Cheapest Gibson vs Most Expensive Epiphone - A Les Paul Challenge!

Greetings and thank you for watching this video. Below are some links to products that I use:
Thomann
My guitar ►► redir.love/61EwP3na
My amp ►► redir.love/Am2rUYK6
My practice amp ►► redir.love/hGiV1UpQ
Strings I use ►► redir.love/vFGoL1Ym
My favourite Reverb/Delay Pedal ►► redir.love/6IwjXx4G
Amazon US
Favourite interface - amzn.to/3zD1feO
Favourite strings - amzn.to/3HN1Hdk
Favourite tuner - amzn.to/3qSzuuM
Favourite overdrive - amzn.to/3F1P8cB
Favourite pickups - amzn.to/31DnpRP
Favourite Pedalboard - amzn.to/33bsqRV

Above are affiliate links for the parts used in this video, meaning, at no cost to you, I will earn commission if you click through and make a purchase.

➤ Great Videos:
Reunited with Andertons - • Reunited with Andertons
What did I get from 15 years on KZbin - • What Did I Get From 15...
The best pedal in 15 years of demos - • After 15 Years Of Demo...
Clockwork Wolf & Co :
Clockwork Wolf - Live Your Fate - • Clockwork Wolf & Co - ...
Clockwork Wolf - One Thing I Feared - • Clockwork Wolf & Co - ...
Clockwork Wolf - Idle Hands - • Clockwork Wolf & Co - ...
➤ Disclaimers
No comments on these posts have or will be deleted. KZbin will automatically hide comments that they think are spam for review and then my team need to manually approve these. Please bear with us if your comment is not immediately visible.
I own/or am endorsed/sponsored or have done paid for advertising by the following brands:
►► Snake oil fine instruments, Chapman Guitars, Andertons, Thomann, Ernie Ball, Gravity, Victory, BadCat, Boss/Roland, Orange, Universal Audio ,Vans, Faith, Barefaced Audio, Mooer, Olimpus Music
➤ Links to me
KZbin ►► kzbin.info?sub_con...
INSTAGRAM ►► @Rob_Chappers
FACEBOOK ►► officialrobchapman
➤ Tags
#RobChapman #Chappers #RobChappers

[@SamytyKill]

There should be a law against dot-inlays on a Les Paul...

[@legaciestr]

SamytyKill except for shit like special 2’s

[@SamytyKill]

@@legaciestr I played one, and am not sure if I would even call this a guitar, so I guess they're okay on these, yes.

[@legaciestr]

SamytyKill so sad man they’re the definiton of shit. I own one because I can’t afford anymore in this economic crisis in my country. I wish I could get my hands on a real guitar

[@SamytyKill]

@@legaciestr That's unfortunate to hear. I can't afford expensive guitars either, but there are quite a lot affordable guitars in about the same price range. I played a Special 2 before I dcided to buy my Squier, and to this day have never been disappointed by it. After all, everything is better than nothing, if you love to play guitar. :)

[@AprioriMarcos]

Dot inlays on a Junior or a bound-neck Special are awesome. Carved tops without binding look stupid with dots.

[@rrm2305]

I can make the most expensive Gibson sound like the cheapest Epiphone

[@gilbertomeza5049]

I have the same super power

[@Dude-gx2ul]

Same joke..... 😮😤

[@Zachsucks]

sub ohm you wouldn’t dare

[@mrtambourineman6107]

I can make any guitar sound great so I have the reverse power ! Ha

[@MOTORINGSA]

I can make a Gibson sound like an Epiphone

[@mickthebandit]

I bought one, the exact same as the one Rob is holding, from Andertons. it arrived with a cracked neck. I phoned them and the NEXT MORNING a replacement guitar arrived. Can’t fault the service from Andertons. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@davecarsley8773]

Rob holds 2 guitars in this video

[@michaelmetzner4889]

@@davecarsley8773 right I was gonna say the same thing, which one??? Ah brain fart!?

[@grantkoeller8911]

what caused the neck crack???

[@Log-On-Line]

@@grantkoeller8911 shipping probably

[@0000song0000]

what model was it? (since epi changes model)

[@williamsporing1500]

I’ve been a session player for over 4 decades. I had two Gibson LPs, a custom and a studio. In ‘94 my kids bought me an Epi LP (Korean) for fathers day so I’d have something to have laying around I could play on. I put Duncan PAFs in it, changed to pots and stuff to switch craft, and a set of NOS ‘58 caps in it. I ended up selling the gibsons because I never used them and the epi plays SO much better! My epi has been in countless studios, a few countries and all over the US with me. I guard it with my life, not just because my kids gave it to me, but it’s an extension of me. It’s my go to…. Gibson should be ashamed. I wouldn’t mind paying a few grand for a guitar, but to me, they just aren’t worth it!

[@duke84282]

Awesome !

[@johnbolen528]

I just bought a 59 reissue Epi with all the electronics all upgraded. I paid $850 and it plays as good as any Gibson i have ever heard. Epi has gotten so much better over the last couple of years!! The inspired by Gibson Epi's are in my opinion the ones to be reckoned with. I would have liked to got my hands on the Alex Lifeson one. That guitar looks and plays incredible!!

[@babybison]

@@RFXCasey yeah right! next youll be telling us that Santa Claus doesnt exist!

[@kiraengo7541]

your music is amazing btw, if days of daniel is your band God bless you!

[@KevinJDildonik]

Truth: Gibson and Epi only differ in where and how they're made. Sounds obvious. Follow me here. Gibson is made by hand in USA, which is great, but they're less reliable. A 60s Gibson had hand-wound pickups without even a machine counter to help the guy guess the number of windings. He did it by eye. The Epi is made overseas on a factory line, so it's the same every time. The Gibson has heart, it probably smells better, it feeds an American artisan... But the Epi is going to be a better guitar for most people. Don't believe me? Epi make a few guitars in the USA. They cost the same as the equivalent Gibson, every time. If you can afford a Gibson, please do. If you can't, don't worry. You are not missing anything.

