New Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom, Worth the Money?

[@ericb.1384]

A Gibson SG Standard '61 is $2000. Might as well get that, if they're gonna charge so much. You even get a usable middle position with the pickups.

[@zero318]

Hey man, I get it...that's a lot of dough for something that doesn't tick all the boxes without some work. Then again, to be fair, as a guy who's been doing tech work forever, most new guitars these days do require some work of some kind. In the case of fret sprout, I haven't seen one yet that doesn't need some form of a fret dress. Regardless if it's Gibson, Epi, whatever. It's a humidity thing from the Orient to here. They ship fine, but there will be some shrinkage. As for the trem bar, those need a little work as well. Primarily in making sure the nut slots aren't binding. Once those are good to go, take some powdered graphite (or pencil lead, same thing) and lubricate the nut slots. It'll help BIG TIME. The saddles on the bridge can also be problematic if there's burrs or anything. As for the middle pickup, that's the way they came and where some of the quirky sounds of the times came from. But that can also be easily modded with a little soldering. I realize at this price point they could do better, and they should, but think of a Gibson and how much more expensive that is...with all the same goofy QC issues and more (broken headstocks, etc). The Epiphone SG is still a bargain. To be fair, ANY guitar needs a good setup, and not just right out of the box, but after being played for a while to see how it settles under string tension, etc. Personally? I think that SG it's as cool as it gets...why not splash a little? It'd be interesting to see how it does after a proper setup and some tweaking.

[@Randolphguitars]

This is a very fair take

[@TheUlesifah701]

I’m surprised more players don’t have the ability to work on guitars ….. mind blown actually

[@samsgarage3540]

I appreciate this comment. I'm looking at buying one of these, but after looking at reviews it's kinda weird - like there's not a great explanation as to why all these reviewers don't like it, other than they want it cheaper because it's an epiphone or maybe the 3 pickup issue. (I feel the same way with a strat and hitting the pickup, but eventually got used to it.) I have been buying old guitars with some issues and learning to do the tech work myself - it's not super hard to learn to at least improve a guitar. I get that wiring scares some people, but I've got somewhat of an electrical background, so I've been going crazy with mods lately 😅. My perspective on this guitar, is that it has great electrical components, great fretboard, good tuners, bridge, vibrola, etc., so all that together is more than $1000 right there. The binding work, the other details - all add more production costs. Then, the fact that it's a historical reproduction, it's got the open book headstock (rare-ish for an Epi), and it's just otherwise cool - yeah, it seems that it's kinda a $1,500 guitar made to look like a $6,700 guitar with many of the same parts. Like, what makes the Gibson Custom Shop model of the same guitar worth $5,000 more if we're getting super picky? I can rewire that middle position to be in phase really easily. I can make a single master tone knob and then have 3 volume controls for the pickups - which would give me a middle position by itself. Those are the mods I'm considering should I purchase this guitar. I really don't understand the hate. I get that there are some really good $1,500 guitars out there these days, tho. I do, but all of those that I'm seeing being praised are all modern guitars. I think reviewers don't care appreciate the cool factor of this guitar as having aby value, nor do the appreciate the value of all the hardware alone. They see the China sticker and suddenly become something like a headstock/brand snob again. My concerns are about resale value with this guitar. In a few years, I'll be hard pressed to get $1,000 for it, I'm sure. So, if I don't love it or I want to move on to something bigger and better, then is this a bit of a setback? I dunno. I hope I love it, tho. I've been playing SGs lately, and I've really been digging them. This SG, in particular, is absolutely stunning.

[@Oldmanhenderson12]

To answer the middle position question, it’s supposed to emulate how they were wired when they first came out. Back in the day, Gibson wired the middle position to play the middle and bridge positions, resulting in an out of phase sort of sound.

[@scottjua]

The tuning stability with the trem: 100% two things .. nut and saddles. Making sure the nut is cut well, and burr free along with saddles, and its changes everything. Middle pickup sounds: You can do a couple of things. Turn the magnet of whichever is out of phase, and re wire to have three volumes and a master tone. Then you can blend the middle in to neck or bridge at any position. Or all three at once. I think this guitar is ripe for a bevel job, nut job, re wire, fret end dress, and refinish. Yeah. Totally sucks on cost out of the box, but you'd still be well under a Gibson version with the same electronics and have a proper beast then. Hell, ill be happy to do it at cost for you just to see your reactions when all done.

[@nankypooh655]

Back at the turn of the century, Musician's Friend was having a closeout on the Epiphone G-400 Custom model. (That would be a reproduction of a 1961 Les Paul/SG three pickup custom) I got it for super cheap. ($400.00 U.S. in 1999 money) It has three volumes and a master tone. I haven't played it in quite some time, but I still have it, and I still love it, and it still plays beautifully. They actually built them like that once upon a time.

