I guess it would have to be my Grandpa's guitar, which is a 70s Fender flat-top. He and most of my family played, you could've just about made a hillbilly Bluegrass orchestra out of the number of players we had. Like most little kids: Grandpa was my best friend, but sadly he passed before I was old enough to start learning; I wanted to learn so I could have that connection to him. Back when I believed in this sort of stuff: I always imagined that he was there with me when I'd play his guitar.
Same on the clean part, could not hear the difference. The 80s sounded nicer to my ears and the age of the pickups giving them the character. I liked this kind of compare blind test.
That serious Yu Yu Hakusho music for the reveal was perfect. A+. Brad Delson's PRS Custom 24 with the Hybrid Theory graphic was the guitar that made me want to play. This video was great!
A black V with painted with a white spiderweb my friend had inspired me to play, as someone my age playing then(15 in 1991) made it possible in my mind to pursue it. But grunge had just hit, and i got into Fender guitars(strats and jazzmasters) heavily. Play a epiphone les paul, and a gibson LP Special in my band now. My bandmate plays a strat, and the LP provides sonic separation. I had an R8 for some time, and while it was a better playing and sounding guitar… the Epiphone was 85% there, and didnt make me nervous to play gigs with.
So... the conclusion I took away was you might need a vintage guitar to rock a specific sound, but a modern guitar can flat out rock. As soon as I decided I wanted to play guitar, I wanted a Strat - I was blown away that the same guitar could crank out fuzzy Hendrix, moody Pink Floyd and clean surf sounds.
It's real hard to say- When I was a kid, ( early 1970's) It wasn't really a single guitar, it was more the image- that space between being an artist and a celebrity. But, along the way, I did pick up preferences. One was unobtainable, until very recently- the Yamaha SG 1000. I recently acquired a Eastwood Mcgeoch 1000, which for a lefty, like me, is as close as I'll get. The other two are still completely unobtainable- a Microfrets Swinger, and a Gibson ES 295. Neither one was ever a lefty. But, truthfully, any guitar is inspiring, in its own way- Hit the right note, with the right tone, and you're there. I'll never be a rock star, but I can create art under those circumstances.
The guitar that made me want to play guitar was a Fender Strat. Oddly enough, I'm not super into Strats now, but I'd still love a Daphne Blue hardtail Strat with maple fretboard :)
Les Paul Jr made me want to pick up and play. It was a rock machine and was cool because it felt like it reacted a lot more to your playing. I regret not picking one up when it was cheap enough. I just listened to the sound and I thought the Gibson was clearer with more gain. Epiphones are fantastic clean but I always found as soon as I’m playing something strong they get way too muddy. It’s a buzz like sound. I have a hard time explaining it. The 59 reissues are the only ones so far I haven’t heard that (humbucker config)
I've always been inspired by the guitars of guitarists who really approach the instrument in a utilitarian way, whether it be someone like Joe Strummer and his battered Tele, or Eddie Van Halen and his Frankenstrats, the idea that ultimately the guitar is a tool, and an ends to a means is compelling. Lee Kiernan and Kurt Cobain are probably two of the best examples of what I'm talking about.
I'm a bigger fan of affordable guitars that sound/feel or can be setup to sound/feel great, than I am of any expensive guitar that sounds/feels great. People always want to ask what the most expensive or iconic guitar luthiers have worked on, and those same people look so disappointed when we tell them about a Squier, Epiphone, LTD, or no name brand from Amazon that blew us away with its quality. Those are the guitars we get excited and want to talk about.
To my ear the 80s Custom had a little more 'bloom' to the low end, but in a mix you probably wouldn't be able to tell, it's not a thousands of dollars difference!
The Gibson sounded much more clear and "articulate" and slightly better than the Epiphone. Granted both sound nice and the Epiphone much more ,bright, almost "clangy" clean. Eight hundred with tax? That's a great guitar for that price.
Nice! Like the shootout to mix things up. It was Jimi’s Strat for me. Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock played for the 20th anniversary of the festival made me switch instruments from trumpet to guitar.
