Has EPIPHONE Gotten TOO GOOD FOR GIBSON?
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- čas přidán 21. 11. 2021
- Epiphone has long been the value / economy sub-brand of Gibson guitars... they've been steadily improving and if this Epiphone Korina Flying V is any indication, there's not much reason left to pay the extra money for a true Gibson!
Thoughts? Comments?
Amp used in demo (Fender GTX100): amzn.to/2PaHk4c
Here's a link to a used guitar (same kind of guitar) on Ebay: ebay.us/cLQGm4
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Rubric: -5 points for Danzig references. -5 points for not reading the description. -5 points for not watching far enough into the video to answer your own question. -5 points for misquoting me in your comment. 20 points possible. Everyone starts with an A! - Hudba
Epiphone have been making high quality crafted guitars since 2019 its awesome to see Epiphone making high end guitars again like they did way back in the past Les Paul would be proud today of his Epiphones
@@creamwobbly the 2019 Epiphone Exclusive Deluxe G400 Sg Pro limited run is what I'm actually talking about they are now going on the used market for up to $600.00 plus their run was short and they have gone up in Value and are collectable I was offered $650 for mine and the answer was no and always will be No..
My 2003 Les Paul custom is awesome...they have been good for some time now they are just getting more recognized now.
@@erockscott1184 Epiphone is now using Caps instead of veneer Epiphone should be getting the recognition considering Les Paul invented his solid body guitar the Log in the Epiphone factory 10 years before Gibson was even a thought...Les Paul had been involved with Epiphone from 1940 up until his death in August 2009..long before he joined up with Gibson
@@erockscott1184 Epiphone - 1873 Gibson - 1902 so whose you're daddy Gibson
I'd go back as far as 2015 myself and agree Les Paul would be very proud!
Epiphone Customs Moderns and prophecy Models are high end guitars and the high end price tags will soon follow its already started
Absolutely agree
Yeah
Yeah, that is what I have noticed. The budget guitars are not budget anymore. Even a squire costs 4 to 500 now. I would rather buy another aio/wolf guitar.
Indeed they are, what I like so much about the current prophesy models is thier voicing you modern metal voice your traditional PAF voice and a noise cancelling single coil voice.
What's not to love plus you get to decide between a traditional look or a modern look aged tiger burst is stunning.
I got a Prophecy and its shit.... frets weren't level and the finishing details were poor... and Prophecys dont come with a case.
Not worth the £800.
Same with my Epiphone Tony Iommi. Terrible fret work, absolutely garbage tuners (the exact same ones as on my £200 LTD)
Twice I've been let down and I dont think high end Epiphones are worth the price. I except if it had been a cheaper Epiphone then youd have to make compromises in order for it to be affordable. But the high end ones I had still felt like cheap Epiphones.
My Gibsons on the other hand are leagues ahead (and so they should be)
My SG Special, even adjusted for inflation is better value for money than either of my Epiphones were.
For the same sort of money as a high end Epiphone you're better off with an LTD or Ibanez.
I am 73 so I was playing when Gibson was not priced crazy higher than other brands, they were still more expensive but not stupid high. Also the quality on Epiphone was not where it is today. I have sold guitars now for over 15 years after retiring from my every day job so I have had a lot of time to play a lot of different brands. In today's world there is no way I would pay what Gibson wants for a good model versus what I can get for a mid to high end Epiphone, the difference is just not there for the price difference. In fact I have had customers write me back who purchased a higher end Epiphone and tell me they like it better than the same model Gibson that they own.
You are absolutely right , i have 3 Epiphones , an LP studio , SG G400 Pro and a 58' Korina Explorer. Iv'e had no issues at all , they were flawless. The only thing i did was minor truss rod adjustment and lower the action , also string changes. Which i do on all new guitars , but the QC was fantastic and these Epi's are 3x less than an overpriced Gibson's!
gibson hasn't made a les paul since 1960. in the 1970s they were plywood, since 1983 they have al ben hollowed out weight relieved garbage except a very few custom shop $10,000 guitar . gibson priced them according to what the 1952-1960 real les pauls are reselling for
Honestly, Epiphone was brilliant quality before Gibson bought them and made them their "affordable" brand, but even so, their quality has gone back to high and the difference between a high-end Epiphone and a Gibson isn't that far off. Brilliant video!
I used to work for epiphone.... I remember the elite series... was far superior to what was being made over in the Gibson building... the epiphone elite series scared the hell out of Gibson management
I love my Epi 84 Ex Explorer. Bought it in about 2018. Love it, never disappoints. Gibson should be scared. No one needs them or their " look at me" prices.
Yep, the Elitist series was fantastic. Japanese made with American electronics, and sub-$1k. The head stock turned some people off, but those guitars were so good, why be so picky? I should have grabbed one when I had the chance. good luck finding one now.
I love my Epiphone Elitist SG, as much as I love my Gibson SG Special, the Epiphone blows it out of the water
I own an elitist Les Paul and a SG and a Byrdland and it's true these are awesome guitars whose quality is as high if not better than my Gibsons...