[@joerobertson795]

At $750 those aren't deal killers, but at $1500 I couldn't tolerate any of it. Epiphone jumped the shark with the new pricing. Great vid!

[@Randolphguitars]

Thank you!

[@zoeherriot]

Well it would be a killer… you’d be getting a free guitar given the pickups retail for that much.

[@nigelsmith721]

As someone who has been buying (and selling / trading) guitars for about 40 years I say this with the utmost respect for the process - We guitarists need to stop paying silly money for new guitars. It's a market driven by gear lust and you can't blame manufacturers for charging whatever people are prepared to pay. But that's the problem - we all want a nice guitar or two and once the lust-monster is in the house we can always "justify" what it's going to cost us - until we get it home and realise we still play the same and the thing isn't perfect at all. The used market is flooded with "custom" guitars that somebody thought was The One at a decent discount over brand new. That Custom Shop tag is the best bit of marketing the guitar industry has developed possibly ever...a license to massively inflate prices for something that is, arguably, only incrementally better as an instrument than its off-the-peg alternative. Unless of course you're all about the aesthetic in which case you're their target audience and you can kiss your cash goodbye and enjoy looking at your new wall hanging.

[@hubbada6373]

I got one of these too, I absolutely love the finish of the guitar, and I'm kinda sad that it's buffing to a semi gloss the more I play it. I also had issues with the sharp fret edges and a sharp nut as well. After playing it for a while, though, they did smooth out. It's totally fair to be unhappy with the guitar because of these issues, but I'm personally not fussy at all and I still love it

[@andreguitars]

Hey, for me I kinda felt the same way about the finish, meh on the VOS. BUT, its a few easy fixes to turn this tone machine into something that feels just as good to play as it sounds. 1) knock the neck down with a very light sand, scotchbrite or whatever to smooth off that "eggshell" feel, I always put a touch of olive oil on it afterwards to get a super slinky feel on it. use whatever you like though 2) change the strings, and knock a pencil thru the nut slots, I love the D'addario XSE1052. 3) run a little sanding same way as you do the neck with the side frets, do it lightly, it will only touch metal and not the binding or neck at all. There are more things to do like play withe pickup heights, i don tknow much about the trem yet, its my first time with one of these, so there's stuff to do there too i'm sure. Those first three things though take it from kinda stiff to beastmode. I love the middle pickup settings with edge of breakup, its killer.

[@Brian-gz8xt]

I'd do the Peter Frampton wiring on this to make the three pick ups more useful

[@furtherdefinitions1]

So, is the Gibson Custom Shop version with the same pickups worth close to 8 grand?

[@blackout8845]

If you consider that a studio is at 1600 and these are running somewhere between 1200-1500, you still have the same ~200$ diffrence that we had back in 2014 when I bought my studio for 800 and the top epis were at 500-600

[@SonOfNiall]

I just got the same guitar in the mail today. Really loving the pickups, the middle position is one the main reasons I bought it. Definitely needs some filing on the nut and maybe saddles. Might even put a string butler on... we'll see. Aside from the binding on the nut, it was set up pretty well out of the box, only had to adjust intonation on one string. I have an Epiphone Sg Modern. However, the Custom 63 has quickly replaced it in my rotation.

[@BackToTheBlues]

Every time I see a Gibson with three humbuckers I wonder why they didn't use mini humbuckers - they would be ideal, giving a bit of room for picking. I have an old Hofner 4575 which is a three pickup guitar. The pickups are humbuckers, but about the same size as Filtertrons, so there's space between them if you want to avoid banging your pick on the cover if you get over-excited whilst playing!

[@barrymiller2272]

As a Gibson owner(I currently own 15 LP's) I think it's worth $1,500! I can tell by looking it has a fat neck. I'm not a fan of there poly paints but there dumping as much as they can into the aerthetics. Agreed..middle of pickup in not needed. But how do you make a 61 Mary Ford inspired guitar without it...

[@nankypooh655]

