Over thirty years running a recording studio and hearing every musical instrument theory/excuse, I counter everything I've heard with "the part you play is far more important than the instrument you used to play it". The average person that listens to music could care less what chain you used to get a clean or dirty tone, they care about if the song is any good. A memorable song is made up of great parts, not great tones. Tones are inspiring to an artist no doubt. But if you play a shitty part thru a great amp no one will be interested. Absolutely no one will say "that would be a great song if they had used a real Gibson instead of an Epiphone". Spend your energy writing something worth listening to and you can play it on a Sears Silvertone and people will listen.
Over 40 years as a songwriter and I can tell you the instrument makes all the difference. How can one write good and inspiring tunes playing an instrument that is crappy and uninspiring? I can tell you that different guitars bring out differences in my playing, which leads more to exploration, which leads to creativity. I can play my best acoustics for hours on end because I love their sound, and often their action is so smooth it sparks further excitement. Some of my electrics are shredders, and get me in that mood, and others have solid bottom ends or ringing treble tones that draw me into their spirit. I often make surprising discoveries when a guitar "keeps me playing". There are things I can do on some guitars that I simply can't do on others. There are fast fretboards that make me work on riffs, and others that offer more in THEIR TONES that urge me to chop, crunch and grind. I've written plenty of uninspired mediocre songs on mediocre guitars. My best work has come from playing the best guitars in my extensive collection, or mind-melding with my 1942 Chickering baby grand. Of course you're right about the recording. If it sounds good, no one knows what kind of instrument you're playing. Which came first: the great sound that makes the track, or the great guitar that inspired it?
Other people can judge the guitars you buy when they start paying all your bills for you. Until then, just get the one that's best for you and looks so good that you actually want to pick it up.
I am not going to judge you because you have a cheap guitar I will judge you for where you are spending your money and who you are supporting though, Don't buy cheap Chinese made guitars(there are other alternatives) otherwise It will be eventually all we will get in a reasonable price range, and you are supporting massive civil rights violations and literally 1 of the shittiest governments to have existed, the people are great the government is shitty and that is who you end up supporting.
I agree but also I see a lot of people forgetting that it goes both ways. Everyone should just keep their mouth shut about what others buy, no matter whether it's a $200 guitar or a $2000+ guitar. If something isn't for you, so what? Not everything is for everyone and that's ok. Companies don't need to make every product for you. Buy want you want, ignore what you don't want, and let others do the same.
I will never understand shaming people for their gear choices. I only care about what I buy and how it works for me . Sometimes that's a 600 dollar guitar and other times a 6000 dollar guitar . I don't need anything beyond a 600 dollar guitar but I love guitars and work very hard for the Money to buy them . I sacrifice most of my weekends to work overtime to buy guitars amps cabinets and pickups I don't need . It goes both ways as well . I see alot of people acting very hateful towards people who buy Gibson USA .guitars. I have been called a Defense Attorney A Doctor and a blues dentist even though I am literally just construction worker who works in the Ship Repair industry. As if being a called a Doctor or Dentist is an insult. I wish I was so I could afford a bunch of vintage guitars .why people who don't know you care about where your money goes is mind blowing.
I just bought a EPI 1960's Les Paul. The guitar is fantastic. Spending $3,000 on a Gibson or $700 on a EPI is a no brainer. The neck is perfect, stays in tune and it sounds great.
Perfect and great are relative. To 1) what you're used to, 2) what you can afford. An Epiphone Les Paul is pretty neat. But it is NOT perfect if you play it directly after a Gibson. Also, sounds very good. But if you play a Gibson immediately afterwards, the Gibson sounds better. Both still good. But the Gibson sounds better. If you consider accoustic resonance.... the Gibson will be a LOT more resonant. If you value american workers... the Gibson is better. I don't. I don't care about american workers. But... the Gibson is still better on that criteria. Whether i care about it or am willing to pay for it.
Back in 2006 I bought a 2005 Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus from Craig’s list. As I recall about $250.00 Honey burst, tiger maple top, ‘57 Alnico classic style pickups. Fit and finish was perfect. The guitar was made at the Qingdao factory in China, which was at that time, supposed to be producing the best Epiphones. At that time I wasn’t gigging, just getting together with old time rockers once a week to enjoy playing together. Other than getting fretwork done, that guitar performed everything I needed it to do. Still does.
I have a 2008 Epi LP Standard from the same factory. Gigged with it for almost about 5 years than the ex from my mum smashed it on the ground (he was a freak), the nech broke from the body and the headstock from the neck. I got it repaired by a carpenter family friend and gigged with it for another ca 4 years. It did the job very well. Now I also have a Chinese knock off Gibson, switched out the electronics, put Alnico 2 pro Slash humbuckers in it. We compared my "Chibson" to a Japanese Epiphone (which are sometimes even better than many Gibsons) and to a Gibson Les Paul AFD. All three guitars were played right after the other on a JMP modded with #34 mod (I sing in a GnR tribute, our guitarist owns the japanese Epi). My chibson sounded exactly like the Gibson AFD, and the japanese Epi sounded a bit better/different than mine and the AFD. (Also right now in the video he talks about the Vintage Les Pauls being crap... well... : /watch?v=iq-vik2qfME ) EDIT: Here is my Chibson with the Slash pickups and (can't remember now) Nashville or ABR bridge instead of the Epiphone-ish one: /shorts/4EMYLd0UnOw
I have a 2008 Gibson LP Silverburst my wife gave me. Beautiful guitar. Plays and sounds great. It weighs 12 lbs. I have the Epi 59 from last year. The neck is fantastic and it sounds great. I play it all the time. I love it. Since it is a fraction of the cost of my custom shop it stays out on the stand ready to rock.
My last purchase was a Squier 12 string Jazzmaster, which is SUPER AWESOME. The "Laurel" fretboard is actually "flamed." I had ZERO idea that Laurel could be flamed! The fit/finish was perfect, like they knew what they had. A true unicorn.
Things that I thought/think are cool cost me way too much. Probably could’ve retired at 40 if I didn’t buy all this stuff. But I guess it still all was worth it!
most of our favorite players learned to play on junk guitars compared to even a cheap guitar today. The blues cats in the 30 basically played on steel cables. There is an undue emphasis on needing primo gear to learn or enjoy guitar and it is not true. I have a few guitars i acquired over the 40 years i have played but if i had to i would be happy with a classic vibe or an Epiphone
Dylan speaks the truth. The market price that a new guitar sells for is all you need to know about whether it’s better than another. Whether it fits your budget is another matter. Don’t be mad at Gibson because you have an Epiphone budget. No one with an unlimited budget picks a MIM strat or the SE over American made Fender or PRS. Justifying price with specs is such a waste of time. Someone once told me to not buy a guitar with your eyes but at the end of the day, if it doesn’t melt your heart, no amount of rational thinking will change the fact that you want something better.
being worth more does not inherently make it a better guitar, Gibson has a long history to justify its prices, but aside from having thicker pieces of pretty wood, their quality control certainly doesn't justify their cost. You can easily get a better made guitar for far less than a Gibson, it just doesn't have the star power that the Gibson name holds. that's all it is, they use their legacy to jack up prices. it's not actually 3k-5k worth of guitar. its a 1500 dollar guitar with a 2000 dollar name on it,
@@blaness13 I don’t disagree at all - its still a better guitar because the material cost is higher. That’s objective. Whether the markup is fair or not is up to the consumer. But saying you will be just as happy or happier with the epiphone because the markup is lower ignores a major part of buying a guitar - you have to love it because the heart wants it. There’s a price for that. I think that’s the part that makes people hate Gibson for - they know the value of their brand.
@@DW-xt7vz Just because the price of most Epiphones is significantly lower than the price of most Gibsons doesn’t mean that the markup is lower on Epiphones. I had a thirty year long career in retail. I can tell you from my first had experience that the lower priced merchandise has a much higher markup than expensive merchandise.
@@DW-xt7vz Just because the price of most Epiphones is significantly lower than the price of most Gibsons doesn’t mean that the markup is lower on Epiphones. I had a thirty year long career in retail. I can tell you from my first hand experience that the lower priced merchandise usually has a much higher markup than expensive merchandise.
I own both Epiphones and Gibsons and truthfully is the same Squire vs Fender... sometimes the "lower" brand is actually better than their older sibling. The last epiphone I bought was the Les Paul Classic Worn, Violet Purple Burst for just about $400 brand new, not only it looks killer but sounds incredible. Can't argue with the pricing and what you get for it.
Hell Yea Brother. Nice shirt. I’m 61 and just picked up guitar again since taking some lessons in middle school. Recently got a beautiful used Epiphone Trad Pro III Plus for $350 and I’m loving it. These are supposed to have the Gibson ‘57 humbuckers in them but wondering if they’re really the same. Any idea? BTW my EDC is an HK and Zero Tolerance. Keep the info coming.