Squier Pro Tone Fat Tele made me want to play guitar. Heard a guy playing it in the local guitar shop back in ‘98. First time hearing a humbucker in the neck position, w/the single coil in the bridge. Such a killer sound.
Great episode. The guitar that made me want to play was a Country Gentleman. It belonged to my uncle, who was my guitar hero. It's the last "must own" on my list that I've not picked up yet.
I really like that you had Xander's own guitar in this experiment. Not too surprised about the outcome, Epiphone are just killing it lately. Les Paul was my first guitar largely thanks to BFG's Pearly Gates. ❤
I think Gibsons are a bit too pricey for what they are and I'm a person who spends around 1000 to 1500 on a new guitar and then modifies it. I have an Epi Les Paul and modded it with Peacemaker pickups, it stands up to any vintage Gibson.
there was a guy who worked at my parents' church sometimes called john maione and at one time he played a white falcon. that made me want to play guitar
Khrungbin's Mark Speer made me want to play guitar. My preferred sound is metal / doom metal but it always felt its a sound thats impossible to make on your own I watched his Khrungbin's rundown and it was "yup, guitar, some basic effects, basic amp". First time I thought, "ok, well...maybe I could give it a go".
Exactly. If I buy an expensive vintage, I'm making an investment that I can turn into more money should I ever need to. I stay below $1k for anything I want to play the fuck out of.
The guitar that made me want to play guitar was the PRS Carlos Santana signature. I saw a music video for one of the songs from Supernatural (probably Smooth) in high school after I gave up trumpet, and it just seemed perfect. I cannot play that guitar (only tried the SE version) due to its nut width and neck profile, but that shape is burned in my mind; it is second only to a Gibson ES-339/Ibanez AM (Again, I cannot use their necks.) for the body shape I want most. I will buy one of your shirts to wear in my videos after I start my new show on its own channel.
For me it was Murdoc Niccals' Flying V bass, which is funny considering he's not a real person and I've never owned one. As a kid i got this book for Christmas called Gorillaz: Rise of the Ogre, it was sort of their fictional biography. They were the first band I'd ever come across where most of the creative force and charisma seemed to be coming from the bass player who didn't even sing. I wanted to be just like that, and i knew i could do it cause i already knew guitar players and drummers with massive egos, but no other bass players who really made it their thing, people seem to have this attitude that bass players just drew the short straw for guitar parts that I didn't see at all in gorillaz. Really stuck with me
I bought a silver burst in 88 or 89. Played very loud through a little pig nose and later a Fender twin. Found out had a serious neck repair when I went to sell it. Said it was basically worthless but I loved the sound. BB King's Lucille and those Jesus and Mary Chain guitars were the guitars that made me want to play. Ironically still have never owned a big hollow body.
Weezer's Blue Album made me want to play guitar when I was a kid. So I worked and saved up and bought a double humbucker strat that looked like River's guitar. Later I learned he mostly used P90 Gibsons to record the album 🤣
Seeing a photo of the Epiphone Riviera that belongs to Nick Valensi in the Strokes and whatever guitar is on the cover of the Replacements' "Sorry Ma". That and a friend of the friend playing the Godfather theme on a random guitar at a Halloween party I was at when I was 15. I have a 2012 Epiphone Riviera P93 Custom as my only guitar. My dream is to build a parts guitar Jazzmaster or a fully spec'd out Bilt Volare
Tonewood is a lie you guise, its just the pickups, the setup, the amp, and the cab. Your cab matters so much more than body wood ever will. Oh and Adam Jones' Silverburst is my guitar archetype. Got a baritone dedicated to it.