Actually I'm in agreement with you about the finish. I guess they call that a "Satin" finish. It kind of makes me feel like I have to be extra careful with it, or else the paint job will wear done quick. With a gloss finish, I feel like I can beat it up a little, ad not worry too much, but I get this whole "Fragile: Handle With Care" vibe from the finish, which makes me want to almost not play it, except for special occasions. I haven't really had any neck dive issues, per se, but I've been playing SGs for a long time, so maybe I don't notice it. The only SG i ever had any issues with as far as neck dives are concerned was my Epiphone Custom with P90 pickups. Talk about neck dive city! With most SGs I've played, I've either had no neck dives, or the problem was minor at best, and completely manageable. All of my frets were/are smooth and filed down perfectly, so I had no issues with any sharp frets. I've also had no problems or issues concerning the middle pick up. I don't worry about the stop tail piece because I hardly ever touch it, and I'm sure a good polishing will set it right, like new. I've no issues with it going out of tune, mainly because I never use the whammy bar. That's just for Smoke On The Water, and surf tunes anyway, neither of which I have any desire to play. It feels rather comfortable to play. I can understand the price issue, and Epiphone is advertising it like it has all these bells and whistles, so I can see how some people might question the price, but I think Epiphone did a good job going out of their way to try the best they could to replicate a 1963 Les Paul/SG Custom. also, keep in mind that had Gibson put this out, you'd be paying at least five to seven grand for one. (Ad don't even get me started on how much and ORIGINAL would go for in perfect condition. Let's just say you'd better be single, because you'd probably be blowing the kid's college money on it if you could find one) I saved up my pennies to buy one of these babies, and, other than the paint job, I'm quite happy with mine, although I'll confess it's the MOST EXPENSIVE guitar in my collection, so I'll probably only play it on rare occasions, but I absolutely LOVE IT, and I think I made a good investment. Other people might have different experiences and opinions, though, and I can understand not wanting to spend $1500.00 (U.S.) if you've got bills to pay.

[@gregputman]

I have one. I have no problem with the finish and I've owned Gibson's that's had worse fretwork. As for the odd out of phase sound in the middle position, I like it because it's different. Also, the pickups alone would run you about $750. I got mine for $1,300, no tax and shipping included, and to be honest I don't have any problem with that.

[@tomislavs1698]

tried the les pauls (standard and custom), are they good? yes, are they worth the price? hell to the nah, aside from the cosmetics they just feel like the normal epiphone variants with a bit nicer pickups, and honestly for the kind of music I play (meaning a bit more gain) they would still have to be replaced since they are not waxed.

[@Atlantean-1980]

i agree with you Randolph, for that money one could buy a used gibson SG standard or get lucky and get a les paul standard or trad.

[@FortressofShred]

Or you can buy a new GIBSON Les Paul Studio for that price

[@Atlantean-1980]

@@FortressofShred oh the new ones yes indeed....id rather go for the full binding experience personally, but studios are great guitars for sure

[@kennyblackbird5674]

You're right about that old stupid Gibson three pickup wiring scheme! Just rewire it to where it has three volumes pots instead of just the two. Rewire the toggle switch for the middle position to have all the pickups on so you can control every pickup combination with each volume knob including the regular two pickup combinations by turning off the middle pickup volume knob..

[@BuChan89]

The only Epiphones (post 1960s) worth over $1000 are the solidbody models that were made in Japan by Fujigen or the Casino by Terada.

[@kyleklassen1]

You have an awesome channel. Don't be afraid to own your opinions. As others have said, that money goes significantly farther on a used Gibson

[@Randolphguitars]

Thank you 😊 and agreed

[@fierceheart66]

Opinions on guitars are subject to individual taste, preferences, favoritism, etc. so …… try it for yourself and see. I have the new custom and the 59’ standard. Flawless build, killer sound/ playability and feel. No fret edge issues on either of mine. The VOS finish to me is like a satin finish. I’m cool with it, no drag issues when your hands warm up like on a glossy finish guitar. Personally I think they are well worth the money !!! Maybe I got lucky and just got 2 really killer guitars, every brands QC issues. I love mine, not that my opinion matters. 🎸

[@marksenior2941]

I have felt in a minority of one regarding 'Epiphone Inspired by Gibson' guitars so today I went looking for a not so "WOW! These are ace at a fraction of the price" reviews. I appreciate that you're talking about the SG here and for my electrics I have Fenders (and a '76 Music Man which I've had from new to give you a clue to my age. I was looking for a built-in double output electro acoustic to avoid having to get round not having a built-in double output electro acoustic guitar. Again electro acoustic guitar of my choice is not a Gibson....but the EJ200SCE seemed like a good bet for what I was looking for based on the reviews on KZbin so I bought one along with the appropriate Epiphone hard case. As for value for money it's not a bad guitar. Indeed I'd go further and say it offers value for money....depending on what you are looking for. Mine has never left my home and remains on a wall bracket since the day it was delivered. As for a comparison to the Gibson that everybody tells me it is intended to emulate....it doesn't. The reviews I have so far seen (until now) about 'Epiphone Inspired by Gibson' have to have been compiled either by well meaning amateurs or by less than scrupulous people being paid in return for putting inaccurate review. If you want a Gibson Les Paul, an SG, a Hummingbird etc....I don't see a copy scratching your itch....It didn't scratch mine!

[@jacksondemarre8057]

I remember trying the Gibson version of this guitar (albeit with a stop tailpiece instead of the maestro vibrola) for $2,100 back in 2014. It’s wild to think that the Epiphone version 10 years later is only $600 than what its Gibson counterpart was going for used.