I have an Epiphone acoustic that plays/ sounds amazing! I’m not the best guitar player in the world and I don’t play everyday. I love the look of a Les Paul more than any other guitar… I’ll buy the Epliphone, you can buy a decal that’ll make it look like a Gibson if that’s important 😉I’m here because I want a new eclectic guitar and not a willing to pay the Gibson price to play around at home only. Edit: I’ve never had a guitar over like $300 (Gio lol) so this would be a huge upgrade for me either way
I prefer Epiphone over Gibson's. I've been playing Epiphones since 1984 I think. I prefer the Epi neck over Gibson's. I do after a few years switch out the pick-ups cause I want to try a little different sound. Go Epiphone.
my brand new EPI Modern LP is scooped all round and has an ebony fretboard and is much lighter than most LP's and the Sparkling burgundy finish is as sweet as the tone. Tuners: Grover® Locking Rotomatic with Tulip Buttons 18:1 ratio, nice. Oh yeah and coil splitting.
What amazes me is how many people buy a Gibson because it has better pick-ups or better tuners or better something, AND then rip out all that "better" stuff and replace it with after market stuff...or plug it into a $200 amp. etc.
Buy the best guitar you can is great advice for a first guitar, or any one after that, but after a few what constitutes best can vary. And you’re able to make an exception that will work My last purchase was a used Epi LP Special, and yeah it’s cheaper parts and all that, but I love the neck, and I love the way it feels and the way it plays, and sounds It gets played a lot (not a gigging musician) All I changed was the top hat knobs for speed knobs, as I like them better And yeah, overall the most important thing is how it feels. (And yes, it has a good set up) And I also don’t care what others think of my gear, I learned that over time
I’ve got a epiphone les Paul custom made in 2000. The ones with the Gibson truss rod cover on it and it’s a great playing/sounding guitar. It does all the les Paul things that I need it to do.
I bought my Ebmm at age 19 back in 1998... i earned it, was working at "the big Four" got into a bunch of bands, and met my wife because of those shows! 20+ together!
In 2004 I had 4 lefty electric guitars, my 2 G&L strats, a Fender American Standard tele and a Gibson custom shop Les Paul '57 reissue goldtop. Ended up selling the LP, it was too chunky for me, I was too used to strats and teles. Fast forward to Oct 2023 I bought myself an Epiphone Les Paul Special in TV yellow with the P-90's. This is a Les Paul that a tele player can get along with just fine, I like it better than the goldtop I had almost 20 years ago. Next Oct I turn 70 years old, I plan to get me a Gibson Les Paul Junior just to have a Gibson again.
Oh wow! Now I need to get out one of my Gibsons and compare the carve. I thought it was just the shine of the nitro making it look the way it does. Cool!
Glad to hear some Epiphone love... I love all of mine; Casino (P-90's), Gold Glory (P90), Les Paul I (P-90's) '59 Les Paul, Wilshire Pro, SG (P-90's), SG Muse. All cheap guitars don't suck. I also love my Danelectro and I put a B/G bender on my Squire Affinity Tele. Hell, new pickups are easy to install! I also have a winder and want to make some gold foils for a 4-string ammo can slide.
Here’s the thing When I started playing I made a decision that I was going to learn because I wanted to and I loved the sound of the guitar So I also decided that I would start with a good guitar so I saved and bought a Gibson studio les Paul I never for a second thought that I will buy a cheap copy I didn’t want to sell myself out I wanted good tone and structure also if I wanted to sell up I could get what I put in on a trade up Now I have several Gibson les Paul’s and the value has in most cases increased and by the way I still have the studio I bought first cuz it’s a great guitar
I drooled over Gibson ES-330's and the indominable ES-335, but couldn't touch them without a second mortgage, so bought a Chinese-made Epi ES-330. It is absolutely phenomenal. Great pickups, sounds fantastic, plays sweetly. It satisfied my need to know the 330, even without the big G. So much so, I was willing to get that mortgage for the Memphis 335. Mostly just 'cause it says "Made In USA", though in my heart I know the Epi 335 would probably been as good for me.
Just grabbed a vintage burst Epi ES-335 for $599 and it’s a beast of a guitar. It looks good with a quality finish. The fretboard is excellent and fretwork is really good. The guitar plays unbelievably well.
I have an Epiphone'61 Les Paul, (SG) I ordered with a Plek and Kluson keys, and it seems as good or better than my 3 Gibson SGs. It came with Gibson pups and electrics. Out of 9 basses, (including a Gibson Tbird) my Squier Cabronita Pbass is my goto. I DID add keys, bridge, and a real TV Jones pup. Closest thing would be a FCS Tele bass, which has the wide Pbass neck. The Squier has that thin JBass neck and Tele headstock. I have other Epiphone guitars that ALL needed something to be playable. The cool thing about (especially) Squier is they aren't afraid to experiment.
My one Epiphone I have is a total oddball (MIK LP300), but I bought it because I was able to pick it up at the pawn shop, play it, and feel that it has some mojo (plus it was dirt cheap). I would be hesitant to order one online without playing it first. My Gibson plays and sounds great, but I find myself playing the Epiphone more 🤷♂️
Your “actually good wood under the veneer” reply was so biblically true across any marketing of things!! My father in law was a retired kosher butcher. My wife and were (reluctantly) living in a medium sized town in Nebraska and he visited us there. We said try the steaks, they’re the best in the country. He denied this without even trying the steak at this restaurant. He said the butcher sees the carcasses coming through the slaughterhouses and his job is to grade the beef. The very best goes to the steakhouses in Chicago & New York where you will pay $200+ per steak. The meh stuff gets sold locally. They generally pay the same per cow but you can get more once an expert examines them.
I'm late to the party on this video, but I own a 2002 Epi Les Paul Standard bought that year and a 2020 Epi Les Paul Standard bought in 2021 and in my opinion the 2002 has been and still is better than the 2020 model. The 2020 model needed a fret level and new nut and didn't come with a case, that brought the cost far beyond what that guitar is worth...in my opinion
What is the distance between the pots? I have an Epi and a Gibson Les Paul and on the Epi, the pots are slightly closer together by about 3 mm. My Epi is a Korean made 2004. Not sure if it's different on the newer Chinese made ones. Not that any of it matters but just something I notices on mine when I tried one of those solderless kits.
I’ve just bought an Epiphone IBG J45. I play in pubs and bars so needed something to replace my old Taylor which is getting really beat up (that has sentimental value too). For what I do the Epi is perfect and it’s not 3k like a Gibson, so if a drunk falls onto it then it’s not as painful to replace 😅
dude this is my new favorite channel. i build guitars and just started making pickups and they sound surprisingly awesome. got me all excited about life. your videos are so candid andf truthful. it's like a show that a magician shows how he does his best tricks. i appreciate your knowledge and blunt truthfulness and humility alot man. i've got mad questions i'll try to get to you somehow. -Parham Howell AKA Bud Wormy
I agree. Pedigree is what it's all about. If one can't afford the Gibson then a pedigreed facsimile is one's best bet. They're absolutely reliable and can be satisfactorily used even by professionals if in a pinch. Btw, this is an excellent instructional video that ventures into the esoterics of the business. We need more like this one on the Tube.
I'd love to see you do this with solid body guitars. Seems like something like the SG/Les Paul Jr would have fewer of those fine details that are different, though the hardware/electronics discrepancies would be comparable. Maybe I just made an argument for *not* taking the time to do that comparison. It'd basically be the wood...and all the other differences would map to your LP side-by-side.
I have cheap Schecter Les Paul Special knock off I'll never sell. If I wear out the frets, I would get it refretted. I just love it. After changing most of the hardware and electronics, it hangs with my Gibson Les Pauls (Studio, Standard, and Custom). I know the frets are not as good; I can feel it. It's dirtier and slows my hand down. Getting new ones would complete my customizations.
No..there is a difference..have owned several of both over years..the gibsons are better..nothing wrong with an epi..get what you can afford without going broke
I play Epi and Squire as my vintage Gibson and Tender do jot belong at a Big at or Party gig I have memories of a vintage Strat on a guitar stand getting bounced off the Stage onto the ground as someone caught the cord while walking ng
I'm not a Les Paul but a Strat guy. Big difference between high-end instruments and entry level ones (I owned both kinds). Nothing beats the feel and sound of a custom shop for instance but a 3k axe is still pretty awesome. At the end of the day it's not the arrow but the Indian. Have fun making good music 🎸🎸🎸
As far as I know regarding maple wood under the veneer etc (And I might be wrong, feel free to tell me if you have actual info). The nice looking flame maple, the clean/good looking plain maple etc, everything where the stripes or the wood itself is/are aesthetically flawless, sells for more and goes to Gibson. The same and/or somewhat below quality wood, which has visual flaws etc goes to Epi, because the veneer will cover it up and you won't see the flaws
I am a new fan, it is refreshing to hear a no BS level headed discussion of the FACTS of these instruments. I have learned alot and appreciate this no nonsense non political presentation. Keep up the good work, and if I purchase another Epi, I at least will no for sure what I am buying.. the good, the bad and the ugly.
