New IBG Epiphones - Get them before Eagle does

[greatmutah]

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.

I generally prefer plain black truss rod covers with no writing anyway so that would be an easy swap for me.

 

[Chocol8]

I generally prefer plain black truss rod covers with no writing anyway so that would be an easy swap for me.

Then I think you should check one out. I think it is a better guitar than the Tribute and half the cost of the typical 60's custom shop version.

 

[mbenigni]

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

Believe it or not, you eventually get used to it. Or maybe it helps that I've never really loved the "proper" Gibson headstock either? It all looks like something dad made in his middle school woodworking class to me. And as has been beaten to death, the taper is all wrong from a mechanical perspective.

 

[paisleywookiee]

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

Yeah, that's not bad. The Strandberg is NOT a $2400 guitar. Even though more recent experiences have been more favorable, I still think they're fucking high as a kite with their pricing.

 

[greatmutah]

Believe it or not, you eventually get used to it. Or maybe it helps that I've never really loved the "proper" Gibson headstock either? It all looks like something dad made in his middle school woodworking class to me. And as has been beaten to death, the taper is all wrong from a mechanical perspective.

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As far as Epi headstocks go, I do think the Kalamazoo headstock is an improvement over the old clipped ear headstock. Except on the Sheraton. For some reason that headstock shape being even bigger works. Feels less cramped.

 

[spawnofthesith]

As far as Epi headstocks go, I do think the Kalamazoo headstock is an improvement over the old clipped ear headstock. Except on the Sheraton. For some reason that headstock shape being even bigger works. Feels less cramped.

I was cool with the he headstock on my old Sheraton


I was cool with that guitar for a lot of reasons, and the fact that it is an actual Epiphone design and not a budget knock off made it seem cooler


Mine wasn’t even a Korean it was MIC, but it could still hang and vibe with the big boys

Tbh it would still probably be hanging around to this day had my ex not smashed it with a huge quartz crystal


(In fairness She did buy it for me to begin with, unsure if that makes the outcome any better or not lmao)

 

[DrewJD82]

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.

Damn dude, have you played it yet? That thing looks untouched!

 

[spawnofthesith]

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.

Didn’t know studios ever had binding!!!



Similar tale with my first LP…. Senior in high school and they were more like $8-900 in 2011. Months and months of layaway with a glorious payoff at the end


Cringy senior photos are the only pics I have of that guitar, don’t even recognize myself

 

[Jarick]

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.

Import prices have risen so much that Fender had to add a line of guitars below the Mexican imports.

It will be interesting to see what Gibson does in that $1000-1500 price range. They used to do the USA Faded models that were like $600, those became Tributes and prices went from $900 to $1200, now those seem discontinued and Studios are about $1800. Seems more like they are doing "high end" Epiphones in that $1000-1500 range now.

 

[Eagle]

Yeah, that's not bad. The Strandberg is NOT a $2400 guitar. Even though more recent experiences have been more favorable, I still think they're fucking high as a kite with their pricing.

What exactly is it about them that you think doesn’t make them the money? Remember a Suhr pro is a lot more. Is not built like other Cort guitars and the hardware and electronics are considerably more expensive than anything else they use. Yes they downgraded the wood selection last time but only cosmetics because the neck is also gra!phite reinforced. So we have Suhr pickups, cts pots, oak super switch , pure tone jack, bespoke milled hardware, thin finish,Jescar frets. On mine the wood is also top spec. As premium as possible in my case and pretty flawless (on mine).

I know that it’s not everyone’s experience but what would need to be different?

 

[paisleywookiee]

What exactly is it about them that you think doesn’t make them the money? Remember a Suhr pro is a lot more. Is not built like other Cort guitars and the hardware and electronics are considerably more expensive than anything else they use. Yes they downgraded the wood selection last time but only cosmetics because the neck is also gra!phite reinforced. So we have Suhr pickups, cts pots, oak super switch , pure tone jack, bespoke milled hardware, thin finish,Jescar frets. On mine the wood is also top spec. As premium as possible in my case and pretty flawless (on mine).
View attachment 42967
I know that it’s not everyone’s experience but what would need to be different?

