Higher end Epiphone SG...?

[Shadow Explorer]

He owned and runned a guitar store.
Regarding the parts at least he is correct. My friend has a connection to a company, (not sure if it's the usa or korean branch) that he can order oem parts from ( I suppose on the side). There are no name and branded parts, quality is the same but the licenced are more expensive.

 

[Raiyn]

Well thing is most of the hardware parts they use are licenced and not original.
To give you an example, you might have an asian grover that costs 10$ and the exact same key no name that costs 2$.


I know this about parts from a different source as well.

The Lace Pickups on the Brent Hinds V are not licensed. There's a significant difference between retail and wholesale pricing especially at bulk rates. I'm talking about legit pickups (I'd like CTS and Switchcraft electronic bits, but that's unlikely) and better than standard OEM Epi hardware in line with the decent Korean stuff.

I wonder where this 'I know it all' guy from the video gets his knowledge....
I don't trust him....

Phil McKnight is cool. He knows his stuff.

 

[Shadow Explorer]

That's why I said most not all. I'm not in position to know everything that licenced or not.
All I can say is that this is something they definitely do. And of course not all licenced stuff are junk.

 

[Raiyn]

That's why I said most not all. I'm not in position to know everything that licenced or not.
All I can say is that this is something they definitely do. And of course not all licenced stuff are junk.

I'm not arguing your point. I'm just saying that they could do a guitar to the level of a sig without tying of to an artist and still sell it at $700 with real pickups and better than stock hardware.

 

[DaveInSoCal]

Well I found an Epi G-400 at GC used for $200 a while back, since I bought it I swapped out the pickups for Dimarzio's and the pots for Seymour Duncan's. Swapped the tuners for Grover locking tuners, sanded down the back of the neck for a super fast satin finish. This beautiful $200 plus upgrades beast in my opinion is as good as any Gibson SG Standard.

Of course I would love a SG Standard but if I spent $1500 on the guitar I don't think I will be swapping out parts or sanding down the neck. And probably won't be gigging with it since I would be paranoid about it being stolen or knocked over.

For me modding is half the fun and I really love the G-400 for that!

 

[Biddlin]

My point is; I think a $700 Epiphone SG would absolutely blow away a $700 Gibson SG.

Totally subjective. For metal and acid jazz, my $425 SGJ kills. For milder jazz and blues, my $500+/- Epi g-400 deluxe keeps up with a $1000 SG Standard pretty well. Your mileage will vary!

You want bling, you buy a LP or mod the heck out of your SG. Can be done for less than they would charge you to do it themselves.

But not much less...............
I don't remember how much I paid for my Epi LP Custom, but it was around $500, with a nice case. That really is about the top of my willingness to pay for an Epi, although I fight the urge to splurge on a Lee Malia LP or Iommi SG.

 

[Raiyn]

For me modding is half the fun and I really love the G-400 for that!

I totally agree, I'm just saying they could do it.

 

[DaveInSoCal]

I don't remember how much I paid for my Epi LP Custom, but it was around $500, with a nice case. That really is about the top of my willingness to pay for an Epi, although I fight the urge to splurge on a Lee Malia LP or Iommi SG.

I did spring for the Brent Hinds V, more than I would normally shell out for an Epi, but it was too nice to pass up!

 

[DaveInSoCal]

I'm not arguing your point. I'm just saying that they could do a guitar to the level of a sig without tying of to an artist and still sell it at $700 with real pickups and better than stock hardware.

They absolutely could, and I have wondered why they don't. I'm not really into the sig's per se, but those are the only high end offerings.
I love the Tony Iommi but $400 of that is in the pickups. I can mod a guitar to that level (sans the extra two frets and the inlays) for less $$.

 

[Raiyn]

They absolutely could, and I have wondered why they don't. I'm not really into the sig's per se, but those are the only high end offerings.
I love the Tony Iommi but $400 of that is in the pickups. I can mod a guitar to that level (sans the extra two frets and the inlays) for less $$.

I think we both know they don't pay $400 for those pickups. When you take the retail markup away they're much less expensive. In our scenario, we're talking non signature pickups at wholesale prices.

 

[Shadow Explorer]

I'm not arguing your point. I'm just saying that they could do a guitar to the level of a sig without tying of to an artist and still sell it at $700 with real pickups and better than stock hardware.

From the sig guitar(s) I had, they are not any different than regular Epis, they just use some of the specific hardware that the artist uses. Unless they are their own thing entirely.
The Epi I had was a very good guitar, but it was no different than any other production epi. in some aspects (hardware) it was worse than a regular epi...

 

[Raiyn]

From the sig guitar(s) I had, they are not any different than regular Epis, they just use some of the specific hardware that the artist uses. Unless they are their own thing entirely.
The Epi I had was a very good guitar, but it was no different than any other production epi. in some aspects (hardware) it was worse than a regular epi...

You're almost there, the point you're missing is that having an artist "attached" so to speak means that the company is paying the artist (be it a percentage or free gear) and therefore is expected to charge more. No artist attachment, no expectation of the drastic price increase of a signature model.

 

[DaveInSoCal]

Regarding Sig's, have you ever seen the artists actually play the endorsed models on a regular basis? Or do they just pose for pictures with the sig model and then go back to their other guitars?

 

[Raiyn]

Regarding Sig's, have you ever seen the artists actually play the endorsed models on a regular basis? Or do they just pose for pictures with the sig model and then go back to their other guitars?

When you have as many guitars as some of these guys....

 

[DaveInSoCal]

Here are the guitarists from a great band "Crippled Black Phoenix" both actually playing Epi's and I don't think they even have an endorsement.

 

[Biddlin]

Here are the guitarists from a great band "Crippled Black Phoenix" both actually playing Epi's and I don't think they even have an endorsement.

View attachment 5715 View attachment 5716

Thanks! My gosh they are wonderful.

 

[DaveInSoCal]

Thanks! My gosh they are wonderful.

Absolutely! They really are a great band!

 

[Jeffytune]

I have not heard of them, but I will give them a listen when I get home, thanks Dave.

 

[Shadow Explorer]

You're almost there, the point you're missing is that having an artist "attached" so to speak means that the company is paying the artist (be it a percentage or free gear) and therefore is expected to charge more. No artist attachment, no expectation of the drastic price increase of a signature model.

Of course I'm aware. but it ha no effect on the guitars quality, just the price!

Here are the guitarists from a great band "Crippled Black Phoenix" both actually playing Epi's and I don't think they even have an endorsement.

Epi prefers to endorse Gibson players for some reason, not actual Epi users.
This is a bit f'd up IMO.

On the other hand, the Gibson - Epiphone names have both a very rich history, so
most are aware, would like to think Epi as a company on it's own.
Sometimes I do that mistake as well, saddly it's nothing more than a Brand these days.

 

[BlackSG91]

I love my Gibson SG Special w/ ebony FB, but awhile back I played an Epiphone SG G-400 at my local music store that played and felt pretty awesome. The build quality was impressive and so was the price. It was a faded brown satin finish and it was a beautiful guitar. Then some teenager asked me about the guitar and I gave him my review. Before I knew it he bought the guitar which I myself was considering to buy. I let that one slip away. I remember him also asking me whether he should change the pick ups. My response was no and I told him the pick ups sounded real good the way they are.


;>)/