I’ve been an epi fan for 20 years. Great guitars for the price. I picked up my lp classic back in 05. That’s my d tuner guitar. Sounds amazing in that key. The real problem is that we all want the world for 10 cents and that clouds judgement.
Epiphone has been the lil' brother i.e. cheaper version of Gibson since their acquisition, in order to be more affordable for the masses. Price point you get what you pay for. They were never meant to be compared. Would you compare a VW with a Porsche? Of course not but it's kinda the same scenario. Great video, new subscriber.
do you know how much tight or dence winding amount and how much scatter wind or maybe its controlled scatter wind on a dimarzio super distortion pick up or is that like a secrit ?
What I found throughout the years Is that the epiphone's have way more issues. They may seem decent on the outside, but the wood is generally garbage and I've had a few truss rods come loose or the route was too deep and caused rattling in the neck. Aside from that just delaminations, and anything you could think of would related or finished. The Gibson may have some physical flaws here and there, but the wood used in a Gibson is 10 times more durable in my experience than any epiphone I've ever had. The Epiphone bodies are like mad at cheese and very easy to strip screws with where is my mahogany SG bodies on my Gibson's if you strip those screws out do you have no business holding a screwdriver because the wood is very dense and high quality. So in the end you may get similar tones between the two, but the Gibson's going to last you a lifetime.
There has been an influx of Epiphone lefties here in Japan over the past few months, but I haven’t found one I liked. Personally, with the pricing, you can still find used SGs or LPJR at decent prices, so I would forgo these overpriced new Epiphones for one of those.
I have been playing cheap Les Paul copies for years it’s what I could afford. I have a Oscar Schmidt, Harley Benton, Chibson, I just got a Gibson Les Paul standard. Al I can say for me it plays so much better than the copies I couldn’t believe it. Way more responsive and the tone is remarkable. I got. PRS Arcon 50 with the Gibson I’m more than happy.
So tired of this after seemingly endless years. If you can't afford - or just don't want to pay for - a house, you rent an apartment. If you can't afford - or just don't want to pay for - an Acura NSX, you get a Honda Civic. If you can't afford a Gibson, get an Epiphone and stop the whining and crying.
I think you'll find that the concave vs flat section has nothing to do with the "laminating" of the top to the body, as you suggest, as that carve is done after the lamination in both cases. The body blanks are laminated then CNC routed - The router doesn't care whether it is cutting a flat or concave section. The issue is finishing. The concave takes a lot more time to sand out and has to be carefully done by hand. The flat section on the Epi can be done with a machine in a 10th of the time :-). Also, as tradition plays a large part in the construction of the Gibson they are stuck with the concave shape (Same with the PRS core vs the SE) as that is how a Les Paul is made. Personally I prefer both the Epi and the SE over the Gibo and PRS as I find the concave creates a sharp edge which digs into my fore arm. Consequently, I've sold both my Gibo and my PRS and replaced them with an Epi and an SE. Very happy 🙂
@@DylanTalksTone My understanding after seeing one of these cut in half is that the cap is the standard thickness you'd find on a Gibson with a decorative venner over the top done after the carve. I've vacuum bagged veneers on in the past but I'm not sure if they do that or use a heated press, probably the latter. I just checked my one and it's definitely got a maple cap with the veneer over.
I do have a 70s MIJ LP copy that was my first electric, used, was a kid so didn’t have the means to look at a lot of options, nor a big say in what I got, but it is not a boat anchor, At first it was cool, then that wore off and I looked for better guitars But over time I upgraded the tuners and pickups to better stuff, and swapped out some stuff more for looks (and a bit of function) With a good set up it plays much better I wasn’t concerned about resale value as I know it didn’t have much ( still doesn’t), but now I play it and enjoy it. Not as good as a Gibson, and I have heard people say that about these LP copies, but I disagree, even 70s Gibsons, although those tend to be heavy, so depends what you like that way
Are Epiphone still doing the big silly thing of putting a bridge on the guitars with the saddles on the bass side flipped and also angleing the posts positions ? This setup means that it is not possible to get the fourth string saddle far enough forward to be in tune. Guitars with an angled bridge should have all the saddles with the bevel at the back. If the bridge is not angled then the bass side saddles are flipped. A simple but inexcusable mistake when the guitars are reputedly quality checked. It is not dfficult to reverse the saddles but just an unnecessary hassle.
A guitar with a Rosewood board does not equate to a darker guitar and Maple does not mean a brighter guitar . It can but it's not a hard and fast rule.
I have the Epiphone Les Paul Custom and my buddy has a Gibson Les Paul (1959?). His guitar is a little nicer but not enough to make me hate my Epiphone.
I have been enjoying your videos for about a month thank you.i have had the same 2 guitars since 2016 keeping in mind on my salary it took years to get to this level , I have a Mexican made fender mustang and a martin 000 15 acoustic., amps in another story I can't settle in my budget on a amp that suits me. I play small gigs and local jams with friends
These comments are funny. People are commenting on what they are making up themselves instead of what is said. This has been a great discussion on where Epiphone has to save a few dollars to keep a price point. I've played Gibson Standard's, Studio's, Traditional's and an Epi 1960 Tribute Plus. Each guitar has a different flavor ( look, sound and feel). The Epi1960 tribute plus is a fantastic guitar for the price.
I bought great Gibsons and great Epiphones. I also bought bad ones in both brands. Everything that is "subpar" allegedly in an Epiphone can be swapped out as can be in a Gibson. I'd rather do it on an Epiphone that I purchased for below 1k than on a Gibson i spent over 2-3k. It's almost expected you'll be doing that in an Epi no big deal, but for a "real" Gibson not so much where you expect the quality to be superb. It's your choice...
I have a Epiphone Les Paul Custom I am selling because I found a D'Angelico Premier New York for the same price that sounds 10 times better than the Epiphone!
You were very quick to dismiss an interesting question. Switching Epiphone and Gibson pickups into the opposite bodies. I thought we are talking about tones here on your channel. It would indeed, be very interesting to compare. But your answer is “I don’t care”. Ok, fair enough.
@@DylanTalksTone My point exactly. I guess we’ll never know. Tone exploration is just fun, in my opinion. That’s why I like your channel. Perhaps it would say something about the Gibson nut, bridge, tailpiece, carve, wood quality can actually make the Epiphone pickups sound a little better. Maybe it wouldn’t show us any difference at all.
I swapped a set of gibson custombuckers back and forth between an Epi 59 and a Gibson les paul 58 RI and the Epi sounded far better with that particular set of Pickups Both guitars sounded Meh in stock form .The custombuckers sounded Meh in the Gibby 58 but in the epi 59 they sounded incredible. That Epi 59 sounds like a Cusrom shop Gibby .
I gotta say it for price versus quality, prs se is killing it, i got a Epiphone les paul i had to change pretty much everything on to make the way i like it, the prs se swamp ash special, for 679! You cant beat it, tuners are good , bridge is good, the tci SE pickups are as good as the core imo, i have both, if you like to work on projects the Epiphone can still be awesome will a couple changes. Im not a fan of there pickups. But to each there own.
When I was young I fell for the myth that only a Gibson or Strat were quality all Japanese and imported Guitars were junk and just not cool. Now I am 65 YO, and I kick myself in the ass thinking about the Kramer and Ibaneze that are now worth more than the Gibsons and Fenders I did not sell!
But Epiphone is made in Qingdao. China and some of squire guitars are made in Japan Korea Mexico India Indonesia and China. There is a very tiny difference between Maple and rosewood. almost indistinguishable. But it is there.
I own a 2021 Gibson slash les paul standard in November burst and it's my favorite guitars!!!!! I play through a Orange rockerverb 50 with the 4×12 Orange cabinet and it slays with my pro tone dead horse od or any od!!!!! The pickups are down right awesome for metal ,blues and country!!! I own a Schecter KM7 mkiii USA Custom shop and my Les Paul sounds and plays better!!!!! I also own an EII Eclipse with 57/66 EMG pickups and it hangs right there with my Gibson slash les paul but it doesn't out do it!!!! So a Gibson Les Paul you just can't beat it and an Epiphone LP shur ant going to!!!!! Get a Gibson!!!! You want be disappointed where the money went!!!!
Your attitude takes all the joy out of guitar experience - A lot of people enjoy the pursuit of a guitar that speaks to them and it’s fun to obsess over the finite details.