[@truetierra]

Idea >> You each get one of those cheap DIY guitar kits and have a build off against eachother. Only thing you can change is the included pickups. Plus you can both get creative with the finish/paint etc. Then the public vote on who wins.

[@Samizsm23]

truetierra this is a great idea!

[@C12H22O11HIGH]

YEAH, that would be dope!

[@fireguzzi.]

Good idea! I want to see it!

[@Slamthulhu]

That is actually a really great idea man

[@yrkke_produkcija]

Great idea !

[@TeKaMOTO]

Having a hard time focusing on what they're saying cause the mug keeps teleporting around.

[@joopvandeveen]

hahahahaha

[@RemyLeBleau]

TeKaMOTO Whoever edited this video has just earned a pay-rise

[@shadowflash0]

Dangit now I can't focus on the video anymore now that you said that.

[@atharvapawarr]

TeKaMOTO hehe

[@timothymckane6362]

25:11 The mug must've teleported inside the lightbulb.

[@jannickhegelund557]

I miss when andertons used to do fun stuff like this, it's been a little heavy on the commercial side of things recently.

[@biggstavros5876]

Yep. They are way too serious now and no fun anymore.

[@thelikebutton7662]

My brain says Gibson My wallet says epiphone

[@jamesdavies1179]

This is my life!

[@Axess-sv8nq]

My brain is on quality for price. Epiphone wins all day. You can upgrade it with DiMarzios or Seymour-Duncans, do a decent setup on it, change hardware if you so desire, and the guitar would smoke the Gibson for thousands less. It's been proven over and over.

[@bumsuckaduck]

@@jamesdavies1179 more like your heart says gibson and your brain says epiphone

[@Chasher009]

But bro they have similar prices

[@lonecrapshooter67]

I K R

[@assneck2007]

you should do cheapest squire vs George Forman grill

[@MrMongo321]

lol

[@andre-michelgoulet6933]

assneck2007 That one def goes to the grill. Makes music AND food, a market which Squier haven't the balls to touch.

[@assneck2007]

they both sizzle

[@dwainvanderhoof2648]

Let the circle be unbroken

[@gunnar2321]

Wut

[@benpst1230]

the building guitar idea is brilliant ! As other people are saying in the comments, trying diy guitar kits would be really fun to watch. Thanks again for the great videos, cheers!

[@tSp289]

I've been doing it the hard way, i.e. from a mahogany table and some ebony blanks. Tricky but satisfying, if you've got some woodworking experience.

[@simonbailey2151]

Ricky Gervais and Frank Lampard Jr. talk guitars.

[@futurekarlos5256]

Holy moly. I can never un-see this

[@bubuli]

i see your Frank Lampard Jr. and raise you Jim Parsons... 😝

[@Philtration]

I have the very same Epiphone while my daughter's fiance has the same Gibson. We both prefer the Epiphone. Welcome to the family boy!

[@mikeflanders1292]

Of course he prefers your guitar, he's trying to gain brownie points with you. Lol. You could have a first act , and he'd still tell you yours is better! Just kidding. But, you get what I'm saying

[@NickyD626]

Mike Flanders smart man!

[@ejj9956]

Fiance you said?...... You could show him your Walmart ukulele vs his les Paul custom and he’s going to agree your Uke is the winner lol

[@robertemerson1087]

@@mikeflanders1292 That's exactly what I was thinking. 😂😂

[@Jack-zo5gt]

@@mikeflanders1292 Thought the exact same thing.

[@martindodd6045]

Awesome, now need Squier vs Fender comparison

[@damez-tv1fj]

Martin Dodd high end squier vs Low end fender ?

[@martindodd6045]

yes cheapest Fender Strat vs most expensive Squier Strat.

[@stephentackett8948]

sounds lit

[@khadesru]

debatable what exactly squier should they get, classic vibe? vintage modified? standard? deluxe?

[@GavinMorris1]

Most expensive. CV at moment, I think.

[@davidgoh7746]

lol!! love the mug disappeared and placing everywhere.

[@ReinOwader]

I noticed same thing :)

[@LionsCrown80]

10:56 is my favorite

[@dangracia7805]

Back in the early 70's while our group was playing a club in Kalamazoo, we called up and got a tour of the Gibson factory. Our guitarist played a 1968 ES-335 and they were happy to accommodate us. They made both Epiphone and Gibson in the same factory at the time and the same people were making them. I was amazed at how much hand work went into them and then I understood why they were so expensive. But the same fellow who was setting frets into Gibson necks and dressing them was doing the exact same thing later on for the Epiphone guitars that were brought to his worktable. So back then, the workmanship was the same because they were done by the same people. They had more machine use on the woods done on the Epiphone guitars and less hand-work, but there was still a LOT of handwork done and it was all done by the same guys.

[@timndel]

So, I can finally afford a real Gibson. Here, lemme play Smoke on the Water for ya...

[@isaiahmarquez9717]

😂

[@dannymcmince]

Brilliant haha!

[@inevitablecraftslab]

but can you play "smells like teens spirits"?

[@rasmuswilli1044]

Anyway, here's Wonderwall.

[@whippybox9271]

Cheapest FENDER vs Most expensive SQUIER

[@adi9880]

Insomniac!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@charlescampbell5894]

Classic vibes aren't the most expensive squiers. The most expensive are the vintage Modified

[@jthodges4741]

Aye nice profile pic

[@oriondurdaller3349]

Whippybox_grHD! Love your pfp. Amazing album.

