Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom Shop

[rhythmjones]

Looks like the zzounds sparkle finishes are the regular models, not the custom shop

https://www.zzounds.com/cat--Epiphone-- ... 0Spotlight

[Larry Mal]

Inspired by Gibson Custom Shop is just about the stupidest marketing bullshit I can imagine

[MKR]

Inspired by Gibson Custom Shop is just about the stupidest marketing bullshit I can imagine

Completely agree.

The best epiphone models have always been the ones true to Epiphone…. Like the crestwood, casino, Sheraton, Wilshire, etc.

This marketing approach. I don’t get it. It’s Not for me.

[BoringPostcards]

The best epiphone models have always been the ones true to Epiphone…. Like the crestwood, casino, Sheraton, Wilshire, etc.

This marketing approach. I don’t get it. It’s Not for me.

I totally agree with you on that one. The only Epiphones I’d have interest in buying are the original Epiphone designs.
I currently have GAS for a Wilshire reissue. I played a friend’s Joe Pass Emperor recently and thought that was a sweet guitar as well. I don’t think they’re making them anymore though.

I had a Epiphone Les Paul and an Epiphone SG Custom in the early 2000s and I never bonded with either. It really bothered me that they had funny headstocks.
At least with an original Epiphone design, you are playing the real deal with the right headstock.
Squiers don’t bother me one bit, because the only aesthetic difference is a decal.

Anyhow, I’m sure some people will enjoy these.

[MKR]

I had a Epiphone Les Paul and an Epiphone SG Custom in the early 2000s and I never bonded with either. It really bothered me that they had funny headstocks.
At least with an original Epiphone design, you are playing the real deal with the right headstock.
Squiers don’t bother me one bit, because the only aesthetic difference is a decal.

Anyhow, I’m sure some people will enjoy these.

Actually I like Epiphone les Paul’s and sg’s too. Just not for $1000 +. At that price youre not far from a second hand actual Gibson.

For what it’s worth. I used to have one of those 3 pickup sg customs also and I really dug it, wish i still had it.

EDIT: I just looked checked long mcqaude and these sell for like $2000 cdn. No thanks lol.

[BoringPostcards]

Yeah, 2000CAD is bonkers for an Epiphone. Special run or not.

[mekhem]

Dunno - I have an unexpected amount of GAS for the 63 SG (just crank down the middle pickup for extra quack)... but prices nowadays are in the post pandemic market.

Pricing has always been relative though and the IBG stuff is definitely pushing the 'premium' branding but at the same time....

If you want a 3 pickup sg custom:
Gibson Custom murphy lab - $7k
IBG - $1500
JB model - $1400 or so
epi - dont think they make them

Korina V
Gibson Custom - 10k
IBG - 1300
epi - cant remember - $800 maybe pre-pandemic

Korina explorer
See V

Firebird
Gibson Custom murphy lab - $7k
IBG - $1700
Epi - $700

dg 335
gibson... 10k and above used market?
effectively IBG - 1300

Not advocating for Gibson/Epi here but oif you are in the market for a Korina V.... You can spend 10 g if you have it or 1300 for Korina with gibson electorinics. If you want a firebird you can spend 7g and up, 1700 with us electronics, 700-900 epi used with chinese electronics...etc...etc...

I had a IBG korina explorer for about 3 days. Played great, sounded great, but neck dived like a WWI dive bomber and i couldnt fix it even by instaling a vibramate and bigsby. If a bigsby woudl have fixed it I'd still have that guitar

[Unicorn Warrior]

Dunno - I have an unexpected amount of GAS for the 63 SG (just crank down the middle pickup for extra quack)... but prices nowadays are in the post pandemic market.

Pricing has always been relative though and the IBG stuff is definitely pushing the 'premium' branding but at the same time....

If you want a 3 pickup sg custom:
Gibson Custom murphy lab - $7k
IBG - $1500
JB model - $1400 or so
epi - dont think they make them

Korina V
Gibson Custom - 10k
IBG - 1300
epi - cant remember - $800 maybe pre-pandemic

Korina explorer
See V

Firebird
Gibson Custom murphy lab - $7k
IBG - $1700
Epi - $700

dg 335
gibson... 10k and above used market?
effectively IBG - 1300

Not advocating for Gibson/Epi here but oif you are in the market for a Korina V.... You can spend 10 g if you have it or 1300 for Korina with gibson electorinics. If you want a firebird you can spend 7g and up, 1700 with us electronics, 700-900 epi used with chinese electronics...etc...etc...

I had a IBG korina explorer for about 3 days. Played great, sounded great, but neck dived like a WWI dive bomber and i couldnt fix it even by instaling a vibramate and bigsby. If a bigsby woudl have fixed it I'd still have that guitar

That’s an interesting breakdown.

My thing is, I just watched Trogly’s review on the SG. I just would prefer them actually make these premium in terms of build rather than looks/parts. I somewhat appreciate their attempts to make the finish not look plastic, but they might as well just try to do nitros if they’re charging this much. Fender Mexico did it. China can too

[Larry Mal]

I think the finishes are great, based on my limited experience:



I don't particularly care what the finish is, though. But to me this looks comparable to my Gibson finishes.

