Gibson Vs Epiphone

[lukedavo]

I just dont find them as rich or resonant, as a solid top back and sides.

[Nubus]

I saw a band playing an older Epiphone that looked like an ES-335, and he's the one who told me the new ones sucked cause they used laminates. I thought that meant the finish was glossy ... that was my mistake

[smopo24]

Originally Posted by lukedavo

I just dont find them as rich or resonant, as a solid top back and sides.

don't they also have a tendency to split and break easier? and i hear that as they age they don't sound better, unlike solid woods.

[Nubus]

Okay I just noticed the Gibson amps are all class A wiring, hand wired, and hand built. That right there should eat your Epiphone amp for lunch.

[lukedavo]

Indeed, those f%(^ers rock. Their excrement is what my epi amp is made of, as for guitars, I'm still not convinced.

[Bellringer]

I watched a documentary on guitar building a few years back. Gibson spends more time selecting specific wood and using their most experienced luthiers to create their models. They will usually opt for better pickups and hardware if possible (especially on the high dollar models). With Epiphone details are not as important. Guitars will be created from the wood on hand. Flaws are allowed to pass like: sharp edged frets, necks that do not fit the groove as well and other random minor imperfections. So they still make a great guitar, but you have a better chance of getting a flawed one then you would from Gibson. Both are good but you get what you pay for!

[lukedavo]

"Gibson spends more time selecting specific wood and using their most experienced luthiers to create their models. They will usually opt for better pickups and hardware if possible (especially on the high dollar models). With Epiphone details are not as important. Guitars will be created from the wood on hand. Flaws are allowed to pass like: sharp edged frets, necks that do not fit the groove as well and other random minor imperfections."

That's what I was looking for.....sharp edges, using wood on hand, minor imperfections.

Thanx Bellringer

[Jared Kubokawa]

Originally Posted by oomlat

Well, Epiphone is to Gibson as Squier is to Fender.
Epiphone's use cheaper pickups and parts.

This is one thing I disagree with. While Epiphone may be the lesser version of Gibson, as Squier is to Fender, Epiphone and Squier are very different.

If you play an Squier and an Epi side by side, there will be a clear marked difference in quality, feel and sound. Squier makes some neat looking stuff (b/c its Fender), but more often than not, the quality is extremely poor and will not last. Period.

[SorenP]

"bad" is a scary word. Laminates aren't bad by default, Martin uses a high quality laminate on a lot of thier acoustics that sound amazing. I would guess a solid piece of wood would hold up to tension better, as well as sound better than a piece of laminate plastic over time. I'd agree with the Epiphone's aren't bad by default statement also, the super cheap ones suck, but the super cheap anythings suck.

[robotnerd]

it's important to remember that it's all preference. epiphone does use lower quality components (pickups, wiring, pots, jacks, etc) than gibson does. and yeah, the attention to detail isn't on the same page. does that mean that you'll prefer playing a gibson over an epiphone? absolutely not. does it mean you'll like the sound of a gibson amp compared to an epiphone? absolutely not. personally i don't really like gibson or epiphone acoustic guitars.

a lot of people love the sound of those old danelectro guitars... and those things are made from plywood.