I've felt this way about Gibson vs. Epiphone for a long while, good to see it validated in a scientific way. There are some great old Gibsons out there, but so much variation in the handwinding and aging that these days you're better off buying a good replica than relying on the "real thing". My two cents anyway.
so heres my moment: back in 99 as noob, i went 1st time to see my luthier in his old farmhouse in the bavarian forest. (had a gibson nighthawk chosen for versatility over sg, and lp studio, too muddy“), he was playin a les paul through a plexi stack when i arrived. try, he said, dropped it in my lap. i was shocked. very light. FAT neck. fucky responsive lile a strat. barking loud lile a tele on steroids. notes jumping out, standing, overtones gallore. i played smells like teen spirit on it. killing in the name of. switching back to the nighthawk there was nothing of that responsiveness. it was areal 58 he had in to do a complete fretjob. noone in us dared to do it. any 80s custom i played (4-5) sucked. a 73 too. youre talent didnt excactly produce a sound where those qualities would come out. you compared an ok vintage gibson (with a warped neck) to an ok epiphone with an ok player through ok gear. makes your comparison just ok. good that you played the same licks comparing. but much too long, you should cut in 5-10seconds intervals between both guitars playing the same thing. in the end gear doesnt matter, but your excitement and if you can transport it into the listeners ear. i found a great europe lp for 1.5k with amber pickups wich blew all the custom shop gibbys away. happy. my favourite strat i got off ebay for 50€ , very light paulownia body, proper pickups, perfect. the vintag gibson hype comes from the light wood they had. material matters. its sum even more. those 80ies boat ankers, i dunno. for gaining them to death maybe, but every guitar can do that.
I think a fairer comparison would have been a new Epiphone a new Gibson standard. both with new strings. Sweetwater should have sponsored that as well.
@@realxandercuck Wow. That makes things interesting. Both sounded good anyway. And yeah, those 80's Customs so often seem to be modded with Duncans, Dimarzios or EMGs
@kennyjohnson336 the guy I bought it from was an old blues dude from NYC. He had a R9 and my guitar as a backup and used two Super Reverbs lol. Lost track of him when he stopped posting on the Seymour Duncan forum. The internet is wild
Meh, let prices crash thru the basement. Figure when gear you want sits for months getting dusty then right before a physical store closes down is the ideal time to buy.
"It's not the kitchen, it's the cook" is such a stellar analogy for gear. As for modern Epiphone...look internet complaining about the cost of a Gibson predates the electric guitar & Epiphone predates Gibson. Personally price bitching is meaningless, you've got more options than Zeus had pussy, and every guitar is a good option (except that drop shipper Temu/Alibaba/Amazon bullshit). Just call your Epiphone a Gibson like you call your LTD an ESP or your Sterling a Music Man & play that guitar with all your heart.
I'm a luthier and worked on a lot of great and a lot of awful guitars. A few of the Amazon models have blown my mind with their quality. I bought an orange Censtar just before Christmas for $150. Got it for the color so I can color match it for a build I'm working on. Planned on setting it up and upgrading a few components and donating to a friend that teaches guitar. Not sure that will ever happen. It feels, looks, and plays like a dream. Only thing I've done to it was install a bone nut, which I do for all of my guitars.
I guess it would have to be my Grandpa's guitar, which is a 70s Fender flat-top. He and most of my family played, you could've just about made a hillbilly Bluegrass orchestra out of the number of players we had. Like most little kids: Grandpa was my best friend, but sadly he passed before I was old enough to start learning; I wanted to learn so I could have that connection to him. Back when I believed in this sort of stuff: I always imagined that he was there with me when I'd play his guitar.
It was the SG guitar shape that felt so mystical, and watching (Blues Lawyer Alert) ACDC as a kid made it feel like holding some of that electricity.
I love that riff, once what was by hers is such a sick song
Same on the clean part, could not hear the difference. The 80s sounded nicer to my ears and the age of the pickups giving them the character. I liked this kind of compare blind test.
That serious Yu Yu Hakusho music for the reveal was perfect. A+. Brad Delson's PRS Custom 24 with the Hybrid Theory graphic was the guitar that made me want to play. This video was great!
What Once Was--great taste!
A black V with painted with a white spiderweb my friend had inspired me to play, as someone my age playing then(15 in 1991) made it possible in my mind to pursue it. But grunge had just hit, and i got into Fender guitars(strats and jazzmasters) heavily.