[@kevo1978]

The Knife & The Spoon I did just that and opted for the classic vibe. Sound and feel was much better in my opinion

[@Santos_XVII]

Epiphone or Gibson...doesnt matter to me...i still play shit on both...sadly 😭

[@plumiegirl47]

keep playing its the practice time.

[@regend762]

Practice. You will get there.

[@pablopantoja9912]

Dude

[@labayruben609]

Practice more

[@oaktree1628]

Unless you’re going to play guitar as a profession and get paid, the amount of time to get as good as these guys seems like an opportunity cost that should be carefully weighed.

[@CrispyCritter73]

Love the comical sideline you did with Chappers’s mug! 🤣

[@monty5692]

The point that Rob makes (at 30:50 onwards) about “the engine of the guitar” being the wood it’s made from and the techniques and workmanship of its construction is bang on. I’ve been playing over 40 years, and long since acquired the habit of trying out a potential new guitar without plugging it in to begin with, just to hear (and feel) what the actual guitar is like - THEN I plug it in and see how well the pickups translate that; if they suck then I can easily change them, but if the guitar itself (the wood!) sounds crap then there’s nothing I can do but give it back to the vendor and say “thanks but no thanks”. A big part of the economising (apart from labour rates) is the choice of timber out of the bulk consignments that any guitar factory will buy from a timber merchant (and that they in turn will buy from the forestry company). The likes of Gibson probably reject over 90% of the timber it buys either sell it on or use it for tooling. At the other end of the market, a Chinese factory will use almost all the timber they buy in a batch and only reject the really crappy stuff; but amongst all that stuff they DO use, a small proportion of it will be good enough that even Gibson would have used it. SO … my suggestion is to go to a big music store (like Andertons!) and try out a dozen or so “cheaper” guitars of the same brand and type (like Epi Les Pauls, as here), but just play them acoustically; you’ll probably find at least one that’s just been “lucky” with the timber and really sings - get it set up right, upgrade the pickups and maybe the hardware too if needs be, and you can end up with a really brilliant guitar for a lot less money!

[@northernthrifter8817]

Best comment on this section you're really listening more to the electronic components through the amplifier.

[@fielder8412]

You sure about 90%? That's an awfully big overhead.

[@jarrusjenkins]

Tone wood on an electric guitar is pretty much a myth. Different woods might affect sustain and that's about it. Take Brian Mays "red special" do you think he selected the best "tonewood" to make it sound right? No.... he used some wood that he had lying around and yet that thing sings like an angel.... You can make a fence panel sound good with a decent set of pickups/electronics and with some one competent to wield it.

[@monty5692]

@@jarrusjenkins - I beg to differ. I work in R&D in a rather different industry, but quite a bit of the work we do is all about noise and vibration (which can become a really big deal!). The FACT (not my opinion) is that the way anything vibrates when excited will be heavily influenced by whatever it is attached to. The strings of a guitar will vibrate very differently depending on what they are attached to, generating a different combination of harmonics/overtones which then gives them a different character - this much should be obvious from different designs of acoustic guitar with the same scale length and the same strings fitted. The pickups on an electric guitar detect the net vibration of the strings relative to the pickups (which also, BTW, includes any vibration of the pickups themselves relative to the body to which both they and the strings are attached). So construction of the guitar DOES have a significant influence, and that will include (albeit as a minor component) the internal structure of the wood itself as well as the shape of it, the way the parts are attached together, etc. etc. I think maybe what you mean is that the differences between the sound resulting from a newly built mahogany (just as an example) guitar will not be much different to that of an identically designed guitar with identical strings etc. built from 100-year-old mahogany. There WILL be a difference (in fact since wood is never homogeneous there would be differences even between two identical guitars both built from NEW mahogany or whatever) but it will be more subtle compared with a change in the type of pickups fitted. One might debate whether you can pick such differences up with a human ear (or for that matter with an oscilloscope!), but from my own experience I think you can with a good ear - I'd love to do some properly bounded experiments on this, but sadly I don't run the company, LOL. One final note - old wood may not necessarily be "better" for tone, it really depends on what the player actually wants to hear, but wood does continue to dry out and change in its fibrous structure, and get stiffer, for many years after is has been cut, dried, and manufactured into a product. Ergo, the way it influences the vibration of the strings attached to it WILL change over time, although whether you actually like the changes or not is personal preference. p.s. I believe Brian May's "Red Special" was made from a 200-year-old oak fire surround. If he'd built it from fresh-cut pine then it WOULD have sounded different.

[@jarrusjenkins]

@@monty5692 by the time youve thrown an amp at it and some distortion etc... I highly doubt youd tell the difference. and acoustic on the other hand... ID agree with you... but an electric guitar? sorry once you have all it plugged in and what have you... you'll never tell the difference...

[@MrMortadelas]

Since you own a guitar company I think it would be the funniest thing ever if you got a DIY kit and tried to make a guitar yourselves.

[@Greenriver842]

Tolis Mortadelas There is a bassic kit for that, i don't remember wich brand is.

[@rageagainstmyhatchet]

Yeah, a mate of mine bought one, I helped screw together, - yellow thing... Played.. okay..

[@richardharrold9736]

Warmoth does Fender kits.

[@warmothgmc]

Richard Harrold yes they do. For a Frankenstein experiment, I built a Warmoth Les Paul using a compound radius neck and a Fender scale length just for giggles and an experiment in string tension / tone.. Granted, it's a bolt on; but it plays like butter. Really interesting sound. It's certainly a 1- off. Custom hand wound alnico pickups, TonePros Bridge, and I left the rosewood neck unfinished, which I love. The thing I like most about it is the angle of pull of the strings through the bone nut to the Schaler lockers. No binding in the nut. It's similar to a PRS headstock design. The G and B strings were always a nuisance to me on Gibsons. I had a 71 Gibson SG Custom that I sold. Cool looking guitar but an unstable and finicky bitch.

