Honestly, what the difference between Gibson and Epiphone?

[zeegler]

I have a Xaviere and even though it's nice, it feels like a toy compared to the Customs, Standards, and Classics that I've owned. Sorry, that dawg don't hunt.

Is it one of the newer ones, or the Zemaitis style guitars? Mine is the Zemaitis style from the first run. Solid mahogany, maple top, set neck, fantastic fretwork. It even has a properly cut bone nut. It's one of the few guitars I own that I haven't had to make a new bone/Tusq nut for. I changed the tuners to Grovers, because the stock ones were cheap junk, and I put in some SD pickups, but other than that it was a kickass guitar right out of the box.

[john.w.lawson]

[PowerTube]

Well if THAT would be true then for decades theres been a LOT of BS going around!!! Come on... wood if extremely important for the sound that a guitar makes

I agree 100%, but if you'll actually read my post, I said that the wood doesn't make "as MUCH of a difference." And compared to an acoustic, that is totally correct. I won't be buying an electric with a body made from knotty pine* anytime in the near future, but you get my meaning.




*Hondo went out of business.

[roodyrocker]

You can be a great player and use cheap guitars and equipment to make great sounding music. I'm not disputing that, its been done many times over. It still doesn't change the fact that the guitar you used to make those great recordings, such as an Epi or Squire or a no name brand for that matter, is not as good as Gibson/Fender in its build quality. Its quite simple really.

[john.w.lawson]

You can be a great player and use cheap guitars and equipment to make great sounding music. I'm not disputing that, its been done many times over. It still doesn't change the fact that the guitar you used to make those great recordings, such as an Epi or Squire or a no name brand for that matter, is not as good as Gibson/Fender in its build quality. Its quite simple really.

Hey! This guy obviously has an inferiority complex. Kinda like the "size doesn't matter" argument. Just keep on believin'! Plus, the other two guitarists in his three guitarist band that just happened to be playing REAL Les Pauls, told him that his was just as good as theirs.

[Biff Montana]

I’ve been following this thread and I’d like to interject a couple opinions and another perspective.

First the opinions:

The original questions was “are Gibsons worth the 400% or higher price difference? “
If you’re talking about a $3400 LP I say no,
unless you’ve got money to burn, a $3400+ Gibson IS NOT worth $2700 more than a $700 Epiphone.
A player could spend less money on a LP Studio, LP Standard, Charvel USA Production, Fender American Strat,
or other quality guitar in the $1000-$2000 price range and get something that would work fine for
recording, gigging, touring, general mayhem, etc.
Having said that, comparing a $700 Epi vs a $1000 LP Studio, the LP Studio is worth the extra coin.

IMO…As the price increases you’re no longer talking about being made in the USA vs Korea
or Duncans’ vs no name pickups, you’re talking about preferences and/or limited runs.
For example a LP Custom @ $3400 vs a LP Standard @ $2500.
The Custom isn’t more handcrafted; the grade of mahogany isn’t necessarily better.
Is Ebony better than Rosewood? Does the Custom sound better than the Standard?--that’s all opinion.
Personal opinion comes into play above a certain price point.

And now, another perspective regarding the “are Gibsons worth the 400% or higher price difference? “

Some of the posts in this thread seem to assume that everyone is on the same level musically.
Sometimes when reading our JCF posts it sounds like most of us are touring musicians
with years and years of experience and several album releases.
This is not always the case. Odds are we have a beginning guitarist or two amongst us.
Would a Gibson be worth the additional investment to the person was buying their first, second, or third guitar?
I’d say no, it’s not. A $400 or $500 Epiphone would be a great guitar for a newer player.
My first guitar was a $25 acoustic I bought at a pawn shop.
My second guitar was a Global LP copy I bought from the JC Penny catalog (yes, I’m old).
My third guitar was a Hondo Pro II Strat copy.
I would’ve loved to have had one of Epiphone’s newer $400 Epi Les Paul copies.

Just my opinion.

[85 San Dimas]

JC penney sold Globals? learn something new everyday. I'll make both arguments because common sense IMHO says both ways are right.

The Gibson guys think nothing compares to a Gibson. Well, judging by what they charge nothing should. They make plenty of crap, and a lot of it is over at GC. They're no different than FMIC. They could give a shit about whther its quality or not as long as they pocket your coin. They more you spend the less you get for the money, and no Gibson lover will ever admit anything I've just posted is true. They are indoctrinated. Drank the Kool-Aid. They can't be saved.

Having said that...if you want it to sound like a Gibson nothing else does.
I have a Cherry 335 and an '08 R8. Both really good guitars but the holy grail? Not so much. A quality guitar is a quality guitar.
On the other point....for the world class players who can play lesser instruments arguement.... of course they can...that's what seperates them from the rest.