[@adamwatson6916]

The original SG customs came with an out of phase middle and bridge pickup when the switch is in the middle. All 3 humbucker Gibsons have been like this since the beggining .

[@mdub048]

I polished the frets, oiled the fretboard, and polished the egg shell finish on my IBGC '58 Explorer. It is a great guitar. I got it new @25% off, so that made it worthwhile to me. My Gibson Original Collection Explorer is a nicer guitar, but it is 50% more expensive, too. If I could get the LP/SG @25% off, I would buy it. I own about 15 Gibsons, including CS and Historic RI guitars, too. The out of phase middle position is a nice option to have if you have other guitars that do not have that feature. I use that position for rhythm loops that I play lead over (3 pickup P-90 Firebird). Works for me. Not for everyone, though, to be sure.

[@DareBear2099]

I got a chibson from the same factory with the VOS finish. Looks cool, feels like an eggshell, had to hit it with buffing tolls to make the neck and body feel right. Put my own electronics and hardware on there, even cut my own bone nut. Ended up being cheaper than an Epiphone by a lot. Can’t imagine paying 1k for it. The guitar needed a fret level and polish really bad.

[@zoeherriot]

Fret issues are common with any import guitar, there’s not much you can do about it as your shipping the guitar through many climates, that fret board will shrink/grow.

[@georgeminhinnick-vu3iz]

Great video, I bought an epiphone Korina 58 V recently for £800 which I was happy with the value on, but the nut has BIG issues! Already shaved the underside of it to stop it cutting my hand, and all fret 1 notes buzz like hell, so I completely agree, epiphones pricing doesn’t justify the fit and finish of the guitar yet!

[@pjstamm2112]

It's funny that Epiphone can make some phenomenal, flawless guitars today, and for a lot less money than that one. I recently got a Shinichi Ubukata 355 and really enjoyed your review of that one before I bought it! It has a beautiful black gloss finish and is a fantastic instrument in every way, for hundreds less. So it's surprising that this SG is less than stellar for that amount of money. Maybe the one you got is an outlier?

[@Randolphguitars]

Totally possible! I loved the shinichi

[@OBPmusical]

Sorry to hear you're not jelling with the guitar man. I'd suggest wiring the middle position to its own independent volume knob (maybe take the neck tone) That will give you 3 volume and 1 master tone. Which also gives you back the typical middle position:) Just some food for thought

[@boogerz]

I really want one for the look of the white custom with gold but don't wanna pay that price for an Epiphone 😭

[@bveracka]

This is a no-brainer. A genuine Gibson SG Standard costs about $2K. Anything with an Epiphone logo on it has almost no resale value, but a Gibson...a Gibson's like a gold bar. You could buy a Gibson today, play it for a year, sell it, and recoup all your money - if you're smart about what you buy. My point? It's _always_ better to buy a real Gibson that's basic rather than paying the same for a fancy facsimile.

[@aperezdeal]

@ bveracka if it’s vintage sure but current production? You would not get 100% of your money back.

[@edwardbelcher8612]

I bought an Epi LP Custom "Inspired By Gibson" in black back in 2020 when they first came out and, it is a decent guitar imho. But, at $799 plus another $170-ish for an Epi branded hard shell case, I don't know that I would buy another one (new anyway) if something happened to it. It honestly has the look I will give it that but at the same time, I reach for my Schecter Damien Platinum more often than the Epi. I have never gotten use to a guitar with a middle pickup btw lol, even on the strats I have owned, the middle pickup ends up lowered all the way down to get it out of my pick path. I like the look of that SG you have other than the vibrola, still no way I would lay down that much cash for it. Yep, Epiphone are starting to price themselves out of their sweet-spot market (probably due to the Gibson parent company). Could easily buy way more guitar for less than that SG cost esp if shopping used gear.

[@natemccollum3731]

Is there a way to put a 5 way selector on this? Like you can easily rewrite to have it classic 3 way, but I don’t see alot of info on putting in a 5 way

[@BasBach]

I tried the greeny one at a local shop and honestly it wasn’t great at all. The regular Epiphone Les Paul custom (not the new one) felt way better to play.

[@timwhite5562]

The money is not really in the pickups, you can find them for a couple hundred $. The biggest difference is structurally with the one piece neck and Long tenon. As for the pickups, I never got the attraction to the 3 humbucker guitar, but if that's what you buy, that's what you'll get. I think the decision to go with this VOS finish (which always stood for 'vintage old stock' until now, where I guess it means this) was misguided at best. I think they should have went with an ES335 over the ES355 they went with. I'm not a fan of the narrower nut/fretboard width the Epiphone have, and it's been whats kept me from really being able to keep one around for very long. Maybe the thicker profile will offset the broomstick feel that i find the Epi's have. My main guitar is an Eric Johnson Strat which has a hefty profile, and the vintage models have narrow necks too, but they've never bothered me.