When you combine Japanese craftsmanship and attention to detail with American electronics you get something exceptional...
As for the headstocks I couldn't care less 🙂 I have a lot of Epiphones with the older headstocks, newer ones and Gibsons but I really don't care...
All I care about is the sound and comfort of the guitars...
I understand why Gibson got scared back then...
the Gibson management fears the Elitist
Epiphone has been killing it lately. They make incredible guitars not just for the money but an overall incredible guitar.
That's why I never really understood when people would say a guitar is "really good...for the money". Does that mean it's a really good guitar because it's cheap? If that same guitar cost double, would it no longer be a "really good" guitar? I believe a good guitar is a good guitar...regardless of price, where it was made, or what name is on the headstock. If it looks good, feels good, plays good, and sounds good, then it IS good.
@@OddTimeMan I think what they mean is "I can overlook it's flaws (whatever they may be) cause I'm not paying too much. I can kinda see where they are coming from. I had a Squier Strat growing up and thought it was a nice guitar. However I wouldn't pay $300 for it as that's how much I got a Fender Telecaster for and it blows the Squier away in ever aspect. I do agree though a nice guitar is a nice guitar, and I will still say that Squier is a good guitar.
@@WREDog I think what people mean when they say that is "it's a good bargain", meaning you get a lot for your money. That's easier to understand in my opinion.
Epiphone guitars are improving in quality, probably since the QC has improved either to switching country of manufacture or just due to due diligence. At any rate the product is improved. Thanks for sharing Max!
Whilest they might say epiphone on the headstock they every bit a Gibson guitar, Gibson built a purpose built factory in China specifically to build epiphone guitars in 2002 instead of using OEM to improve consistency. It was a big risk that payed off. The quality of instruments they make is proof of that.
And someone else is in charge now and he seems to actually care more about Epiphone than the last guy
Are they still made in China? I have a 2014 lp epi and don't care for it all that much. Made in China on mine.
@@SionynJones prs se are made by cort
Every country uses German automated guitar making factories now, so country of origin doesn't matter much anymore, they are all excellent guitars - only the wood, hardware and electronics are different - quality is always close to perfect now.
just my .02 cents is if you're playing it in a live situation most in the crowd wouldn't know the difference. Obviously the only ones that notice are probably players themselves and if that means something to you then you have your answer.
Hit the nail on the head.
Nobody notices the difference, and the people who do don't care
In some cases you could play a modified Chibson and to some would think it's a legit model
these days as long as it plays good and does the required jobs then does it matter about brand / price ?
@@And1slash I had one made for me - to my specs for the body + neck - in Jan-Feb of this year. Once I got it here, and I made sure the body was how I wanted it, I spec'd it out with Seymour-Duncans, a roller bridge, Grover tuners, and a GraphTech Tusq nut. The electronics were decent enough. So, I left them in. The thing plays as nicely as any Gibson I've ever had my hands on.
I do that with just about every guitar I get. I work on them as soon as they arrive and the wood's acclimated. Sometimes, the guitars I get (Epiphone, Firefly, Harley Benton, Ibanez) don't need anything more that a regular, decent, set-up and new strings.
Yep, names mean zero these days. CNC machines make sure of that. Everyone uses them to make their guitar bodies. The only company I've seen doing VERY intensive stuff (even on their bargain models) after the CNC and basic set-up, is PRS. Their SE models are made by Cort. I had a Cort Les Paul once back in the 1980s. Never should have traded it. But, I was young and stupid.
@@Axess-sv8nq It's amazing how far the machines have come over the decades
once the " budget " guitars were just garbage - average at best but now you can get a great guitar within all budgets ( special mention to the Ibanez Mikro range being killer for the low price )
though you mentioned the Cort factory and honestly between Unsung korea and the Cort Korea factory ( when they were making them still ) are 2 that I think made the best guitars within the reasonable price range
And a good setup really does help a average guitar get better too
I wish my Gibson played as well as my Epiphone. No, thats not a mistake. Epiphone Les Paul Custom Silverburst that I upgraded (EMG Kerry King set) is an absolute beast. The neck and frets are actually nicer on my Epiphone as well.
You get duff guitars where ever they made just the nature of hand made stuff.
I have 3 Epiphone Flying Vs, one of them has P90s. It is an absolute beast of a guitar. The only thing that spoils an otherwise brilliant guitar is that it is headstock heavy and will dip if you don't keep it under control!
I have the same situation, 2021 Gibson sg limited edition olive drab USA SME exclusive, vs my 2019 epiphone les paul standard pro. My epiphone holds tune and ACTUALLY INONATES. My sg while I love it simply can't justify another Gibson....
The 90's epiphones we have here in Brazil rock the absolute shit out ov the Gibsons USA we have here now
the main difference you will find with the frets is lifespan- I have a magic epiphone-but the frets are the weak point.
