Do you regret buying an Epiphone?

[MjCartney]

I don't typically associate Epiphone with quality, but I like the Joe Pass model and some of the Les Pauls and dots. I own one, which has made me rethink my opinion of them, and economy models in general. Its a Les Paul Florentine copy i bought a few years back. Beautiful amber finish and I string it with flat wounds. I use it mainly for duo gigs with my sister. I truly love that guitar, and always seem to get compliments on my playing when I use it.

[Nuff Said]

1966 Epiphone Triumph A-412

Serial #: 407181, blue Kalamazoo label

Body size at lower bout: 17 3/8" Scale length: 25 1/2" Neck width at nut: 1 9/16"

Finish: Original cherry sunburst finish, nitrocellulose lacquer type.

Materials: Quartersawn, bookmatched solid carved spruce soundboard; arched figured maple back and sides; solid one-piece Honduras mahogany neck; Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with diamond mother of pearl inlay; adjustable compensated Brazilian rosewood bridge, pearl peghead inlay, three-ply top binding, bound back, fingerboard, and headstock.

Hardware: 100% original hardware includes nickel plated Kluson Deluxe double ring, double line tuners, original unstamped chrome Frequensator tailpiece, compensated adjustable Brazilian rosewood bridge. Original bound tortoise pickguard included, additional Jason Lollar McCarty style single coil pickguard pickup assembly installed.

Notes: The cutaway version of its ever popular Triumph model, the Epiphone Triumph Regent was introduced in 1949, and made by Gibson in very small numbers in Kalamazoo from 1959 to 1968. The Gibson made A-412 Triumph combines the acoustic tone of a true carved top with the slim, fast neck of a thinline electric. Equivalent in specifications and price to the Gibson L-7C, the Triumph was built side by side by the same craftsmen on the same production line at the venerable Gibson plant in Kalamzoo, Michigan.

I like this one.
Nuff

[Playerizor]

I have had several Epiphones and though the build was good the pick-ups always needed to be upgraded.

Also look at Heritage Guitars, better than GIbson but less expensive, and used ones go for pretty low prices.

[ooglybong]

I bought an Epi Les Paul back in the mid-'90s (so that would be Korean, I assume). On that day, I compared it against the half dozen Gibson LPs in stock, and the Epi felt the best, neck and hang-wise, plus it was a bit lighter with a louder acoustic tone. The amped sound was good on the Epi, but not quite as good as the Gibsons, so I bought it for 25% of the Gibson price, upgraded to Duncan pickups and have been pretty happy ever since.

(Ha! I still wish, though , that it said Gibson on the headstock. I *know* it's a great guitar, but—odd analogy coming here—imagine driving down the road in a great "copy" of a Ford Mustang [or whatever floats yer boat], but it says XYZ-brand on the hood. Ah, so what, right?!)

On the other hand, I also play bass at times and have recently bought both the fretless and fretted versions of Epi's Zenith bass. WOW. What fine instruments these are. Made in Indonesia, but the quality is undeniably there. The fretless was marked as a 2nd on the headstock's back, and there were maybe two minor cosmetic flaws that I noticed. My fretted bass, however, is perfect, and I'd happily put it (either bass, really) up against pretty much anything. *Great playing and sounding* basses, esp. suited for jazz with onboard Shadow magnetic and piezo electronics. Very versatile range of sounds but also can go somewhat towards Steve Swallow-esque sound-wise, I'm thinking (ha, but not my playing!).

One thing I esp. like about these Epiphone Zenith basses is that they're not a copy of anything, esp. Gibson, so they stand purely on their own merits. However, for some reason (possibly them being a bit too unique?), Epi has pulled the plug on these instruments after only being out about two years. Go figure.

Hope this helps. :-)

[cosmic gumbo]

What's up with Epiphones that say Gibson on the truss rod cover?

[gary mitchell]

I own a Sheraton years ago, and just did not care for it. The guitar was not quite there for me. I had a Gibson ES335 before that and thought I could replace it , did not work. A year are so ago I wanted a Les Paul but could not afford a Gibson. I did not want a Epi either, some one told me about a company out of Canada called Prestige. So I ended buying a Prestige Heritage Standard LP, it was loaded with a SD59 and a SD JB. American Electronics.. I paid $700.00 for it new with HSC. Great Guitar looks nice. I did not like the Jeff Beck HB, so I loaded it with TV Jones classic's. It made the guitar super clean. I would check them out, heck they could be made in the same factory I don't know. They have a company in Canada and USA, wood and electronics from here.

