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Epiphone
May 30, 2022 15:45:19 GMT -5
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Post by rickyguitar on May 30, 2022 15:45:19 GMT -5
LP and SG. When I took my grandson to GC to shop for an electric we tried these (lower end I admit) but they were singularly unimpressive. He bought a Squire bullet (hard tail strat) that was a much more useful guitar. I have had a couple LP's and an SG. I know what the real deal is. I did not expect these to be even close and they were not. They were so far from being a playable guitar I was kind of amazed. Extremely low end even for a beginner. I have to wonder if Epiphones higher end Gibson knockoffs are much better. Anybody have experience with them?
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Epiphone
May 30, 2022 15:49:07 GMT -5
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Post by Leftee on May 30, 2022 15:49:07 GMT -5
I’ve got one of the new Epiphone LPs. I think it’s well-made and a great instrument at the price-point.
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Epiphone
May 30, 2022 16:02:19 GMT -5
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Post by rickyguitar on May 30, 2022 16:02:19 GMT -5
Hey Leftee which one do you have. Do you mind me asking the price point?
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on May 30, 2022 16:23:28 GMT -5
Which models? My experience with Epiphone is that the steady, flagship models are the good ones (LP Standard, Dot, G-400, etc.) and when they try mixing it up they can have an awful lot of "WTF" going on for them. Not always, but often enough. They're pretty good at screwing up bolt on neck pockets, too.
As with any cheap price point, the out-of-the-box playability can be pretty feeble and GC is likely to just hang it on the wall straight out of the box. I'm not one to die on a hill of defending Epiphone, but it should've held its own against Squiers.
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Post by rickyguitar on May 30, 2022 16:43:09 GMT -5
Lp Special and SG Special. These are their low price models but fo about $50 more the Squire kicked butt.
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on May 30, 2022 16:44:41 GMT -5
Lp Special and SG Special. These are their low price models but fo about $50 more the Squire kicked butt. Ah, that makes more sense to me.
The Epiphone "great for the money" accolades are typically just for the mid/upper models in the Epiphone line.
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Post by reverendrob on May 30, 2022 17:56:20 GMT -5
You're looking at the lowest of the low.
You'll find some truly craptastic Squier Bullets and Affinities out there too.
The things that make an LP or SG aren't even present on those specials - no set necks for starters.
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Epiphone
May 30, 2022 18:50:33 GMT -5
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Post by Leftee on May 30, 2022 18:50:33 GMT -5
Hey Leftee which one do you have. Do you mind me asking the price point? I bought mine from Sweetwater about a year ago - before the last price increase. I did mod mine. Although the stock pickups were nice, I put a set of Parson Streets in it and, while I had the pickups out, I did a level crown and polish on the frets. It sounds and plays like a LP should. Edited to add - this is the entry level for Lefty Epiphones. |
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Post by LTB on May 30, 2022 19:40:57 GMT -5
I once had an Epiphone LP and it was a yawn so I sold it
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Post by LeftyMeister on May 30, 2022 19:56:47 GMT -5
I've had a few Epis throughout the years and none stuck around until my 2012 LP Custom Pro. It has great tones, plays well, and is a keeper.
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Post by Taildragger on May 30, 2022 20:19:25 GMT -5
I've only owned 3 Epiphones:
•A mid-60s, (MIA) Riviera that was a killer guitar.
•An early-60s (MIA) Crestwood that was also very nice
Those two sported mini-humbuckers.
•A 2005 (MIK) Zephyr Blues Deluxe (Gibson ES-5 knock-off...think T-Bone Walker). It was very well made but I didn't like the screwy control layout and the middle P90 tended to get in the way. It also had a 25-1/2" scale length, which I found to be rather un-ergonomic on such a massive body.
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Post by Larry Madsen on May 30, 2022 22:01:52 GMT -5
I have five Epiphones. Dot, Les Paul, J200 12 string, J200 6 string and the one that probably doesn't qualify for the discussion here ... that one being a 1963 Olympic Special.
Some could use a little set-up work, but I'm fine with all of them.
