NGD post and review…was it worth it?

[DHart]

Congrats to you 3Bolt79. May you enjoy it in great health!

One does have to wonder... Epiphone Les Paul Modern with ebony fretboard, locking Grover tuners, GraphTech nut and build-quality finish-quality as good as Epiphone gets has MSRP of $699 and with easy-to-get 10% discount, sells for $630.

So... I am completely baffled as to the value proposition of a roughly comparable Chinese made Epiphone guitar (yes, having USA pickups, but without an ebony fretboard ) with the pickups out of polarity/phase - with MSRP of one dollar short of $1500?

I think Gibson/Epiphone must have just wildly thrown $1499 up on the wall, just to see how many people would actually go for it, and if it would even stick?

I don't fault anyone for choosing to buy one of these, or for liking it, that's just a personal decision, but I just can't even begin to rationalize Epiphone more than DOUBLING the price vs. the very excellent LP Modern with MSRP of $699. Putting USA pickups on it might add $100 retail vs. ProBuckers, but jeez??? Hype up the greeny craze that has some people excited and add another $100, maybe $200 at most... and with all that, we're still at $999. Looks like Gibson felt that they had to put the Gibson headstock carve on the Epi model to help justify the dramatic upcharge. But... $1499? Wow. Crazy money for a Chinese Epiphone guitar..

For someone who actually wants that out of polarity tone, switch your magnet polarity around, for free, and you get it. Though I have to think that most players probably wouldn't stay with that out of polarity tone for long before switching back to normal.

I'm just one guy who can't make any sense out of the greeny craze. But it does take all kinds to make the world go around. And certainly there are some players who are attracted to what this guitar is, enough to pay such a steep price for it. And if they're happy with the product and the value proposition, then that's all that needs to matter to them. To each, his or her own!

 

[Mike Hickey]

Your money, do as you like. It was my 1400 bucks and I did as I pleased. I’m glad I got it. You might not be. Believe me, this won’t keep me from buying the Gibson’s I want.

You're the one whining about what p.o.s. you bought. Personally I don't give a shit about it one way or the other.

 

[3bolt79]

You're the one whining about what p.o.s. you bought. Personally I don't give a shit about it one way or the other.

Comment redacted. I’m placing you on ignore.

 

[3bolt79]

For the record, I never “whined” about it being a POS. The first one arrived with a broken neck. I sent it back. Got its replacement a week later. Nothing wrong with it.

Case took a hit on the second one. Got a replacement case, and fixed the latch on the one that came with it. So now I have an extra case.

Overall, the Greeny is really good. Maybe not 14 to 15 hundred good to some, and that’s ok.

 

[3bolt79]

Congrats to you 3Bolt79. May you enjoy it in great health!

One does have to wonder... Epiphone Les Paul Modern with ebony fretboard, locking Grover tuners, GraphTech nut and build-quality finish-quality as good as Epiphone gets has MSRP of $699 and with easy-to-get 10% discount, sells for $630.

So... I am completely baffled as to the value proposition of a roughly comparable Chinese made Epiphone guitar (yes, having USA pickups, but without an ebony fretboard ) with the pickups out of polarity/phase - with MSRP of one dollar short of $1500?

I think Gibson/Epiphone must have just wildly thrown $1499 up on the wall, just to see how many people would actually go for it, and if it would even stick?

I don't fault anyone for choosing to buy one of these, or for liking it, that's just a personal decision, but I just can't even begin to rationalize Epiphone more than DOUBLING the price vs. the very excellent LP Modern with MSRP of $699. Putting USA pickups on it might add $100 retail vs. ProBuckers, but jeez??? Hype up the greeny craze that has some people excited and add another $100, maybe $200 at most... and with all that, we're still at $999. Looks like Gibson felt that they had to put the Gibson headstock carve on the Epi model to help justify the dramatic upcharge. But... $1499? Wow. Crazy money for a Chinese Epiphone guitar..

For someone who actually wants that out of polarity tone, switch your magnet polarity around, for free, and you get it. Though I have to think that most players probably wouldn't stay with that out of polarity tone for long before switching back to normal.