I'm supposed to recieve my first Epiphone Slash Les Paul "November Burst" guitar tommorow, and I bought it on impulse. I honestly do not know if I should have bought it or not, but it looks like it will be a great, much needed upgrade from my ESP MH-50. I use a Boss ME-80 and a Boss SY-200 pedal and I'll be getting a Boss Katana 212 so I'm stoked. I can't open the box for 24 hours though. Long wait.
One instrument may be objectively "better" than another, but what if those qualities (and quantifiables!) aren't needed or appreciated? Perhaps what you're missing is the unspoken subjective component from someone who sees guitars as utilitarian devices: "This one is just as good... FOR MY PURPOSES."
So I've been hearing good things about these new Epi Les Paul's, So I'm gonna ask everyones opinion, Do you think the new Epi Les Paul's are as good as the lawsuit era made in Japan guitars such as Aria, Greco, Tokai, or Burny
@@DylanTalksTone okay thanks brother 👍 thanks for the clarification if I had watched this video until the end I wouldn't have had to even ask 😆 lol, now that I know you make pickups which would you recommend for a upgrade for a new Epi Les Paul and I also have a PRS SE ONE (LP Jr copy) which P90 for that.
I am fortunate enough to own 5 Les Pauls. 2 of them are Gibson, 3 of them are Epiphone. They are all "REAL" Les Pauls. When you make statements like "on a REAL Les Paul" at 4:34, it really shows how much of a snob you are. You should be inspiring younger players to play more, not disparage the instruments they're able to afford.
Often times it's the most pointless experiments that are the most fun . It's often not about people caring too much about minor details but rather it's about curiosity..
Congratulations on getting your first real Les Paul. Also, I don’t know how everyone can watch your streams, hear your words, and come up with such complete misunderstandings of what you’re saying.
The one's making things up about the differences, they're usually the one's that won't ever measure the differences. It's for a few reasons, 1 is they don't understand the math behind the build of a guitar to scale length. That is they don't realize that frets are spaced & their committed location is critical for the amount of +/- cents off a fretted note on a fretboard is. They also don't understand that a guitar string still needs a certain amount of break angle to still play optimally. The sum of any guitar build is how good that instrument is. Some Epiphones are better than Gibsons, some Gibsons are better than Epiphones for a complete build, and then there are Epiphones & Gibsons that are negligibly better or worse than each other as a complete build. A 2nd reason, they aren't sophisticated enough or have the tools to measure the differences. I doubt some of those self proclaimed experts have ever measured their guitars for every aspect of the build, if they could even get accurate measurements. And it gets murkier when any guitar owner has to explain the difference between pickups for Gauss, # of wire windings for a DCR, what the Henries measure. What I have to measure a guitar with, I use those meters as a ballpark. And with the screws & adjustments a micro adjustment with a part makes the difference for whether there is fret buzz or not. On the Chinese guitars with no pedigree, I guess we can't be friends on that. I have Monoprice Teles that set up & tweaked are actually on par with the Epiphones & Squiers I have. Some are better, some worse, just like what I bought from Epiphone & Squier. The difference, pretty much for body & neck, Basswood vs Poplar vs Alder. I get what you're saying about the Chinese guitars that are rebadged, but I also maintain that when a guitar is built to the specs & measurements of the math, it's going to produce the notes as dead on as humanly possible with a CNC & whatever else they use for tooling & finishing. Even the best polished car or guitar is dust, dirt, friction, sweat, the elements away from losing it's luster. SO a Chinese guitar that wasn't polished or rubbed is going to play & wear. One of my biggest laughs is scratchy frets. A sting will play that off because the friction wears it off from fretting & bending. The first fretboard oiling, that oil will dissolve residue off. Swiping it with WD40 or any solvent would remove a little at a time, maybe leave a chemical residue. Stop blaming the instrument for being brand new with fresh parts that need to be played in & settled. It's like a new set of strings, brand new parts, need playing in, stretching & there isn't a single guitar that someone hasn't yanked on the strings to stretch them so they would hold tune sooner, simulating play and stretch over a few days.
In short, there are no myths to bust, the guitar is a tool and just maybe, just maybe, sometimes the music & artist is what carves out the unique sound that produces a hit. Because that's the metric, if more people vote & buy a song for whatever they sell them for, the post production makes more difference than the brand of guitar. Take the band Cannons, they've been around for at least a decade. They are played on the radio constantly, every hour on the hour. They finally hit the formula that resonates with the masses, it's all good music, most of their songs were written last decade, they've been playing them for years, rerecording them. And the funniest thing, it all sounds the same, background noise that could play in an infinite loop and if you heard no lyrics, wasn't paying attention, it's virtually the same song. I know because I hear any of the Cannons catalog of songs on the radio and I literally have to stop and listen to a verse or chorus or two to determine which song they are even singing. And that's where Michelle Joy's voice is even cookie cutter. The same song with different lyrics. That's the thing about the human mind & perceptions. It's like food, the first sip of Coca Cola is discernible, 1/2 way thru the beverage & does it matter if it's Coke or Pepsi. If the satisfaction of music is releasing endorphins, does it matter if the Cannons song is Fire For You or anything else they have in their catalog. Van Halen was the same way, the album is there to get hat good feeling rolling and each song is there to keep that wave of euphoria going, while breaking up the fact that every song sounds the same after the first few over 45-50 minutes. And with enough catalog, they can play the same sound consistency for several albums and keep that vibe going. I'm not saying it's good or bad, but that's how artists/bands make money, covers or original material. A good cover band can be just as entertaining as original artists when they are that indiscernible & close. some bands sound so much alike that you can't even tell the difference listening to them on a stereo player.
I always get a kick out of the way people rag on me (or other people) when I talk about my Epiphone guitars and how much I love them. I always get the line about how I just can't afford a good guitar and that if I ever do get a "good guitar", I'll consider the Epiphone's to be garbage. Here's the thing, I own 50 guitars at the moment. I own 9 Les Paul's, 6 are Gibsons (one is an all original 1959 LP Special DC) and 3 are limited edition Epiphones. I own Explorers, Firebirds, Flying Vs, Sgs. I own Fender American, Mexican, Squiers and Crafted in Japan, guitars. I own rare Hondo Guitars (Longhorns) that were crafted in Japan, at the Tokai factory. I have been collecting, for over 25 years. I also play and occasionally, I play out and when I do, I use my Epiphones and Squiers... not my Gibsons or my American Fenders. Why? Because drunks and thieves are hazardous to equipment. I'd much rather have an easily replaceable piece damaged or lost, than to show off what I actually own and lose those. I don't feel the need to showboat... "Hey, look what I own". So, for each expensive guitar that I own, I own a comparable/ affordable model to play out with. To me, it's a commonsense approach to equipment ownership. For local gigs... the affordable equipment... does what it needs to do... while protecting my investments.
Over thirty years running a recording studio and hearing every musical instrument theory/excuse, I counter everything I've heard with "the part you play is far more important than the instrument you used to play it". The average person that listens to music could care less what chain you used to get a clean or dirty tone, they care about if the song is any good. A memorable song is made up of great parts, not great tones. Tones are inspiring to an artist no doubt. But if you play a shitty part thru a great amp no one will be interested. Absolutely no one will say "that would be a great song if they had used a real Gibson instead of an Epiphone".
Spend your energy writing something worth listening to and you can play it on a Sears Silvertone and people will listen.
this EXACTLY!
Great comment and one that soooo many young players need to hear.
Over 40 years as a songwriter and I can tell you the instrument makes all the difference. How can one write good and inspiring tunes playing an instrument that is crappy and uninspiring? I can tell you that different guitars bring out differences in my playing, which leads more to exploration, which leads to creativity. I can play my best acoustics for hours on end because I love their sound, and often their action is so smooth it sparks further excitement. Some of my electrics are shredders, and get me in that mood, and others have solid bottom ends or ringing treble tones that draw me into their spirit. I often make surprising discoveries when a guitar "keeps me playing". There are things I can do on some guitars that I simply can't do on others. There are fast fretboards that make me work on riffs, and others that offer more in THEIR TONES that urge me to chop, crunch and grind.
I've written plenty of uninspired mediocre songs on mediocre guitars. My best work has come from playing the best guitars in my extensive collection, or mind-melding with my 1942 Chickering baby grand. Of course you're right about the recording. If it sounds good, no one knows what kind of instrument you're playing.
Which came first: the great sound that makes the track, or the great guitar that inspired it?
I couldn't agree with you more. Great comment!
Other people can judge the guitars you buy when they start paying all your bills for you. Until then, just get the one that's best for you and looks so good that you actually want to pick it up.
exactly
I am not going to judge you because you have a cheap guitar I will judge you for where you are spending your money and who you are supporting though, Don't buy cheap Chinese made guitars(there are other alternatives) otherwise It will be eventually all we will get in a reasonable price range, and you are supporting massive civil rights violations and literally 1 of the shittiest governments to have existed, the people are great the government is shitty and that is who you end up supporting.
