Epiphones finish quality gone to the dogs

Rayjaysonic · Post by **Rayjaysonic** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 10:16 pm

I was in PMT today (they really didn't think that name through) just for a browse. They had a big selection of Epiphones and the finish on them looked very dodgy. Especially the plus tops. The tiger stripes looked badly matched with a very obviouse centre join and the paint job looked very poor. My 06 plus top looks stunning (much more comparable with the Gibson finish) in comparison to the Epi range currently on stock.

gypsyseven · Post by **gypsyseven** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 10:23 pm

I can just tell how great the finish is on my Â´61 Anniversary Casino. Amazing looking - amazing sounding.

Rayjaysonic · Post by **Rayjaysonic** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 10:25 pm

The semis all looked good, just the les Paul's that looked like a dgs dinner.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 12:59 am

Epiphone Les Pauls have always been badly finished. They use woodgrain stickers for the trans-tops and their solid-colour customs go outside the lines at the binding and everything, real sloppy around the neck joints usually.

Rox · Post by **Rox** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 9:13 am

Epiphone quality for the most part sucks right out the factory.. Especially archtops ... So so many I've played at shops that were almost unplayable with sharp frets , crooked mounted pots , noisy , etc . I;ve always like the Riv P93s ..Seem a bargain. Till I play one. Then they need a set up, fret work , and other little things .. Yeah , and try to get it covered under warranty . Warranty sucks .. Unless it's an Elitist.. Then they're so good you won't need to worry..

Dear Gibson: After you unfuck Gibson please unfuck Epiphone ... Thanks ..

Snowing in Hell yet ?

honeyiscool · Post by **honeyiscool** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 6:51 pm

I have enjoyed all of my Epiphone guitars.

SKC Willie · Post by **SKC Willie** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:19 pm

honeyiscool wrote:I have enjoyed all of my Epiphone guitars.

agreed. every semi I have played the finish was amazing and they played better than the Gibson counter parts. If you're complaining about an Epiphone flame burst being terrible because it doesn't match, you need some perspective. It's an Epiphone, not a 3k Les Paul. As far as painting on the binding and such, I can't comment because I've never seen any that had that problem.

Epiphone is a great company and the guitars they make are amazing for the price.

Dear Gibson,

Please don't F-Up Epiphone; it's pretty damn good.

Jeffrey · Post by **Jeffrey** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 9:49 pm

I've had both a new Epiphone LP Standard and a nearly new Gibson Studio LP that I got in a trade. I know it's a small sample, but the finish work on the Epiphone was at least comparable with the Gibson. They did both have some finishing issues with the frets, and I hated that niggles seemed to negatively effect what was otherwise a solid set of guitars. However, they were both painted, so I couldn't comment on flametop differences.

One of my bandmates works in a guitar store and for the longest time swore by the QC of relatively affordable guitars from companies like Schecter, although he seems to think they've had a recent increase in QC issues. It just seems like a area that companies need to get right, and that even when you've done a good job you have to remain vigilant, lest new problems begin to crop up.

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 11:32 pm

I've voiced my opinions about them before but Epiphones of today (chinese) are pretty average as far as I'm concerned.

They do the bulk of the guitar properly yet fail badly in some respects.

90% of guitar returns / repairs in the shop I work for are Epiphone.

The more and more I spend time with them the more I feel they're like toys. They do not take well to setups / truss rod adjustments etc. It's a real nightmare. The service is extremely slow and very blazay....

Caked in crude thick lacquer, the finishing and attention to detail is questionable.

The frets are my pet hate, they're often uneven, and have rough ends and gritty / unpolished .... it's disgusting. 'Performance is our Passion' ... really ??

They often fail electronically and bits drop off them on a regular basis.

They're packaged and shipped with insufficient protection and often delivered with broken necks / dings.

To me they seem lifeless as if you covered the amp with a duvet. Not for me !!

Customers are really blown over by initial aesthetics and appearance... and often don't see past that. It's like Slash's isn't it !!!

I do favour the 'worn' Epiphones / those upgraded with Gibson pickups / Hollow Bodies / Korean made versions / designs original to Epiphone.. and if you were to spend some time ironing out some of the problems I do think you have the basis of a good guitar.

Personally, I'd rather spend another Â£50-100 extra and have it done properly. It's not like they're way off the mark which is what aggravates me most.

To me they don't come close to similarly (& cheaper) priced Squiers / Schecters / Yamahas etc etc...

SKC Willie · Post by **SKC Willie** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 11:57 pm

I just disagree. That is totally opposite my experience. If people are buying the epi les pauls to look like slash, that's on the buyer, not the seller. although, they seem to be doing well in the market.

I have an epi dot studio and it's a go to guitar. I'd rather play that guitar when jamming over almost any of my guitars. Hotrod loves his epi dot and has told me it's his only guitar he won't loan to people. they're great guitars but they are going to be more high maintenance than a tele, maybe that's Epiphone's fault but a certain amount of it is also the design of the guitar.

duosonic · Post by **duosonic** » Tue Jan 31, 2012 6:06 am

I the past year I've seen alot of people touring with epiphones. Can't figure out why. But they sound pretty good. I always do a quick double-take and then go. huh? then i forget it's an epiphone and just enjoy the music.

Rayjaysonic · Post by **Rayjaysonic** » Tue Jan 31, 2012 3:22 pm

Don't get me wrong, I have always quite been into Epiphones, I have an SG and a Les Paul. The finish on both is amazing and once you have sorted ou the dodgy electrics they are great guitars. I was just shocked to see such poor examples on display in my local guitar shop at the weekend and wondered if Gibson had lowered the quality of Epiphones because they looked too close to there very expensive cousins (Â£1800 for a Les Paul Standard??? Come off it Gibson, it's not like they are rare, and the electronics anly account for Â£200 worth of the asking price).

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Tue Jan 31, 2012 4:49 pm

SKC Willie wrote:Hotrod loves his epi dot and has told me it's his only guitar he won't loan to people.

+1

it really is amazingly nice. i love it to bits, and will never sell it.

my epiphone goth les paul is my number one loaner, but only because i paid $20 for it and it's got a big chunky neck (but still comfortable). my friend with big hands who just likes to make noise enjoys the girth (of the neck profile, you sick, homo-erotic bastard).

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Tue Jan 31, 2012 5:59 pm

i got one of those epiphone les paul specials with p90s. it's a great guitar, sounds nice, plays nice. think it needs the intonation fixed though, some chords just sound a little off even when it's in tune.