Epi 175 Premium discontiued & replacment

**jazzimprov** · 04-15-2017, 06:00 PM

Now that the Epiphone 175 Premium is discontinued and getting harder to find, any thoughts on what Epiphone may have in store if anything and why it was shut down?

**lawson-stone** · 04-15-2017, 06:29 PM

I think it was always intended to be a Limited Edition. Don't know what's coming from Epiphone next.

**agentsmith** · 04-15-2017, 08:42 PM

i'd be looking at ibanez instead of epiphone. Better quality control, materials, pickups, etc.

joaopaz · 04-15-2017, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by agentsmith

i'd be looking at ibanez instead of epiphone. Better quality control, materials, pickups, etc.

As a huge Ibanez fan I'd be happy to agree.. however this Epiphone is special. Yes, the materials could be better; the pickups hardly, since these are Gibson USA Classic 57.

But what makes it special, for me is on how it sounds unplugged, on how it plays, the neck/fingerboard/frets. This one is joy to play. I tried just a few, of course, but they all had it.

To the OP, is hard to say....
To make it better, personally, they'd had to do one of two things and I don't see any in sight:
1) do like Fender does with Squier, and present the same headtsock but with the Epiphone logo.
2) upgrade the hardware/electronics - but that would put the guitar a few hundreds above its current price..

...or maybe they'll just release the Premium but this time with a glossy finish.

Again, honestly, you'd have to be on a special league, as a player, to outweight what this guitar has to offer - again, that's just my opinion.

**lawson-stone** · 04-15-2017, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by joaopaz

As a huge Ibanez fan I'd be happy to agree.. however this Epiphone is special. Yes, the materials could be better; the pickups hardly, since these are Gibson USA Classic 57.

But what makes it special, for me is on how it sounds unplugged, on how it plays, the neck/fingerboard/frets. This one is joy to play. I tried just a few, of course, but they all had it.

To the OP, is hard to say....
To make it better, personally, they'd had to do one of two things and I don't see any in sight:
1) do like Fender does with Squier, and present the same headtsock but with the Epiphone logo.
2) upgrade the hardware/electronics - but that would put the guitar a few hundreds above its current price..

...or maybe they'll just release the Premium but this time with a glossy finish.

Again, honestly, you'd have to be on a special league, as a player, to outweight what this guitar has to offer - again, that's just my opinion.

Yes. This guitar has a really solid, tight gibson-ish feel to it. It's a bit lighter than the current Gibson ES175, about the same weight as my VOS1959 ES175. Hard to think of a better guitar for under $750 or so.

**Longways to Go** · 04-15-2017, 11:23 PM

What I heard from my local Gibson dealer is that the Epi 175 premium was a limited edition exclusive for Guitar Center first. Then later, it became available to other dealers at the discount prices. I'm guessing the new 295 is "the replacement" and that model run will be limited in a similar manner. Not the first time for a Guitar Center exclusive model. Epiphone & Fender both do it -- at least in the USA.

I'm not saying I'm 100% reliable on this as a fact, but that is the story I heard from a reputable dealer.

joaopaz · 04-15-2017, 11:57 PM

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

Yes. This guitar has a really solid, tight gibson-ish feel to it. It's a bit lighter than the current Gibson ES175, about the same weight as my VOS1959 ES175. Hard to think of a better guitar for under $750 or so.

...which is funny, since the Epi in sunburst looks really like the replica of the VOS1959 ES-175.

joaopaz · 04-15-2017, 11:59 PM

Originally Posted by Longways to Go

What I heard from my local Gibson dealer is that the Epi 175 premium was a limited edition exclusive for Guitar Center first. Then later, it became available to other dealers at the discount prices. I'm guessing the new 295 is "the replacement" and that model run will be limited in a similar manner. Not the first time for a Guitar Center exclusive model. Epiphone & Fender both do it -- at least in the USA.

I'm not saying I'm 100% reliable on this as a fact, but that is the story I heard from a reputable dealer.

Makes sense

!