[@Aespos295]

I’ve got one of the 1979 AJ Les Pauls. The non-artwork, Gibson custombucker neck, Gibson wiring, real MoP inlays one. I traded an artwork one for it and i don’t know if you got unlucky or I got stupid lucky, but it’s literally the most flawless guitar I’ve ever purchased. The artwork version I had was a huge letdown and was the most lifeless and dead feeling instrument I’d ever owned. The difference from the IBG Adam jones and the IBGCS Adam jones is insane. The neck profile is much more comfortable, the finish doesn’t have that “plastic toy” feel, the guitar itself is super resonant, the frets and binding and finish are PERFECT. Even the solder joints on the pots are impressively clean. I hate to be that guy and compare it to a Gibson, because quality wise it just isn’t. But to give credit where it’s due, it is by far the closest Epiphone has come. I’d even argue that the finish work is cleaner in the tight areas (along the binding, in the cutaway, etc) than it is on my most expensive Gibson LP. I got lucky with acquiring mine because my local shop had one on a massive sale, which is why I was able to incorporate the artwork one in to a trade. Given everything these IBGCS guitars have, I really can’t say that $1500 is too much. People are just stuck in their old mindset of what epiphone used to be while ignoring the fact that you can still get an IBG LP custom for like half the price of these.

[@GOAT-Luci]

I own MKH origins LPC (prophecy series) and this AJ 1979 CS. The AJ is absolutely flawless and worth the money.

[@Edward1312]

Its a cool looking guitar and will play well with a proper set up. I'm waiting for one to come on to the secondhand market to get a bargain as by then it would have depreciated by at least 30%. The Gibson equivalent is outrageously priced so its a non starter.

[@jamesnelson5725]

So, the original Gibson version is $6900 plus. This carries the same appointments right down to the pick ups with a little change in the caps, which are nothing to Scoff at, mallory caps are killer. So this new picking you are doing is pretty pointless, the subtle differences between this and the Gibson version are so minuscule that the price point is great unless you’re a total cheapskate and if you’re just a hobbyist guitar player I really don’t think you can give it, the full litmus test if you’ve been playing it in your bedroom for a few weeks. I own several Gibson guitars among other brands and this is up there in quality with them all in every respect so any negatives that you pointed out to me or not even worth mentioning because it all comes down to the player, your budget and what you plan on doing. Open box deals go for a couple hundred dollars less for those that are concerned with the price but it’s worth every penny.

[@trashcat1031]

Great video. Sorry I missed the original video as I do like your content. Also, I like the Overdrive sounds you got from the Twin Reverb. What pedals were you using or was that the amp? Never played one so I have no idea. This SG is beautiful from afar but I would never pay $800 or more for an Epiphone. I would rather buy a mid tier guitar and upgrade it to practice the skill of working on my guitar. The only Gibson I own is a $600, 2007 Melody Maker with one single coil. It sounds pretty good for a single coil and I’ve had parts to upgrade it for a while but I’ve just been enjoying it stock for so long. However eventually I will upgrade it. First I got a bad back so the low weight of the Melody Maker, also love the open pore thin finish which means it will patina and check faster. I plan to install a Lollar Melody Maker P90, Emerson wiring kit with bumble bee paper cap and hipshot locking tuners to complete the transformation.

[@SilasFiction]

I have the 59 standard outfit, it sounds fucking badass and has the perfect neck, I love the finish actually, had a gretsch with a similar finish and it feels so fast. That said, I noticed some stuff after a couple weeks, the binding is pretty bad in the high frets, the frets are sharp down there and it looks like they fucked up with a power sander around the neck joint, things aren't squared up. The neck pup is loose inside the pickup ring and the knobs aren't all set in at the same angle. That sounds like alot but it's barely noticable I've just spent countless hours playing it now. I've never had a gibson but maybe one day I'll upgrade. I want to swap for dimarzios but considering the pickups are the most valuable part of the guitar I'm not sure I will

[@Randolphguitars]

That does sound like a lot lol

[@jamiesmith1151]

Is it try it comes with 3 custom buckers

[@Lomoholga2]

Well it is refreshing to see a critical video, as 99% of the KZbinr infomercials *gush* over the gear they get supplied for free Very rarely do you hear the cons or limitations of gear

[@adamwatson6916]

It sounds good

[@itslikethesamebutdifferent8020]