I have this guitar, amazing instrument. I did find that the bridge was threaded into the pick guard on the lower post near the tone/vol controls. I installed a treaded insert to make it the same as the other and solid to the wood. Defiantly check under your pick guard and control cavity. I also have an Epiphone Wildkat. Great guitars...
I’ve been playing Epiphones for years. Love them. I just picked up the black Flying V. It’s so cool and plays so well. Thanks for your video.
I bought one of these new and I love it. Sounds great. Stays in tune well, and just fun to play overall. Thanks for doing the demo. I learned a few things I didn't know.
I owned a gibson. Had to sell it. Loved that thing. It was my 4th guitar. Haven't picked up a guitar that had such easy playability. Actually gifted me good vibrato. Now I have a Stadium. Cheap, but I learned a lot having played a guitar that doesn't absolutely kill your hand muscles. I think gibsons are worth the money in that regard. But, the passion to play doesn't include a brand. If you love playing, you'll pick up any guitar and enjoy the experience. And thats what it's all about
Can attest. I bought one of these V’s in a pawn shop several years ago. Basically brand new. I plugged it into a solid state Marshall and had the entire store (customers as well) surrounding me watching the jam. I bought it for $350 and it blows many of my Gibsons away. Also kills my friends 2 Gibson V’s. Just a great instrument.
I like the new V, except that for me it's a pain to hold. The bumper helps but it's not great. I prefer the Explorer or Firebird
its still only an Epiphone for $350
@@RByrne Use a guitar strap - problem solved (even sitting down)!
@@michaelcantinieri7890 yep. I never take the whole "blows any Gibson away" talk seriously. In what way? Tone? BS. I've been playing epiphones and Gibsons for 30 years, since i was 8, and have yet to find an Epiphone that's as good as its Gibson counterpart. The LP 59 is a good playing instrument, but it looks terrible and cheap. Like the top was airbrushed. Also, Epiphones QC is shit lately, and Gibson's is better than ever. Not saying Epiphones are bad guitars, at all. They are excellent, but Gibson are on another level.
Always great content! Thanks for all you do. I bought my 16 y/o son a used Epiphany Les Paul Custom Pro Limited Edition Koa and he is quite proud of it. He has zero Gibson envy and believes his guitar is actually better than many Gibson Les Paul editions. He bought a Squier Affinty Kit a few years back (with his own money), played it pretty regularly for 6 mos. Or so, then put it down for a couple of years. He picked it back up about six months ago and he has been progressing like crazy - practices 2-3 hours EVERY DAY! I also upgraded him to a modeling amp with much more power than his Squier kit amp. Simply providing him with an instrument that he truly loves keeps his interest in guitar burning. I know a tiny bit about guitars (I’m picking it back up again after more than 50 years), and I’ll have to say that his Epiphone is an extremely high quality instrument, beautifully finished with great hardware and electrics. Needless to say, we are big Epiphone fans. Thanks again for another great review!
A pox on spell check!
Thanks for the video, love my korina Vee too.Pretty sure it has a veneer front and and and back.Very well done too !
Switched the p/ups for 70s di-Marzios and it sounds SO good ❤
Epiphone has been knocking out of the park with all of the ones I have reviewed the past year, Max. It is CRAZY! The Prophecy Series is really mind blowing for the price. The Explorers from last year were amazing too! I will proudly play an Epiphone, these days. great video...as always!
yeah the whole inspired by gibson series is so good i have the 50s standard les paul and wow..... i dont have one bad thing to say its everything u would want from a 50s les paul, i havnt tried the 60s variant but from what ive seen and heard they are also very good
I have an Epiphone Les Paul Standard, it's kind of an old guitar, I think I bought in 2007, I have the EMG 81/85. Really love the guitar, groover tuners and slim taper neck, sounds great ! I've been thinking about getting a flying v too.
Finally a new Guitar Max video. Started thinking you went full time on your other channel. Good pick on the guitar I've been curious to learn about these.
Hey, thanks!
I find the same thing for PRS. The SE customs are FAN-FRIGGIN-TASTIC. The SE models are enough for the gigging guitarist. Of course, you can tell the heighten difference in quality and craftsmanship when you pick up a CE, S2 or Core models, but all models a have impeccable quality control. Not to mention, they are all beautiful.
I guess technology has gotten so good that it doesn't matter what country those guitars come out of.
Love it man great video
I appreciate your guitar reviews, thank you for helping me to make good buying decisions.
Perfect! You've basically sold me on getting an Epi V, been thinking about it, and I really like my faded cherry Gibby V...but I too think that we are reaching a critical mass point on production processes, to the point that Epis can be just as good as Gibbys. I may be a V snob, but I'm not a Gibby snob, so if I can get the things I LIKE about a Gibby V on an Epi (plus other options, AND it's cheaper)...well hell, I'll just get that Epi lol
I have 2007 model of this Epiphone Flying V. It has a rosewood fingerboard as opposed to Paleo Fareo. Although I don’t hear much of a difference between the 2. Wood is wood.