I agree but also I see a lot of people forgetting that it goes both ways. Everyone should just keep their mouth shut about what others buy, no matter whether it's a $200 guitar or a $2000+ guitar. If something isn't for you, so what? Not everything is for everyone and that's ok. Companies don't need to make every product for you. Buy want you want, ignore what you don't want, and let others do the same.
I will never understand shaming people for their gear choices. I only care about what I buy and how it works for me . Sometimes that's a 600 dollar guitar and other times a 6000 dollar guitar . I don't need anything beyond a 600 dollar guitar but I love guitars and work very hard for the Money to buy them . I sacrifice most of my weekends to work overtime to buy guitars amps cabinets and pickups I don't need . It goes both ways as well . I see alot of people acting very hateful towards people who buy Gibson USA .guitars. I have been called a Defense Attorney A Doctor and a blues dentist even though I am literally just construction worker who works in the Ship Repair industry. As if being a called a Doctor or Dentist is an insult. I wish I was so I could afford a bunch of vintage guitars .why people who don't know you care about where your money goes is mind blowing.
@Aespos295. My favorite line has been,"How much did this cost you"?!
I just bought a EPI 1960's Les Paul. The guitar is fantastic. Spending $3,000 on a Gibson or $700 on a EPI is a no brainer. The neck is perfect, stays in tune and it sounds great.
Perfect and great are relative. To 1) what you're used to, 2) what you can afford.
An Epiphone Les Paul is pretty neat. But it is NOT perfect if you play it directly after a Gibson.
Also, sounds very good. But if you play a Gibson immediately afterwards, the Gibson sounds better. Both still good. But the Gibson sounds better.
If you consider accoustic resonance.... the Gibson will be a LOT more resonant.
If you value american workers... the Gibson is better. I don't. I don't care about american workers. But... the Gibson is still better on that criteria. Whether i care about it or am willing to pay for it.
Back in 2006 I bought a 2005 Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus from Craig’s list. As I recall about $250.00 Honey burst, tiger maple top, ‘57 Alnico classic style pickups. Fit and finish was perfect. The guitar was made at the Qingdao factory in China, which was at that time, supposed to be producing the best Epiphones. At that time I wasn’t gigging, just getting together with old time rockers once a week to enjoy playing together. Other than getting fretwork done, that guitar performed everything I needed it to do. Still does.
The last few years of the Korean made epis are the best .
I have a 2008 Epi LP Standard from the same factory. Gigged with it for almost about 5 years than the ex from my mum smashed it on the ground (he was a freak), the nech broke from the body and the headstock from the neck. I got it repaired by a carpenter family friend and gigged with it for another ca 4 years. It did the job very well. Now I also have a Chinese knock off Gibson, switched out the electronics, put Alnico 2 pro Slash humbuckers in it. We compared my "Chibson" to a Japanese Epiphone (which are sometimes even better than many Gibsons) and to a Gibson Les Paul AFD. All three guitars were played right after the other on a JMP modded with #34 mod (I sing in a GnR tribute, our guitarist owns the japanese Epi). My chibson sounded exactly like the Gibson AFD, and the japanese Epi sounded a bit better/different than mine and the AFD.
(Also right now in the video he talks about the Vintage Les Pauls being crap... well... : /watch?v=iq-vik2qfME )
EDIT: Here is my Chibson with the Slash pickups and (can't remember now) Nashville or ABR bridge instead of the Epiphone-ish one: /shorts/4EMYLd0UnOw
I have a 2008 Gibson LP Silverburst my wife gave me. Beautiful guitar. Plays and sounds great. It weighs 12 lbs. I have the Epi 59 from last year. The neck is fantastic and it sounds great. I play it all the time. I love it. Since it is a fraction of the cost of my custom shop it stays out on the stand ready to rock.
My last purchase was a Squier 12 string Jazzmaster, which is SUPER AWESOME. The "Laurel" fretboard is actually "flamed." I had ZERO idea that Laurel could be flamed! The fit/finish was perfect, like they knew what they had. A true unicorn.
Things that I thought/think are cool cost me way too much. Probably could’ve retired at 40 if I didn’t buy all this stuff. But I guess it still all was worth it!
most of our favorite players learned to play on junk guitars compared to even a cheap guitar today. The blues cats in the 30 basically played on steel cables. There is an undue emphasis on needing primo gear to learn or enjoy guitar and it is not true. I have a few guitars i acquired over the 40 years i have played but if i had to i would be happy with a classic vibe or an Epiphone
Agree
Dylan speaks the truth. The market price that a new guitar sells for is all you need to know about whether it’s better than another. Whether it fits your budget is another matter. Don’t be mad at Gibson because you have an Epiphone budget.
No one with an unlimited budget picks a MIM strat or the SE over American made Fender or PRS. Justifying price with specs is such a waste of time. Someone once told me to not buy a guitar with your eyes but at the end of the day, if it doesn’t melt your heart, no amount of rational thinking will change the fact that you want something better.
being worth more does not inherently make it a better guitar, Gibson has a long history to justify its prices, but aside from having thicker pieces of pretty wood, their quality control certainly doesn't justify their cost. You can easily get a better made guitar for far less than a Gibson, it just doesn't have the star power that the Gibson name holds. that's all it is, they use their legacy to jack up prices. it's not actually 3k-5k worth of guitar. its a 1500 dollar guitar with a 2000 dollar name on it,
@@blaness13 I don’t disagree at all - its still a better guitar because the material cost is higher. That’s objective. Whether the markup is fair or not is up to the consumer. But saying you will be just as happy or happier with the epiphone because the markup is lower ignores a major part of buying a guitar - you have to love it because the heart wants it. There’s a price for that. I think that’s the part that makes people hate Gibson for - they know the value of their brand.
@@DW-xt7vz
Just because the price of most Epiphones is significantly lower than the price of most Gibsons doesn’t mean that the markup is lower on Epiphones.
I had a thirty year long career in retail. I can tell you from my first had experience that the lower priced merchandise has a much higher markup than expensive merchandise.
@@DW-xt7vz
Just because the price of most Epiphones is significantly lower than the price of most Gibsons doesn’t mean that the markup is lower on Epiphones.
I had a thirty year long career in retail. I can tell you from my first hand experience that the lower priced merchandise usually has a much higher markup than expensive merchandise.
I own both Epiphones and Gibsons and truthfully is the same Squire vs Fender... sometimes the "lower" brand is actually better than their older sibling. The last epiphone I bought was the Les Paul Classic Worn, Violet Purple Burst for just about $400 brand new, not only it looks killer but sounds incredible. Can't argue with the pricing and what you get for it.
Those are great guitars, but according to this guy, it's not a "REAL" Les Paul.
“REAL” is up to the buyer . I bet they all insist on “REAL” money , no matter what you buy .
Hell Yea Brother. Nice shirt. I’m 61 and just picked up guitar again since taking some lessons in middle school. Recently got a beautiful used Epiphone Trad Pro III Plus for $350 and I’m loving it. These are supposed to have the Gibson ‘57 humbuckers in them but wondering if they’re really the same. Any idea? BTW my EDC is an HK and Zero Tolerance. Keep the info coming.
I have an Epiphone acoustic that plays/ sounds amazing! I’m not the best guitar player in the world and I don’t play everyday. I love the look of a Les Paul more than any other guitar… I’ll buy the Epliphone, you can buy a decal that’ll make it look like a Gibson if that’s important 😉I’m here because I want a new eclectic guitar and not a willing to pay the Gibson price to play around at home only. Edit: I’ve never had a guitar over like $300 (Gio lol) so this would be a huge upgrade for me either way
Prefer rosewood fretboards - because I like way it feels and I like the way it looks - and the warmer, richer tone it produces.
I prefer Epiphone over Gibson's. I've been playing Epiphones since 1984 I think. I prefer the Epi neck over Gibson's. I do after a few years switch out the pick-ups cause I want to try a little different sound.
Go Epiphone.
my brand new EPI Modern LP is scooped all round and has an ebony fretboard and is much lighter than most LP's and the Sparkling burgundy finish is as sweet as the tone. Tuners: Grover® Locking Rotomatic with Tulip Buttons 18:1 ratio, nice. Oh yeah and coil splitting.
What amazes me is how many people buy a Gibson because it has better pick-ups or better tuners or better something, AND then rip out all that "better" stuff and replace it with after market stuff...or plug it into a $200 amp. etc.
Probably because they are just enjoying their hobby.
Agree price not primary issue in value. My go-to electric is a Yamaha Revstar RSS w/P-90s
Buy the best guitar you can is great advice for a first guitar, or any one after that, but after a few what constitutes best can vary.
