Author Topic: Why are Epiphones so cheap? (Read 27956 times)

dave_mc · « **Reply #30 on:** November 19, 2005, 08:17:23 PM »

well, for a while they were at a similar price to the mainland- they were £999 (when they were £999 in england too), but i think they've gone up to £1100 now

meh, it's all academic, i'm not in the market for a gibbo at the moment anyway...

Kilby · « **Reply #31 on:** December 09, 2005, 11:39:16 PM »

Quote from: dave_mc

well, for a while they were at a similar price to the mainland- they were £999 (when they were £999 in england too), but i think they've gone up to £1100 now

meh, it's all academic, i'm not in the market for a gibbo at the moment anyway...

Thats also what happens when you only have about 4 places to go shopping in :(

Try buying a Ric in belfast and learn the true meaning of overpriced.

Kilby...

HTH AMPS · « **Reply #32 on:** December 10, 2005, 12:30:03 AM »

Those LP classics are going down in price coz they're having trouble shifting them - I had one (don't know why the $%&# I bought it), anyway it was average and so were all the other 'classics' I've played.

The current LP Standards are REALLY nice and fairly consistent imo - I'm lusting after a new std with a 50s neck.

On the subject of Epi's, there really is a big difference between them and Gibsons - anyone who says otherwise is just kidding themselves. I got my '91 LP std when it was two years old for £700 second hand and it's a great guitar.

:twisted:

Twinfan · « **Reply #33 on:** May 24, 2006, 04:38:40 PM »

Thought I'd resurrect this old thread ;)

Interesting views, and I agree with most of what's been said. However...

The quality of the high end Epiphones is getting better and better. I played my '65 Epi SG back to back with a Gibson Faded SG and a regular Epi SG G400.

The G400 had a thick neck and didn't feel like a great guitar. It sounded OK but you could tell it was a cheap model.

The Faded SG had a nicer tone, and you could tell it was better quality than the G400. However, it also had a thick neck which was very "Les Paul" not SG. An SG should have a thin neck IMO.

The '65 felt and sounded the most SG-like of the three, and by a long way. It had the best access to the upper frets as it had a smaller heel like an SG should. The pickups were surprisingly sweet too, better than the Gibsons.

I would love to try the new Epi LP Std Plain Top, as I reckon it'll be a great guitar. Even with a re-wire and new pickups you'd be coming in around £575 and would have as good a guitar as a US Gibson costing twice the price.

Crazy_Joe · « **Reply #34 on:** May 24, 2006, 05:12:12 PM »

I would say quite a bit of it is just so you have the name Gibson on the headstock. It's the name that if you asked somebody who doesn't play guitar a make of guitar they would say Gibson. This is the same with other guitars, like Zakk Wylde's signatures have a joke price tag, if his name wasn't on it, it would definatley not be as expensive, same goes for Steve Vai etc.

snipesace · « **Reply #35 on:** May 24, 2006, 05:22:29 PM »

put it this way.... pre 1969 gibsons are the reason gibson is what it is. 70's hit and they got new managment who wanted more money, so they cut the costs of everything, 1970 to the 90's were the worst years at gibson, constantly cutting back quality. in the 90's they again got new management, and since they have been slooowly bringing the quality back. I own a 2002 LP Standard and it plays like a dream. I work in a music store and there are some great epi's but...I have only come across one model that constantly feels nice, the rest usually fall under the "your getting what you pay for" kind of thing. but it seems like to me gibsons are either love or hate.

38thBeatle · « **Reply #36 on:** May 24, 2006, 06:49:49 PM »

go on tell us which one is constantly good.

sgmypod · « **Reply #37 on:** May 24, 2006, 07:09:37 PM »

well own a gib sg build quality great on neck body and finish, pickups were shitee, truss rod not properly connected, messed up screws on pickguard...but lovely to play...but don't think it was 2 to 300hundred better than the epi.....and have always loved sounds of les pauls but never liked the necks apart from on a reissue(was thiner) but tht was silly money.....got a Guild bluesbird instead...far better finish than any les p I've seen lately, neck is sweat....and because old new stock payed hallf its normal price...and a lot les than a LP..far better guitar but peaple walk past them because they don't say gibson......

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #38 on:** May 24, 2006, 09:00:32 PM »

Someone just walked in with a CHINESE made Epi LP STD which they bought at London Guitar Show for £250!!!
Fixed neck and the works!

Was rather good to be fair played acoustically
Haven't plugged it in yet

sgmypod · « **Reply #39 on:** May 24, 2006, 11:14:01 PM »

Just goes to show don't allways need to spend a fortune

Searcher · « **Reply #40 on:** May 24, 2006, 11:44:42 PM »

But, if you do want to spend a fortune, email this guy:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1958-58-59-Gibson-Les-Paul-Standard-Uber-Flame-top-Real_W0QQitemZ7415462296QQcategoryZ38086QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Crazy_Joe · « **Reply #41 on:** May 25, 2006, 12:08:00 AM »

indysmith · « **Reply #42 on:** May 25, 2006, 12:14:44 AM »

Quote from: willo

er...fell off the back of a lorry?

Anyway, my apology - its actually £899.

They are here:

http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/options.php?id=1064

How much are they in NI?

LOL - recheck the price of the LP classic, guys... thats outright SCARY

willo · « **Reply #43 on:** May 25, 2006, 12:34:01 AM »

Quote from: indysmith

Quote from: willo
er...fell off the back of a lorry?

Anyway, my apology - its actually £899.

They are here:

http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/options.php?id=1064

How much are they in NI?

LOL - recheck the price of the LP classic, guys... thats outright SCARY

That's a bit strange, they were cheaper right across the boards a while ago.

Anyhow, if you've a fortune to spend you should check the guy who is selling his collection of 14 or something Fender strats & teles from '57-'62. He is selling them as one complete unit, on ebay, from Switzerland!

And the worst thing is, he said he would keep them for his kids but they'd rather play PLaystation! :o

Muzzzz · « **Reply #44 on:** May 25, 2006, 02:06:04 AM »

You have to be really careful with epiphone - They advertise that their SG doublenecks (for example) have a mahogany top, but don't advertise so publicly that the rest is made of plywood :? A lot of the time, cheap epiphones are the definition of cr@p, (cr@p tuners, cr@p setup, cr@p wood, cr@p quality in general) but because they have something to do with Gibson, people buy them anyway :? :? :?