Play a epiphone les paul, and a gibson LP Special in my band now. My bandmate plays a strat, and the LP provides sonic separation.
I had an R8 for some time, and while it was a better playing and sounding guitar… the Epiphone was 85% there, and didnt make me nervous to play gigs with.
So... the conclusion I took away was you might need a vintage guitar to rock a specific sound, but a modern guitar can flat out rock. As soon as I decided I wanted to play guitar, I wanted a Strat - I was blown away that the same guitar could crank out fuzzy Hendrix, moody Pink Floyd and clean surf sounds.
the brightness of a lp custom makes a girl wanna cry
It's real hard to say- When I was a kid, ( early 1970's) It wasn't really a single guitar, it was more the image- that space between being an artist and a celebrity. But, along the way, I did pick up preferences. One was unobtainable, until very recently- the Yamaha SG 1000. I recently acquired a Eastwood Mcgeoch 1000, which for a lefty, like me, is as close as I'll get. The other two are still completely unobtainable- a Microfrets Swinger, and a Gibson ES 295. Neither one was ever a lefty. But, truthfully, any guitar is inspiring, in its own way- Hit the right note, with the right tone, and you're there. I'll never be a rock star, but I can create art under those circumstances.
second test the Gibson shined with more subtle dynamics and vocal quality. could be a goof fit for the player tho.
The guitar that made me want to play guitar was a Fender Strat. Oddly enough, I'm not super into Strats now, but I'd still love a Daphne Blue hardtail Strat with maple fretboard :)
Les Paul Jr made me want to pick up and play. It was a rock machine and was cool because it felt like it reacted a lot more to your playing. I regret not picking one up when it was cheap enough. I just listened to the sound and I thought the Gibson was clearer with more gain. Epiphones are fantastic clean but I always found as soon as I’m playing something strong they get way too muddy. It’s a buzz like sound. I have a hard time explaining it. The 59 reissues are the only ones so far I haven’t heard that (humbucker config)
First time seeing J. Mascis live. The look and sound of those jazzmasters was all I needed to get started.
J Mascis is always a win
I've always been inspired by the guitars of guitarists who really approach the instrument in a utilitarian way, whether it be someone like Joe Strummer and his battered Tele, or Eddie Van Halen and his Frankenstrats, the idea that ultimately the guitar is a tool, and an ends to a means is compelling. Lee Kiernan and Kurt Cobain are probably two of the best examples of what I'm talking about.
I'm a bigger fan of affordable guitars that sound/feel or can be setup to sound/feel great, than I am of any expensive guitar that sounds/feels great. People always want to ask what the most expensive or iconic guitar luthiers have worked on, and those same people look so disappointed when we tell them about a Squier, Epiphone, LTD, or no name brand from Amazon that blew us away with its quality. Those are the guitars we get excited and want to talk about.
Seeing you guys mess with lps is a headtrip
To my ear the 80s Custom had a little more 'bloom' to the low end, but in a mix you probably wouldn't be able to tell, it's not a thousands of dollars difference!
The Gibson sounded much more clear and "articulate" and slightly better than the Epiphone. Granted both sound nice and the Epiphone much more ,bright, almost "clangy" clean. Eight hundred with tax? That's a great guitar for that price.
Nice! Like the shootout to mix things up. It was Jimi’s Strat for me. Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock played for the 20th anniversary of the festival made me switch instruments from trumpet to guitar.
20th anniversary rebroadcast that is.
Squier Pro Tone Fat Tele made me want to play guitar. Heard a guy playing it in the local guitar shop back in ‘98. First time hearing a humbucker in the neck position, w/the single coil in the bridge. Such a killer sound.
Great episode.
The guitar that made me want to play was a Country Gentleman. It belonged to my uncle, who was my guitar hero. It's the last "must own" on my list that I've not picked up yet.
Ace Frehley's cherry sunburst Les Paul was my gateway to wanting to play.
So happy w the surprise of a Strokes riff 🤩
I really like that you had Xander's own guitar in this experiment. Not too surprised about the outcome, Epiphone are just killing it lately.