I paid 312$ for mine as a scratch a as and dent/demo model from guitar center in 2007. I’ve loved it ever since.
I love how you have the neck pick up flipped ala’ Peter Green. I did that to mine as well. Add definition to the neck pickup. I also swapped out the .22 cap for a .47 cap on the tone. It added a bunch of bottom to it without sacrificing the highs.
Other than that it’s stock.
Truley and well crafted easy playing and light guitar.
Great review. Keep it up my man
I just bought an Extura, it is a beautiful sounding guitar and finished so well, love it!
I got an Epiphone Les Paul Custom last year and I love it. It has some issues that my Gibson didn't... the jack was kind of loose and the pick guard doesn't fit quite right. Very fixable issues. But it plays well and is light and it sounds good. And it looks great!
Dude, I recently compared the Gibson vs Epiphone ‘59 re-issue. The only major difference was the pickup in the Gibson sounded better but there was really no difference in playability or anything else.
To good, no. Epiphone is a great price point and they have really put a lot of effort into the quality for price package. That is a win for all of us.
They get outclassed by almost every brand in the price bracket, harley benton, ibanez, schecter, vintage, jet, gretsch, sire. Should be in the squier range with the nicer models priced like classic vibe. They were lifeless in the past, people have hyped them up so i tried them again and: nice colors and designs. Still lifeless.
I've never experienced neck dive on any of the flying v's that I have had. but I had a 78 explorer that did. I handled it by putting a couple of fishing weights in the volume/tone pot compartment, and fastened them with some epoxy putty. sounds a little silly I know, but heck, it worked for me. give it a try.
Mr. WILLIAM BADENHOP , Good Sir. I hate neck dive. In fact I had just bought that new De Angelica semi hollow body. Had a great tone, but the neck was a little to narrow. I could have lived with that, but the size and the weigh of that headstock. It does look cool, but the neck dive was the deal breaker. I was thinking about adding weigh to counter act it, but that's one reason I bought it. It is lite, and I have a bad back. So I returned it. Why do they make there headstock so dam heavy. They have to know it has terrible neck dive. You think they would do something about it. Oh well, another one bites the dust. Stay safe...
I bought a 2021 Epiphone Prophecy SG recently on a whim. I've owned close to 40 guitars over the years (ranging from low to high end), and it easily lands in the top 5. Excellent quality and sound. I never thought I'd be an Epiphone convert, but here I am.
My Bonamassa Amos 58’ V was $800+ new.. and today they are selling on Reverb for over $2000…. Great Video.. awesome info!! I won’t even mention my Epi 58’ Korina Explorer made in 2000 from Korea!! Wow!!
I have a 2021 epiphone les paul modern in wine red and i love it!!
An older les paul vintage sunburst and love it too
I didn't think that the flying V was invented and used? Thanks for info ,always nice to learn something.
Yes . I just received my 60s standard and it is amazing
With you mentioning the Gibson faded models. The first Gibson I ever played was a faded SG in 2005 and it was £499 new, and that was when an Epiphone SG was £300, so not much more money to get into Gibson, those were the days.
Have my 09 Epi LP Standard since 2010 and its still one of my go-to's to this day.
Excellent review, very valid points
there is nothings you could not do with that Epiphone that you could do with a Gibson.
I absolutely love my Epiphone 58 korina with the black guard
I bought a dot, they said ( pawn shop ) that the neck was warped so I said would you take 50 bucks. They took it. When I got it home I adjusted the neck. Fiddled around with it for about an hour. It was one of the best guitars I've owned. That was 20 years ago, still plays like butter, and awesome tone ! Great guitar. I do, ofcourse love Gibson, the name just means you'll get way better resale.
I was shocked. I have a 1968 Gibson SG Special, which is my absolutely dream guitar. I was worried about it, so I thought I should look for a cheap backup guitar. So I bought a Epiphone SG Classic P90 Worn. I bought it second hand for $200 and it arrived a couple of days ago. And I can't believe my ears, how similar it sounds compared to the Vintage Gibson. It plays so great, it sounds amazing.... it's crazy.
Final song of the video is the same riff of a song by Italian rock band Litfiba. The song is "El Diablo"
My epiphone SG 400 pro from 2017 is what they now call the “61 standard”. It honestly plays like a dream. Even more so after I made my own modifications and upgrades to it.. I haven’t held a guitar in my hands yet that beat it.
2021 Epiphones literally blow the Norlin Era Gibson's right off the planet
I feel like it's mostly because Epiphones will experiment with the guitars more than Gibson will.
Also, I like the Vyvyan profile picture.
I do love the flying Vees, want one.
As a guitarist, and vintage Gibson OWNER, who has also played many Gibsons over the decades, I can say WITH CONFIDENCE that the Epiphones that have come out in the past 2 years have (after a good set-up) been on the SAME level as any Gibson I've ever played. Out-of-the-box, Gibsons have the same problems as other guitars. I know techs in many guitar shops in my area - and in places I've lived. The Gibsons aren't magically problem-free or superior quality - despite the high prices and the marketing hype.
True,what your paying for is higher labor cost and that Gibson logo on the headstock.In the end what matters is what players like and what it sounds like,what it is is irrelevant.
@@tonyschram1260 A Gibson is more a 'status symbol' than anything else. People have serious 'Confirmation Bias' about that brand.
I respectfully disagree, I've had 2 Epiphones now and I wont be buying another one, I've had 2 Gibsons now.... and I WILL be buying another in the future.
2020 Epiphone SG Prophecy £800
2018 Epiphone SG Tony Iommi £700
2004 Gibson SG Special £500
2005 Gibson SG Supreme £1600
All bought new....
Adjusted for inflation the SG special comes in at roughly £750 and represents way better value for money than either of the Epiphones.
Fit and finish is superior and it also came with a gig bag which was extra for the Epiphone.
Tony Iommi came with cheap no name tuners (same as on my £200 LTD) crap fret work, and very little neck back angle which required me to grind the bridge inserts down.
Prophecy wasnt as bad but still not as well done as an £800 guitar should be. Frets needed leveling before it became playable and the binding had loads of sharp edges and tool marks on it.
Plenty of other manufacturers offer higher quality products for similar prices and that whom I shall be buying from now.
(I also wasnt impressed with PRS SE range either)
From my experience, Korea seems to be knocking out the best value for money guitars IMO.
You are paying more for a Gibson because it is a higher quality product.
@@jarrusjenkins So, you bought 2 Epiphones. One had serious issues, and the other wasn't to your tastes. And you judge all Epiphones to be crap because of that? Sounds like your bias was well in place beforehand. Remember, I own a Gibson currently and have played many of them in the 43+ years I've been playing. There's no magic. They're NOT better quality. Spend your money how you want. Your opinions are your own. But, judging an entire brand to be garbage based on 1-2 examples is ridiculous.
I've seen Gibsons with the same problems that many have mentioned: sharp fret ends, tool marks, uneven frets, bad electronics, bad bridge, nut issues with string grabbing, poorly cut nuts, rough tuners, and cosmetic flaws. No guitar company is infallible. But, because of social bias and tradition, Gibsons have a higher resale value. So, people gravitate toward them. But, higher resale value and social bias are not, and never have been, indicators of high quality. Names don't automatically make a guitar a great quality guitar.
I'd put ANY of my guitars up against Gibsons, Fenders (of which I've owned/played many), PRS (I own one of those, too). I've done it many, many, times, and received praises from many of the rock stars whose songs I've covered including Peter Frampton, Neal Schon (Journey), Queensryche, and others. So, while your personal bias is in place, that's fine for you. Whatever floats your boat. But, don't ever think your biases are universal. Ever.
@@Axess-sv8nq both of them had issues.... and how else am I supposed to judge them? Keep buying them untill I get a "good" one?
I should of returned the Prophecy but I figured instead of returning it just level frets (probably done a better job as well)
And yes I am very much "biased" because I've drew those conclusions based on my personal experience...
And you've drew your conclusions based on your personal experience but because my personal experience doesn't align with yours I'm wrong?
I would still buy a Gibson but at the moment they arent shipping any of there new stuff to Europe for a while so they can catch up on production. So it could be a long time before that happens....
But the way everyone goes on about Epiphone like it's some god tier brand... I just dont see it, if it turned out both of the ones I had were really good then I would have gladly said "why bother buying a Gibson?"
Used to have one of these ten years ago. Really cool guitar
I sanded off the finish of my Epiphone Flying V goth and found out it has a Korina body... I stopped and left it kind of a translucent black. Looks lovely and put on a set of humbucker sized P90s. My favorite guitar!!
The Les Paul Muse is a really special and nice guitar I recently got, which the last time I checked is only available from Epiphone, even though it is a part of their Inspired by Gibson collection. There is also an SG Muse, which I haven't tried.
I have a Emperor Regent Epiphone copy of a L5 with a carved top. It plays and sounds great.
I bought a 61 SG reissue from trogley. I love it. I currently own 4 Epiphone guitars . Including the afore mentioned SG I have a traditional pro III an ES 335 reddit pro and a J200 electric acoustic. Thinking of buying a special he has. Richlite Pauferro rosewood theres very little difference in the feel these days.
I have this one from mid 90s and love it....
I had a Brent Hinds signature model: the same but with a silver burst and Lace USA pickups.
I had got one 4 years ago. The very one in your video. When I picked it up and looked down at the bridge I couldn't believe what I saw. The pins on the bridge were bent forward. When I got to looking at everything, it was as if the jig they used to drill the wholes was set back about 1/4 of an inch. So to fix it they bent the pins of the bridge forward. I got it from an online store that thankfully took it back. It was on sale and a decent deal. I now build my own guitars. I won't turn back. Even some of my Gibsons have flaws I had to fix.
