Epiphone guitars, who uses them?

Adam_MD

underdog;631537" said:

[quote="Rox;631525"]

And lack of Gibson branding, would a beginner or a new guy looking for their first decent guitar know Epi is Gibson? Where as a squire is obviously fender.

Would it matter? Would they be better guitars if they still said Gibson on the truss rod?

underdog

Adam_MD;631562" said:

[quote="underdog;631537"][quote="Rox;631525"]

And lack of Gibson branding, would a beginner or a new guy looking for their first decent guitar know Epi is Gibson? Where as a squire is obviously fender.

Would it matter? Would they be better guitars if they still said Gibson on the truss rod?[/quote]

No, my first headstock post was in response to someone saying squire are gain a good rep and people are paying more than entry level for them (classic vibe etc) but Epi don't have the same luck.

Pointing squire is squire by fender is always visable on the guitar where as Epi isn't could be one of the reasons why, along with fact they even carry the wrong (and ugly) headstock.

I like Epi as a brand I said that too.

Rox

There are quite a few Squiers that aren't Fender branded.

underdog

Rox;631604" said:

There are quite a few Squiers that aren't Fender branded.

There are? Every image on Google has by fender under Squier as part of the decal Or to end of the curve

Sassafras

I've never owned an Epi, not because I think they're bad but because I've never actually played one apart from a very old early 60s Coronet which was very nice.

I quite like the reissue Wilshire but I've yet to try one and it looks like it might be a bit neck heavy.

Rox

I'm sure I've seen Affinity models without the Fender logo.

XWulfhere

GazLion said:

Wulfhere;631148" said:

I've got an Epiphone Riviera and I've got a lot of experience with a Sheraton too. Both of the Korean era, both structurally very good, but I think the quality of the hardware is where they make some of the savings. In the case of my Riviera I changed the tuners for Grover rotomatics, the bridge for a slightly wider spaced Gotoh, new pickups from Mojo and completely new electronics. I do love my Riviera and it's completely eliminated any feelings I night have had about getting an ES-335/345/355. It sits quite happily with my USA Les Paul and Jaguar.

I've been looking at rivieras too. Did yours originally have the mini bumbuckers in it or p90's? I've heard that the standard mini humbuckers in these aren't very good, but are there many after market mini humbucker options available? I'd be interested in the p90 version, but I hate the look of 3 pickup guitars unless it's a Strat!

@GazLion My Riviera has full sized PAFs but as you say you can get them in mini-HBs. As others have said you can get aftermarket mini-HBs and having just checked our UK makers' websites, Oil City, Mojo and The Creamery will do them for you - use one of them and keep the money in the UK!

Mini-humbuckers are usually interchangable with soap-bar P90s but not the dog-eared ones that you'll find on the P90 Royale Riviera.

rlw

Adam_MD said:

underdog;631537" said:

[quote="Rox;631525"]

And lack of Gibson branding, would a beginner or a new guy looking for their first decent guitar know Epi is Gibson? Where as a squire is obviously fender.

Would it matter? Would they be better guitars if they still said Gibson on the truss rod?

The owners willy would clearly be bigger if it said Gibson.

underdog

Rox;631642" said:

I'm sure I've seen Affinity models without the Fender logo.

I can't find any on Google and my 90s duo sonic has it, but if there are some then it's still an exception rather than the norm. Epi would have more success if they had Gibson somewhere on the headstock by the logo in my opinion, and the right headstock for the model.

I know when I pick up my SG (an Epi) the headstock looks huge, almost jarring, compared to either of my Gibson's.

Rox

underdog;631660" said:

I know when I pick up my SG (an Epi) the headstock looks huge, almost jarring, compared to either of my Gibson's.

Maybe I'm mistaken with the branding.

In the picture I posted, you can see the two head stocks of the two SG guitars (one Epi, one Gibson) are pretty much the same size. If anything the Epi is slightly smaller.

GazLion

Wulfhere said:

GazLion said:

Wulfhere;631148" said:

I've got an Epiphone Riviera and I've got a lot of experience with a Sheraton too. Both of the Korean era, both structurally very good, but I think the quality of the hardware is where they make some of the savings. In the case of my Riviera I changed the tuners for Grover rotomatics, the bridge for a slightly wider spaced Gotoh, new pickups from Mojo and completely new electronics. I do love my Riviera and it's completely eliminated any feelings I night have had about getting an ES-335/345/355. It sits quite happily with my USA Les Paul and Jaguar.