[@pl4typuses]

21:55 Alright Lee you said it. I want to see a blindfold challenge where Rob plays a LesPaul and an Ibanez with the same pickups and have Lee guess which one is the LesPaul.

[@KrumpusPlunk]

That coffee cup breaking effect will never not get a chuckle out of me

[@yggdrasilygg]

Thank you for the credits. Rory is a legend! Makes these old guys actually funny

[@Reinemachefrau]

Cheapest Chinese-made chainsaw vs your neighbour's really expensive fence panels.

[@JhonnyGil101]

Who won?

[@jfitz458]

Thats funny

[@nickb8507]

Jhonny Gil YOU DECIDE!!

[@stupidthefish4981]

I‘m placing my money on the fence.

[@JerryWasARaceCarDriver]

Fence panels won because they were reinforced with electrified bass strings.

[@SBDavin]

At 14:00, be extremely careful widening the split pot for the guitar knob with a screwdriver or some other tool. You can EASILY break half of it off.

[@Alkosept]

You can easily scratch the guitar too.

[@pouyagorji3022]

Learnt it the HARD way. Now my bass lacks the tone knob.

[@randy4903]

I too have learned that the hard way. Luckily my knobs are the knurled metal kind with a set-screw, so not the end of the world.

[@yjmrules]

If that happens you can just put a new pot in, only takes a few minutes and pots are really cheap

[@TristenApblanc]

You know, you two are such a treat to watch. I have had many hard times in my life and watching you two and the other guys on the team like Rabea danish pete and company have seriously pulled me through.

[@robchaloner7534]

The editing just makes me laugh so much, I've learned not to drink anything whilst watching to avoid spraying it all over my monitor! 😂

[@taproom113]

Right ... LMAO!!!

[@almondlowe2838]

most expensive solid state amp vs cheapest tube amp

[@T00DEEPBLUE]

An Epiphone Valve Jr. against an Axe FX? Apples to oranges.

[@almondlowe2838]

i would consider an axe fx "modeling" rather than solid state, kind of like in their tube vs solid state vs modeling video.

[@T00DEEPBLUE]

That would imply that 'modelling' and 'solid state' were mutually exclusive terms. Which in the context of an Axe FX, are not.

[@YTOnceAgain]

Well, Axe FX is definitely not a solid state AMP.

[@T00DEEPBLUE]

That would be incorrect sir. Axe FX is a modelling amp that uses SOLID STATE circuitry for its modelling. The two terms in the context of an Axe FX are not mutually exclusive.

[@ukiluser]

Cheapest guitar in the store vs most expensive coffee in Starbucks

[@ldlukefire]

Lucas Kendikian The coffee would be more expensive

[@davefechtel1670]

I think Fender would have a strong chance at making a showing...

[@308Savagebolt]

Dave Fechtel mlmkllwi

[@ArtAFactInc]

i love the way you evade your own questions and answers !!!! i can bet this statement will not see an entrance to your product in this regard !

[@michaelsablan8772]

Your camera man, producers are pretty creative with all the editing they do, adding the crazy funny stuff....very entertaining in all your videos, hahaha!

[@JasonL1214]

How come you guys never demo the cleans when comparing guitars? The only cleans we get is from Lee for about 20 seconds, then the rest is just loading the guitar with gain. It's hard to get an accurate comparison between the two without hearing anything clean

[@MarcoGarcia-ou1rq]

Nick Starkey oh shut up you "poser"

[@yerushalaimnehereset]

Nick Starkey Because playing your 3 campfire song chrods clean makes you better? Holy shit, you must be fun at parties.

[@masonsayers7437]

lol wtf happened here, nobody cares

[@donuts359]

Apparently a lot of plastic kills a clean tone. Today I learned Fenders don't have a good clean

[@adamcogan211]

JasonL1214 I would assume it's because no one uses a plain, sterile clean tone as people typically use delays, chorus, reverbs e.t.c on their cleans and it would basically turn into a pedal review then

[@ZerstoerenDieStille]

LTD vs. ESP... please :)

[@downfallofmankind]

VisceraAvalanche y not including E-II

[@Brokkoli7hun]

Yusss! I'm just about to buy an LTD EX-401 :)

[@cullenjames7542]

Epi Les Paul Prophecy EX vs. LTD EC-1000. That's the showdown I'd like to see.

[@HighSpeedirt1]

Cullen James I own both. The prophesy is probably the closest of any epiphone to a high end Gibson. I let a friend who was interested in the ec1000 try it out then gave him the prophesy. Then neck on the prophesy sold him like it did me. It's a dream to play.

[@RainMakeR_Workshop]

VisceraAvalanche that wouldn't work. all LTD's are cheaper than any ESP. the only comparable area is the high end LTD's vs ESP's and the difference would be marginal at that price range.

[@narendrakrane]

There's something in Captain's playing that makes simple chord progression just sound killer..!!

[@maksimdimitrov2113]

Thank you for this video guys, a couple of years ago I bought a Gipson LP studio after doing some research and this video was the final thing that convinced me to get one...love it

[@HECKproductions]

someone was having fun with editing that cup

[@userPrehistoricman]

too much fun

[@swissarmyknight4306]

9:53 I thought I was going insane for a second there.

[@AndySalinger33]

Paul's broken a glass. A glass, a glass he's broke today.

[@mrwalter1049]

holy crap that was annoying... :D

[@BuiltTV]

with each of these videos I grow increasingly impressed with the mug. keep it up guys!

[@dreamerseas5973]

Honest shout out and hats off to whomever edited these videos. The random revisits to earlier hilarious moments in the video are spot on. Also, thanks to the Cap and Rob for showing me a bunch of licks to learn XD

[@OhioScot]

You and the Captain have great chemistry. I enjoy the back and forth.

