sure that a much more expensive LP might be better but I am absolutely astounded at what Epiphone is offering at their respective price points.

Definitely beating Gibson on the value front IMHO.

 

[Laggspike]

Well, my best playing guitars is 2 guitars really.

A Tele Deluxe (USA and it was about $2000 here in Sweden, all new and all that)
And a Epi Les Paul Custom Limited ed. for a silly $300 with a gator' case included

 

[Heisenberg]

 

[2manyGuitars]

So a bare bones, bottom of the line Gibson is on par with a couple of top of the line, Artist Sig model Epiphones?

What a shocker.

 

[MikeyTheCat]

The Gibson 50's tribute. ($836.07)

That's not a mid-priced Gibson.

 

[Pete M]

Next can you rank them in order of your favourite colour?

 

[TheX]

so a bare bones, bottom of the line gibson is on par with a couple of top of the line, artist sig model epiphones?

What a shocker.

a-maze-ing

 

[2manyGuitars]

For the $2549.11 you spent on 4 so-so guitars, you could have bought one great one.

Heck, you probably could have bought 2 great ones.

 

[Kamen_Kaiju]

you gotta wonder sometimes who was the first guy that beat a dead horse so severely it became an expression.

"Jedidiah was so pissed when his horse keeled over the other day he beat on it for an hour! ....till he got TIRED!!"
"He beat on a dead horse for an hour?!"
"An hour! ..till he couldn't barely lift his arms up no more!"


*one week later on the other side of town*

"Bubba you know the wells gone dry, we gon' have to dig. Why it's like you's beating a dead horse bringing that bucket up and down for nothin'."

...and a hundred years later here we are?


Who was that hero of history?

 

[Heisenberg]

OP - What you should take away from that experience is this:

As mentioned, that's not a mid level Gibson, but entry level. Also understand that the extra couple hundred bucks spent on the lower-end Gibson vs the high-end Epiphones is the price you pay for USA labor.

The "issues" you cited for the Gibson aren't exactly legit IMO, and they may not be Gibson's fault. The jagged frets could just be a result of changing environmental conditions during storage/shipping. You didn't say what was wrong with the pup rings, but I guarantee you the issue isn't exclusive to low-end Gibsons.

What you're left with is a big fat moot point.

 

[TheX]

What you're left with is a big fat moot point.

Boom went the dynamite!

 

[Kamen_Kaiju]

if people admitted Epis could be damn fine guitars that hang with their Big Brothers we'd have nothing to argue about.

AND I'LL BE DAMNED IF WE HAVE NOTHING TO ARGUE ABOUT!!!!! RAGE!!11!!1!

 

[JTM45]

I've heard those Thayers are badass, sexy looking for sure.

 

[Kamen_Kaiju]

I wanna see Kramers and Charvels in a steel cage death match!

 

[scoobyzjr]

I saw this post and I almost threw up in my mouth.

 

[chasenblues]

if people admitted Epis could be damn fine guitars that hang with their Big Brothers we'd have nothing to argue about.

AND I'LL BE DAMNED IF WE HAVE NOTHING TO ARGUE ABOUT!!!!! RAGE!!11!!1!

Well there are the old stand by's..Pick guards,topwrapping, which Darren on Bewitched was better,Boxers vs Briefs..

Does mustard actually belong on a Hamburger..

 

[jdto]

 

[Fritz]

Here's my opinion (like anyone needs another opinion):

With guitars there's a point of diminishing returns. An Epiphone is generally going to be surprising quality compared to some other overseas thing around the same price. And a $2,500 Gibson is going to be surprising quality (in theory anyway) to a $600 Epiphone. Then you jump up to the $4K and $5K R8's and R9's and mostly what you're doing is playing Russian Roulette. Meaning, just because the tag says $5,199 in NO way are you guaranteed an upscale guitar to the $2,500 one. There are definitely features that set them apart, but I debate when it comes to quality. For example, the fret work on my LP Traditional is superior to that of my R9. They're both good, but the price didn't guarantee upscale quality in this case.

There are magical guitars to be had for under $1K. And there are some serious duds to be had for $5K. The notion that you always "get what you pay for" doesn't necessarily apply to guitars - the reason why is that with guitars, (as opposed to electronic gear), there are so many stars that have to align to equal an amazing instrument that the odds are quite low that you're the one who's going to hit that lottery. You'll either need to lower your standards and gloat over that fine looking "monster flame top", or settle for an ugly guitar that's better on many more important accounts. If I blindfolded you to listen to my $800 LP 50's Tribute compared to my LP Traditional, compared to my R9, I seriously doubt you'd peg which is which. In fact, I'd bet money on it.

Or something like that. I may have polarized that bit to make a point. But I've had 'em from $189 to $2k, $3K, $4K and $5K, and I have to say, the best guitars I find are usually the mid-priced models. That means about $2K to 2.5K for Gibson and about $1.5 to $2K for Fender. Anything more expensive than that seems impractical (to me).

 

[Pete M]

I wanna know who was the first person to eat an egg that popped out of a chickens arse. What the hell were they thinking that day?

 

[LtDave32]

oh dear..