Are epiphone finally making good guitars?

[apmaman]

Well I gots an email from epiphone saying they have a new line of guitars coming out. The "prophecy" line. I went to look, and was astonished. Although they are set for the hard rock/metal scene they do come as standard with ORIGINAL Floyd Roses and real EMG set pickups(not everyone's cup of tea but hey, its a start right?)

Take a gander and discuss here.

http://www.epiphone.com/

(it opens a java window so cant link directly, although there is a big advert with a big Explorer shaped guitar there, so pretty hard to miss :p)

[AngusYoung01]

They look rather hawt  :o

It would be nice to see that LP with a Floyd though...

[willo]

Epiphone didn't stop making good guitars....the elitist line is very good by all accounts :)

[Simon D]

They are certainly (IMO) very good looking guitars. How good they will be in terms of fretwork, quality of fretwire, etc remains to be seen. If they are to be sold at around the £400 mark, with all that expensive hardware, something is going to have to give - they'll have to save the money somewhere. If they are more expensive, then the quality might be very good, but they'll be less good value for money.

[Jonny]

Prophecy guitars are just normal les pauls with extended 2 frets (I think)

EDIT: I'll rephrase. It's exciting to see a Les Paul with 24 frets, etc. and EMGs but I can hardly play a normal Les Paul let alone this one, so really it's not for me even though I wouldn't mind one.

[Philly Q]

What I really like about this new Prophecy range is the consistency of the designs - black or red, black or gold hardware, EMGs or Dirty Fingers, maple tops, 24 frets, fancy knobs.  It's a good strong image which isn't just a budget version of Gibson.

I'm not so sure about the EM-2s, they don't quite fit with the other models.  But it's good to see the M-III shape making a comeback.

[Jonny]

They're not any thinner are they?

[hunter]

I thought that Epiphones have always been rather good.

Thosed designs are nice. But I am more for the traditional stuff ... wondering what those Gibson USA Dirty Fingers Pickups are like. The name is cool for sure ...

[Jonny]

I thought that Epiphones have always been rather good.

Thosed designs are nice. But I am more for the traditional stuff ... wondering what those Gibson USA Dirty Fingers Pickups are like. The name is cool for sure ...

Apparently they're the dogs bollocks as in - WOW.

[indysmith]

I thought that Epiphones have always been rather good.

Thosed designs are nice. But I am more for the traditional stuff ... wondering what those Gibson USA Dirty Fingers Pickups are like. The name is cool for sure ...

Apparently they're the dogs bollocks as in - WOW.

Someone said that they're like Gibson Cold Sweat. That bloke in blink 182 had them in his signature gibson, so that should give some indication of the sounds.

These new prophecies look very nice, but I can't help thinking that they're just going after the ESP LTD market? Wouldn't they be better off making decent Gibson copies for lower prices? (it could be argued that they do that already, but I reckon that they should concentrate more on using traditional gibson woods consistently, even if they're eastern varieties. They should also change that headstock, as it's pretty much the only thing i dislike about epiphones aesthetically)

[Transcend]

I thought that Epiphones have always been rather good.

Thosed designs are nice. But I am more for the traditional stuff ... wondering what those Gibson USA Dirty Fingers Pickups are like. The name is cool for sure ...

Apparently they're the dogs bollocks as in - WOW.

Someone said that they're like Gibson Cold Sweat. That bloke in blink 182 had them in his signature gibson, so that should give some indication of the sounds.

These new prophecies look very nice, but I can't help thinking that they're just going after the ESP LTD market? Wouldn't they be better off making decent Gibson copies for lower prices? (it could be argued that they do that already, but I reckon that they should concentrate more on using traditional gibson woods consistently, even if they're eastern varieties. They should also change that headstock, as it's pretty much the only thing i dislike about epiphones aesthetically)

Delonge really didnt get an accurate sound from them lol.
It was exactly the same as when he used to use an invader.

And yes theyre meant to be like a cold sweat

[blue]

I'm not so sure about the EM-2s, they don't quite fit with the other models.  But it's good to see the M-III shape making a comeback.

i agree it's good to see the MIII shape back, but it hasn't got the original's novel electronics and to me it doesn't look right without a reverse headstock.  i'm still tempted by the Floyd Rose one though!!  

[Jonny]

I'm not so sure about the EM-2s, they don't quite fit with the other models.  But it's good to see the M-III shape making a comeback.

i agree it's good to see the MIII shape back, but it hasn't got the original's novel electronics and to me it doesn't look right without a reverse headstock.  i'm still tempted by the Floyd Rose one though!!  

I'm liking the Futura FX the more I look at it. :o

[noodleplugerine]

I love the knobs on the prophecys - Are they made of rubber on the sides?

[Philly Q]

They do look a bit rubbery in the pics, but they look very similar to Q-Parts knobs, which are metal with pearloid or abalone tops.  

I ordered a set for my Tele, but they seem to have got lost in the post.  :(