And you’re able to make an exception that will work
My last purchase was a used Epi LP Special, and yeah it’s cheaper parts and all that, but I love the neck, and I love the way it feels and the way it plays, and sounds
It gets played a lot (not a gigging musician)
All I changed was the top hat knobs for speed knobs, as I like them better
And yeah, overall the most important thing is how it feels.
(And yes, it has a good set up)
And I also don’t care what others think of my gear, I learned that over time
Very good! I have toured with a Epiphone, with just a bridge pick up swap ! Performed great!
I’ve got a epiphone les Paul custom made in 2000. The ones with the Gibson truss rod cover on it and it’s a great playing/sounding guitar. It does all the les Paul things that I need it to do.
I bought my Ebmm at age 19 back in 1998... i earned it, was working at "the big Four" got into a bunch of bands, and met my wife because of those shows! 20+ together!
In 2004 I had 4 lefty electric guitars, my 2 G&L strats, a Fender American Standard tele and a Gibson custom shop Les Paul '57 reissue goldtop. Ended up selling the LP, it was too chunky for me, I was too used to strats and teles. Fast forward to Oct 2023 I bought myself an Epiphone Les Paul Special in TV yellow with the P-90's. This is a Les Paul that a tele player can get along with just fine, I like it better than the goldtop I had almost 20 years ago. Next Oct I turn 70 years old, I plan to get me a Gibson Les Paul Junior just to have a Gibson again.
I bought a 1967 Epi. Riviera with the mini humbuckers and it sounds sweeter than any Gibson I've ever played. It was made in Kalamazoo.
Oh wow! Now I need to get out one of my Gibsons and compare the carve. I thought it was just the shine of the nitro making it look the way it does. Cool!
Glad to hear some Epiphone love... I love all of mine; Casino (P-90's), Gold Glory (P90), Les Paul I (P-90's) '59 Les Paul, Wilshire Pro, SG (P-90's), SG Muse. All cheap guitars don't suck. I also love my Danelectro and I put a B/G bender on my Squire Affinity Tele. Hell, new pickups are easy to install! I also have a winder and want to make some gold foils for a 4-string ammo can slide.
Here’s the thing
When I started playing I made a decision that I was going to learn because I wanted to and I loved the sound of the guitar So I also decided that I would start with a good guitar so I saved and bought a Gibson studio les Paul I never for a second thought that I will buy a cheap copy I didn’t want to sell myself out I wanted good tone and structure also if I wanted to sell up I could get what I put in on a trade up
Now I have several Gibson les Paul’s and the value has in most cases increased and by the way I still have the studio I bought first cuz it’s a great guitar
I played a couple Epiphones at my local GC. I enjoyed playing the 1959 and custom.
I drooled over Gibson ES-330's and the indominable ES-335, but couldn't touch them without a second mortgage, so bought a Chinese-made Epi ES-330. It is absolutely phenomenal. Great pickups, sounds fantastic, plays sweetly. It satisfied my need to know the 330, even without the big G. So much so, I was willing to get that mortgage for the Memphis 335. Mostly just 'cause it says "Made In USA", though in my heart I know the Epi 335 would probably been as good for me.
Just grabbed a vintage burst Epi ES-335 for $599 and it’s a beast of a guitar. It looks good with a quality finish. The fretboard is excellent and fretwork is really good. The guitar plays unbelievably well.
I love my higher end Squiers. And G&L Tribute series. American- and Mexican-made Fenders are getting way too expensive - certainly where I am.
I have an Epiphone'61 Les Paul, (SG) I ordered with a Plek and Kluson keys, and it seems as good or better than my 3 Gibson SGs. It came with Gibson pups and electrics.
Out of 9 basses, (including a Gibson Tbird) my Squier Cabronita Pbass is my goto. I DID add keys, bridge, and a real TV Jones pup. Closest thing would be a FCS Tele bass, which has the wide Pbass neck. The Squier has that thin JBass neck and Tele headstock. I have other Epiphone guitars that ALL needed something to be playable. The cool thing about (especially) Squier is they aren't afraid to experiment.
My one Epiphone I have is a total oddball (MIK LP300), but I bought it because I was able to pick it up at the pawn shop, play it, and feel that it has some mojo (plus it was dirt cheap). I would be hesitant to order one online without playing it first. My Gibson plays and sounds great, but I find myself playing the Epiphone more 🤷♂️
My 2022 Epiphone Les Paul Custom Koa is absolutely killer, love it. Love my Gibsons too though.
Your “actually good wood under the veneer” reply was so biblically true across any marketing of things!! My father in law was a retired kosher butcher. My wife and were (reluctantly) living in a medium sized town in Nebraska and he visited us there. We said try the steaks, they’re the best in the country. He denied this without even trying the steak at this restaurant. He said the butcher sees the carcasses coming through the slaughterhouses and his job is to grade the beef. The very best goes to the steakhouses in Chicago & New York where you will pay $200+ per steak. The meh stuff gets sold locally. They generally pay the same per cow but you can get more once an expert examines them.
I'm late to the party on this video, but I own a 2002 Epi Les Paul Standard bought that year and a 2020 Epi Les Paul Standard bought in 2021 and in my opinion the 2002 has been and still is better than the 2020 model. The 2020 model needed a fret level and new nut and didn't come with a case, that brought the cost far beyond what that guitar is worth...in my opinion
What is the distance between the pots? I have an Epi and a Gibson Les Paul and on the Epi, the pots are slightly closer together by about 3 mm. My Epi is a Korean made 2004. Not sure if it's different on the newer Chinese made ones. Not that any of it matters but just something I notices on mine when I tried one of those solderless kits.
You know what makes a guitar sound really good?....... practice.😎
I’ve just bought an Epiphone IBG J45. I play in pubs and bars so needed something to replace my old Taylor which is getting really beat up (that has sentimental value too). For what I do the Epi is perfect and it’s not 3k like a Gibson, so if a drunk falls onto it then it’s not as painful to replace 😅
I'm just digging the Cleetus gear!
The only thing that matters about a guitar is "does it talk to you?"
dude this is my new favorite channel. i build guitars and just started making pickups and they sound surprisingly awesome. got me all excited about life. your videos are so candid andf truthful. it's like a show that a magician shows how he does his best tricks. i appreciate your knowledge and blunt truthfulness and humility alot man. i've got mad questions i'll try to get to you somehow. -Parham Howell AKA Bud Wormy
I agree. Pedigree is what it's all about. If one can't afford the Gibson then a pedigreed facsimile is one's best bet. They're absolutely reliable and can be satisfactorily used even by professionals if in a pinch. Btw, this is an excellent instructional video that ventures into the esoterics of the business. We need more like this one on the Tube.
Generally its about the neck and now the guitar feels to me.
I can and often do replace everything else.
I'd love to see you do this with solid body guitars. Seems like something like the SG/Les Paul Jr would have fewer of those fine details that are different, though the hardware/electronics discrepancies would be comparable.
Maybe I just made an argument for *not* taking the time to do that comparison. It'd basically be the wood...and all the other differences would map to your LP side-by-side.
I have cheap Schecter Les Paul Special knock off I'll never sell. If I wear out the frets, I would get it refretted. I just love it. After changing most of the hardware and electronics, it hangs with my Gibson Les Pauls (Studio, Standard, and Custom). I know the frets are not as good; I can feel it. It's dirtier and slows my hand down. Getting new ones would complete my customizations.
Would it be true to say, when comparing the Epiphone Les Paul with Gibson, the only thing which is the same is the “Les Paul” script on the headstock?
No..there is a difference..have owned several of both over years..the gibsons are better..nothing wrong with an epi..get what you can afford without going broke
I play Epi and Squire as my vintage Gibson and Tender do jot belong at a Big at or Party gig
I have memories of a vintage Strat on a guitar stand getting bounced off the Stage onto the ground as someone caught the cord while walking ng
Where do you stand on the 'Expensive Epiphone vs Cheap Gibson' debate? I was thinking about getting a Gibson LP Studio but not so sure.
I have owned a Epi G310 for 4 years.Its from 2003. Got it used for 100$.It does what I need,(to make noise). Next will be a Epi SG Junior.
Hellya! Brother... I'm digging the shirt, and the podcast.
Todays Anderton's visit at the Gibson factory covers all the bases...
I'm not a Les Paul but a Strat guy. Big difference between high-end instruments and entry level ones (I owned both kinds).
Nothing beats the feel and sound of a custom shop for instance but a 3k axe is still pretty awesome.
At the end of the day it's not the arrow but the Indian.
Have fun making good music
🎸🎸🎸
As far as I know regarding maple wood under the veneer etc (And I might be wrong, feel free to tell me if you have actual info). The nice looking flame maple, the clean/good looking plain maple etc, everything where the stripes or the wood itself is/are aesthetically flawless, sells for more and goes to Gibson. The same and/or somewhat below quality wood, which has visual flaws etc goes to Epi, because the veneer will cover it up and you won't see the flaws
There is a nasty bronchitis going around, viral, it gave my wife pneumonia. Took me two full weeks to recover. I hope you did not pick that up.
