how bad are epiphones really?

[James Rock]

I used to have a Epi Les Paul Studio thought it was devent sounded good with dad's cranked vox backed down the volume a bit to keep clean with my pro junior. After selling it (to get 52 reissue tele!) I didn't play any others until my school got an Epi Les Paul Studio in Black. Worst guitar I've ever played (well not including no name brands!) sounds was alright but quite flabby and lose but the feel was all wrong maybe it just needed a good set up or something but it was definitely a pain in the arse to play!

[J Moose]

There's lots of posts on this forum about acoustic sound only having a random relationship to plugged-in tone. At that miniscule volume, the human ear isn't going to hear all the low end & middle EQ that balances the tone on a solid body, without it being amplified. I think it' going to be pretty hard to hear much of the "core" tone in a music store, with all the noise & commotion in those places. I usually leave with a headache after anytime in a music store, with the metal kids playing too loud and all in different keys.

The last guitar I bought where I had doubts based on the unplugged tone was a late '90s fender '62 RI strat.

I dropped a half-dozen sets of pickups in there and none of them made it come alive. Anything I put in just magnified the deficiencies that were inherent to the unamplified tone to different degrees of "suck".

Some sets masked it better then others... but none made it into anything inspiring...

One of my favorite guitars is a Korean ESP take on a Lester/335... it kills. Hangs there with the $2k instruments... I really don't care what it costs. Only how good it sounds & feels... or doesn't.

The average GuiTarget is fairly quiet at 11am on a Tuesday... I generally don't shop there. Go to stores off the beaten path that cater to players which makes life OK.

I'm tagging out of this one...

Have better ways to spend my time then yakking about ****-azz planks of firewood.

[Joelski]

If it sounds good to you, that's all that matters. Some people get all assed up about what name is on the headstock, while others, the ones who don't care, are much more prone to finding great deals. I have never been partial to Les Pauls, and recently became curious about the sound and feel. I played every Gibson and Epiphone LP at my local shop and found much more consistency in the Epi's, mostly due to the CNC process and less handling by the assemblers such as at the Gibson plant. I, like many here, had a negative opinion of Epiphone in the past, however upon trying the new Standard plus top, I was quite impressed. First thing I noticed was the finish; I don't care if it's a flame veneer: I can only see the surface. Next was the workmanship; no sharp fret ends like other brands cough*Gibson*cough. Setup was decent and less important than fit and finish because it's so subjective. Finally, I was wary of the pickups but the stockers were fine. Not perfect, but the sound was decent. Obviously a guitar that's $1.500 cheaper than it's namesake is going to have cost-cutting measures, but the Epiphone emerges from the accounting gauntlet free of mortal wounds. If this sounds like a glowing review, that's because it is. I was impressed enough to get one for myself. In the end, I cure a minor curiosity with a very serviceable instrument and kept money in my pocket for other things. Again, the key here is to get a new (er) guitar. Th eolder ones did indeed have issues.

[viewaskew2k5]

If it sounds good to you, that's all that matters. Some people get all assed up about what name is on the headstock, while others, the ones who don't care, are much more prone to finding great deals. I have never been partial to Les Pauls, and recently became curious about the sound and feel. I played every Gibson and Epiphone LP at my local shop and found much more consistency in the Epi's, mostly due to the CNC process and less handling by the assemblers such as at the Gibson plant. I, like many here, had a negative opinion of Epiphone in the past, however upon trying the new Standard plus top, I was quite impressed. First thing I noticed was the finish; I don't care if it's a flame veneer: I can only see the surface. Next was the workmanship; no sharp fret ends like other brands cough*Gibson*cough. Setup was decent and less important than fit and finish because it's so subjective. Finally, I was wary of the pickups but the stockers were fine. Not perfect, but the sound was decent. Obviously a guitar that's $1.500 cheaper than it's namesake is going to have cost-cutting measures, but the Epiphone emerges from the accounting gauntlet free of mortal wounds. If this sounds like a glowing review, that's because it is. I was impressed enough to get one for myself. In the end, I cure a minor curiosity with a very serviceable instrument and kept money in my pocket for other things. Again, the key here is to get a new (er) guitar. Th eolder ones did indeed have issues.

I agree! it was the same with my Super Dot. What model is that Epi les paul?? I like it

[Joelski]

I agree! it was the same with my Super Dot. What model is that Epi les paul?? I like it

Thanks bro! It's a Standard Plus Top. Pretty decent axe for low dough. Try one of you get a chance.

[KeeperOS]

You said it man, the more you limit your options the less are the chances to find a good deal

[kherman]

Drew,

I pesonally feel you'll be much happier with an Edwards.
Or MIJ Epi Elitist, Tokai Love Rock, Bacchus Duke, Greco, Burny, or Orville.

I just don't think the MIK/MIC Epis are quite up to par with the MIJ replicas yet.

And I agree with others that other MIK/MIC like the Kelly Patriot, Agile, Fernandes Ravelle, Schecter Tempest, LTD EC or Potbelly are still a little nicer than the MIC/MIK Epis.

[kherman]

I'd take this over the Epi Slash.

[drew_half_empty]

i'm thinkin this one

with a zebra PG set


yours looks nice too, though, kerman

[JacksonMIA]

Granted, this is their cheapest one, but this is what they look like underneath all those layers of paint.

[KeeperOS]

Huh? What is that?

It looks like an arched top strat body...

[drew_half_empty]

actually that looks pretty alright, considering it was sunburst and they were takin the paint off

it's just not all the way off

[heymcz]

Currently I don't own a Epiphony and haven't for many years... haven't played one that makes me sweat... blows my skirt up. They always feel & sound like crap to me...

I was hoping & expecting to like the Slash... but when you play a handful and they're all about the same... well, I guess that's good for quality control...

There are A LOT of other things I'd spend $1k or less on first... and end up with a better instrument. Like a used Hamer or a Heritage...

Moose, I agree, I did think the Slash was okay--better than the Standard, but if I had $1,000 to blow I'd either buy two Schecters or half a Gibson.

Cheers,
M.