deepfat

Particularly the LP's in the $400-700 range?

What is the main difference between those and the Gibby LP's that are in the $600-1200 range?

Not an Epi or Gibson expert so any insight is appreciated.

paruwi

I have a few of them...and like 'em.

I wonder how many people rate them bad - and never owned one themselves....

I wonder how many Epis are rated bad - because they're fakes and the owner doesn't even know it...

I prefer a 500 Euro Epi over a 500 Euro Gibson

you get a high end Epi with Gibson pups and hardcase
or
a low end Gibson with sharp fretends, with a bad finish and a gigbag

hminh87

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DylanHendrix

Somebody should really sticky a thread that lays out the differences between Epiphone Les Pauls and Gibson Les Pauls. Maybe do the same for MIM and MIA Fenders. Not that this isn't a good thread it's just that this question seems to come up almost weekly. I'd be willing to put such a thread together.

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This. Make it happen.

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GaryBillington

I've had a couple of Epis in the past and always liked them, but I've got to disagree with paruwi's comment about preferring a high-end Epi over a low end Gibson - as a general comment at least.

I've had a few Gibsons over the years and the best one I've ever had is the worn brown LP Studio I bought about a year ago. It's actually better than the LP Standard Ebony I had before it. Not sure why, to me the standard just didn't have the IT factor but this particular studio does.

And that's the trouble with Gibsons. Because they're all hand made, some are better than others for no real reason. With Epiphones, they may be mass produced in a factory somewhere, but they're consistently good. Gibsons are better 9/10 times, but you have to play one before buying it to make sure it really is the one you're going to fall in love with.

EDIT:
Someone did start this a while ago - there was a thread listing all Gibsons & Fenders throughout the range in price order, detailing what the features of each guitar was. Fairly sure it included Epiphone & Squier. It was sometime in the past year, if you dig deep enough you'll probably find it.

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krispi180

I don't own one at the moment, so I can't consider myself a Epiphone player, but anyways. I believe that there is a general opinion, in which people think of all the "fake" guitar models pretty much the same and on no basis. That's a pity. And speaking of Epiphone's Les Pauls and their relation to the "original" Gibson's Les Paul, this is something completely different than it is with Squier's Strats and their relation to the "corresponding" Fender model. I However, I think that treating Epiphones as a middle range (in quality as well as in price) guitar is definitely an appropriate act. I've recently run into this article regarding the Epiphone's Les Paul that was considering just this, how they are underrated and so ...

AmirT

Is "Epiphone and Gibson" more like "Fender MIA and MIM" or more like "Fender MIA and Squier" ?

DylanHendrix

I think epiphone is really a combination of both MIM and squier. For example you have the Epiphone Les Paul special II which is $150 dollars, you won't find an MIM fender for that price, unless it's really beat up. Then you have the various Epiphone 60's tributes, '59 reissues, Slash appetite for destruction, etc. These guitars are around $700 dollars or more, often priced above MIM Fenders to a certain degree.

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stonyman65

IIRC, Epi's have fake binding and maple veneer tops rather than real maple and binding like a Gibson does.

Epi's use generic electronics and pickups ( probably Chinese stuff) and Gibson uses CTS/Switchcraft and Gibson-brand pickups.

Epi uses cheap woods, Gibson uses good woods

Epi uses cheap hardware, Gibson uses better hardware

So is it worth the extra $1,500+ for a Gibson? Maybe, but that's why you should by a Tokai for $800 and blow them both out of the water

Also, the Gibson fakes are getting REALLY good in the last few years. Still a $300 guitar, but the quality is getting better and better.

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Mephaphil

Wut? Like a conspiracy?

An Epiphone LP Special II is the LP shape counterpart to a Squier Bullets Strat shape, not a MiM.

I would put a LP Standard next to a MIM Strat and compare them as more or less equals, with the MiM preferable for quality.

I think Epiphone makes some decent guitars for their price range. Would I choose one over a Gibson? Shit no.

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deepfat

Let me ask this. If you have an Epi LP and a Gibson LP Studio side by side and the tone is negligible in comparison for those particular two instruments, does it make sense to fork over the extra cash to get the Gibson? Why?

pugachev

Epiphones use cheaper furniture grade woods, plastic nut, import pickups, cheaper tuners and other hardware, cheap electronics, veneers for the plus tops, and poly finish, among other things.

Gibson's use honduran woods, tusq nuts, grover tuners, Gibson USA pickups, better electronics and hardware, solid maple top, and a nitro finish. Gibson LPs are also run through the "PLEK" machine which is suppose to dress the frets and cut the nut to perfection.

Of course, you also gotta take into account who is building your guitar. An American on aliving wage who takes pride in his job and pays close attention to detail (hopefully) versus someone making $5 a day in a factory in China. You get what you pay for.

leony03

Both my guitars are Epi's and I have had my Les Paul Standard for around 8 years now. It is one of the best guitars I have ever played and I have been told by some professional guitar techs that is the best Epi they have played. I guess I got incredibly lucky with it. It's worked flawlessly since I bought it and even if I had a real Gibson Les Paul, I would never get rid of it. I would still probably play it often as well. My Explorer on the other hand isn't as good. It doesn't have the same build quality as there are some marks and blemishes on the neck and the electronics aren't great.

The only thing with the LP is the pickups. That's the only thing that lets it down but thats expected at the price I paid for it.

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deepfat

While that's probably true on average just because it's American made doesn't mean it's high quality every time. I'd argue that guitars coming out of Japan and Korea are getting close to the average American made guitar in quality. Even Chinese manufacturing as their middle class is expanding is getting good in terms of QC. Getting back to guitars I think I'd take a Chinese Fender over a MIM Fender more often than not nowadays.

pugachev

Of course, I've seen some guitars that looked and played like dogs from the Gibson line. But more often and not, like 99% of the time, the Gibson will be a better guitar. Of course, MIJ Elitists, Tokai, Greco, etc. are a different story. There are some amazing guitars out of Japan, particularly from the FujiGen plant.

DylanHendrix

Not what I meant at all

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Danjo's Guitar

I think you'll find that most people on this site have a decent respect for Epiphones. They have some pretty good models, I had a $500 one that was pretty good, but I didn't care for the pickups at all. I've since gone back to strats.

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If you are reading this you might need to chill out.

Sakke

Well, they weren't.

I had an Epi LP Standard long ago. Then I went for Ibanez and came back for Gibson. Tested an Epi just for the fun of it through the same amp as the Gibson I bought and no, the sound was not the same and the FEEL was definitely not the same.

I've told this story quite a few times, so bare with me, even if you know where this is going and know what I'm going to say.
I'm aware that Gibson have started to lose a lot of respect for their poor QC. Now, I don't know when that exactly happened, I guess mine went through that poor QC but my guitar's good. It's a lot better than the same year 2011 Gibson LP Studio that is at the local store. Same colour and hardware too, btw.

Yes, this is coming from a Gibson LP Studio owner, owned one for about 1½ years. Haven't got really problems with it. Anything that you'd have with a 2000 euro guitar too. I love my Gibson cause it's got all the right in it. There were no sharp frets, no dents on finish. The neck feels consistently great for my hand and I have zero bad things to say about my guitar, especially I've added aftermarket pickups to suit my needs better.

That been said, I'll recommend Epiphone LP Standard/Custom to anyone who is on budget and likes those guitars. I think they're good for the money.

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