[Nuff Said]

There's a lot of history to Epiphone guitars:

1928 - 1957 built by Epiphone in USA.

1957 - 1969 they were owned and built by the Gibson factory USA.

1970 - Japan, Korea, China and Indonesia built Epiphone guitars.

Nuff

[peterpanico]

Yes very much disappointed,I had a Joe Pass,and gave it back as soon I could,after I had for a bit in my hands,poor quality almost in everything,first impressions were not bad for the price,but then using it at home..... :-( also,Pu switch ceased to work in less than a month!...
Got a second hand PM 100...another life!!! :-)
in the end,you get what you pay for....and even less sometimes,with today's Epis

[jbear]

I had an MIJ Sheraton II that wish I never sold. It was as good as any 335 I've played and the only EPI headstock that didn't make me cringe.
Two LP Std's...both very light and played well. Actually...very well.
I've picked up others that were like logs, but these two were light and resonant. PUP's weren't terrible, but I'd have changed them eventually. I got them for next to nothing and was just lucky I guess. Sold those too. Sort of like that player that gets traded all the time because that's pretty good, but you can always get something you want more...and you know you can get another guy like that any time. Not sure if that analogy makes sense to anyone other than me, but...
There are definitely some good ones out there, but I don't generally seek them out.
No regrets.

[Charlie X]

I have the Epi Regent and also a 60s Gibson Johnny Smith..i modded the epi with new frets and a Bartolini pup...did the same with the Gibson..the Epi blows away the gibson in feel, acoustic tone (and Gib is solid wood) and electric tone.
I have an Epi BB king and also a new Gibson Gem series BB king. (its on ebay now) ..again, the Epi has a MUCH better neck..i did change out the neck pup to a KA single coil and it KILLS anything...the neck is SOOOO much more playable than the gibson boat anchor neck. After that experience, I will not buy ANY new Gibsons...but will always consider the epi..btw..the Gibson was actually 10 TIMES more expensive than the epi..and it SUCKS farts out of dead pigeons.

[Funkwire]

What's up with Epiphones that say Gibson on the truss rod cover?

Since Epiphone is owned by Gibson, the parent company must have OK'd doing that...no rhyme or reason to it. Some models have it, most don't. Some 90s Epis had 'Epiphone by Gibson' inlaid on the headstock.

To answer the OP...no. I don't regret buying my 2005 '56 Gold Top.

[peterpanico]

After that experience, I will not buy ANY new Gibsons...but will always consider the epi..btw..the Gibson was actually 10 TIMES more expensive than the epi..and it SUCKS farts out of dead pigeons.

What a laugh......

[mangotango]

I have a Korean Epi Joe Pass. Well, it's barely even a JP any more - I call it my NoJoe (without any disrespect to Mr. P - quite the opposite in fact, I felt quite ashamed playing a guitar with his name on it and my level of capability when I bought it) ! So I removed the scratchplate and truss rod cover, and now I can do the "Got my NoJoe Working" gag..... again.

Anyway, it's a lovely guitar to play - light, perfect neck, etc. - but the pickups didn't have much character.

So at first I had them replaced with some humbuckers that had been taken out of a Les Paul Studio. Much more like it. However, when I acquired my Vestax D'Angelico NYL-5, the Epi inevitably suffered by comparison and I put it away for a while.

Recently though, I made up my mind to make something more of it and to make it something totally different from my main guitar. So, I had the electrics replaced with some better quality stuff, a more solid tailpiece fitted, and Kent Armstrong P90's fitted. I'm making a new scratchplate in plain black and once it's all done I'll post some pictures. However, it sounds great - nice old-fashioned vibe to it now (provided that you position yourself at the proper angle to the amp, to avoid the hum!)