If you don’t like this epiphone guitar just sell it or return it if you still can. Your thing is if an epiphone is worth $1500 to which i say depends. If you are talking about the regular Epiphone les paul standard then that will cost you only $699 which i believe to be a good price for that guitar. This and the others like it are different though, these have Gibson custom pickups which make it a higher value guitar just for the pickups alone. Let’s look at it from Gibson perspective, would you pay $8,899 for a Gibson les paul standard? The answer is NO. However, That is the price for a custom shop black beauty three pickup les paul. Meanwhile the regular Gibson les paul standard is $2799, see the difference? One is a custom shop with certain specs that put it at a higher price than the other. Same thing with the epiphone, one is a standard and one is a custom but ya’ll wanna lump them both the same when they’re not, and why? Cos the name on the headstock. Just say you would love to have an epiphone with Gibson custom pickups and custom shop appointments for $499 cos it is an epiphone after all. For that matter i would also love to have a Gibson custom shop black Beaty Murphy lab for $2500 but that’s not going to happen either is it? And for what it’s worth, ano Gibson is worth $8,899. No Gibson is worth more than $3k to be honest.

[@AuntAlnico4]

I have a couple Gibson SG,a Japanese elitist SG,a Epiphone prophecy SG and have had a few SG jr. as well as the 3 pickup custom and none of them have neck dive but the 3 pickup custom was dark and the middle pickup didn't sound good😂

[@leovan83]

About the 3 pickup problem with the middle pickup… the question is, does the real Gibson version of this particular model does the same? If so, then it’s just a matter of you not liking Gibson’s design and actually it means, Epiphone did the right thing being “true” to the original. I personally would never own a 3 humbucker guitar mostly because of another reason… that middle pickup would be in the way of my pick. Also, about the weird finish, my guess is that Epiphone is trying to mimic a slightly “worn” nitro finish using some sort of semi-satin poly. In any case, I’d rather save up and get a Gibson SG Standard with the Maestro trem, I mean, the Gibson alternative (by that I mean the closest you can get to a real Gibson WITH a hardshell - not the regular Standard with a gig bag which is even closer to the Epiphone price) has 3 variations of the same guitar that it’s a no brainer, you can get a tune o matic, a sideways vibrola or a maestro trem.

[@ericbitzer5247]

I would never pay that much for an Epiphone. I have the 1986 Les Paul custom SG three Tim Shaw pickups and gold hardware. No trem. I bought it in 1989 for $550. Been my main guitar since. I had mine rewind to get all the combinations of the pickups. I bought an Epiphone Les Paul to not beat on my Gibson, but hardly ever played it because it just doesn't feel or sound the same.

[@mpashalian7650]

Honestly, it sounds like you bought this more based on its look and not for the sound and guitar it’s aiming to mimick. The price point you’re naming is what this ‘look’ guitar costed in the past. The extra you’re paying is for all of those Gibson upgrades which make it look/sound/feel like the Gibson version. You also make mention of PRS quite a bit, a company who rips off a lot from Gibson, who incidentally the past few years is having a lot of QC issues you’re mentioning here; however it sounds like you’re ok with issues if the instrument is cheaper…

[@chasinguitars]

I'm with you brother..they are good at 700 ish ..they are just putting better pickups and new headstock..few I iplayed anyway.🎉

[@therover4141]

It's more than that

[@zoeherriot]

Well no… they are putting $500 (or $700) worth of pickups, one piece necks, Gibson headstock, Grover tuners and mother of pearl inlays. You are getting what you pay for - an Epiphone with upgrades.

[@therover4141]

@zoeherriot the inspired line is built just like the gibson model. 1 peice neck mahogany of some sort and body. The wood choice may not be the same as what gibson uses but is some firm of mahogany and a poly finish that's the difference.

[@zoeherriot]

@@therover4141 well... didn't I say that? I mean it's not exactly the same, given a historically accurate model wouldn't have mother of pearl inlays. But yes.. I don't know what your point is?

[@therover4141]

@@zoeherriot i thought you only said it head upgraded. Pickups, while we're just saying the build is identical.Sorry if I misunderstood your comment

[@It_is_now]

The price is very competitive to the used market. At 1,500 USD a used Gibson SG Re61 , Heritage 150 or even get “2” used Les Paul Tributes. It’s Epiphone inspired by Gibson CS but doesn’t even have fret nib. How is this premium 😂

[@mikeybeazley3]

They should probably take a cue from what Fender does. Squier really has nothing above the $500 mark and then they have the Fender Mexico line to fill the mid-tier. I guess at this point it’s not cost effective to tool a whole other factory, but Epiphone really should stay in its lane if it can’t put out the quality of like what PRS does with the SEs. My SE 594 was about the same price as my Mexican Fender Strat and it’s actually better quality than the Strat.

[@zoeherriot]

I think you’ll find Epiphone is transitioning into that middle tier, and there could possibly be another brand in the future to replace the low cost tier.