I'm just one guy who can't make any sense out of the greeny craze. But it does take all kinds to make the world go around. And certainly there are some players who are attracted to what this guitar is, enough to pay such a steep price for it. And if they're happy with the product and the value proposition, then that's all that needs to matter to them. To each, his or her own!

Well put. I was put off by the price for quite awhile. But I decided to take a chance. I’m glad I did, and I had 45 days to return it with no questions for a full refund.

I don’t think I would have been as happy with the Gibson version for more than double the price, but I’ve been wrong before. I’m not going to take a chance on one of the Gibson’s, but there are a couple of Gibson guitars that are in my near future.

The Epi LP Modern is a nice guitar. I had an SG Modern and it was nice. I might get another.

 

[soulman969]

You're the one whining about what p.o.s. you bought. Personally I don't give a shit about it one way or the other.

What was the purpose of this post? 3bolt posted an honest review of his experience with the guitar. No one but you considered it whining.

 

[3bolt79]

First question, WHERE DIDYOU BUY IT? I have a sales rep at Sweetwater and I got the pick of the initial litter when they arrived( 25 total) three weeks ago. Nice, tight flame and not one issue. Damn, I would want someone's head if that were my guitar. I would send a picture of mine, but this forum does not like large files. I can play the guitar but I can't reduce the size of a picture. I'm 64 and there were NO COMPUTERS for the masses back then. Yea, send it back, make them go over it head to toe and hopefully you won't get insulted by the other poster! People and their opinions, and that is all they are OPINIONS. I like FACTS. They seem to work much better than ad hoc statements!!!

I talked to zzounds today and they said that in the last two weeks they sold 10 or 12 of them. They had 51 or 52 when I ordered the first one.

As of today they had 39 new ones plus the one I sent back. They share inventory with AMS, so that isn’t a huge stock if you figure that number is between two companies. I guess it’s sort of a GC/MF type of situation.

As far as posting pics, select the pic. Go to where it says select/show actual size, and pick Medium. Then add. At least that is how it works on an Apple device.

 

[3bolt79]

I think we are going to see higher prices across the board for all of the Epiphone line.

I want a Lifeson Epi as well as a nice Gibson LP standard and a Custom Color SG. If I don’t get a lifeson, maybe I will get a Korina Explorer.

My list of guitars I still want is getting pretty short. There’s only four left that I have plans to purchase.

My guy at the local VA made me an offer on a new/mint Squier CV Telecaster that I was going to buy anyway. And he only wants $150.00 for it. He will drop it by after he gets back from vacation after New Years.

He actually offered me three guitars for $300 bucks but I really didn’t need the other two. He would have took less for the CV, but he agreed to wait until next month, so I agreed to what he was going to put it up on FB Marketplace for.

I think that puts me at 32 guitars in the house right now, but a few of them are going away as gifts for XMAS!

 

[3bolt79]

What was the purpose of this post? 3bolt posted an honest review of his experience with the guitar. No one but you considered it whining.

Yeah, I don’t know where we get these guys from. For a minute there, I almost thought a certain person was, back.

However, I then remembered that I wasn’t talking about a Gibson Greeny, and the certain departed individual would have likely been cheering me on lol.

 

[soulman969]

I think that puts me at 32 guitars in the house right now, but a few of them are going away as gifts for XMAS!

Would you like my address?

 

[soulman969]

Yeah, I don’t know where we get these guys from. For a minute there, I almost thought a certain person was, back.

However, I then remembered that I wasn’t talking about a Gibson Greeny, and the certain departed individual would have likely been cheering me on lol.

Yeah, it was uncalled for. Hopefully he got the message.

 

[OldGuitarPlayer]

When the local music shops here get them I hope to try one out. The price of the guitar isn't that a big deal to me in the fact that it is based on such an iconic guitar. At my age, being semi retired and not gigging anymore I just can't justify spending the money on something that will just be sitting in my apartment and played occasionally. Maybe from a collectors standpoint I would think differently.

 

[Darkness]

So... I am completely baffled as to the value proposition

A lot of us see it this way. The only way the cost makes sense is if it is worth that to the individual.