However, we were talking about the acoustics, I'm not sure about the finish on those.

I did play some "Inspired by Gibson" Epiphone acoustics and found them to sound a little dull, maybe a thicker poly finish might have accounted for that, I'd bet it's a combination of other things.

I was intrigued by this Frontier, which is kind of an Epiphone Dove, but I have a Dove, and I guess I don't see why I would have this other than it can lay around outside the case all the time or something.

[crazyzeke]

My thing is, I just watched Trogly’s review on the SG. I just would prefer them actually make these premium in terms of build rather than looks/parts. I somewhat appreciate their attempts to make the finish not look plastic, but they might as well just try to do nitros if they’re charging this much. Fender Mexico did it. China can too

Does anyone know what the deal is with Trogly? From what's been said here and there on the internet it's inferred he's a rich kid with unlimited budget to buy and hoard guitars but I don't watch his channel/interact with him enough to know and I'm kinda curious.

The two-part tailpieces on those models are a thing of beauty, as is the guitar overall in this case. Got that honeyburst thing going on, like on a good LP Standard, except I'd rather have this.

[mekhem]

Does anyone know what the deal is with Trogly? From what's been said here and there on the internet it's inferred he's a rich kid with unlimited budget to buy and hoard guitars but I don't watch his channel/interact with him enough to know and I'm kinda curious.

Not sure about rich kid - but from what i can tell he got in the Youtube early and has been buy/review/flip for long enough that he has a pretty big war chest that he can call on when he needs to buy the 20k special editions. Plus he he making money on the clicks so that adds up....

He is fine - he basically know jack sh*t about fenders though....

[Larry Mal]

Does anyone know what the deal is with Trogly? From what's been said here and there on the internet it's inferred he's a rich kid with unlimited budget to buy and hoard guitars but I don't watch his channel/interact with him enough to know and I'm kinda curious.

Not sure, but he's got some money.

I like him- for one, he specializes in Norlin Gibson, which is a criminally underrated part of that company's history. But he's good resources all around.

[mekhem]

That’s an interesting breakdown.

Thanks - I have been an interested observer of the " I used to buy...xxxxx.... in 2010 for $200 USD so 2024 pricing is ridiculous" mindset that has come up the last couple of years (Not judging or weighing in on that discussion right now) that does not take into account the context of the current market.

Do i think the 10k for a Korina V is ridiculous - yes.
Do i think that $1500 for an epi SG is high - also yes, but its not expensive as the other options if that is what you are looking for.

I Suspect that Gibson is aiming the IBG Epi's at the mid-level buyer who wants the "good" pickups and headstocks but cant buy the Gibson/Gibson custom.

[Unicorn Warrior]

That’s an interesting breakdown.

Thanks - I have been an interested observer of the " I used to buy...xxxxx.... in 2010 for $200 USD so 2024 pricing is ridiculous" mindset that has come up the last couple of years (Not judging or weighing in on that discussion right now) that does not take into account the context of the current market.

Do i think the 10k for a Korina V is ridiculous - yes.
Do i think that $1500 for an epi SG is high - also yes, but its not expensive as the other options if that is what you are looking for.

I Suspect that Gibson is aiming the IBG Epi's at the mid-level buyer who wants the "good" pickups and headstocks but cant buy the Gibson/Gibson custom.

It kind of sucks really. The stigma of China will loom for a long time no matter how good they might be. But, they’ll probably just be very hit and miss. Wonder why they don’t move their mid level branch to Mexico like Fender? ….for some reason, I feel like the Mexican made instruments get much more respect. Overall,
Fenders Mexico are better and more consistent, even if it’s just marginally nowadays. Or possibly in my head?….either way. That’s my point

Do this, but instead of calling it Epiphone Custom shop, call it Gibson Mexico

[Ceylon]

It kind of sucks really. The stigma of China will loom for a long time no matter how good they might be. But, they’ll probably just be very hit and miss. Wonder why they don’t move their mid level branch to Mexico like Fender? ….for some reason, I feel like the Mexican made instruments get much more respect. Overall,
Fenders Mexico are better and more consistent, even if it’s just marginally nowadays. Or possibly in my head?….either way. That’s my point

Do this, but instead of calling it Epiphone Custom shop, call it Gibson Mexico

Fender Mexico wasn't all that great to start with and not actually considered all that good until 10-15 years ago. When I started playing and going on forums people were still pretty cold on them. Now both the instruments and their reputation got better. Setting up a new factory there would be a massive investment in terms of time and money for Gibson and it might take a while before production does get good, and until at least then they'd be an unknown factor in peoples' eyes.

China Epiphones are made in China, which comes with an auto-stigma, but people who know them also know they're solid guitars. Changing production now erases all progress made in favour of re-starting a brand that initially looks better on paper but won't practically get as good for a while.