Alex Lifeson Epiphone

Danielsguitars

Philly_Q said:

TTBZ said:

Philly_Q said:As various YouTube reviewers have observed, the LP Modern neck joint is a sort of strange halfway house between the super-smooth Axcess joint and the traditional clunky joint.  And they make all three in both Gibson and Epiphone versions.

It seems strange that they don't just phase out the Modern neck joint in favour of the Axcess style, although there'd be a bit more woodworking involved.

According to Matt Heafy who has a new Epiphone signature out next year with the Modern neck heel, he chose it over the axcess heel which was on his initial prototype because it's actually better, despite looking a bit messy. Whether he's just been asked to say that because they couldn't do the axcess at the correct price point who knows, but he made a video about it on his YouTube and it looks like it makes sense. 

@TTBZ thanks for mentioning that, I've found the video (link below).  I knew he had a new signature model but forgot they'd changed the heel design.  I'm not entirely convinced - I don't see why the "problem" area he describes on the bass side of the Axcess joint couldn't just be smoothed out somehow....

I don't feel that strongly about it, I'm just fascinated by these details.  It would be interesting to know what @FelineGuitars and @Danielsguitars think, if they happen to see this thread.

I haven't looked at the neck joints but from my perspective a fully sculpted heel is the only way to go, I use a full width long tenon though which has alot more meat to it, I've built traditional stuff for nearly 10 years and since I did my telepaul last year i can't go back, traditional is horrible now.

To do them properly takes more time imo, I even had Stuart sit and play that area while I was sculpting it, I took out every lump and bump by hand, I planed up a neck blank yesterday by hand, it's slower but more satisfying, I even put maple filler strips over a 2 way rod when I use them because I want full gluing surface on a fretboard, I also reduced my headstock angle to around 12 degrees.

Musicman20

StefB said:

Philly_Q said:

It looks pretty awful from the back with the five cream plates, but nobody has to see them most of the time.

That’s still about 10 less plates on the back than a MusicMan John Petrucci, yet Epiphone can manage to fit them flush on a £799 guitar whereas EBMM can’t for their £3k+ for some reason. 

I remember seeing online criticism about this, and they had their own reason for it....I can't remember why! Could be money....but they didn't say that obviously hahaha.

FelineGuitars

Grumpyrocker said:

It looks like a great guitar. I just can't get over how pish a Floyd Rose looks on an LP. 

At least it's not a Bigsby. 

Some more pish for ya

Grumpyrocker

FelineGuitars said:

Grumpyrocker said:

It looks like a great guitar. I just can't get over how pish a Floyd Rose looks on an LP. 

At least it's not a Bigsby. 

Some more pish for ya

Bugger. That looks lovely. 

axisus

I love a trem on an LP shape! 

The guitar isn't for me though, I absolutely can't bear the Epiphone headstock. 

Danielsguitars

I'm trying out a duesenberg les trem on one of mine as a compromise, it means I can go back to a stop tail easily.

ThePrettyDamned

FelineGuitars said:

Grumpyrocker said:

It looks like a great guitar. I just can't get over how pish a Floyd Rose looks on an LP. 

At least it's not a Bigsby. 

Some more pish for ya

Corrr

StefB

axisus said:

The guitar isn't for me though, I absolutely can't bear the Epiphone headstock. 

Even the new, borderline Gibson shaped one used on the Lifeson LP?

allen

I've been waiting for this since it was leaked in 2019 on an andertons namm video. My personal prediction was £999 (and maybe more) so they've done a great job on the price.

The gibson ones have gone from £2k to £3k in the last 12 months.

I'm off to buy it.

allen

allen said:

I've been waiting for this since it was leaked in 2019 on an andertons namm video. My personal prediction was £999 (and maybe more) so they've done a great job on the price.

The gibson ones have gone from £2k to £3k in the last 12 months.

I'm off to buy it.

Just ordered it!

N2112

allen said:

allen said:

I've been waiting for this since it was leaked in 2019 on an andertons namm video. My personal prediction was £999 (and maybe more) so they've done a great job on the price.

The gibson ones have gone from £2k to £3k in the last 12 months.

I'm off to buy it.

Just ordered it!

Did they give you an expected date?

PhilM

Hmmm, fixes three of the things I don't like about Les Paul style guitars. Neck joint, lack of tummy contour and the bridge/tailpiece arrangement 

Fortheloveofguitar

FelineGuitars said:

Grumpyrocker said:

It looks like a great guitar. I just can't get over how pish a Floyd Rose looks on an LP. 

At least it's not a Bigsby. 

Some more pish for ya

@FelineGuitars ;

Whats the cost of one of these? 

FelineGuitars

Fortheloveofguitar said:

FelineGuitars said:

Grumpyrocker said:

It looks like a great guitar. I just can't get over how pish a Floyd Rose looks on an LP. 

At least it's not a Bigsby. 

Some more pish for ya

@FelineGuitars ;

Whats the cost of one of these? 

This is my own personal guitar that I made myself as part of our 25th Anniversary range

However with our 30th Anniversary looking I was planning on making some Floyd Equipped Lions, possibly with a sustainiac in the neck  for that Neak Schon/ Steve Hackett vibe

allen

N2112 said:

allen said:

allen said:

I've been waiting for this since it was leaked in 2019 on an andertons namm video. My personal prediction was £999 (and maybe more) so they've done a great job on the price.

The gibson ones have gone from £2k to £3k in the last 12 months.

I'm off to buy it.

Just ordered it!

Did they give you an expected date?

guitarguitar said 'could be months' so I took a chance on thomann as it said 'available immediately'

axisus

StefB said:

axisus said:

The guitar isn't for me though, I absolutely can't bear the Epiphone headstock. 

Even the new, borderline Gibson shaped one used on the Lifeson LP?

It's a bit of an improvement but I still don't like it. I think that I don't like the name 'Epiphone' as well. These things all have a psychological bearing. I much prefer Fender's approach with Squier - same shape headstocks as the expensive guitars.

FelineGuitars

but in terms of price it will be £4k+

impmann

axisus said:

StefB said:

axisus said:

The guitar isn't for me though, I absolutely can't bear the Epiphone headstock. 

Even the new, borderline Gibson shaped one used on the Lifeson LP?

It's a bit of an improvement but I still don't like it. I think that I don't like the name 'Epiphone' as well. These things all have a psychological bearing. I much prefer Fender's approach with Squier - same shape headstocks as the expensive guitars.

Pre Gibson take over Epiphone made very high quality guitars - in fact post take over and for most of the 1960s Epiphone guitars were very high quality. Theres a reason why so many beat combos used Epiphone Casinos in the 1960s - and some still do (Macca says his Casino is his favourite guitar...)

Philly_Q

axisus said:

StefB said:

axisus said:

The guitar isn't for me though, I absolutely can't bear the Epiphone headstock. 

Even the new, borderline Gibson shaped one used on the Lifeson LP?

It's a bit of an improvement but I still don't like it. I think that I don't like the name 'Epiphone' as well. These things all have a psychological bearing. I much prefer Fender's approach with Squier - same shape headstocks as the expensive guitars.

I know what you mean, the new headstock's much better but it's still not "right".  I don't have any issues with the Epiphone name or logo though - I'd be quite happy to buy an Epi Explorer or V, if I was minded to do so.

I've got some MIJ Epiphones with headstocks like this but I don't think they make them any more:

JohnPerry

Here's Alex talking about it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bLNvsQspn4&ab_channel=Sweetwater