Epiphone "inspired by 1955" Les Paul

[PierceLP]

http://www.epiphone.com/Products/Electrics/Les-Paul/Ltd-Ed-Inspired-by-1955-LP-Custom-Outfit.aspx

Just saw this today. Epiphone is releasing a 1955 inspired les paul with Gibson USA p90s. I gotta say i really love this guitar from first glance.
What do you guys think?

 

[Don]

That looks like a cool guitar. Epiphone is making some good guitars these days.

 

[Tom Wittrock]

That doesn't appear to be US made. Was it written in the text somewhere, because I couldn't find it. :hmm

 

[VamboRool]

Just the pick-ups are made in the USA as I read it.

 

[DanD]

Nice looking guitar sans the headstock. Why can't Epiphone be like Fender and use the classic headstock shape on their imports?

It does sport an ebony board tho. Seems odd to pay over 4k for CS Custom with richlite yet sell a $600- $700 import with a real deal ebony fretboard...:dang

 

[Nobi]

Nice looking guitar sans the headstock. Why can't Epiphone be like Fender and use the classic headstock shape on their imports?

+1

 

[renderit]

Nice looking guitar sans the headstock. Why can't Epiphone be like Fender and use the classic headstock shape on their imports?

It does sport an ebony board tho. Seems odd to pay over 4k for CS Custom with richlite yet sell a $600- $700 import with a real deal ebony fretboard...:dang

Not true all the time dat...keepin' it REAL

 

[PierceLP]

Nice looking guitar sans the headstock. Why can't Epiphone be like Fender and use the classic headstock shape on their imports?

It does sport an ebony board tho. Seems odd to pay over 4k for CS Custom with richlite yet sell a $600- $700 import with a real deal ebony fretboard...:dang

I believe thats why the Japanese epiphones are so valuable because of either the Elitest headstock (which i though looked great) or the Gibson headstock.
Honestly though, knowing Gibson, they probably want to push the value of Epiphone but also want to draw a clear line between Epiphone and Gibson.. and the headstock would be that one thing i think.

 

[B Ingram]

Nice looking guitar sans the headstock. Why can't Epiphone be like Fender and use the classic headstock shape on their imports? ...

Because Gibson doesn't own/run the Asian factories; they're 3rd-parties who build low-price guitars for multiple vendors (the Japanese plant came along after I left, and some of the Chinese production seems to have a bit more direct control). Add to this that Gibson wants to lend enough of the Gibson name to the Epiphone products to get them to sell by association, but wants to keep Gibson USA and upper-end guitars "something to aspire to own" (the quote comes straight from Henry J when I worked at Gibson & Epiphone in the late-90's).

In other words, the Gibson brand is intentionally marketed as a lifestyle. In the same way Porsche would never put their badge on any VW car, even though the same corporation owns both brands, Gibson will flirt with Epi's copying Gibson body styles & features to get sales at the lower price points, but will never put a Gibson headstock on an Epiphone model.

... It does sport an ebony board tho. Seems odd to pay over 4k for CS Custom with richlite yet sell a $600- $700 import with a real deal ebony fretboard...

The Epi literature says "ebony," but that doesn't mean a damn thing unless you scrutinize it and discover it's actually ebony. While I don't know what wood is used in this model, it wouldn't surprise me to find it's not ebony and then hear Epi respond, "the specification was 'ebony in color'."

This model seems pretty nice, so it will likely come out of a Korean factory. But there are many of those with wildly varying quality (including raw material). Maybe it's ebony, but I bet even Epiphone won't know for sure what it is unless one of the better Korean factories made it. I saw some shady sh_t when I was leaving Epiphone just as the Chinese and Indonesian production was coming on line (dying some mystery wood jet black to have the appearance of ebony, a la a bottom-of-the-barrel guitar, was among the least-disturbing things I saw).

 

[PierM]

Hello guys from Italy. New here, but long time lurker!

Just wanted to show you some pics of that guitar (and share a bit of feelings), which I found a very good value. It's 24 hours now and I still can't find any major flaw (apart weak points of all Epis, as Bridge and Nut etc).

Fingerboard it is ebony, no doubts. Nothing to say about pups, of course. Fret job is pretty good for this one, action was very high and tailpiece full bottom (intonation was rubbish), so crazy tension there. After full setup, copying same action as my other guitars (1.5mm@E, 1.2mm@e) I have no trace of fret buzz, flawless intonation. Very good sustain and lovely tone, plenty of dynamic to play with. Pot cavity and wiring looks not too bad. No mini pots. Some unNamed Made in Korea pots, and cheap tone capacitors. Nothing you can't upgrade, but honestly can't see this as a weak area, at all. The only oddity is the finish; doesn't look a real matte to me, nor a real satin. May be an half baked satin? It does feel a bit rough but doesn't stick my hand around the neck (which looks pretty much a R5 profile). BTW, I'm pretty happy with it. I doesn't feel like my "real" custom (may be because of those fat frets), but it doesn't feel "china" and, more important, it does not sound - like a cheap guitar, at all.

Feel free to ask if you need more info!

 

[Don]

Because Gibson doesn't own/run the Asian factories; they're 3rd-parties who build low-price guitars for multiple vendors (the Japanese plant came along after I left, and some of the Chinese production seems to have a bit more direct control).

Gibson owns the Qingdao factory where many new Epiphones are made.

 

[zacknorton]

Cool guitar....i kind of want one of these to tinker with.

As as far as ownership of property...esp operational factories in China.... Not really. China owns that "Gibson owned" factory...and can operate it as they see fit for x number of days in any given cycle.
Unless Gibson has been able to negotiate some sort of extremely unique relationship with China regarding factory operations etc.

My father's made countless trips to China re: product manufacturing within a U.S. company controlled factory structure.....which operate in this exact manner. I.e. Everyone doing business writhin this system is well aware of the potential for counterfeiting etc...

 

[B Ingram]

Gibson owns the Qingdao factory where many new Epiphones are made.

Thanks for the correction! That was a new development well after I left Epiphone in the late-90's.

There is a listing of multiple Chinese factories on the Epi-Wiki Qingdao page, but the only one I recall immediately from when I was there is Unsung.

On some other thread I mentioned a time when we received an entire shipment of guitars (200+) and they all wound up being scrapped due to atrocious quality (but especially because the fingerboard separated from the necks in shipment, taking finish with them, as well as headstock scrolls which were canted a good 5-10 degrees). Those guitars came from Unsung (the serial # began with a "U").

Unfortunately, I'm heavily prejudiced against Epiphone (most models/factories, anyway) from my time working there, though I'll acknowledge I probably haven't given them a chance to change my opinion in the many years since.

 

[Tops]

Not true all the time dat...keepin' it REAL

70's.?.... wow....

 

[zacknorton]

I played one of these at gc recently. Super cool looking. Extremely HEAVY! And the neck was definitely very large....not the most shapely profile...but large.

Really great looking though. Headstock aside (easy to reshape see crox guitars)

 

[lonesomesheik]

I would put a staple P90 in the neck position:hmm

 

[EFLOW]

Well ...

Easy to find a Gibson for the same price.

 

[renderit]

70's.?.... wow....

2016 TH BB4 Ebony board.

 

[lonesomesheik]

Renderit you bad bad Boy:salude:salude:salude

 

[renderit]

Renderit you bad bad Boy:salude:salude:salude

Bad quite a while ago. I've had pics of that up all over the place. But, yes.......I am bad!

I love the Epi above. It looks cool! Wonder if it has the 55 V neck?