Gibson L-5 and Epiphone Broadway Elistist

[lawson-stone]

Lawson, I have that edition of the Odyssey, and think it the best of all the ones I've read. Highly recommended to one and all.

Doh! I'll never be a jazz guitarist, when the big thing about that photo was a book on a shelf in the background! I might as well give up now!

Indeed, Fagles' translation of Homer is going to be hard to improve on for a generation. My scholarly interest is in the period of about 1200-1000 B.C. which is the period of time in which Troy fell, Rameses II ruled, and Gideon, Samson, Saul and David lived. The combination of history, archaeology, legends, literature, art and religion is well-nigh irresistible.

[jzjazz]

I would love to hear a side-by-side of these two. I have an Elitist Broadway and an Aria Pro II PE180 (another L5ces clone) but have never actually played an L5ces. I'd love to hear any detailed comparisons/contrasts you can talk about.

How do these two compare? Looking for a l-5 clone myself... ;-)

[citizenk74]

They make a lovely pair and my wish is for you to be able to afford keep them together for as long as you want.

I'm with Jabbs. Congratulations, and play them in good health!

[BigMikeinNJ]

The Elitist range was made at the Terada factory. Pretty doggone work comes out of there, the Elitist Byrdland actually hurt Gibson's sales numbers - talk around the ICW campfire was that was why the whole Elitist line was halted, they cut into Gibsons sales too much.

Tough spot to be in. Try to keep them both. The Elitist really seem to hold their value, I'm always looking at the Elitist Byrdlands.

[lawson-stone]

How do these two compare? Looking for a l-5 clone myself... ;-)

I have several clips using one or the other of these and a few with both.


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[Little Jay]

You can definitely see it in the "point" of the cutaway, where the 175 seems to almost "point back in."

I like little stuff like this, it's interesting. Now I'd like to see a picture of a Epiphone Zephyr regent, the model the made in the 90's-00's that was essentially a single pickup 175....off to google.

Yes, Zephyr Regent's body looks a little more true to a Gibson ES-175:



But don't forget that the cutaway of 50ies and 60ies 175s were also different from later ones. Gibson went back to the old shape with the VOS models, but maintained the deeper cutaway with the modern 175.

[lawson-stone]

Yes, Zephyr Regent's body looks a little more true to a Gibson ES-175:



But don't forget that the cutaway of 50ies and 60ies 175s were also different from later ones. Gibson went back to the old shape with the VOS models, but maintained the deeper cutaway with the modern 175.

I actually did my measurements on a 90's ES165. I should compare with my VOS model when I get home tonight. I hadn't realized they changed that.

[feet]

Well both these guitars are beyond me as a player, and spend a lot of time in their cases as I bash around on a battered squire strat most of the time. There are some quite big differences I suppose. The L-5 is physically heavier, and the Epiphone has a more pronounced arch. The size and general shape is pretty much identical. The epiphone feels sort of newer, the bevel on the edge of the fingerboard is small so the feel is of quite a square edge and that is the same all over, the binding has very small bevels, it is impeccably finished. I think the necks are around the same width, but the epiphone's is very slightly thinner front to back. The L-5 has more little flaws and assymmetry and the binding has much larger bevels. It seems more hand made, you can see the work of man. You could call that charm.

They sound very different unplugged, The epiphone is louder and more boomy. The bass is louder. The L-5 sounds quiet by comparison, but the sound seems more clear, by that I mean the individual notes when playing a chord are easier to discern as the volume of each note seems more equal. Not what I expected really I though the L-5 might be louder. A friend of mine who plays rock and folk described them as stiff. I think he means that they are not jangly like flat top guitars. All these adjectives, who knows what they mean!

Plugged in they are similar and a bit of fiddling can get them to sound pretty much the same. I know an older gentleman who is a fabulous jazz player and he also has an L-5 of similar age. I know he is very particular about the tone, describing to me how he wants the notes to sound like ink dropping onto blotting paper! He was keen to try all three, and I really think he liked the Epiphone the most. I think I love the L-5 for what it is, but as guitars, I couldn't conclusively say that is prefer one over the other, hence my unwillingness to sell the Broadway!

being the owner of several elitists (and gretsches from the same factory), this does my heart good. i don't go around my expecting my epiphones are better than gibsons, but i know it is true more often than some would like. and i know mine are awesome either way.

[Chazmo]

For a while I had both an Epi Elitist Broadway and a Gibson L-5C Wesmo. I felt I didn't need both. Sold the Gibby, kept the Epi, if that says anything.

[va3ux]

You can definitely see it in the "point" of the cutaway, where the 175 seems to almost "point back in."

I like little stuff like this, it's interesting. Now I'd like to see a picture of a Epiphone Zephyr regent, the model the made in the 90's-00's that was essentially a single pickup 175....off to google.

It is interesting to me too. I too had noticed that something seemed 'off' (if I can reuse your description) about the Epi - nothing bad, just something different that I couldn't put my finger on. The cutaway ! That's what it was. And a general perception that bodies might not be absolutely identical, but overall are generally 'about the same'. Regardless, the Epi is still a nice looking unit.

[lawson-stone]

It's also possible that even apart from the cutaway, the ES175 might not be exactly symmetrical.