I have both an epiphone SG prophecy and the Flying V in ebony, both are brilliant. I did have an epiphone Les Paul Ultra III that I traded in for a Gibson Les Paul Custom with 57 pickups, and I can say that it was a huge difference. But I do love my prophecy and Flying V over the Gibson ones I tried in store.
I just purchased a new Epiphone J45 and the quality is great! I'm impressed with the quality and tone. Fit to finishing is awesome. Tone is second to none. I'm really happy with my purchase. Did I mention this is my first Epiphone? Yes!!!
I have this model. Mine has black pick guard though. I bought it new years ago. I enjoy playing it as much as my Gibson Les Paul.
This is my first Epi but after playing it I would certainly check out more from Epi. I almost bought the Explorer korina after getting the V but they had just sold out of the" limited " run.
Nice playin guitar. Sounds good.
It surprised me.
I have the same guitar , looking into the explorer model too , for the money you can't go wrong .
I purchased my Epiphone Corina V from American Musical 599.99 brand new. Sounds fantastic well worth the money. Got it in September of this year. Now I’m looking at the Explorer Corina same price. Max makes it scream thanks Maxx
I have an Epi TBird which I love and plays great, a 2006. I bought a new Gibson Es335 bass that was literally coming apart more and more each time I took it out of the case.
Hey man, great demo!!!
I had a Prophecy Flying-V and I couldn't wait to get rid of the piece o' shit!!!
The fret ends were sharp enough to cut wood and the neck dive was criminally insane!!! The Fishman pups are one trick ponies. The battery compartment door was warped where you had to pry it open with your pick. It had a poorly finished nut. I'll stop there, by now I think you get the point.
I do have two Epi Les Pauls that I absolutely love though.
I got one of the Epi '59 Les Pauls and it literally cured my GAS!!! I shit you not!!!
The other one is an old Plus Top PRO that's pretty sweet.
The ProBuckers sound good enough to keep.
I had real high hopes for the Prophecy but it just wasn't in the cards...🙁 No more "pointy" guitars for me...lol
Late to the party but thanks for this! Good question and perfect timing. I recently bought the Epi 1959 LP and it comes with Gibson electronics, so 'best of both worlds', really. I own a 1968 LP Custom and have played quite a few Gibsons thru the years (I was a guitar salesman late 70's and we used to get 'first pick' of all new Gibsons arriving in NZ). The Epi 59 is a lovely piece of work. I also picked up a 2020 Epi Casino last year (Beatles, right?) and love it. I think the build and 'craft' of Epis is great, it comes down to the electronics . . . the Casino is good BUT I'm banging in some Lollar P90s + 50's Loom . . . just 'cos. The Gibson /Epiphone showroom in HK is big so it's easy to compare the same model from both on the spot and the gap is certainly narrowing - difficult to justify such a huge price difference, frankly, and Gibson QC is sometimes a bit off. The Epi Jerry Cantrell 'Wino' LP is arriving in HK in a coupla weeks - looks v interesting for what it is, let's see? Thanks again for the review!
Great read, thanks!
Great video, so helpful and rare to get a v demo which isn’t all high gain. Have Epi pickups solved the mud bucker problem and got some clarity in the sound? I had a Chinese Epi Dot back in the day and it was definitely a mud stirrer.
I’ve been playing guitar for over 25 years, including professionally for a time. I have owned and played a number of Gibsons over the years, wasn’t impressed with the one Epiphone SG I had back in the late 90s-early 00s. I got away from the either for a long time in favor of Jackson and B.C. Rich, but I just bought a gold ‘21 Epiphone SG Traditional Pro that I tried out after seeing a review for it. Twenty years ago Epiphone couldn’t hold a candle to a real Gibson, but this thing runs circles around all but the highest end Gibsons I’ve played. It both looks and plays better than my old SG standard, at a third of the price of even that relatively base model. I’m definitely appreciating what the changes in Epiphone have meant for their quality and when I need to add something else to my home studio I will definitely be looking at another Epiphone first because I know I can get something that’s going to do it’s job without having to spend every penny I have on it.
Epiphone is new era the new ownership has given epiphone name the respect it deserves.
Seems to be hit and miss, the old ones sucked for sure. Tried the new ones and i found them pretty but lifeless. Dull. Maybe they vary from example to example, idk. I don't see the point chasing after them though, there are so many good brands in the price range and i dont care about the gibson association, i think its a negative even.
Thank you !