[@christianmonteith8568]

I've been waiting for this video for like 213789978 months or something

[@christianmonteith8568]

That mug is driving me nuts though...

[@ghoulannabanana]

I doubt you've been alive 17815851.0242 years

[@djjazzyjeff1232]

Mostly I got from this that the Hughes and Kettner sounds pretty crap at full volume but the rolled off volume semi-clean/crunch stuff sounds really really nice.

[@chrislangdell117]

I think your right. You can clearly hear the difference. Its like when comparing an new acoustic guitar to one thats 40 years old. The tones are just different. All across the board. So the Nitro cellulose finish allows more sonic resonance throughout the tone woods. Kind of crazy really.

[@scotlandish4718]

bs

[@DJB1NK]

I laughed so hard when Robs volume knob fell off because the second I got home with my epiphone custom pro blackback the same exact thing happened to me lol

[@fioreandre15]

Am I the only one that watched the whole 36 minutes video? They make such a great couple, love you both, great videos

[@eugenbotnaru9155]

Pain Vayne i did too, i want to change my guitar, and i was considering a Chapman guitar anyway but man after seeing that Rob Chapman is such a great guy i want to support his company even more

[@AnnaRox1]

No, I did to! Sadly I can't buy any of them now, because I'm a student right now! 😥

[@richardryerson]

According to Epiphone website specifications for the Les Paul Tribute Plus, the Fingerboard material is "Rosewood w/Mother-Of-Pearl Trapezoid Inlays." So, they aren't plastic inlays. Also, the Epiphone contains all American Gibson hardware, from the pickups to the capacitors to the knobs.

[@charlesford8692]

We need an updated episode of this for 2020 With Chappers and the Captain!

[@freddiebowers1125]

Man I loved this! Thanks 🙏

[@yankhairyanng9217]

can y'all do the same for fender and a squire strats

[@armensog87]

as I already said it's not even worth spending time on that one, it's winner is obvious. You can see lots of musicians playing epi, but any star playing squire? barely

[@thetruth5415]

You have obviously never played a Classic Vibe.

[@FollowerofBodom]

See the main difference is a Squier Classic Vibe is $550CAD whereas a Standard American is $1450CAD. Epiphone Tribute Plus are $800CAD whereas a Gibson LP Standard is $4000CAD. The price jump from squier to Fender makes it easy for artists to use Fenders while not everyone has a LOT of money to upgrade to a Gibson.

[@whiskersb5296]

It isn't quite as worthwhile because with Gibson and Epi its straightforward- Gibson are American and Epi not. Fender has the Mexican (and some chinese) made fenders in between the squiers and the American Fenders. Between a MIM standard and a squier classic vibe I think the consensus is that its a matter of personal taste and if you find a cv you like and don't care what the headstock says, go for it. Whereas I think its pretty well accepted that an American Standard or the New American Pro is better than a classic vibe (not to say that someone might like their cv better or that there aren't some gems in the bunch), but it better be because it costs about 1000 bucks more, whereas the gap from cheapest Gibson to most expensive Epi is quite close.

[@rmzzz76]

They already did. If you watch the video you'll see neither of them can really tell the Fenders vs Squire vs Mexican Fender, etc... apart on tone alone. They could hear a difference, but not identify quality/value by tone quality. They had to fiddle with the switches and take in other tactile cues such as fret dressings, etc... to form conclusions on model and price point. None of this was stated in their video of course, it was still quite amusing to watch.

[@gioulhs913]

cheapest guitar+most expensive amp vs most expensive guitar+cheapest amp

[@Oceanmachine27]

I think cheap guitar/expensive amp would win. I used to think amps didn't matter. Then one day I played a $300 Ibanez through a Fender Twin Reverb and it sounded like pure heaven.

[@gioulhs913]

Oceanmachine27 yes but it would be interesting to see lee and rob trying to play those rigs

[@gioulhs913]

Oceanmachine27 just think if they played a squier bullet strat through a friedman and a custom shop les paul through a fender frontman

[@GinoMarks]

They already did it

[@PolPotsPieHole]

ohhh Twinreverb...best sound on earth next to a J8 jet engine

[@SupraRy]

His groove around the 19 minute mark sounded AWESOME! epiphone makes great guitars for players on a budget, I've had great experiences with epiphone and with decent amps and peddles you can have it sounding just as good as a Gibson.

[@chroniclesofbap6170]

2:32 Pete rocking that "Just stepped out of an old Rembrandt painting' vibe

[@1mespud]

No offense but to always demo these guitars with distortion only hides the comparison. You should always demo the guitar with no effects first so we consumers can hear the quality and options the pickups can produce. The feel of the neck, radius and entire weight matters also. Let's not forget that Gibson also "owns" Epiphone. And Epiphone is the reason that Gibson is still in business to this day. It Doesn't take a rocket scientist to follow the money..

[@legaciestr]

1mespud well most of us who watch rob play heavy music. So we don’t care about the clean sounds

[@mrpotat680]

@@legaciestr That's not how that works. There can be better tones coming from different qualities of work. Doesn't matter if "metal" uses compression and distortion it hides the natural sound.

