Hi end Epiphone or low end Gibson?

krissovo · #1 July 23rd, 2006

Hi All

I have a dilemma, I have been given a bonus at work and I have set aside €1500 but can stretch to €2000 (for less spending money on holiday) for a new electric. I have been toying with the Les Paul's for a while but I have a question should I go for a entry level Gibson Les Paul or a top of the range Epiphone?

I have tried the Epiphones at various music shops in the area but none have any low end Gibson's. That means unfortunately that I cannot try both for a comparison, I even spent most of yesterday phoning shops within 100 miles but most only stock the Epiphones.

Incidently I did try the Clapton signiture Strat that I liked at €1200 but that seemed a lot for the spec of it and plus I have a strat copy already.

So any guidance would be appriciated.

scotty_b · #2 July 23rd, 2006

Hey
In our part of the world a high end Epiphone would only be enough to pay a deposit on a low end Gibson, unless you were to purchase a Gibson studio Les Paul. Do not know if they are still around though.

krissovo · #3 July 23rd, 2006

This was the one and it is the studio edition @ €1600

Or for €900 the epiphone midnight edition

Cedric01 · #4 July 23rd, 2006

Save your money and go with the bad midnight black Epiphone! I think you will like the EMG pups. The Gibson quality is not what it used to be. It's sort of buyer be aware. I was thinking of purchasing a Gibson Les Paul Swamp Ash Studio but I changed my mind and went with a Peavey HP Special CT USA.

737blues · #5 July 23rd, 2006

Allans Music are showing LP studios at $2400 AUD (980 GBP) on their website at the moment and LP standards for beteen $4500-$5000 AUD. (1820-2022 GBP) You can almost guarantee to get about 20% off those prices if you go in to the store with cash in your pocket.

I don't know if you tried to post a link to a particular guitar there Krissovo, so it's always dificult to know if we are talking about the same model(s), but I'd would say that's pretty pricey. Our prices here in Oz generally are a little higher than the US or GB price, but not much. Also, I don't know about particular models but as Cedric said, I don't think the Gibson quality is all that exciting these days either.

scotty_b · #6 July 23rd, 2006

They are pretty good prices. A Les Paul is normally around $1000 more, though I have heard that Allans are in trouble and that Vodafone and associated companies have purchased Allans, and they are dumping stock like crazy.

737blues · #7 July 23rd, 2006

P.S. .. and hope this is not hijacking the thread but but I got offered a brand new, pearl sixties anniversary Strat. yesterday for $1250 AUD. Built South of the border of course, but I couldn't tell any difference between playing it and the US version. Still drooling ...... and thinking. (here comes another divorce)

#8 July 23rd, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by krissovo

Hi All

I have a dilemma, I have been given a bonus at work and I have set aside €1500 but can stretch to €2000 (for less spending money on holiday) for a new electric. I have been toying with the Les Paul's for a while but I have a question should I go for a entry level Gibson Les Paul or a top of the range Epiphone?

I have tried the Epiphones at various music shops in the area but none have any low end Gibson's. That means unfortunately that I cannot try both for a comparison, I even spent most of yesterday phoning shops within 100 miles but most only stock the Epiphones.

Incidently I did try the Clapton signiture Strat that I liked at €1200 but that seemed a lot for the spec of it and plus I have a strat copy already.

So any guidance would be appriciated.

I really have to tell you Krissovo, i have an Epiphone standard that i bought brand new from Guitar Center. I paid $500.00 for it, then i replaced the pick ups with a 490-r and a 498-t humbucker for another two and half bills. This Epiphone blows new Gibsons right out off the water ! Thats no lie ! I've played gibsons by the number at G.C. and never could i find one that i liked. I mean they all played terrible next to the Epiphones. So for alittle over $750.00 you could do the same. I also own a Gibson LP STD. But i shopped around forever for it, bought it used in cherry cond. And i still chose to play my Epiphone instead. I paid a G for the Gibson by the way. You really have to go out and feel 'em for yourself, but i honestly recommend the Epiphone. See ya !

737blues · #9 July 23rd, 2006

Keep us posted if you hear any more about that scotty! ..... I'd love to be on the spot with some cash if they start dumping guitars.

I can tell you though that Billy Hyde will match those prices without hesitation and that's where I got offered the Strat. BTW. I've been wondering if my next guitar should be a Variax, but nobody is budging on the price of those. I think the prices are simply determined by what price the factory and their distributors are supplying the retailers. The old supply and demand equation. Couple of salepersons I've spoken to have indicated that they are not so interested in pushing Variax, because Line6 is hitting them too hard for the guitar.

#10 July 23rd, 2006

Has anyone ever priced those Ibanez Steve Vai Bad Horsey axes ? My god youd think those things were made of pure gold !

scotty_b · #11 July 23rd, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by 737blues

Keep us posted if you hear any more about that scotty! ..... I'd love to be on the spot with some cash if they start dumping guitars.

I can tell you though that Billy Hyde will match those prices without hesitation and that's where I got offered the Strat. BTW. I've been wondering if my next guitar should be a Variax, but nobody is budging on the price of those. I think the prices are simply determined by what price the factory and their distributors are supplying the retailers. The old supply and demand equation. Couple of salepersons I've spoken to have indicated that they are not so interested in pushing Variax, because Line6 is hitting them too hard for the guitar.

Billy Hyde's have very good buying power...and a lot of smaller shops are being bought up by Billy Hydes across Australia. One of the difficulties in the Australian retail sector at the moment is that (in Sydney anyway) some shops are buying as a group, and then discounting heavily. Other shops cannot compete, and so they go out of business. Hysterical discounting is also making it hard for shops to keep above water. A lot of shops seem to be running on 5-7% margin, and with an increase in freight due to oil, and the subsequent price rise in a number of other items oir commodities, they simply cannot survive. One large shop recently went under as they were buying in bulk, and able to secure massive savings, but how many people in Sydney are looking at buying a studio-class valve mic or 20 channel mixing desk each week? They had 1000 Rode mics in inventory, and a similar number of Yamaha powered mixers.
Line6 may be looking to protect themselves as well. Ibanez Australia are doing the same thing, and trying to keep the value of their product reflected in the price of the product.

krissovo · #12 July 25th, 2006

Ok, I finally played a Gibson Les Paul at the same time as a Epiphone. There was some difference but not that much, certainly not for my standard.

Soooooo, here is a pic of my new baby that is on order:

Looks sooo sexy, as described elseware "Like James Bond in a silky smooth Tux"

And with my spare cash I got one of these Variax 700:

Not as sexy, but a lot of guitar for the money
I think I did ok with my budget

allthumbs · #13 July 25th, 2006

Well I'm jealous. Congrats. Hope you have a good amp to play them through.

krissovo · #14 July 25th, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by allthumbs

Well I'm jealous. Congrats. Hope you have a good amp to play them through.

I treated myself with same budget to a nice line 6 spider, both sounded great through this.

allthumbs · #15 July 25th, 2006

Cool, though you may find with time you will want to trade up to a higher end line6. Lots of time for that though. You are gonna have so much fun. Enjoy.