[@babapintsch6144]

The hype is based on the headstock...

[@bluephoenix3865]

1500 is a little bit harsh. I think they should’ve just did 900 on it.

[@zoeherriot]

The pickups alone retail for $700+. That wouldn’t really work. They could have done $900… but that’s a guitar with epi pickups, multi piece neck, epi headstock, cheaper wiring. So… I don’t get it.

[@ilovejapanesemusic3858]

There is no link in the description to go shop for the guitar😢 that's the guitar that started rock and roll! kzbin.info/www/bejne/j2rEZWyle8afkKcsi=zjnNm9DPGw5VsSJW

[@Randolphguitars]

I figured that would be in bad taste after this video. There is a link to purchase in my review video from a few weeks ago

[@Ca_milo_G]

I don't like Gibson with 3 hum.... two is enough

[@Randolphguitars]

@@Ca_milo_G we agree

[@TheAndybow1964]

Yes pickups are like boobies, two is plenty, a third one always seems superfluous.

[@nankypooh655]

I like three pick ups. You never know when you're going to need a spare, but to each their own. Plus there is a sort of "Vintage" vibe to the way this guitar sounds.

[@Jim-ro5sl]

Actually one is enough

[@ferox965]

The pickups alone are $600-800.

[@johnwatts8346]

why did you buy it?

[@thevsander]

1500?? A few years back i bought my 97 standard for 1700$.... no way i would give that much for a chinese guitar ever...

[@matthew3792]

I bought the 61 inspired sounded excellent with USA burstbuckers neck was total junk flimsy could move it 3 inches with ease after keeping it for a month I traded for a 60s LP with same neck thickness 300 dollar cheaper guitar and neck doesn't move the neck on 61 is trash I was heartbroken

[@theelongmann5841]

Literally watching Pulp Fiction right now this is crazy

[@Randolphguitars]

It's not a motorcycle baby, it's a chopper

[@ScottJoseph-c2o]

Ihave a gibson sg standard in black,i also have a 1963lpsg special. Both are good but i dont like p90s.

[@TweedTones]

People forget they are built no different than their $400-$600 models that are perfect for the price. You pay more for a headstock and Gibson pickups/wiring when you can do the same for cheaper with the 400/600 epis. Gibson is successful in marketing these, it’s not a Gibson no matter how accurate the headstock is. It’s a Chinese guitar that isn’t top quality. There are significantly better Korean and used Japanese guitars for around 1K that smoke anything epiphone

[@johnhareiel5118]

$1,500 will get you a SG Standard. It's just when Epiphone is $1500 why not just get a Gibson at that cost? Also I don't get the out of phase bandwagon everyone's on.

[@Loycole69]

I tried one and the finish just felt super "plasticy" it just didnt feel like a decent made guitar.

[@Randolphguitars]

@@Loycole69 it's super hard to explain

[@gregputman]

You know you can buff it to a semi-gloss finish. ​@@Randolphguitars

[@JamesMoss-t6j]

Some people are idiots. I have 3 Les Pauls 2 Gibsons one epi. I play the epi all the time the Gibsons haven’t been out of their cases. I have a epi 335 style I’ve had it for 20+ years I sold my Gibson e s 335 right after I got my epi. Haven’t looked back ever since. Buy a new Gibson and see what kind of crap you end up with

[@callmealphalfa8425]

I have 2 epis I like, and maybe it's a statement that neither are copies of existing guitars. I like my Casino and my Wilshire. Fit and finish isnt great across the board, brand to brand, in my experience these days. In fairness, 2 of my issue guitars were produced around covid ish times. I bought 2 LtD deluxes, a purple sparkle xtone and a deluxe pheonix. The pheonix was 1400, the xtone was 1100, and they were both terrible. Both pickup selectors were bad out the box, the pheonix had the worst nut job id ever seen on a decent guitar. To make it worse, it was the 2nd pheonix. I bought the cherry red one, it was perfect, rehearsed with it one time and sadly hated the Fluences in full band mix. Went back n traded for the white one with P90s and, tho i love it dearly and play it all the time, its been gutted minus the pups at this point. You cant let these things pass over 1,000 imo. And they obviously are.

[@ryanfulldark2775]

Polish that thing up!

[@Panic42000]

The pickups alone would be like 800 bucks. The color and middle pickup are supposed to be that way. It’s a 63 reissue. Wow!

[@Lomoholga2]

The pickups are nowhere near $800 value. Keep in mind- they may *sell* for that price, but everyone knows that is pure absurdity Frigging Gibson man….

[@Panic42000]

@@Lomoholga2 What are you talking about? That price is what Gibson charges so that has to be added to the total price of the guitar. It doesn’t matter if you think it’s worth it or not.