[@legaciestr]

Bruce Wilson ok

[@tonygee8779]

@@legaciestr ok

[@indoshakermaker]

@@mrpotat680 that's not how metal works

[@richardregius2980]

"Lets see which sounds better!" *never plays either instrument clean or with little gain*

[@bryand.5240]

Shittier pickups show their weaknesses in high gain situations where they lack sustain, low end, and tightness, shitty pickups can sound just fine as long as the amp does good cleans which becomes a showcase of amp quality

[@alarimbaud3155]

Bryan D. - Not really. It's actually the opposite - cleans will have a more dramatic difference in sound quality: the amp's EQ itself is relatively flat, respective to the amp's design, and limited saturation means fewer harmonics coloring the guitar/pick-up signal, thus giving a more "true" comparison between guitars/pick-ups. Whereas with high gain, it's mostly showcasing the amp's saturation characteristics. The harder you're pushing an amp, the more saturated it becomes (the more upper harmonics are produced, the more the characteristics of tubes and transformers start to become apparent, etc...), the more the amp is showcased rather than the pick-ups. The way tube amps in particular work is that the more gain being produced (the louder the volume of the preamp and power amp sections, independently, and the louder the input signal), the more the amp actually *does*, effectively (or at the least the more its components impart their own tonal characteristics, which is the very idea behind tube amps and why people like them). Pick-ups still matter, of course, but the differences (generally - passive vs. active may be a notable exception here) into a heavily saturated amp will be less than the differences when played clean (and when it's high gain, you're largely comparing the output of the pickups - which is a big part of "sustain", for example - rather than their "sound", and output itself can be compensated for in a number of ways, with various boost effects, adjusting pickup height, etc... anyway).

[@samuelstulinger1619]

Burn!!!!

[@Flaminbullets]

Bryan D. Damn

[@indoshakermaker]

@@bryand.5240 I agree with ya dude. Don't worry about the other nerd. Rock on!

[@davidawilliams1782]

Always great vids guys, hard decision as I am a fan of older Epiphone guitars. Great to play guess where the Mug will be next. Cheers

[@mikew3494]

I enjoy your videos ..... Keep up the good work....

[@ahman324]

9:56 never gets old

[@anzekos429]

hamulec94 wtf

[@anzekos429]

hamulec94 how did they do that 😂

[@ATthemusician]

anže Kos they take a shot of the video where the cup isn't on the table, and then merge that over the video after he sets the cup down, making it look like it disappeared.

[@anzekos429]

Andrew Teller wow

[@dg1234ify]

I replayed that segment so many times. Labor intensivessnessityivinesisten..etc...

[@rdrake316]

Before Gibson acquired Epiphone, Epi were way above the Gibson brand.

[@brianmcfarland6548]

Tyler Sudden II Tyra may be true but now sadly Epiphone is a name cover to a Gibson licensed Chinese guitar

[@dirkturrell6460]

I was surprised to read epiphone is actually a lot older than gibson as well!

[@haxzal]

I have never played an epi that didn't have issues with the neck or staying in tune

[@andrewlin3284]

Epiphone used to be an independent instrument company that made their own instruments int he USA. They are now owned by Gibson and their instruments are made overseas by contractors that make instruments for several different companies. Epiphone now is a completely different entity than the Epiphone of the early 50s, so its not really appropriate to compare a modern Epiphone to a vintage one. The Asian made Gibson copies are not really comparable to the USA made Epiphones of the 50s.

[@brandenpalarz905]

i own a 1966bepiphone cortez made in kalamazoo mi which was later bought from gibson and gibson moved the factory away

[@muziksiyenci]

This is one of the best guitar channels of KZbin! :D

[@sdoddster]

It has the USA pickups in the Epi, but what about the pots, are they the little ones or the big pots?

[@richharris2864]

My eyes say Gibson, my ears say Epiphone.

[@collinbryson9449]

I don't know...the Epiphone lineup has some gorgeous guitars!

[@codyjewell1460]

Seriously...who cares if it's a veneer it's still a beautiful guitar

[@msaintpc]

Rich, hurry and get them checked, they might be infected.

[@sbruschr]

That’s all Gibson is now it’s just for looks epiphone is getting way better plus cheaper

[@arthursmith5318]

Epiphone QC is on point these days. Although when they screw up, they really screw up. Some of the preferences for Gibson that I’ve seen boils down to pure jingoism (if you want to pay more to back it up) and has nothing to do with product quality.

[@saccomarcelo]

Awesome!! This was really helpful. Now, why not do a comparison between the Gibson LP Studio and the PRS S2 Singlecut?

[@francoislambert1158]

Very good video, I really like the way your compare those guitars! 🙂

[@elonebanks8613]

I have a 1968 les Paul custom black beauty original of course and everyone that plays it falls in love with it One great guitar

[@DemysMusic]

After over 6 years I still love my Epiphone LP standard. I’ve played on Gibsons, and yes they do feel and sound a bit better, but I still feel that the sound is mostly dominated by the hands of the guitar player and the quality of the amp.

[@tanumoybose5555]

You two should also start making guitar tutorials together! Would be great and really helpful for many!

[@96jaguar0]

"...Luthierness..." I love it! Too effen funny!

[@Merrillizer]

I have a REALLY heavy, REALLY dark Midnight Sapphire Epi 1960 Tribute Plus I got last year, swapped the nut for a Tusq XL, and everyone that hears plays it can't believe the tone lol, it's funny how this guitar just drops jaws. I love it, and I don't give a fork if it says Gibson on it. Have also tried to hold/play every '60 Trib I see in order to gauge weight....... and I have a hard time finding one as heavy. Guess it was luck getting a fine slab! 🙏🙏🙏

[@rippytheclown8330]

I love the absolute madman that edits your videos, so much shenanigans.

[@eric_torres_music4436]

British Comedy at its finest

[@Trondset]

How about a Strandberg with broken headstock ;-) !!!

[@goldacunit9464]

BearSound wait a minute.....

[@marvinbalasabas2172]

BearSound Does that even have a headstock in the first place?

