Anyone seen how damn CHEAP these are?

[Philly Q]

I don't know why, but Epi Japan guitars seem like some well-kept secret.  I've got an Epi Japan Les Paul junior and it's a fantastic guitar.  I paid £330 for mine which is a little under the going rate for a sunburst one, but check out this one on ebay at the minute in cherry red for £250 bin...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-OUTLET-2006-Epiphone-Japan-Les-Paul-Jr-SC-P-90-CHR_W0QQitemZ120289140158QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item120289140158&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177

Buy this one before I do, these LP jr's are great.

Bugger, I was watching that and now you've ruined it!   

Just kidding, I am watching it but I already have two of them so I really shouldn't buy another.  They're among my most favourite guitars.  They seem to have slightly more of an "authentic" vintage vibe than Tokai, Edwards etc - maybe it's the nitro finish or the fact that they say Les Paul on the headstock.  Those Japanese Epis have taken over from Orville by Gibson (like Snickers and Marathon), they're basically identical.

[indysmith]

I always wandered why those Jap Epi Elitists aren't mroe popular over here? Is there a distributor for them? If they were in shops more I bet they'd see a lot of action.

[AndyR]

Are they allowed to sell them in Europe?

The reason you have to go through hoops for the classy Fender Japan stuff, is because it's "non-export" - the agreement with Fender is that they're not allowed to market them in the US and Europe. Does the same apply for the Gibson/Epi stuff?

[Philly Q]

There seem to be three different types of Epiphones:

1.  The Korean ones which are available everywhere.

2.  The Elitists which have a round-topped headstock.  I think they're Japanese and are legitimately available in the US and Europe.

http://www.epiphone.com/elitist/default.htm

http://www.dv247.com/invt/37145/product.htm?gdftrk=gdfV2356_a_7c416_a_7c1181_a_7c37145

3.  The re-branded Orvilles, which have proper Gibson headstocks and are strictly for the Japanese market.

[willo]

I always wandered why those Jap Epi Elitists aren't mroe popular over here? Is there a distributor for them? If they were in shops more I bet they'd see a lot of action.

The elitists are great. I recorded with one a while back, it was such a nice guitar. It was one of the old Sheratons, great guitar.

When it came to getting a new guitar I was torn between that and the '81 Navigator.

[38thBeatle]

I have a friend in USA who told me that he'd tried a few of these melody makers and he rated them-obviously allowing for the price, they are not a top end model but then the MM was a student guitar when it was originally marketed.

[dave_mc]

I don't know why, but Epi Japan guitars seem like some well-kept secret.  I've got an Epi Japan Les Paul junior and it's a fantastic guitar.  I paid £330 for mine which is a little under the going rate for a sunburst one, but check out this one on ebay at the minute in cherry red for £250 bin...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-OUTLET-2006-Epiphone-Japan-Les-Paul-Jr-SC-P-90-CHR_W0QQitemZ120289140158QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item120289140158&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177

Buy this one before I do, these LP jr's are great.

that's gonna cost you a lot more than £250 by the time it gets to the UK, though, surely?

[Philly Q]

I don't know why, but Epi Japan guitars seem like some well-kept secret.  I've got an Epi Japan Les Paul junior and it's a fantastic guitar.  I paid £330 for mine which is a little under the going rate for a sunburst one, but check out this one on ebay at the minute in cherry red for £250 bin...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-OUTLET-2006-Epiphone-Japan-Les-Paul-Jr-SC-P-90-CHR_W0QQitemZ120289140158QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item120289140158&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177

Buy this one before I do, these LP jr's are great.

that's gonna cost you a lot more than £250 by the time it gets to the UK, though, surely?

Yeah, £70 for shipping and probably another £75-£80 for VAT and import charges - so about £400 all told.  Still not much more than I bought my two for, though, at the end of the day.

[HTH AMPS]

I'd say those Epi Japan LP juniors are well worth £400, though the pickup ain't nowt to write home about - just been replacing mine with a BKP this afternoon.  It's something Tim rustled up for me and I'm not sure how it sits in the BKP P90 range.  Mine is the classic 10,000-turn P90 wind but with an A4 magnet.  DC resistence around 7.8k

I upgraded the electrics to CTS/Switchcraft while I was in there and I'm stringing it up tomorrow = can't wait to hear how it sounds compared to the overwound Fralin A5 P90 that was in there before.

[Philly Q]

I've pimped mine too - upgraded electronics, aluminium bridge, locking tuners.

My BKP-91 is also AIV - although I didn't specifically ask for it - but 8.6K.

[HTH AMPS]

gonna try a lightweight Aluminium Faber bridge on mine, see how it goes.

[QS-Nalle]

I've tried the Joan Jet signature model, quite cheap..... and beats the cr@p out of an SG,  especially the faded ones.

[dave_mc]

Yeah, £70 for shipping and probably another £75-£80 for VAT and import charges - so about £400 all told.  Still not much more than I bought my two for, though, at the end of the day.

i was just mentioning it in case someone who wasn't familiar with importing saw the £250 price and went for it, thinking that was the final price! :lol: :)

[Philly Q]

Yeah, £70 for shipping and probably another £75-£80 for VAT and import charges - so about £400 all told.  Still not much more than I bought my two for, though, at the end of the day.

i was just mentioning it in case someone who wasn't familiar with importing saw the £250 price and went for it, thinking that was the final price! :lol: :)

No, you're right - there are still lots of people who don't realise how much extra it's going to cost them!  :)

[dave_mc]

:drink: