Higher end Epiphone SG...?

[JeffMcLeod]

Their top-of-the-line SG is $359, lol. What would they have to do to offer something in the $600-$700 range?

If I could get my Epiphone Custom PRO Siverburst exactly as it is, except in an SG, I'd buy it all day. Same features; same electronics; same everything, just in an SG.

Why don't they offer an SG up in the next price range? Would it take away sales from something else? That's always a consideration in business.

Anyway, just looking for feedback.

 

[Silver Buck]

Gibson does it very well.

 

[JeffMcLeod]

Gibson does it very well.

Or do they?

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

 

[Shadow Explorer]

Gibson is sane enough regarding SGs and prices them accordingly (both EPi and Gibby versions)
It's a relatively simple construction and the price reflects that.

Unlike other companies who sell bolt on firewood as gold.
I believe Gibson does it very well indeed.
No need to ask a MiC guitar, while you can get a MiA at the same price, it's absurd.
It;s not like they Epi is gonna compensate in materials for the price difference, they just raised their prices by 150-200
And some guitars have cheaper materials than the ones with the previous lower prices...

 

[70Falcon]

What about the Tony Iommi SG Custom?

 

[Jeffytune]

I was just going to get there.....

24 frets all Gibson USA electronics and Tony's signature pick up, again American made.
I have seen it demoed on you tube, I will say that for my type of playing, I find the pick up too dark. So if I were to get one, I would want to swap them for say Gibson 57's.
But being signature series pick up, I bet you could cover the cost of the 57 by selling them on e-bay.

 

[Silver Buck]

Epi made very good SGs with correct body design and good quality US parts/hardware/humbuckers, make a search on Elite/Elitist.
Those very good guitars were made in Japan.

Edit - SG Elite (1st generation) for japanese market
https://replica6strings.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/ec00010.jpg

 

[Jeffytune]

You also need to conciser that the Gibson SG standard is 1000.....and that is the rub.
Gibson bought Epiphone to remove them as competition, then they made them a entry level starter guitar line a few years later.
Gibson has in resent years has to deal with guitars from Japan Korea and China who's quality is getting better and better. So they have had to up there game with Epiphone to keep up with Samick and Squire.
Epiphone could easily make a guitar that is in every way would as good as a Gibson, and with there lower labor cost, at half the price.
In short, Gibson want a great guitar from Epiphone, that is just not quite a Gibson USA.

Now, with that opinion said, I think there is room for a Epiphone custom shop.
It could be an ala carte on line deal were say they give you a choice of an SG, A Les Paul and maybe a 335. You get to choose the color, full thickness flame top, fretboard, inlays tuners, hardware pick ups and such, when you check out, it gives you a custom shop order number that you have 30 day to take to your local Epiphone dealer and order it.
Fender has one for there American series guitars, it not a full on custom shop, it a customer custom order shop.
Now, it will cost, more then likely the same as a standard Gibson, and I think with the time it would take and all, the small amount of buyers out there who would want this could support it, while not seriously cutting into Gibson's sales.

 

[Paruwi]

Gibson does it very well.

Why do you still TROLL here ?

 

[BGood]

The SG is a Rock & Roll tool. 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.

 

[Raiyn]

Or do they?

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

Without question.

Btw: Ignore Silver **** he's a notorious French mime / troll / Gibson fan boy who has nothing better to do that trash Epiphone. Kinda sad really.

 

[70Falcon]

It was my understanding that Gibson bought out Epiphone as they were their biggest competitor at the time. I believe that's what was said during the factory tour I went on in October. Of course, I could be wrong about that.

 

[Raiyn]

It was my understanding that Gibson bought out Epiphone as they were their biggest competitor at the time. I believe that's what was said during the factory tour I went on in October. Of course, I could be wrong about that.

That's about right. It wasn't until Norlin took over Gibson that Epiphone became more focused on making less expensive versions of Gibsons.