I've been looking at rivieras too. Did yours originally have the mini bumbuckers in it or p90's? I've heard that the standard mini humbuckers in these aren't very good, but are there many after market mini humbucker options available? I'd be interested in the p90 version, but I hate the look of 3 pickup guitars unless it's a Strat!

@GazLion My Riviera has full sized PAFs but as you say you can get them in mini-HBs. As others have said you can get aftermarket mini-HBs and having just checked our UK makers' websites, Oil City, Mojo and The Creamery will do them for you - use one of them and keep the money in the UK!

Mini-humbuckers are usually interchangable with soap-bar P90s but not the dog-eared ones that you'll find on the P90 Royale Riviera.

Many thanks for the info, much appreciated. And yes I am a fan of Oil City's work so they will be my first point of call. 

underdog

Rox;631667" said:

[quote="underdog;631660"]
I know when I pick up my SG (an Epi) the headstock looks huge, almost jarring, compared to either of my Gibson's.

Maybe I'm mistaken with the branding.

In the picture I posted, you can see the two head stocks of the two SG guitars (one Epi, one Gibson) are pretty much the same size. If anything the Epi is slightly smaller.[/quote]

I'm going to get obsessive and measure the difference when I get home tonight From the last tuning post to tip of headstock is a big expanse of nothingness.

Moss

I'm a Casino player and I love it 

Rox

Moss said:

I'm a Casino player and I love it 

Gamble responsibly, dude.  The house always wins.

Nunogilberto

Nothing wrong with Epis whatsoever. Some of the selector switches on certain models are dodgy, but all the ones I've ever owned and played have been nice enough.

I want to buy a cheap humbuckered Junior and mod the feck out of it...

Rox

@underdog - just for you, I've just measured the distance between the top tuning peg and the highest point of the headstock - and there's perhaps 1mm in it.

The reason why you think there's a vast expanse of extra wood is because the Gibson "G" is 1", but the Epi "e" is 1/2".  Visually, the Epi logo isn't as tall, so doesn't fill the space the same way.

To all intents and purposes, the headstocks are virtually identical size wise.  Like I said, the Epi is the open book (or wings) with the corners clipped off.

underdog

Rox;631805" said:

@underdog - just for you, I've just measured the distance between the top tuning peg and the highest point of the headstock - and there's perhaps 1mm in it.



The reason why you think there's a vast expanse of extra wood is because the Gibson "G" is 1", but the Epi "e" is 1/2".  Visually, the Epi logo isn't as tall, so doesn't fill the space the same way.



To all intents and purposes, the headstocks are virtually identical size wise.  Like I said, the Epi is the open book (or wings) with the corners clipped off.

Well I stand by points a) they are ugly b) they are wrong on anything that's a Gibson clone and c) it is part of the reason they're not as accepted as squire.

Which was the point I was making

Corvus

My son has an LP that needed fret levelling but otherwise fit & finish is excellent. Got a Dot which is fine, also need a bit of minor fret work, and will get new pickups. It actually feels better and is better finished than a couple of 335s I've seen. Which given Gibson's variable finishing standards may not be saying much, but hey..

The LP's headstock looks OK. It's like Rox's but unbound. I think being plain plus the sides being scooped does make it seem thinner & longer, but it's fine. Sheratons look good to me, my Dot one was hideous, pissed me off enough to chop & re-shape it.

Rox

@underdog - I do think there's a big difference between Epi and Squier - Epiphone is treated as a separate company by and large; it existed before Gibson bought it.

Squier was created specifically as a subsidiary to create cheaper Fender guitars.

What I was saying on the last page was that Squier have gone through a brand renaissance in the last few years, prices and appreciation of their new offerings are going up.  That's irrespective of the headstock shape - it's always been that way.  Early to mid 2000's and Squiers were at their lowest ebb, in my view.

So why isn't the raise in quality at Epiphone getting the same sort reception?  In my view, that has nothing to do with the headstock. 

Still, we'll have to agree to disagree on that one...

shaunm

So looking at this I am thinking that the LP 1960 tribute is the LP to buy?