[@Lomoholga2]

@@Panic42000 by your logic the $1500 price tag is reasonable then. Also by your logic, inflated artificial prices are reasonable and/or expected? No set of pickups is worth anywhere near $800. This is Gibson gouging and *raking* in a tremendous profit margin. C’mon seriously. It’s 2024- you need to be more aware of how these corporations operate against the interest of consumers.

[@Panic42000]

@@Lomoholga2 Please!! Something is worth what people are willing to pay for it. You don’t decide what the worth of something is for everyone else. Personally I wouldn’t pay anything for a epiphone. By the way there are many different bands that have 600 to 800 hundred dollar pickups.

[@Lomoholga2]

@@Panic42000 supply and demand regulate NOTHING but the temporary fluctuations of the market prices. They will explain to you why the market price of a commodity rises above or sinks below its value, but they can never account for the value itself. You are not understanding some basic concepts here and how the dynamics operate within the system.

[@ScottJoseph-c2o]

Inever liked 3pickups either they just dont look right ,overkill.

[@Brian-gz8xt]

I have the Epiphone 355 inspired by Gibson and it's worth every penny. A gibson 355 is out of reach and a 335 is at least 3 grand. What's interesting to me is the binding on the Epi 355 is real like how Gibson does it. The binding on your run of the mill Epis are just a veener. Fake binding. Watch a video on how Gibson makes a 335. The binding alone is a lot of work. The 355 has binding on the front, back and headstock and it looks great. Not a veneer... These are cosmetic things but the extra labor costs money you morons.. It has ebony board, real mother of pearl inlays and custombucker pups. Hardshell case.. 18:1 Grover tuners.. Sounds amazing.. Worth 1300 to have a Epi made like a Gibson. It's irritating to hear morons slag on these guitars who probably never has even been close to one to even judge..

[@stephenedgecock]

i'll give you $500 for it

[@OscarMicMusic]

Maestro detuning should settle

[@DeweyJHall1]

Epiphones arent worth it, and sure aren't worth it at these price points. Their weak link has always been fret work. They use cheap quality fret material and there is almost always fret buzz somewhere. A company like firefly, made in China also, come with stainless steal frets, with rounded ball ends. And you can get super low action with no dead frets. And they sell for less than $300. Very rare to get an epiphone you can get super low action on. The korean made epiphones are the best in my experience. They're just adding nice electronics and the gibson headstock and charging double, even triple for them. If theres an epiphone you want, look used, but dont get your hopes up that its gonna be spectacular like they're claiming these days

[@shaalis]

The Vibrola was NEVER a good design. It's pretty. It's not a good design.

[@robspectre1973]

Zeds dead baby……

[@Randolphguitars]

It's not a motorcycle baby, it's a chopper

[@albertmarkethinkpr1325]

I think Epiphone is at its best when the products do not surpass 1000 $. They could sell more and also receive less critique. 1500 $ for a made in China guitar indicates a dirty crack pipe.

[@DeweyJHall1]

Epiphones arent worth it, and sure aren't worth it at these price points. Their weak link has always been fret work. They use cheap quality fret material and there almost always fret buzz somewhere. A company like firefly, made i. China also, come with stainless steal frets, with rounded ball ends. And you can get super low action with no dead frets. And they sell for less thab $300. Very rare to get an epiphone you can get super low action on. The korean made epiphones are the best in my experience. They're just adding nice electronics and the gibson headstock and charging double, even triple for them. If theres an epiphone you want, look used, but dont get your hopes up that its gonna be spectacular like they're claiming these days

[@FortressofShred]

No Epiphone is worth $1,000 😂

[@ryanfulldark2775]

New to guitars eh? Unfamiliar with specs and the monetary value associated with them? There are many learning tools available here on KZbin.

[@__aythami]

No mass produced guitar is worth 1000 bucks

[@LegsON]

​@@__aythami I wonder how many J-45s Gibson factory makes in a year.

[@jonathanmidgette807]

As a owner of a high end epiphone from 2010. The limited 1960 standard V3. Hand assembled. Gibson burstbuckers. It was never near that price. But I’ll say I’ve owned a few Gibson Les Pauls. And I’ll take that epiphone anyday. Would I pay that much for one? No. But if I had $1000 for one. I’d go high end epiphone over Gibson any day.

[@ericbitzer5247]

I agree no Epiphone is worth that.

[@cigdamagelungs]

No ceezar, nooo

[@amadigidigaula771]

For this kind of direction of style and spec, if it isn’t the real deal it’s awful and misses the point of the original

[@michaelschuerman8826]

Everyone knows the answer nope nope and nope

[@Patrick-k8o6s]

Why make a video then dance around the issues that you are upset with. Spit it out! I don’t know if I like it? Maybe? Maybe not? If you don’t like the pickup set up don’t buy the guitar. Buy something else!