New IBG Epiphones - Get them before Eagle does

[SillyOctpuss]

Yep, Google agrees with you. And it looks like I may have misspoken re: "Elitist" vs. "Elite"? I'm learning as I go here.

Elite was the first year of production and I think they got a cease and desist from Fender maybe? They had to change the name to Elitist. I think it was about 2004ish

 

[V|J]

Welcome to the new world of guitar prices. We have several standard production Fenders over $3k now and MIM Fenders hitting $1600.

I bought an EBMM Majesty for $2k brand new about 6 years ago, today the Sterling Majesty is $1599.

The days of thinking of import guitars as cheap versions of the “real thing” are over. The industry is moving towards the imports being the standard and the American made versions being the upscale luxury versions

Phil McKnight in a video said that if the Marketing dept had its way years ago, most guitars would be imports.

US would have only highly skilled labour doing custom shop offerings in small numbers.
Seems to be heading that way.

 

[metropolis_4]

All of this product line differentiation is standard Marketing 101 that every single company out there does. I’m not sure why Epiphone/Gibson get dumped on for using standard industry practices that every other company uses

Every guitar manufacturer in the world exists to make profits. Maximizing profit margins is the name of the game.

 

[Chocol8]

Uh, most guitars ARE imports and it isn't marketing departments driving that. It has been guitar buyers. For the last 20 plus years, people have been buying multiple cheaper guitars instead of one or two good ones.

 

[Chocol8]

All of this product line differentiation is standard Marketing 101 that every single company out there does. I’m not sure why Epiphone/Gibson get dumped on for using standard industry practices that every other company uses

Every guitar manufacturer in the world exists to make profits. Maximizing profit margins is the name of the game.

I think Gibson gets more heat because their prices to quality ratio have been worse than others. At times, MUCH worse. They have to carry the Henry J baggage along with the missteps of the new owners.

 

[Progressive_disclosure]

I battled internal demons for a while before grabbing my nx6 prog. I do still think theyre vastly overpriced given country of origin, but doesn’t change the fact that they’re amazing guitars and the only way to “get a strandberg” is to get a Strandberg

The endurneck is indeed awesome

I would’ve never gotten a new nx prog 7 if it wasn’t massive discounted like it was when I bought mine. Retail prices are pretty much insane last I checked. Really wish Strandberg all the best, even visited their office and hung out with some of them. Hope the budget versions are selling.

Also, WTF is up with the price tags on these Epis… Who is the target demographic? Just puzzling.

 

[gearJunkie]

Are these supposed to fill the same gap as the PRS S2 line, with the standard Epiphone as the PRS SE, and Gibson as PRS core?

I thought all Epiphones were inspired by Gibson.

 

[spawnofthesith]

I would’ve never gotten a new nx prog 7 if it wasn’t massive discounted like it was when I bought mine. Retail prices are pretty much insane last I checked. Really wish Strandberg all the best, even visited their office and hung out with some of them. Hope the budget versions are selling.

Also, WTF is up with the price tags on these Epis… Who is the target demographic? Just puzzling.

yeah I opted for a used prog for about $900 less than what they retail new

 

[Chocol8]

Also, WTF is up with the price tags on these Epis… Who is the target demographic? Just puzzling.

I think what they are trying to do is add another level of price/features/quality. The Gibsons are going even higher in price and these "better" Epi's are filling in the middle for people who want a Gibson but can't afford the price tag. They at least get the headstock and pickups I guess.

If you look at Fender, they have multiple levels of Squier and then multiple levels of Fender to cover every price point except the extreme low end.

 

[nicolasrivera]

Huh? I wouldn't mind one of these. I've been chasing a TV Yellow DC Jr. for years, and
have never found the right deal to make me jump.

$999 USD.

I have the SC, i aged it and its a great workhorse guitar! im going to get the DC to do a full relic on it. This guitars scream the aged look! Well in my eyes.

 

[la szum]

If I were in the market for one I’d spend the money and get the Beato.

Way too Boomer even for me.



I could never live with myself. Fuck, I'd mock and harass my own ass for ever owning such a "Signature" guitar.

Look forward to your future NGD, Mutah!

 

[la szum]

My first really great guitar, that was not an hand-me-down, was a Les Paul Studio I
bought on layaway my Junior Year of High School. $349 plus a 10% layaway fee.

Less than $400 out the door when all was said and done.

 

[mbenigni]

While this thread was happening, I think I talked myself into buying another Epiphone.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Not to be too wet blanket but walking through Gibson Garage yesterday and looking at rows and rows of shitty looking Epiphone headstock was seriously a buzzkill. Maye an Epi V where they're forced to use the correct looking headstock

 

[Chocol8]

Not to be too wet blanket but walking through Gibson Garage yesterday and looking at rows and rows of shitty looking Epiphone headstock was seriously a buzzkill. Maye an Epi V where they're forced to use the correct looking headstock

I thought they were using the Gibson shape on the IBG series? Not that I was going to buy one, but I thought that was a big selling point to help justify the markup.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I thought they were using the Gibson shape on the IBG series? Not that I was going to buy one, but I thought that was a big selling point to help justify the markup.

They are I think. This was a comment on seeing soooooo many Epis with that modified turd headstock they normally ship with. Ugh.

 

[Chocol8]

modified turd headstock they normally ship with. Ugh.

LOL, I do wonder who designed that headstock and if it was intentionally bad or if the designer was blind.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

My first really great guitar, that was not an hand-me-down, was a Les Paul Studio I
bought on layaway my Junior Year of High School. $349 plus a 10% layaway fee.

Less than $400 out the door when all was said and done.

I really like that dude.

 

[greatmutah]

Way too Boomer even for me.



I could never live with myself. Fuck, I'd mock and harass my own ass for ever owning such a "Signature" guitar.

Look forward to your future NGD, Mutah!

Don’t tempt me with a good time haha. I think the only thing that would hold me back on it would be the slim taper neck. It’s not a bad neck at all but I like the 50s and Rounded 59 shapes more.

 

[Chocol8]

Way too Boomer even for me.



I could never live with myself. Fuck, I'd mock and harass my own ass for ever owning such a "Signature" guitar.

Look forward to your future NGD, Mutah!

It actually looked like a decent version of the DC with worthwhile upgrades from the tributes (bridge, controls) and an OK new price for a Gibson. The signature is only on the truss rod cover so easily "fixed". At least that was what I told myself when trying to talk myself into buying one, but admittedly, it didn't work.