Rooster07 wrote:may I ask on your opinion regarding epi LP vs. Gibson LP...?
i.e. what do you find are the main differences...
I've been playing Gibsons since 1994, and I can say these are the main differences
Keep in mind I love it so far.
Allow me to be really harsh and picky:
1. The quality of the plastic. i.e. the pickguard and the toggle ring. The thickness and hardness of the epi pickguard I don't like as much. It's thicker. On the toggle ring, it looks bigger and the fonts are HUGE and printed in black, the Gibson ones have small letters and gold imprint. I'm a graphic designer, so I'm picky 
Is that a deal breaker? heck no.
2. The weight. I really got used to heavy Les Pauls and explorers. The Epi is on the light side. That can be seen as 'better' but to me it doesn't feel as "authentic."
3. The finish on the guitar feels thicker on the Epi and more glassy/plasticy. The Gibson finishes I'm used to are thinner and the shine Gibsons get don't look as if the guitar was laminated. Am I making too big of a deal of this... probably. I do like the finish on the Epi. It's not bad my any measurement.
4. One thing Epi really got correct is the neck angle. You can always tell Korean LP copys because of the binding on the neck intersecting with the fretboard inidcators on the edge of the neck.
http://www.gibson.com/Files/aaFeaturesI … feit04.jpg
Epiphone looks identical to the Gibson. Great job.
5. The pickups on the Epi don't cut through in band practice. I found myself cranking the mids on my EQ whereas I could keep the settings the same on my amp for all of my guitars. Probably just needs new pickups.
6. I wish Epiphone would make a Gibson cut headstock. I know that would lead to more fakes, but ESP does this with LTD and Squier does this for Fender. I don't see a problem.
7. The neck shape and contour feels different, but that's every guitar. Even between different Gibsons. That just means you gotta find a neck profile you like. And I like the Epi I have. I just have more years on the Gibson.
8. The pickup selector switch is longer and seems to stick out too far. I want to replace this with a Gibson pickup selector switch.
I think for the money, if you cannot afford a Gibson the Epiphone can be one of the closest ways to get there... if you find one you like. There's good ones and there's great ones.
- Nic from Detroit...
posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006Ask me about my handwound
Great Lakes Guitar Pickups Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping.