I am a new fan, it is refreshing to hear a no BS level headed discussion of the FACTS of these instruments. I have learned alot and appreciate this no nonsense non political presentation. Keep up the good work, and if I purchase another Epi, I at least will no for sure what I am buying.. the good, the bad and the ugly.
The proper way to test Rose v Maple is to excite the Heck to different Freqs and see which are Damped
Well… start a channel, make a video, do the test, show up in my feed, and I’ll watch it…
@@DylanTalksTone sorry.
No interest on that level of involvement. 😀😀😀
My favorite things in life are firearms, guitars and rc cars...Subscribed! 😄🤙
IMO the epiphone signature models are the best way to go if you're buying a guitar better specs and pickups...
I’ve been an epi fan for 20 years. Great guitars for the price. I picked up my lp classic back in 05. That’s my d tuner guitar. Sounds amazing in that key. The real problem is that we all want the world for 10 cents and that clouds judgement.
Epiphone has been the lil' brother i.e. cheaper version of Gibson since their acquisition, in order to be more affordable for the masses. Price point
you get what you pay for. They were never meant to be compared. Would you compare a VW with a Porsche? Of course not but it's kinda the same scenario. Great video, new subscriber.
do you know how much tight or dence winding amount and how much scatter wind or maybe its controlled scatter wind on a dimarzio super distortion pick up or is that like a secrit ?
What's a " secrit "?
What I found throughout the years Is that the epiphone's have way more issues. They may seem decent on the outside, but the wood is generally garbage and I've had a few truss rods come loose or the route was too deep and caused rattling in the neck. Aside from that just delaminations, and anything you could think of would related or finished. The Gibson may have some physical flaws here and there, but the wood used in a Gibson is 10 times more durable in my experience than any epiphone I've ever had. The Epiphone bodies are like mad at cheese and very easy to strip screws with where is my mahogany SG bodies on my Gibson's if you strip those screws out do you have no business holding a screwdriver because the wood is very dense and high quality. So in the end you may get similar tones between the two, but the Gibson's going to last you a lifetime.
There has been an influx of Epiphone lefties here in Japan over the past few months, but I haven’t found one I liked. Personally, with the pricing, you can still find used SGs or LPJR at decent prices, so I would forgo these overpriced new Epiphones for one of those.
Was your Shure MV7 actually on? Your video sounded like a camera mic.
I have been playing cheap Les Paul copies for years it’s what I could afford. I have a Oscar Schmidt, Harley Benton, Chibson, I just got a Gibson Les Paul standard. Al I can say for me it plays so much better than the copies I couldn’t believe it. Way more responsive and the tone is remarkable. I got. PRS Arcon 50 with the Gibson I’m more than happy.
So tired of this after seemingly endless years. If you can't afford - or just don't want to pay for - a house, you rent an apartment. If you can't afford - or just don't want to pay for - an Acura NSX, you get a Honda Civic. If you can't afford a Gibson, get an Epiphone and stop the whining and crying.
I think you'll find that the concave vs flat section has nothing to do with the "laminating" of the top to the body, as you suggest, as that carve is done after the lamination in both cases. The body blanks are laminated then CNC routed - The router doesn't care whether it is cutting a flat or concave section. The issue is finishing. The concave takes a lot more time to sand out and has to be carefully done by hand. The flat section on the Epi can be done with a machine in a 10th of the time :-). Also, as tradition plays a large part in the construction of the Gibson they are stuck with the concave shape (Same with the PRS core vs the SE) as that is how a Les Paul is made. Personally I prefer both the Epi and the SE over the Gibo and PRS as I find the concave creates a sharp edge which digs into my fore arm. Consequently, I've sold both my Gibo and my PRS and replaced them with an Epi and an SE. Very happy 🙂
The laminate is done after the CNC. The laminate is paper thin.
@@DylanTalksTone My understanding after seeing one of these cut in half is that the cap is the standard thickness you'd find on a Gibson with a decorative venner over the top done after the carve. I've vacuum bagged veneers on in the past but I'm not sure if they do that or use a heated press, probably the latter. I just checked my one and it's definitely got a maple cap with the veneer over.
Right. This veneer is done AFTER CNC processes
@@DylanTalksTone Yep. BTW, I love your laid back no nonsense vibe. Great channel, sensible straightforward common sense. Thanks bud😎
I do have a 70s MIJ LP copy that was my first electric, used, was a kid so didn’t have the means to look at a lot of options, nor a big say in what I got, but it is not a boat anchor,
At first it was cool, then that wore off and I looked for better guitars
But over time I upgraded the tuners and pickups to better stuff, and swapped out some stuff more for looks (and a bit of function)
With a good set up it plays much better
I wasn’t concerned about resale value as I know it didn’t have much ( still doesn’t), but now I play it and enjoy it.
Not as good as a Gibson, and I have heard people say that about these LP copies, but I disagree, even 70s Gibsons, although those tend to be heavy, so depends what you like that way
Are Epiphone still doing the big silly thing of putting a bridge on the guitars with the saddles on the bass side flipped and also angleing the posts positions ?
This setup means that it is not possible to get the fourth string saddle far enough forward to be in tune. Guitars with an angled bridge should have all the saddles with the bevel at the back.
If the bridge is not angled then the bass side saddles are flipped.
A simple but inexcusable mistake when the guitars are reputedly quality checked.
It is not dfficult to reverse the saddles but just an unnecessary hassle.
A guitar with a Rosewood board does not equate to a darker guitar and Maple does not mean a brighter guitar . It can but it's not a hard and fast rule.
I have the Epiphone Les Paul Custom and my buddy has a Gibson Les Paul (1959?). His guitar is a little nicer but not enough to make me hate my Epiphone.
I have been enjoying your videos for about a month thank you.i have had the same 2 guitars since 2016 keeping in mind on my salary it took years to get to this level , I have a Mexican made fender mustang and a martin 000 15 acoustic., amps in another story I can't settle in my budget on a amp that suits me. I play small gigs and local jams with friends
What Happened to the Wednesday Weekly Gear roundup? I need my GAS Fix.
Thank you for insights
These comments are funny. People are commenting on what they are making up themselves instead of what is said.
This has been a great discussion on where Epiphone has to save a few dollars to keep a price point.
I've played Gibson Standard's, Studio's, Traditional's and an Epi 1960 Tribute Plus. Each guitar has a different flavor ( look, sound and feel). The Epi1960 tribute plus is a fantastic guitar for the price.
Great to see your hair today, Dylan!
In Japan, I say ESP is the leading brand. Lots of ESP Grassroots and Edwards
I bought great Gibsons and great Epiphones. I also bought bad ones in both brands. Everything that is "subpar" allegedly in an Epiphone can be swapped out as can be in a Gibson. I'd rather do it on an Epiphone that I purchased for below 1k than on a Gibson i spent over 2-3k. It's almost expected you'll be doing that in an Epi no big deal, but for a "real" Gibson not so much where you expect the quality to be superb. It's your choice...
I have a Epiphone Les Paul Custom I am selling because I found a D'Angelico Premier New York for the same price that sounds 10 times better than the Epiphone!
You were very quick to dismiss an interesting question. Switching Epiphone and Gibson pickups into the opposite bodies. I thought we are talking about tones here on your channel. It would indeed, be very interesting to compare. But your answer is “I don’t care”. Ok, fair enough.
What would it prove?
@@DylanTalksTone My point exactly. I guess we’ll never know. Tone exploration is just fun, in my opinion. That’s why I like your channel. Perhaps it would say something about the Gibson nut, bridge, tailpiece, carve, wood quality can actually make the Epiphone pickups sound a little better. Maybe it wouldn’t show us any difference at all.
Still, give me the Epiphone. That red and burst just give me wood! That is a beautiful guitar.
I swapped a set of gibson custombuckers back and forth between an Epi 59 and a Gibson les paul 58 RI and the Epi sounded far better with that particular set of Pickups Both guitars sounded Meh in stock form .The custombuckers sounded Meh in the Gibby 58 but in the epi 59 they sounded incredible. That Epi 59 sounds like a Cusrom shop Gibby .
I gotta say it for price versus quality, prs se is killing it, i got a Epiphone les paul i had to change pretty much everything on to make the way i like it, the prs se swamp ash special, for 679! You cant beat it, tuners are good , bridge is good, the tci SE pickups are as good as the core imo, i have both, if you like to work on projects the Epiphone can still be awesome will a couple changes. Im not a fan of there pickups. But to each there own.
On the replay.. Thanks For Sharing Information & Ect... 🎸🎶 ✌
I find it Difficult to switch back and forth between different fretboard materials.