Nice review! Korina Epis are great I have a V and Explorer. I love all my Epiphones. Back in the late 70s early 80s I bought a ton of very vintage Gibsons, back when they were cheap! When I sold off my first collection of guitars I had 150 in all 102 were Gibsons from the early 50s thru the mid 70s and some 80s models A V2 and E2 were my favs from the 80s and the two last ones I sold. When I started again about 22 years ago I stopped buying guitars because of the brand on the head stock and looked at guitars for their play ability and sound. I found I could easily pay less for guitars that IMO were just as good some better. Back in the day I wouldn't even consider Epi now I have 168 guitars in the newest collection that are many different brands and only one is a Gibson, an Explorer. I scored the Gibby Exp new at GC for $495.00 with HSC as a managers special. The store was closing and opening in a new area they were trying to thin the stock. Couldn't say no to that one! I have a few Epi Vs and Explorers. Side by side IMO the Gibson and Epi explorers I have are pretty much the same when it comes to tone and feel. Blind folded you could not tell the difference between the two.
Bought last year the Epiphone prophecy explorer. Love it
I have a '98 Epiphone Korina Explorer (pawn shop find) near mint condition. Mid range just pours from the pickups and resonates nicely. All it needed was a fret polish and some attention. [new set of Ernie Ball Hybrids] 🤘
I got the 2020 Explorer and its really nice.
I've got an 80s Epi LP, a Sheraton II, an LP Jr, and an SG P90 Special. The SG P90 Special is from last year, and is a big step up in overall quality/playability from my other Epiphones (except for the Sheraton, which its about equal to).
that Pau ferro fretboard Looks very very dark cool
I own all the prophecy guitars with the Fishmans in it except the Flying V. I ordered it but I could be waiting until December before it is shipped. I love Epiphone guitars I even got the Epiphone Les Paul Lazarus the Joe B signature and it is on fire 🔥.
Same with Squier.
Especially the CV's.
This day Epiphone is amazing I agree with you thank you for taking the time to cover it
Own a 82 Gibson Heritage Korina Flying for 39 years ….bought a Epiphone Korina Flying V last year…changed a few things….Pickups ,Pots,Keys and Logo ….plays and sounds as good if not better than my Vintage Gibson…..Don’t have to worry when I take it out for rehearsals and gigs…Great Guitar 🎸 ZZounds AMS music still sells new Epiphone…….Korina Vs, Explorer’s and Moderne’s
I own a new 2021 Epiphone Korina Explorer. I had bought it with plans to do upgrades, but it doesn't need any. It's actually a killer guitar. It surprised the Hell out of me when I unboxed it.
Epi is my main go to brand. I have a classic custom pro Les Paul that is fantastic, and the rebooted Kramer line is badass! I have the Assault 220, and would highly recommend!
I have the epiphone special 2. Plays like a charm good pick ups. Played decent out the box but I needed to set up the pickup height They were about as low as they could go. Action is pretty low but not to the point it makes a buzz.
Hi Max... Great channel... I've got a Gibson 1991 Les Paul Standard buyed new in 1992. It's a fantastic guitar but I can tell you that l buyed an Epiphone 50s LP Standard of the 2020 series inspired by Gibson in January and l can say that it's a great guitar too and l love them... 2great guitars... If you don't care much of the brand Epiphone is the best
Mine (1998 model) is quite neck-heavy and the '58 neck is quite chunky.
Had to change the PUs as they were squeaking terribly at higher volumes in a live or practice room environment.
Looks like the Epiphone Korina versions of both the Flying V & Explorer are current models in Canada, at $799 canadian or about $650 US. They look great by the reviews on the Long & McQuade site here in Canada, are definitely worth buying, so it's definitely worth your reminding people of these fine guitars.
Played one of the SG Prophecies at sweetwater a couple months ago. Amazing guitar. I keep talking myself into going back to grab it lol. It's a little thicker than a traditional SG
I got a epiphone korina explorer. It is gorgeous
Max, many many thanks for your video and highlighting just how "good" Epiphone are
it sounds good.....too
Best wishes
Got the new epiphone sg special dual p90 inspired by Gibson. Awesome guitar, maybe best I own and i own over 40. Just ordered this Flying V and can't wait to add to collection. A buddy bought one and loves it and prefers it over his Gibson's
I've always been a fan of Epiphone. I've got the gothic sg, and a Les Paul plus top pro that I've upgraded and they're great.
Same , i have the LP Studio and the SG G400 Pro and they are awesome guitars for the price!
@@mikeg.9238 absolutely. A proper setup, and some premium hardware makes the difference. That's a large part of the price difference in import and USA models. The setup and fit and finish. I can take a $300 guitar, work a little magic on it, and you would think it was a $1000 guitar. Ive got several $1000 guitars I've modded and setup. Most people that play them like them better than their USA instruments. Lol
@@randymiles904 Absolutely right , actually i prefer to spend less if it's a well built guitar , like an Ibanez or something. I still have my Ibanez GRX70 , i think it was around $225 with tax , i threw in some SD invaders in and put on locking tuners. The neck just feels to good and it's well made , i still enjoy playing it even though i have guitars that are worth 4x as much. Like you said spend less and customize to preference!✌👍🤘
@@mikeg.9238 NICE! That's how you do it! I love beefing up guitars. You can really make a good guitar great. 🤘
@@randymiles904 Exactly!🤘
I had that 58 Karina flying V it was a wonderful guitar.....!🎵🎵🎵🎵🙏
The last 10 years+, Epiphone seems to be spreading out a bit, being more of their own brand, with models that aren't just cheaper versions of Gibson's models. All the lower and mid-priced brands and models have improved in quality vastly over the last 20 years because manufacturing quality has gotten so much better.