Les Paul was my first guitar largely thanks to BFG's Pearly Gates. ❤
I think Gibsons are a bit too pricey for what they are and I'm a person who spends around 1000 to 1500 on a new guitar and then modifies it. I have an Epi Les Paul and modded it with Peacemaker pickups, it stands up to any vintage Gibson.
Awesome video. The Stratocaster made me pick up guitar (SRV & Jimi). Loved the Struggle of Sadness on guitar 1 & guitar a reveal
there was a guy who worked at my parents' church sometimes called john maione and at one time he played a white falcon. that made me want to play guitar
Khrungbin's Mark Speer made me want to play guitar.
My preferred sound is metal / doom metal but it always felt its a sound thats impossible to make on your own
I watched his Khrungbin's rundown and it was "yup, guitar, some basic effects, basic amp". First time I thought, "ok, well...maybe I could give it a go".
Speer is on a different level.. that whole band trips me out, total groove machine
i just don't hear enough of a difference to justify the price
The utilitarian value is almost identical. However the hedonic value of the Gibson is superior because of the story’s we tell ourselves
Exactly. If I buy an expensive vintage, I'm making an investment that I can turn into more money should I ever need to. I stay below $1k for anything I want to play the fuck out of.
The guitar that made me want to play guitar was the PRS Carlos Santana signature. I saw a music video for one of the songs from Supernatural (probably Smooth) in high school after I gave up trumpet, and it just seemed perfect. I cannot play that guitar (only tried the SE version) due to its nut width and neck profile, but that shape is burned in my mind; it is second only to a Gibson ES-339/Ibanez AM (Again, I cannot use their necks.) for the body shape I want most.
I will buy one of your shirts to wear in my videos after I start my new show on its own channel.
For me it was Murdoc Niccals' Flying V bass, which is funny considering he's not a real person and I've never owned one. As a kid i got this book for Christmas called Gorillaz: Rise of the Ogre, it was sort of their fictional biography. They were the first band I'd ever come across where most of the creative force and charisma seemed to be coming from the bass player who didn't even sing. I wanted to be just like that, and i knew i could do it cause i already knew guitar players and drummers with massive egos, but no other bass players who really made it their thing, people seem to have this attitude that bass players just drew the short straw for guitar parts that I didn't see at all in gorillaz. Really stuck with me
Marty McFly’s ES355
I bought a silver burst in 88 or 89. Played very loud through a little pig nose and later a Fender twin. Found out had a serious neck repair when I went to sell it. Said it was basically worthless but I loved the sound. BB King's Lucille and those Jesus and Mary Chain guitars were the guitars that made me want to play. Ironically still have never owned a big hollow body.
This was the guitar I picked to start!
Weezer's Blue Album made me want to play guitar when I was a kid. So I worked and saved up and bought a double humbucker strat that looked like River's guitar. Later I learned he mostly used P90 Gibsons to record the album 🤣
Seeing a photo of the Epiphone Riviera that belongs to Nick Valensi in the Strokes and whatever guitar is on the cover of the Replacements' "Sorry Ma". That and a friend of the friend playing the Godfather theme on a random guitar at a Halloween party I was at when I was 15.
I have a 2012 Epiphone Riviera P93 Custom as my only guitar. My dream is to build a parts guitar Jazzmaster or a fully spec'd out Bilt Volare
Best bang for the buck are the ‘00’s MiJ Epiphone elitist series of guitars.
Domestic MIJ epiphones, tokai’s, Orville’s, Greco are all amazing quality and can typically find great deals
Tonewood is a lie you guise, its just the pickups, the setup, the amp, and the cab. Your cab matters so much more than body wood ever will. Oh and Adam Jones' Silverburst is my guitar archetype. Got a baritone dedicated to it.
John McKay from Siouxsie & The Banshees' Les Paul made me want to play. But not Les Pauls, funnily enough.
what once was by hers?! 😍😍😍
I've felt this way about Gibson vs. Epiphone for a long while, good to see it validated in a scientific way. There are some great old Gibsons out there, but so much variation in the handwinding and aging that these days you're better off buying a good replica than relying on the "real thing". My two cents anyway.
thanks for your input, buddy!
