What guitar do I get?!?!
celluloid_love
Posts: 62
I know this is an extremely common question, but I have some idea of what I want so I'll explain my dilemma.
I was planning on getting a Gibson ES335 Reissue, but today the dude in this shop I went to tells me that Gibsons just aren't worht the money you pay for them anymore. He said it would be equally as good to spend $700 on an Epiphone Dot than it would to spend $3500 on the Gibson equivalent.
I also noticed (as I tried a few other guitars, including the Tele Custom, some Gretsch Solidbody of which I can't remember the model) that I could get similar sounds from all of them as I configured the EQ to what I personally like.
From this I decided that it will really come down to aesthetic preference + feel, once I decide on a good quality guitar that I like the sound of.
I liked all the guitars I tried today, but, none of them blew me away. I did however like the punch that the Tele fed out.
Helpppppppp lol (the problem is, I can't figure out what I want anymore, everyone tells you something different)
I appreciate any assistance from you guys, thank you
I was planning on getting a Gibson ES335 Reissue, but today the dude in this shop I went to tells me that Gibsons just aren't worht the money you pay for them anymore. He said it would be equally as good to spend $700 on an Epiphone Dot than it would to spend $3500 on the Gibson equivalent.
I also noticed (as I tried a few other guitars, including the Tele Custom, some Gretsch Solidbody of which I can't remember the model) that I could get similar sounds from all of them as I configured the EQ to what I personally like.
From this I decided that it will really come down to aesthetic preference + feel, once I decide on a good quality guitar that I like the sound of.
I liked all the guitars I tried today, but, none of them blew me away. I did however like the punch that the Tele fed out.
Helpppppppp lol (the problem is, I can't figure out what I want anymore, everyone tells you something different)
I appreciate any assistance from you guys, thank you
WE'RE FAITHFULL
WE ALL BELIEVE
WE ALL BELIEVE IT
WE ALL BELIEVE
WE ALL BELIEVE IT
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
Well, then, don't let other people tell you what you want. Figure out what YOU want.
There are a lot of options out there. Not only are there a lot of different designs already, but there are endless ways to customize them with different electronics, hardware, etc.
There is a lot of truth that you pay a lot of money for the name when you buy a Gibson these days. Vintage models are a little better, but more expensive... newer models just don't have a great level of quality control. You could take 10 identical ES335's and play them all in a row, and two or three will be good, five will be 'okay', and a couple will be complete crap (at least, considering the price).
However, if you take your time and check out several models, and save a little money for a proper set-up after purchase, I think you can still get a much better guitar from Gibson than from Epiphone.
Epi's are similar to Gibson in that you have to play a few before you find "the one." They have good wood, good construction, decent electronics, decent pickups. Honestly, for about $1,000 you can get an Epi version, upgrade the pickups and tuners, get it set up right, and have a better playing guitar than a showroom-floor Gibson. The best part is, you don't feel like you need to baby it like a $3500 Gibson. You can bring it to the gig, play it around the house, really break it in... actually get your money's worth out of it.
If it were me in your shoes, I'd probably admire the Gibson while I write the check for the Epiphone, and start looking for pickups. And the second (and even third) guitar you'll afford with the money you saved.
just to clarify here, did you mean from "Epiphone than from Gibson" rather than what you wrote?
also, I tried a 1979 model Gibson hollowbody. Was this guitar made during the period when Gibson were producing lower quality guitars, or was this just during the 80s? Or am I totally confused?...
WE ALL BELIEVE
WE ALL BELIEVE IT
i've put gibson 57s in it (same pups as the 335) and will soon upgrade the rest of the wiring. i switched out the crappy plastic nut with a graphtech and the guitar already had grover tuners.
it feels damn good. but i also have two gibsons (SG and paul) and the epi's quality doesn't come close.
however, dot=$530CAN + $280CAN for pickups.
gibson 335 = $3500CAN (at least)
the gibson is not 5 times the guitar the epiphone is for sure.
have a look at the epiphone elitist 335.
but just get what feels best to you and gives you the sound you want. that's all that matters.
The Epiphones are laminated maple construction, whereas the gibson version is solid maple. Usually a solid wood guitar will change with age, as the wood hardens and sets. That may take years, or never happen.
A laminated guitar will probably keep the same sound as time goes by.
You find flaws with the gibson version as well as the epiphones. You have to look through stacks of both.
With modern construction, the bodies are all designed and cut with machines, so they are much more accurate than they used to be. You can't just say "they don't build them like they used to". I think a lot of cheaper guitars,, electic AND acoustic are really good now.
Like Exhausted says,,, if you get an Epiphone, and want a nice guitar, you depend on replacing the pickups , nut and saddle, tuners maybe. But that's far cheaper than the Gibson for a minimal to maybe not discernable sound difference, and may not be as afraid to experiment with different hardware and all.
Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
__________________________________
No, Gibson uses better woods and electronics, definitely a step up in overall material quality. I guess I would say Gibsons have more *potential* than Epiphones. The only question is, are they worth the huge price premium?
My opinion is that Gibson made great guitars up through the early 90's, then started to slip. And really, it's not their manufacturing that slipped, it's their quality control and set-ups to final customers. That's why saving a little money to have a REALLY GOOD set-up performed would be a great idea.
The Epi's are probably a better value, but the Gibson is still the better overall guitar.
I have the '72 Tele Custom reissue, MiM. I swapped the 3 saddle bridge it came with for a 6 saddle bridge. I kept the stock pups. Then I had my friend Jamie Wiens (http://www.mandolinbuilder.com/) do the set up. He did the intonation, string height, checked and dialed in the correct truss rod setting. It cost me $70, but it was well worth it as I know that everything is set up the way I want it.
Anyways, he also said that it was the best set up guitar (from a factory) he had seen. He didn't have to adjust much. He had to adjust my strat more than my tele, and my tele was $1000 cheaper.
So yeah, my two cents is that if you go with a tele...go with the '72 reissue. My other two cents is that whatever guitar you choose, get a proper set up done to it. Get it set up with the strings you want to use, etc.
9-4-05 Calgary (10c Tix!)
8-8-09 Calgary
9-21-12 Calgary (10c Tix! Row 12!!)
My URL
http://www.myspace.com/thehuskytruckers
http://www.facebook.com
thank you
WE ALL BELIEVE
WE ALL BELIEVE IT
It's worth the money, plays well, sounds great, looks good. Headstock is different from the Gibson, otherwise it's cosmetically identical.
Here's some homework:
http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Epiphone/Elite--63-335-Dot-01.html
http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Epiphone/ES-335-Dot-01.html
http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Epiphone/ES-335-Dot-Deluxe-01.html
http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Gibson/Custom-Shop-ES-335-01.html
http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Gibson/ES-335-Dot-Reissue-01.html
http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Gibson/ES-335-01.html
http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Gibson/B-B--King-Lucille-01.html