[@Trondset]

Marvin Balasabas exaclty my point!! It was a bad joke, I'm sorry. :-)

[@marvinbalasabas2172]

I just took a ride with the joke lol

[@chrisdigiorgi2915]

I absolutely always die when I see captain drink coffee and then the cups breaks when he puts it down

[@LeHeuZaHer]

I can’t unsee the teleporting mug and now keep watching it bounce around the room in each new shot 😂 totally distracted from everything else

[@LeHeuZaHer]

On his head had my in stitches 😂

[@lawyerlawyer1215]

ok since the point of this, is after all , helping people decide . Im going to give my personal experience in case i might help someone. (this is quite long but i really hope it helps someone) 6 months ago , after watching tons of reviews and trying tons of les pauls at different local guitar stores , i decided to buy the epiphone tribute plus vintage sunburst , and it was a hard decision for me back then , because i am a die hard gibson fan , and i have a pretty solid idea of wich gibson i would absolutelly love to have over 4000$ , but at that moment and time my top budget was 1300$ i saw the gibsons on that price and read their specs , and wood wise ,pick up wise , gear wise etc in general the tribute plus had top notch hardware , hten i heard them all my options for les than 1300$ on youtube , and i just kept loving the epi tribute plus sound , so i said fuck it and bought it online. so the guitar came , visually astonishing TRIPLE A top (nicee) took it to a band rehearsal as soon as i had it , pluged it in ,and tryied out different sounds and channels , the sound was ridiculously good , after 4 months i was loving the guitar A LOT , BUT as the audiophile i also happen to be , i had the little itch on my head of: it sounds great but would a 1000$ gibson wich were on my budget too be better? would i get a better sound? i hate that about me , because if you are loving how a guitar sounds , why would yo be concerned about if there was a guitar on your budget that would have sounded slightly better , welli am, so many many fellow musicians have told me that the main employee in one of my local guitar stores is true expert in guitars his personal guitar collection is currently over 30 guitars he has been in important local bands , he is 60 years old now and has been playing for over 40 years , so i came to his store woth my epi (store where i had been asking for guitars 4 months before) and as soon as he saw me he said , sup dude what happened you went for an epi , there where somo nice gibsons for 1300$ specially on the used market , and i told him nah im sorry , call me stupid or noob , but i just like to buy guitars new , i want to e the first to have them on my hands , he answered nah i understand , i was just like you when i was younger , (im 27 but guess im a kid for him) and he said , well its a pitty you didnt took longer to decide because i happen to have this 2000$ gibson standard T that i bought for my kid , but he happens to be more into telecasters than les pauls so i had it for me , it sounds amazing but , i have 6 lespauls already and they are of a bit higher quallity (over 4500 $ gibson les pauls) so i was going to offer you buying it from me for 1400$ i know it is slightly over the 1300$ budget you had but its quite a bargain for such a good gibson guitar wich i only used once so it is new. And i answered tell you what , try my epi tribute plus , if you tell me this gibson is sincerelly better , you have my word im selling the epi to your shop for 500$ and paying the difference , he agreed , he took my guitar, pluged it to this epic sounding mesa boogie mark V amplifier and started trying it, after just a couple chords i saw him stop and put a weird facial expression , he looked surprised , he then started to try diferent sounds and channels, started to play with the tones a lot , all of the sudden he stands up and rushes to grab the gibson , unplugs my epi, plugs the gibson , tryes it for a couple minutes , unplugs it , plugs the epi tryies it again , stops playing and tells me: dude , i am speachless with this freaking epiphone , dont you think changing it for any gibson under 3000$ dollars because it is giving me better sound than my gibson standard t gt , and i like how that guitar sounds , i tell you man , i would confidently go to a studio and record an ep with this epi , amazing bang for the buck you got here man, you can be happy. so thats it opinion from a player who has been playing for 15 years (me) the best les paul guitar i have ever owned BY FREAKING MILES ( and is my 3rd les paul , 1 prs and another epi(epiphone les paul custom) before) and the sound is amazing opinion from the most respected guitar player in my city , a known guitar collector , a guy with over 40 years of music and guitar playing on his back: as good or even better than any gibson (new) under 3000$ so there you have it if your budget is not high this epiphone is a no brainer! hope i helped someone and sorry for the huge text

[@MrPhotonjockey]

I have the same one. Grover locking tuners, genuine Gibson USA ‘57 pickups. For all intents and purposes this plays and sounds just like a USA Gibson. PS - I also own a USA Gibson and the Epi is 100% on par.

[@linus5171]

Resting Stitch Face This guitar basically is a Gibson with an Epiphone headstock. And it’s made in China which really doesn’t make a difference.

[@morteparla6926]

Just change the pickups and strings if you want a better sound.

[@DBCisco]

I have quite a few Epis, acoustic and electric, never saw the need (or desire) for a Gibson.

[@linus5171]

Morte Parla Just strings. Gibson 57 pickups are good.

[@DonaldDingerson]

That epi has “mother-of-pearl Trapezoid inlays” according to the Epiphone website.

[@andyread5363]

Question - what is the sticker of the upside down man from? I used to have it on a guitar of mine years back and couldn't think I hot it from. I thought it was a pair of trainers/sneakers?

[@ArtGarfunkel1941]

i think the editor had more fun editing rob's mug than the video itself XD XD

[@slartbarg]

Lee I'm guessing the "grunt" missing from superstrat style guitar with gibson pickups is that the scale length is different, so the les paul is going to be a warmer tone

[@BigStarch96]

Rob when will Chapman guitars website be up and running?!?! I'm dying over here man!!

[@RobChappers]

BigStarch96 about a week from now

[@juliusrody9833]

Thank God Rob, we've been dying for months.

[@akashsahakundu9488]

Rob Chapman wooooaaaahhhhhhh hype :D :D :D :D

[@rafaeljimenez7450]

before the end of March

[@alexisnicolas9554]

finally ;D

[@lal2235]

what are the pickups in the gibson?, are the same than in the gold top 2017 tribute?

[@amyleigh02]

i have a 1961 les paul with paf pickups, a guitar ive had since 1965 when i was 18, i semi retired my gibson and bought a epiphone les paul plustop pro and i am absolutely delighted with it, believe me, there isnt a great deal of difference in sound between the two, but there is in the price, i rest my case.

[@chrisroach4284]

I've had loads of real Gibsons! I just bought a 2014 Ephipohone Les Paul Trad off my brother. The Ephiphone is beautifully made, all top guality components and has a very lightly sprayed finnish rather than a 'Poly finish'. Action is on the frets and the guitar sounds and plays brill. Feels like a hand made guitar! A great guitar in its own right? A shining example of the quality and craftsman/ woman ship from the Chinese factory!

[@stusansom2966]

The Epi sounds amazing! But the poly neck is pretty tacky!, half hours work with 1200 grit and 0000 wire wool and problem solved!

[@BollocksUtwat]

I was thinking. Whats to stop you from just sanding it down?

[@PipeCat1965]

Great shoot-out! My main gigging axe is a mid-90's Epiphone LP Plus-Top (3-color sunburst) with Gibson Burstbucker Pro pickups, but I also have an early 2K's Gibson Studio Vintage Mahogany in worn brown. In tone and overall quality they are equivalents in my eyes/ears/hands. However, the Eppy is a lot prettier.

[@Goldfinga888]

32:33 .... a Nigel Tufnel moment .. "aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh.. go and make a cuppa, come back and it will still be going aaaaaaahhhh"🤣 The Gibson sounded thicker!

[@pacovl46]

Slash said, amongst other Les Paul players, that every LP he has that had the headstock fixed sounded better when it came back from the repair shop!

[@williamsporing1500]

I’ve heard they are stronger if fixed correctly too

[@pacovl46]

@@williamsporing1500 yeah, that headstock angle is definitely the Achilles heal of LPs!

[@mattjones8523]

My personal opinion is that the Epiphone sounds better. The Gibson was good, but there was just something about the Epiphone that made me want to hear more from it.

[@tschooptschoop]

Matt Jones agree... closing my eyes i just prefer the epiphone again and again. this one goes to the epiphone soundwise.

[@koryguns]

Matt Jones those pickups are fuckin great. very pleasing to the ears

[@drmikehockertz1965]

Tschooptschoop Only because it has gibson pickups in it ,Its still a crappy chinese epiphone though .

[@drmikehockertz1965]

Matt Jones It sounded good because it has Gibson pick ups in it ,apart from that its still just a chinese epiphone . People like the underdog to win thats all . Some epiphones are good guitars for the money ,but i definately think the Korean ones were better .

[@mattjones8523]

I'm well aware that the saving grace on that Epiphone happens to be the '57 classics in it. I will say, China has made some major strides in build quality over the past decade. I have an Epiphone Masterbilt that I absolutely love and have had since '06.

[@victormontoya9485]

What distortion pedal are you using for your gain? Sounds amazing!!

[@manahaas]

great video. didnt think the epi would loose.

[@malcolmhardwick4258]

Gotta say the cheap Gibson looks great except the dot inlays give it a cheap look. I am sure block inlays aint gonna cost that much more.

[@juliusnisonen2431]

They don't cost more it's just their tactic to get more to the expensive ones so people would not like the cheap ones so much

[@MustangDesudiroz]

The les paul youre looking for is studio

[@garyperry9039]

The coffee cup thing is funny...

[@ThePhoneBook123ABC]

“He’s got a massive ball bag” I can’t believe they kept that in ...hes right though haha!

[@londonschabes8641]

Awesome comparison! I remember learning the bulk of my guitar on a Tribute plus!

[@SciFiArtman]

Well this video settles the eternal question, once and for all!!! Huh? I've always loved Gibson, but in this comparison I'd give the edge to to Epiphoney. Both, fine guitars, for what they are.

[@tylerpratt2115]

Can confirm the angle being more prone to breaking. I had les pauls break. One IN the case, that fell over on the front side. One that fell off the stand on the back. I beat the hell out of my Epiphone LP standard and it's almost unbreakable lol

[@hotrodjones74]

Epiphone has a better headstock joint. Gibson should make their headstocks with the same joint and angle. Epiphone has 14° vs Gibson 17°. No more foldable headstocks. I'm sure gibbo purists would moan incessantly though.

[@mitchellcutler2888]

Hello from Canada! Love the reviews.

[@jimborumable]

I would love to see this done with squire and fender.... blindfolded

[@boxerfencer]

I liked the epiphone better. It had more range of sounds, from clean bell like tones to an overdriven classic rock one, and in fact made the guy on the right sound like a better guitarist than he sounds on the Gibson. What makes these types of comparisons useless is that the two guitars weren't setup the same pre recording, they're using two different amps, different electronics, and one guitarist is more "athletic" than the other, and has a bias, judging from previous videos. These obstacles need to be addressed, if these tests are to be meaningful.

[@fiasco348]

The current top-end Epiphones would crush a cheap Gibson for sound.. there's just guitar snobbery or shilling going on here.

[@MrDudewiththeshoes]

Both guitars went through both amps though

[@scottstone1475]

Well said and I do believe your correct

[@johnb5713]

They def should have just ran both into the same amp (not the same model, the very same one) without any electronics. Weird they didnt.

[@luskvideoproductions869]

Yeah, this was a fun video, buuuuuut...I immediately noticed the very very different amps, capabilities, etc....very subjective.

[@MrRizoable]

I bought the exact same Gibson LP Faded 2017 (it is basically a Les Paul Studio) for 400€ second hand in perfect condition and it is one of the greatest guitars I have ever played. Clearly that one is better than any Epiphone on this planet, you can clearly hear it in the video. The 490R & 490T humbuckers are lovely.

[@Mountainrock70]

I went this route. I have a Epi Les Paul 1960 Tribute plus (that comes stock with Gibson USA PAF type buckers). And my Gibson is a Les Special TV yellow P90 beast. Im super happy with both.

[@Jack-Garrison]

Review your PERSONAL most and least expensive guitars, any brand!