Come on, man. They are built like other Cort guitars. The quality isn’t at all on par with other $2400 guitars. You think these line up to a high end Fender Strat or a PRS CE24? I sure don’t. It’s a $1500 guitar, tops. Additionally, the labor cost is FAR lower. Strandberg is milking customers for the uniqueness.

The fit and finish is still inconsistent. Some are pretty perfect. Others have fret and finish issues. You know; like a $1000-$1500 Schecter or LTD.

We’ve had this discussion.
It never ceases to amaze me how you positively shit on a lot of people’s purchases here, and then glow over mediocrity with other brands.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Bringing up Suhr pricing is irrelevant, the employees working at cortek in Indonesia are making a fraction of the wages a Suhr employee in the US is making. It's not about the quality of the product, its about strandberg doing all sorts of cost cutting measures to pocket extra change and still charge as if it were a much more expensive to produce instrument


Where I'll differ with wookie is that I do feel like quality on mine is pretty much on par or at least very close to my USA built stuff. However, there are a whole lot of legitimate tales of fairly widespread QC nightmares so that seems to be luck of the draw (and I'm not just talking about the internet being the internet either)

 

[paisleywookiee]

Where I'll differ with wookie is that I do feel like quality on mine is pretty much on par or at least very close to my USA built stuff.

It can be really good. I’m saying it’s not consistent. As much as I’m not a big Fender fan, I’ve never checked out a $2000+ Fender and thought “this needs a fret level, and why does it have pocket gaps and finish flaws?”

 

[SillyOctpuss]

I didn't realise they were all made by Cortek. I thought they had an expensive line made in Sweden? I think? And then a more budget line made in Indonesia. Are they all made in Indonesia now?

 

[spawnofthesith]

I didn't realise they were all made by Cortek. I thought they had an expensive line made in Sweden? I think? And then a more budget line made in Indonesia. Are they all made in Indonesia now?

Made to measure/custom shop was made in sweden but those were ended in 2018. Futurs are also made in sweden for around $6.5k and thats a waitlist guitar

They have the "J Artisen" line that are made in Japan, those run around $8k a pop

I think they have some model anounced at NAMM thats going to be US built by Acacia Guitars?

But the vast majority of everything is currently MII


Theyve been built all over the place in the past though use/korea/japan/etc

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Made to measure/custom shop was made in sweden but those were ended in 2018. Futurs are also made in sweden for around $6.5k and thats a waitlist guitar

They have the "J Artisen" line that are made in Japan, those run around $8k a pop

I think they have some model anounced at NAMM thats going to be US built by Acacia Guitars?

But the vast majority of everything is currently MII


Theyve been built all over the place in the past though use/korea/japan/etc

It was probably the Made to Measure that confused me.

 

[83stratman]

I just don't get the appeal of a $1300 epiphone. you can get a used studio for waaaay less than that, and can typical find a used traditional for maybe $100 more without having to look too hard

This past fall I was selling my '19 Trad Pro V maple top in MINT condition. After a few months I had to settle for $1300 for it.

 

[83stratman]

They've got the same pots as the standard 50s epiphone so you're paying £600 more for pickups, tone caps, a case and the gibson headstock. That's seriously steep. I'd rather buy the 50s and upgrade it myself. Most of the hardware is probably the same too and the wood stock will definitely be the same.

Rosewood.

 

[83stratman]

Yeah I don't know if they still do the veneers on the back anymore. I think Fender used to do that too with American standards in the dark days to cover how many pieces of alder they'd used.

Dark days? So you think Fender's dark days are from '87-'98ish?

 

[83stratman]

Yeah I don't know if they still do the veneers on the back anymore. I think Fender used to do that too with American standards in the dark days to cover how many pieces of alder they'd used.

Certain lower end models have veneered backs.