Mahogany source is different
I prefer the gibson lightweight hardware over the epiphone hardware, there is a noticeable difference. Imo
AVRI II ‘61 Stratocaster 🤘🏻😎🎸
When I was young I fell for the myth that only a Gibson or Strat were quality all Japanese and imported Guitars were junk and just not cool. Now I am 65 YO, and I kick myself in the ass thinking about the Kramer and Ibaneze that are now worth more than the Gibsons and Fenders I did not sell!
Not used to seeing you without a hat lol
But Epiphone is made in Qingdao. China and some of squire guitars are made in Japan Korea Mexico India Indonesia and China. There is a very tiny difference between Maple and rosewood. almost indistinguishable. But it is there.
I own a 2021 Gibson slash les paul standard in November burst and it's my favorite guitars!!!!! I play through a Orange rockerverb 50 with the 4×12 Orange cabinet and it slays with my pro tone dead horse od or any od!!!!! The pickups are down right awesome for metal ,blues and country!!! I own a Schecter KM7 mkiii USA Custom shop and my Les Paul sounds and plays better!!!!! I also own an EII Eclipse with 57/66 EMG pickups and it hangs right there with my Gibson slash les paul but it doesn't out do it!!!! So a Gibson Les Paul you just can't beat it and an Epiphone LP shur ant going to!!!!! Get a Gibson!!!! You want be disappointed where the money went!!!!
Your attitude takes all the joy out of guitar experience - A lot of people enjoy the pursuit of a guitar that speaks to them and it’s fun to obsess over the finite details.
I'm supposed to recieve my first Epiphone Slash Les Paul "November Burst" guitar tommorow, and I bought it on impulse.
I honestly do not know if I should have bought it or not, but it looks like it will be a great, much needed upgrade from my ESP MH-50. I use a Boss ME-80 and a Boss SY-200 pedal and I'll be getting a Boss Katana 212 so I'm stoked. I can't open the box for 24 hours though. Long wait.
Ive got an epi slash LP and i love it!
Congratulations bro..enjoy your new guitar
One instrument may be objectively "better" than another, but what if those qualities (and quantifiables!) aren't needed or appreciated? Perhaps what you're missing is the unspoken subjective component from someone who sees guitars as utilitarian devices: "This one is just as good... FOR MY PURPOSES."
So I've been hearing good things about these new Epi Les Paul's, So I'm gonna ask everyones opinion, Do you think the new Epi Les Paul's are as good as the lawsuit era made in Japan guitars such as Aria, Greco, Tokai, or Burny
Waaaaaaaaaaay better.
@@DylanTalksTone @DylanTalksTone which is way better the new Epi Les Paul's ? Or the Japan Les Paul's ?
The New Epiphones. Those old guitars are boat anchors w terrible pickups and electronics compared to the new Epiphones
@@DylanTalksTone okay thanks brother 👍 thanks for the clarification if I had watched this video until the end I wouldn't have had to even ask 😆 lol, now that I know you make pickups which would you recommend for a upgrade for a new Epi Les Paul and I also have a PRS SE ONE (LP Jr copy) which P90 for that.
Our DAFs for the Epi, and we have KILLER P90s for your PRs
I am fortunate enough to own 5 Les Pauls. 2 of them are Gibson, 3 of them are Epiphone. They are all "REAL" Les Pauls. When you make statements like "on a REAL Les Paul" at 4:34, it really shows how much of a snob you are. You should be inspiring younger players to play more, not disparage the instruments they're able to afford.
Maybe he meant to call it original
Often times it's the most pointless experiments that are the most fun . It's often not about people caring too much about minor details but rather it's about curiosity..
Congratulations on getting your first real Les Paul.
Also, I don’t know how everyone can watch your streams, hear your words, and come up with such complete misunderstandings of what you’re saying.
The one's making things up about the differences, they're usually the one's that won't ever measure the differences.
It's for a few reasons, 1 is they don't understand the math behind the build of a guitar to scale length. That is they don't realize that frets are spaced & their committed location is critical for the amount of +/- cents off a fretted note on a fretboard is. They also don't understand that a guitar string still needs a certain amount of break angle to still play optimally. The sum of any guitar build is how good that instrument is. Some Epiphones are better than Gibsons, some Gibsons are better than Epiphones for a complete build, and then there are Epiphones & Gibsons that are negligibly better or worse than each other as a complete build.
A 2nd reason, they aren't sophisticated enough or have the tools to measure the differences. I doubt some of those self proclaimed experts have ever measured their guitars for every aspect of the build, if they could even get accurate measurements. And it gets murkier when any guitar owner has to explain the difference between pickups for Gauss, # of wire windings for a DCR, what the Henries measure. What I have to measure a guitar with, I use those meters as a ballpark. And with the screws & adjustments a micro adjustment with a part makes the difference for whether there is fret buzz or not.
On the Chinese guitars with no pedigree, I guess we can't be friends on that. I have Monoprice Teles that set up & tweaked are actually on par with the Epiphones & Squiers I have. Some are better, some worse, just like what I bought from Epiphone & Squier. The difference, pretty much for body & neck, Basswood vs Poplar vs Alder. I get what you're saying about the Chinese guitars that are rebadged, but I also maintain that when a guitar is built to the specs & measurements of the math, it's going to produce the notes as dead on as humanly possible with a CNC & whatever else they use for tooling & finishing. Even the best polished car or guitar is dust, dirt, friction, sweat, the elements away from losing it's luster. SO a Chinese guitar that wasn't polished or rubbed is going to play & wear. One of my biggest laughs is scratchy frets. A sting will play that off because the friction wears it off from fretting & bending. The first fretboard oiling, that oil will dissolve residue off. Swiping it with WD40 or any solvent would remove a little at a time, maybe leave a chemical residue. Stop blaming the instrument for being brand new with fresh parts that need to be played in & settled. It's like a new set of strings, brand new parts, need playing in, stretching & there isn't a single guitar that someone hasn't yanked on the strings to stretch them so they would hold tune sooner, simulating play and stretch over a few days.
In short, there are no myths to bust, the guitar is a tool and just maybe, just maybe, sometimes the music & artist is what carves out the unique sound that produces a hit. Because that's the metric, if more people vote & buy a song for whatever they sell them for, the post production makes more difference than the brand of guitar. Take the band Cannons, they've been around for at least a decade. They are played on the radio constantly, every hour on the hour. They finally hit the formula that resonates with the masses, it's all good music, most of their songs were written last decade, they've been playing them for years, rerecording them. And the funniest thing, it all sounds the same, background noise that could play in an infinite loop and if you heard no lyrics, wasn't paying attention, it's virtually the same song. I know because I hear any of the Cannons catalog of songs on the radio and I literally have to stop and listen to a verse or chorus or two to determine which song they are even singing. And that's where Michelle Joy's voice is even cookie cutter. The same song with different lyrics. That's the thing about the human mind & perceptions. It's like food, the first sip of Coca Cola is discernible, 1/2 way thru the beverage & does it matter if it's Coke or Pepsi. If the satisfaction of music is releasing endorphins, does it matter if the Cannons song is Fire For You or anything else they have in their catalog. Van Halen was the same way, the album is there to get hat good feeling rolling and each song is there to keep that wave of euphoria going, while breaking up the fact that every song sounds the same after the first few over 45-50 minutes. And with enough catalog, they can play the same sound consistency for several albums and keep that vibe going. I'm not saying it's good or bad, but that's how artists/bands make money, covers or original material. A good cover band can be just as entertaining as original artists when they are that indiscernible & close. some bands sound so much alike that you can't even tell the difference listening to them on a stereo player.
I always get a kick out of the way people rag on me (or other people) when I talk about my Epiphone guitars and how much I love them. I always get the line about how I just can't afford a good guitar and that if I ever do get a "good guitar", I'll consider the Epiphone's to be garbage. Here's the thing, I own 50 guitars at the moment. I own 9 Les Paul's, 6 are Gibsons (one is an all original 1959 LP Special DC) and 3 are limited edition Epiphones. I own Explorers, Firebirds, Flying Vs, Sgs. I own Fender American, Mexican, Squiers and Crafted in Japan, guitars. I own rare Hondo Guitars (Longhorns) that were crafted in Japan, at the Tokai factory. I have been collecting, for over 25 years. I also play and occasionally, I play out and when I do, I use my Epiphones and Squiers... not my Gibsons or my American Fenders. Why? Because drunks and thieves are hazardous to equipment. I'd much rather have an easily replaceable piece damaged or lost, than to show off what I actually own and lose those. I don't feel the need to showboat... "Hey, look what I own". So, for each expensive guitar that I own, I own a comparable/ affordable model to play out with. To me, it's a commonsense approach to equipment ownership. For local gigs... the affordable equipment... does what it needs to do... while protecting my investments.