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Epiphone
May 31, 2022 8:29:45 GMT -5
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Post by Auf Kiltre on May 31, 2022 8:29:45 GMT -5
When the Epi ES-335 Pro came out I picked one up for under $400 if I recall. I have replaced the plastic nut and installed locking tuners. The fret work/binding is pretty dang good. The pickups hold their own and I like the pull pot option for single coil use, especially the neck pickup. The switch is typical Epi wonky and I've been meaning to change it out. What makes this guitar fall short is the absurdly thin neck profile. I could probably hit an open low e, tug the headstock and raise pitch a half step if it didn't fret out.
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Jim622
Halfnote
Posts: 83
Age: 58
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Post by Jim622 on May 31, 2022 8:42:18 GMT -5
I kind of inherited a 90s Epi Dot years ago from my best friends widow. I never connected, being a Tele guy, but I had 2 people play it and offer to buy it while it was still strapped on. I ended up years later finding out my friends brother took up guitar again, so I gave it to him. He didn't even know his brother was still playing when he passed, so everything work out as it should have.
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Post by LeftyMeister on May 31, 2022 9:45:05 GMT -5
When the Epi ES-335 Pro came out I picked one up for under $400 if I recall. I tried an Epi Dot many moons ago. It was the biggest tone turd I've ever owned. |
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Post by Auf Kiltre on May 31, 2022 10:14:46 GMT -5
I tried an Epi Dot many moons ago. It was the biggest tone turd I've ever owned. I'm guessing that cheapo pickups have gotten better over the years. When I bought a MiK Agile AL3100 it was probably the first time I wasn't inclined to swap out pickups, and I'm a nutty pickup swapper. |
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Post by LeftyMeister on May 31, 2022 10:22:31 GMT -5
I'm guessing that cheapo pickups have gotten better over the years. When I bought a MiK Agile AL3100 it was probably the first time I wasn't inclined to swap out pickups, and I'm a nutty pickup swapper. I don't think it was the pickups. I think it was the body/construction. I played one in a store while on the road and it sounded fine. When I got home, I ordered one and it was the most dead guitar I've ever owned. |
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Epiphone
May 31, 2022 12:39:05 GMT -5
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Post by rdr on May 31, 2022 12:39:05 GMT -5
I've had a couple of Epis and got rid of them due to various flaws.
However, I've kept my "Inspired by Lennon" Casino. I cannot find a flaw in construction or playability. Great guitar!
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Post by LTB on Jun 1, 2022 1:51:14 GMT -5
I've had a few Epis throughout the years and none stuck around until my 2012 LP Custom Pro. It has great tones, plays well, and is a keeper.
Well, that is quite a looker. Glad it is working well for you. |
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Post by budg on Jun 1, 2022 7:07:20 GMT -5
I’ve had several Epis over the years, Dot,Dot Deluxe and several LPs. All were turds. I hear they’re much better these days , but they’ve gotten enough of my money over the years .
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Epiphone
Jun 1, 2022 7:58:49 GMT -5
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Jun 1, 2022 7:58:49 GMT -5
Years back when the Epi Masterbilt acoustics first came out I bought one that sounded and played tremendous at the shop. When I got it home and started beating on it a bit harder I heard a rattle that was coming from a loose trussrod. Making the rattle go away came at the price of a convex fretboard. The replacement guitar did not sound as good but I thought I'd give it time to open up. The only thing that opened up was the bridge. This was at a time when there was chatter about fine Chinese luthiers building guitars from unseasoned wood. Either way I swore off Chinese guitars at that time. Aside from the "meh" 335 Pro I've since gotten a MiC Yamaha CSF1M parlor that has proven itself to be a quality and stable build, so maybe corrections have been made in Chinese luthiery.
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Post by LeftyMeister on Jun 1, 2022 7:59:42 GMT -5
From what I read before I bought my Custom Pro, it was made to the same specs as a Gibson but was assembled offshore. The Probuckers are essentially MIC Burstbucker Pros.
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Post by reverendrob on Jun 7, 2022 20:31:19 GMT -5
Chinese stuff basically is "how good is your oversight" and "how much are you paying" - price point extreme.
Gibson's decided to not put out crap in the mid and high end now finally, basically.
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Post by oldnjplayer on Sept 17, 2022 9:32:18 GMT -5
late to the discusion buy
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Post by oldnjplayer on Sept 17, 2022 9:34:13 GMT -5
oops. late to this thread but i have an EPI Sheraton that is pretty nice after a decent set up. no 335 but still plays well and can sound decent.
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