I couldn’t tell a damn difference 😂😂😂
Apparently we couldn't either
so heres my moment:
back in 99 as noob, i went 1st time to see my luthier in his old farmhouse in the bavarian forest. (had a gibson nighthawk chosen for versatility over sg, and lp studio, too muddy“), he was playin a les paul through a plexi stack when i arrived. try, he said, dropped it in my lap. i was shocked. very light. FAT neck. fucky responsive lile a strat. barking loud lile a tele on steroids. notes jumping out, standing, overtones gallore. i played smells like teen spirit on it. killing in the name of. switching back to the nighthawk there was nothing of that responsiveness. it was areal 58 he had in to do a complete fretjob. noone in us dared to do it.
any 80s custom i played (4-5) sucked. a 73 too. youre talent didnt excactly produce a sound where those qualities would come out. you compared an ok vintage gibson (with a warped neck) to an ok epiphone with an ok player through ok gear. makes your comparison just ok. good that you played the same licks comparing. but much too long, you should cut in 5-10seconds intervals between both guitars playing the same thing.
in the end gear doesnt matter, but your excitement and if you can transport it into the listeners ear. i found a great europe lp for 1.5k with amber pickups wich blew all the custom shop gibbys away. happy. my favourite strat i got off ebay for 50€ , very light paulownia body, proper pickups, perfect.
the vintag gibson hype comes from the light wood they had. material matters. its sum even more. those 80ies boat ankers, i dunno. for gaining them to death maybe, but every guitar
can do that.
Guitar that made me want to play guitar ... 1. EVH Frankenstrat 1.a Eric Johnson's 54 strat
I think a fairer comparison would have been a new Epiphone a new Gibson standard. both with new strings. Sweetwater should have sponsored that as well.
That's a great idea.
Maybe for a possible part 2??
Stay tuned 😜
Cool video, One thing though, 1987 isn't really one of the best eras for Gibson pickups.
That one has Duncan Antiquities. Guess we forgot to mention that lol
Yeah that's kind of burying the lead in hindsight
@@realxandercuck Wow. That makes things interesting. Both sounded good anyway. And yeah, those 80's Customs so often seem to be modded with Duncans, Dimarzios or EMGs
@kennyjohnson336 the guy I bought it from was an old blues dude from NYC. He had a R9 and my guitar as a backup and used two Super Reverbs lol. Lost track of him when he stopped posting on the Seymour Duncan forum. The internet is wild
The Gibson sounded better for sure, but not by a lot, and the price difference sure is a lot so…
Different... Epiphone had the probuckers which have a more vintage/PAF tone
Meh, let prices crash thru the basement. Figure when gear you want sits for months getting dusty then right before a physical store closes down is the ideal time to buy.
Hard to explain.
Hit the like button
*THANKS BUD*
"It's not the kitchen, it's the cook" is such a stellar analogy for gear.
As for modern Epiphone...look internet complaining about the cost of a Gibson predates the electric guitar & Epiphone predates Gibson. Personally price bitching is meaningless, you've got more options than Zeus had pussy, and every guitar is a good option (except that drop shipper Temu/Alibaba/Amazon bullshit). Just call your Epiphone a Gibson like you call your LTD an ESP or your Sterling a Music Man & play that guitar with all your heart.
My grandpa used to tell me stories about his grandpa posting to the forums about over-priced Gibsons by candlelight
@@realxandercuck Damn and back then a forum post took a fortnight on horseback to post. That's real dissatisfaction.
I'm a luthier and worked on a lot of great and a lot of awful guitars. A few of the Amazon models have blown my mind with their quality. I bought an orange Censtar just before Christmas for $150. Got it for the color so I can color match it for a build I'm working on. Planned on setting it up and upgrading a few components and donating to a friend that teaches guitar. Not sure that will ever happen. It feels, looks, and plays like a dream. Only thing I've done to it was install a bone nut, which I do for all of my guitars.
Collectors vintage, players Epiphone