 

[wildeman]

The $359.00 Epi is better than a 700 buk Gibson probably......a 1600 buk Gibson probably not.

 

[Shadow Explorer]

Their top-of-the-line SG is $359, lol. What would they have to do to offer something in the $600-$700 range?

If I could get my Epiphone Custom PRO Siverburst exactly as it is, except in an SG, I'd buy it all day. Same features; same electronics; same everything, just in an SG.

Why don't they offer an SG up in the next price range? Would it take away sales from something else? That's always a consideration in business.

Anyway, just looking for feedback.

The construction methods they use, doesn't allow them to upgrade anything other than hardware (a la Iommi).
I had the same question years ago about all Epiphones. Why they just don't compete with other manufacturers
at similar price ranges.

One of the reasons is that Gibson is also playing on sub 1k level. And both brands have models competing in the same price range.

You also need to conciser that the Gibson SG standard is 1000.....and that is the rub.
Gibson bought Epiphone to remove them as competition, then they made them a entry level starter guitar line a few years later.
Gibson has in resent years has to deal with guitars from Japan Korea and China who's quality is getting better and better. So they have had to up there game with Epiphone to keep up with Samick and Squire.
Epiphone could easily make a guitar that is in every way would as good as a Gibson, and with there lower labor cost, at half the price.
In short, Gibson want a great guitar from Epiphone, that is just not quite a Gibson USA.

Now, with that opinion said, I think there is room for a Epiphone custom shop.
It could be an ala carte on line deal were say they give you a choice of an SG, A Les Paul and maybe a 335. You get to choose the color, full thickness flame top, fretboard, inlays tuners, hardware pick ups and such, when you check out, it gives you a custom shop order number that you have 30 day to take to your local Epiphone dealer and order it.
Fender has one for there American series guitars, it not a full on custom shop, it a customer custom order shop.
Now, it will cost, more then likely the same as a standard Gibson, and I think with the time it would take and all, the small amount of buyers out there who would want this could support it, while not seriously cutting into Gibson's sales.

If I remember well, gibson bought them at a hard time, Epi passed away and the company was run by his brother and sister. They(Gibson) just wanted to buy a division and they offered to get the whole company instead.

As for the custom order, for Gibson is too good to be true, and too expensive for a MiC Epi.
The main reason I made my previous post is because from what I've seen, Epi is not interested to upgrade the core of their
instruments. (timber, build)
They just slap different (better in most cases) hardware, raise the price and call it a day.

The $359.00 Epi is better than a 700 buk Gibson probably......a 1600 buk Gibson probably not.

Construction wise most Gibsons > Epis.
Hardware depends I guess, but more money doesn't always guarantee you a better playing or sounding guitar.
Mother nature likes uniqueness.
You have to try each one and find which works for you regardless of the brand and pricetag.
(as long as one can afford it of course)

 

[Raiyn]

Changing out the hardware and electronics is the core of modding. That said, there are instances where they're done to the extent where I'd leave them largely "as-is" with only minor preferential changes made. As evidenced by the signature series, they're well capable of making decent axes that fit that bill. I suspect that if it wasn't a "signature" model they could do something similar for a bit less money.

 

[Shadow Explorer]

That's why there is no need for a more expensive one, you can buy the parts you want for the price difference and have it exactly as you like.

I highly doubt the Iommi is a 2 piece whatever body, without a multipiece neck.
It's just a standard sg with better hardware and 2 more frets.
It would make sense for all SGs to be 24 frets actually...

 

[Raiyn]

That's why there is no need for a more expensive one, you can buy the parts you want for the price difference and have it exactly as you like.

I agree, yet not fully. Not paying retail prices, Epi could offer a very similar guitar to something I'd build for the same price. You probably wouldn't get all the whistles and bells like full copper shielding but pickups and hardware would easy enough once you take off the part's retail markup.

 

[Shadow Explorer]

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.

 

[Paruwi]

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

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