I have that guitar! and the previous owner had replaced the epiphone headstock logo with a gibson logo. Bought it for $500 and he also had upgraded the pickups and tuners
Top notch Maxx
Earlier this year I purchased an Epiphone V in the Army Drab color. I crowned and polished the frets. Although the pickups are very good I ended up putting my SD Pearly Gates into the V. Now it’s ready for Battle!
The reason that Gibson made such a name for themselves is first and foremost because back at the beginning, there were few good American guitar makers. That meant the choices were limited and most of the great players either went for Gibson or fender based on the fact that those great players that came before them pretty much used those two makes.!!
By the sixties and seventies, practically all new and rising stars or bands, were just following the leaders such as Clapton, the beatles, Rolling Stones, and later Deep Purple, Hendrix, and the lists go on.!!
Now.. and especially in the last two decades, we have so many makers across the planet making guitars, good and great guitars, that had this been the case back in the 50-60's. Going forward, with no patent infringements form stopping copyright laws etc., neither Fender or Gibson would have become and stayed the outright leaders they became.!!
My first good guitar was a Gibson 12 string back in 1967, which I played until Ovation came out with their guitars at a measly
$350.00 for a six string folklore with hard shell case.!! It was the best acoustic guitar I have ever owned I I still kick myself in the ass for selling it to get a Gibson SG for ( at that time $1,100.00 without a hard shell case.!! At that point and going forward I never bought another American made guitar.!!
My one and only guitar now is a DBZ
( DEAN ZALINSKY) BARCHETTA
Which is a cross breed of a fender Stratacaster And a Gibson Lee Paul in my opinion.! It is stock and I can play anything on it and it sounds great.!!
Cost, new my price... $ 320.00 plus $ 28.00 shipping.! ( this was just after the Dean blow up with the amp company partner split ways.!! The deal of a life time as far as I am concerned.!! And unlike the Ovation blunder I made....this will never be sold.!!
So bottom line is this, Fender and Gibson have been living off a long lost reputation, even though they are both capable of making great guitars, Their pricing makes them worthless to me and I'm sure many other players who are not great players but music lovers .... Not set on being well known artist, just lovers of guitars and music working in other industries for a living.!! Guys that either play at home and maybe record, or get together with other friends and players just to jam and have a good time.!!
My advice for everyone is to shop and play as many guitars of every brand you can til you ring that guitar that blows you away.!! Then buy it and never sell it no matter what.!! Don't become an ass kicker like I became for selling the best acoustic I ever played or heard outside of a friends Martin D35 dread naught which equalled that ovation, but did not surpass it and didn't cost $ 3,500.00 either.!!
Aw Max, this is *KILLING ME!* I've already got a V-shape guitar and am trying to *END* my gear acquisition syndrome, not indulge it! How *DARE* you make this model so damn desirable to me!
If you can hold out for a little longer... a little birdie told me that there's going to be some really cool and reeeeally affordable V's coming out soon!
I appreciate that nugget of advice,
@@GuitarMAXMusic, as well as your response.
He’s referring to the V and Explorer copies coming out soon from Firefly
Naturally. Thanks for the expanded clarification,@@FoodFolksandGuns.
I have to say the same thing about Squier and Fender. I just got the Squier Classic Vibe 70's Telecaster Deluxe. It's every bit as good as my Fender guitars.
I have the Albert (Bonamassa) Epiphone flying V and it is a great guitar. I also have a Gibson flying V Voodoo which also is a great guitar. What I am trying to say is that they are both great guitars but I don't know if one is better than the other. They are different but so is my Ibanez Rocket Roll.
the epiphone jr paul has amazing output and tone on that one pickup
Amazing video! Epiphone are also perfect for the live show /touring environment. Would much rather an Epi get road worn than a $2000 plus Gibson
I own a Gibson les Paul and and a fender strat. Both USA. I just bought a squier Jaguar and it is already my go to guitar.
That's a great sounding guitar! I'm highly impressed
Hi Max,l am italiano and 30 years ago l bought new a 1992 Gidson Les Paul Standard in L.A....l love that Guitar(Her name's Jolene) and She Is my n.1,but recently,in january l bought an Epiphone Les Paul '50s Standard Gold Top and l can tell you she's a great guitar (Her name's LeAnn)...love the two...l plug the jack between the guitar on my Fender Blues Junior lll and that's all l Need,no effects,no pedals,...only my hands and my tones and volumes on the guitar...great guitars🎸🎸🎸😍😍😍
I bought a Les Paul 59 model by Epiphone. It is really amazing. Can you please make a video on the guitar?