**jazzimprov** · 04-16-2017, 08:45 AM

"What I heard from my local Gibson dealer is that the Epi 175 premium was a limited edition exclusive for Guitar Center first. Then later, it became available to other dealers at the discount prices. I'm guessing the new 295 is "the replacement" and that model run will be limited in a similar manner. Not the first time for a Guitar Center exclusive model. Epiphone & Fender both do it -- at least in the USA. "

Would this be an Epi 295 or Gibson 295??

**Longways to Go** · 04-16-2017, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by jazzimprov

"What I heard from my local Gibson dealer is that the Epi 175 premium was a limited edition exclusive for Guitar Center first. Then later, it became available to other dealers at the discount prices. I'm guessing the new 295 is "the replacement" and that model run will be limited in a similar manner. Not the first time for a Guitar Center exclusive model. Epiphone & Fender both do it -- at least in the USA. "

Would this be an Epi 295 or Gibson 295??

epiphone

Epiphone Limited Edition ES-295 Hollow Body Electric Guitar Walnut | Musician's Friend

**agentsmith** · 04-16-2017, 11:55 AM

i played one and it sounded cheap and nothing like a real 175. For the same dough you can get an Aria Herb Ellis used which rivals a real175.

YMMV

joaopaz · 04-16-2017, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by jazzimprov

Now that the Epiphone 175 Premium is discontinued and getting harder to find, any thoughts on what Epiphone may have in store if anything and why it was shut down?

Out of curiosity, do you have one?
Here in Europe they're still available online

**jazzimprov** · 04-16-2017, 01:31 PM

How is that a replacement for a 175?

more like a 50's rock guitar with the Bigsby....

...holdin' on to my Epi 175......

**rlrhett** · 04-16-2017, 07:38 PM

"Replacement" in a marketing exec's eye, not in any playing or music sense. So a perfect "replacement" as far as Henry's way of thinking.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**jazzimprov** · 04-16-2017, 10:37 PM

....don't tend to think in terms of the marketing exec's eye, especially one that leaves out the " playing or music sense "

Really, what else is left...?

Kind of misses the real point don't you think?

I would rather think in terms of the Musicians eye, with the playing and music sense.

So I guess it depends on which side of the fence you are on.

People following a marketer's idea of "perfect sense" minus the playing and musical sense" usually leads them down a dark path........

**Longways to Go** · 04-16-2017, 10:47 PM

Exactly. They took the nice Epiphone Premium ES 175 platform, took the same nice body, changed up the finish and the pick ups, added a bigsby, and voila -- a new marketing platform. For a season or two.

And yes it is sad. And no, it does not represent progress.

I never meant to imply that "replacement" meant "improvement"

**docbop** · 04-16-2017, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by jazzimprov

Now that the Epiphone 175 Premium is discontinued and getting harder to find, any thoughts on what Epiphone may have in store if anything and why it was shut down?

This isn't the first Epiphone 175 they have made and discontinued then later re-released another spin on the 175. I liked the one that was before the Premium to me it was closer to a Gibson and with a PUP swap was a real nice guitar for the money. I tried the Premium and didn't like it especially the finish. Gibson/Epiphone will wait a couple years and release another maybe another 295 copy with P90's now that I would be interested in.

**pingu** · 04-17-2017, 07:07 AM

Originally Posted by docbop

This isn't the first Epiphone 175 they have made and discontinued then later re-released another spin on the 175. I liked the one that was before the Premium to me it was closer to a Gibson and with a PUP swap was a real nice guitar for the money. I tried the Premium and didn't like it especially the finish. Gibson/Epiphone will wait a couple years and release another maybe another 295 copy with P90's now that I would be interested in.

Like this ?

Ltd. Ed. ES-295 Premium

**docbop** · 04-17-2017, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by pingu

Like this ?

Ltd. Ed. ES-295 Premium

Yes, I thought they were out of production.

Wish they dump the boat anchor and put one of the old tailpieces on. My buddy had one (he has a Gibson 295 now) the Epi 295 are a heavy guitar to start with, add the boat anchor and they are crazy heavy.