[Frank67]

My experience with EP archtops is really not that bad. One just has to replace the pickups. The Epi ES 175 with classic 57s sound really sweet and also plays nicely (to me it sounds *much* better with pure nickel roundwounds than with flat wounds).
I also have a Indonesian Epi Joe Pass and have no complaints about the build quality whatsoever. It is the one guitar I keep flatwounds (chromes) on and together with good PAFs (and a few other mods like a bone nut) and a tube amp it sounds really nice to me.

[PTChristopher]

Nice to see the full range of considered opinion on this - and about the actual guitars vs. a brand name.

>>> other mods like a bone nut

Yeah, bone is the standard for good nuts (although I hesitate to start referring to the "Bone Standard" as a measure of excellence).

Maybe ironic that some, ostensibly superior, synthetic nut materials end up very similar in hardness, density, and durability to low cost styrene nuts as found on some lower cost guitars.

Chris

[kris]

Good guitar set up change instrument for better sounding and playing.
Fret work,nut work,bridge work,neck work...etc and good quality of strings.
After profesional set up your cheep guitar will start to sing...:-)

[Elias Graves]

I've had mixed luck with Epis.
My son's Peerless Les Paul and my own Peerless Casino are both wonderful guitars. I doubt either go anywhere.
My Alleykat and SG were both plagued with issues.
Lesson: Don't buy an Epi without trying it first. If that's not possible, order from somewhere with a good return policy.

[kris]

I've had mixed luck with Epis.
My son's Peerless Les Paul and my own Peerless Casino are both wonderful guitars. I doubt either go anywhere.
My Alleykat and SG were both plagued with issues.
Lesson: Don't buy an Epi without trying it first. If that's not possible, order from somewhere with a good return policy.

+1

[JensL]

My main guitar for the last 4 years was an epiphone I bought for 300 euro
I am really happy with it!

Jens

[Anandbhat]

I have two epiphones. One is a vintage Zenith. Very nostalgic. The other is an Epiphone Les Paul Ultra,made in korea. Great guitar although I did have the frets polished etc. Don't care for their new ultra,now made in china.

[Angiodan]

I picked up an EPI ES 175 last fathers day at GC for really cheap and it came setup really well( no adjustment needed) and plays great! I have also purchased a $$$$ Gibson CS 356 that needed a new bridge ,the pickup rings turned around to be in the correct position,the nut cut down so that the strings would not go sharp when pressed and had to have the frets filed in order to be playable. I would not hesitate to buy an Epiphone in the least.
Have a good day!
Dan

[RonD]

I have owned two Epi Joe Pass models, a Sheraton and a couple of Les Pauls.
Couldn't sell them fast enough.
Being a "lefty" makes buying guitars very difficult. I kept trying, specifically because of availabilty.
Never again!

[cargoshorts]

What a laugh......

Oh Really?
Perhaps You'd like to enlighten us why Epiphone ES-295's and ES-175's and Zephyr Regents are no longer allowed into The States? And while You're explaining all that perhaps You'll explain why the Elitist Byrdlands and Broadways were discontinued by parent company Gibson...

The Reality: Gibson was getting smoked on two fronts - both Epiphone and FMIC Gretsch quality-wise. Gretsch is owned by Fender, so there was nothing Gibson could do there with Terada in Japan - but - they stopped Terada from building the Elitist Broadways and Byrdlands because they were getting their behinds kicked.

On TJGF I play "cargo shorts"
-stantheman TDPRI

[PTChristopher]

Cargo,

This is just one person's opinion: Can you please not add to the thankfully limited brand-name love/hate posts here?

Really, everyone in guitardom understands that there is a fringe who love the Gibson name and a fringe who hate it. This is not news. This does not add anything whatsoever to a fun and interesting discussion.

There are web forums where this sort of thing (ping pong with a brand name) is the standard. Surely you and a few others may notice that here the emphasis is most often on the actual merits of and experiences with the guitars themselves.

Any chance?

I understand that this thread is peppered with brand-oriented commentary by design, and more that a few pointless (in my opinion) comments on the Gibson love/hate 'road to nowhere'. But can we nonetheless steer away from the unfortunate trend?

Chris

[brad4d8]

Gretsch is owned by Fender, so there was nothing Gibson could do there with Terada in Japan

Actually, Gretsch is owned by Gretsch with a distribution agreement with Fender. Gretsch makes all the model decisions. Of course, Gibson still has no control over them, regardless.
Brad