But they don't play them for long do they? Always seek value for the money. Buy what you like. Buy the BEST you can AFFORD. That's buying the best VALUE to YOU. Try to spend the extra 2 bills IF you can to get the Gibby Studio over the EPI all things being equal (playability, condition) because the difference will come back to you in the end. tried selling an Epi lately? The only people that want them already have them.

Finally I'll say this to the younger guys starting out...No matter how much you spend on the guitar if all you are playing through is a solid state $99.00 amp its going to sound like crap. You can trade guitars, pickups, pedals, strings, etc. and no matter what, the lack of a tube amp is holding you back.

[toejam]

Finally I'll say this to the younger guys starting out...No matter how much you spend on the guitar if all you are playing through is a solid state $99.00 amp its going to sound like crap. You can trade guitars, pickups, pedals, strings, etc. and no matter what, the lack of a tube amp is holding you back.

Someone forgot to tell Dimebag Darrell that when he played solid state Randall amps for his whole career.

[Biff Montana]

JC penney sold Globals?

Yes. It was back in either 1978 or 79. I ordered it out of the catalog.

No matter how much you spend on the guitar if all you are playing through is a solid state $99.00 amp its going to sound like crap.

Excellent point.

[Axewielder]

Someone forgot to tell Dimebag Darrell that when he played solid state Randall amps for his whole career.

Funny how sweeping statements about what type of gear is best tend to get shot down pretty quick!

[Grandturk]

Someone forgot to tell Dimebag Darrell that when he played solid state Randall amps for his whole career.

To be fair, Dime wasn't playing a $100 Pignose. I used to get rippin' sounds out of my Peavy Bandit - Pantera style crunch or otherwise - a good amp is a good amp, solid state or not.

[JetFixxxer]

It's all in the person who is buying the guitar.

I play the welfare guitars... I rather spend the money on those and then upgrade them.. There is only one Gibson Les Paul that I would purchase and that was the faded maple.. That is the only Gibson that when I picked up it felt and sounded better than my Epiphones.. Of course if I picked up another one of the exact same model it might have not played as well.

I can go out on a limb and say to almost certainty that if you heard some music the majority of you couldn't pick out what kind of Guitar is being played.. let alone what pups is being used. It's power of suggestion.

If I could actually play something I would do it...

[VitaminG]

Aw, come on, guys. Really! Not going to hold riding a camel to work against someone, are ya?

Korean & Chinese guitar makers riding camels.... whoda thunkit?

[JACKSONFREAK]

Ok from an objective point of view. Just stating the facts here as for comparison sake.
Gibson bodies are Honduran Mohagony. Les pauls have a solid maple cap of 1/4-3/8 of an inch in thickness
Epi's are Oriental Mohagony of a similar appearing species to honduran or north american mohagony. with a mohogany species carved to with a flame maple veneer over the top. Solid color models are all mohagony.
Gibson necks are Honduran mohagany.
epi necks are Nato. (an asiain mohagony in vast abundance all over Asia. (redilay and cheaply available)
Gibson hardware is made in the US In Elgin IL made out of a desner stroinger metal. (ie brass, nickle silver)
Epi hardware is made over seas out of a less dense material usually a white metal or a pot metal. (mixture of metals to save money)
Gibson pups are made in the US and use various types of magnets and gauge of wire to achieve their tone.
Epi pups are made in china or korea are made of a less expensive materials the bobbins are thinner, the wires is cheaper, and the magnets arent as good.
Gibson finish is Nirocelulose dries slow and takes a while to get right. Finishes are hand sanded and polished.
Epi finishes are polyester a very strong fast drying finish. Less time consuiming and are generally polished and buffed out by machine.
There are still a few more differances between Gibson and Epi but i think you get the idea.
As for Gibson buying Epiphone. Gibson bought them in 1954 because they couldnt compete with Epis better prices for the same quality instrument. But part of the reason Gibson bought them was due to the family issues and lack of business sense of the brothers who were running epiphone at the time. They made osm ebafd decisions and were in trouble financially. Along comes Gibson to bail them out with an offer they coldnt refuse. The rest is history.
All the current semi hollow and Hollow body models with the exception of the similar named gibson counter part models. (ieLes Paul, SG, Thundrbird, Explorer,V etc..) were original Epiphone model names. (ie The Sheridan, The Riviera, the Casino, the Dot. Were all Epiphone models before the Gibson purchase.

On a side note I recently picked up a broken headstock Epi Les PAul Std in honey burst. I fixed the neck and replaced the pups. And it made a huge differance It is still an Epiphone and will not have the full rich tone of my real Gibson Les Paul. But for the 12 bucks i paid for it. Its a killer little back up and a desent guitar. Just needs better hardware and electronics to help it get closer to the Gibson but no matter how hard i try to upgrade it it will still only be an Epiphone.
A guitar is only as good as the sum of its parts Period.
Whether it be Fender vs Squier or Epi vs Gibson. The debate will go on forever.
Hope this helped clear things up a bit
Gil

[RacerX]

Hi ya Gil!