Here is an example of this: my nephew is really into sneakers. I think it is a terrible thing to spend serious money on, but he is really into them. Nike makes certain color variations that raise the price substantially, more than triple. My nephew must have those ones. To me, the black and white is fine, does the job of a sneaker, and cost the same to make. To him, the green variant has his heart and he must have them.

 

[3bolt79]

A lot of us see it this way. The only way the cost makes sense is if it is worth that to the individual.

Here is an example of this: my nephew is really into sneakers. I think it is a terrible thing to spend serious money on, but he is really into them. Nike makes certain color variations that raise the price substantially, more than triple. My nephew must have those ones. To me, the black and white is fine, does the job of a sneaker, and cost the same to make. To him, the green variant has his heart and he must have them.

Yeah, everybody has stuff they spend money on. For me it’s guitars. The only person that someone has to justify a purchase to, is themselves.

I keep thinking that since I am ultra cheap when it comes to everything else, I’m allowed. And the wife encourages it, so there you go.

 

[dlsnyd2003]

Well, as many of you know, I took a chance and ordered an Epiphone Greeny Les Paul.

This guitar is the most expensive Epiphone I have ever purchased. It is also, as far as I know, the most expensive import guitar in Epiphone’s line.

The retail price, as most of you know, is $1499.00. A fellow forum member got 15% off of his. I think he said he got it at Sam Ash, and got a $50.09 gift card to boot.

My first Greeny arrived the weekend before last, with of all things, a broken neck. It was cracked from the nut, to the second fret, on both sides. Talk about accurate ha ha. The real Greeny did have a headstock repair at some point, but no, I sent it back.

Four days ago its replacement came, and I have been so busy with doing repairs (hobby business, I do guitar repairs at really low prices) for other people, that I didn’t get around to working on my new guitar until about 1 A.M. this morning.

Starting at the head stock, all the tuners were loose. I tightened the nuts around the tuner shafts and tightened the screws on the back of the headstock (every other screw on the guitar was not snug either).

The truss rod nut got stuck on my Allen wrench and when I went to remove it it came out about an inch.

The rod was in the sloppy middle position from the factory. I pushed it back in and was able to get it to engage, but it sits kind of deep, I hope I didn’t move the rod itself. It works though and I was able to get the relief set.

There was one proud fret, the 4th, that I was able to tap down. Frets were all level after that, and there were no pokey fret ends. The frets were nicely polished and very smooth.

There was a tool mark on the fretboard near the nut, and one right before the 22nd fret. They are not really noticeable unless looking under direct light within a few inches of the board.

The fretboard was dry, and darkened up nicely with a couple of coats of oil.

Overall, the fit and finish of the neck and body is really nice. The binding on the edges was not sharp, and the finish is really smooth, unlike the satin finish on my 59 Dark Burst.

The neck seems a little thicker and smoother rounded than on my two 59’s.
View attachment 23838
In the middle position of the switch, with both pickups on it is out of phase, and you can affect the sound to be more trebly and nasal, or sweeter and a little thicker, by adjusting the neck pickup, or bridge volume from 10 to 9.

The neck pickup really sings when by itself through high gain.

The pickups on the Epi Greeny are wax potted, unlike at least some of the Gibson versions. Great for cranking it up with my Boogie.

The frets are bigger than on my 59’s.

The tailpiece is Locktone, but the bridge isn’t, as I discovered when I turned the guitar over, and it fell off.

The case that it came in had a bent latch. Rather than send the whole package back, the guys at Zzounds agreed to send me a regular Epiphone LP case, and let me keep the damaged custom case, which I was able to fix. However, the latch seems a little loose.

I should also add that I didn’t have to do a thing to the nut. It was perfect. All the first fret notes were dead on. Cowboy cords all play in tune.

So, was the guitar worth almost 1500 bucks? I guess it depends on who you ask? I paid a little over 1400 dollars for mine. I really like the sound of the pickups.

Yeah, I suppose you could buy a set of the pickups and drop ‘em in a 59, and save a hundred or more dollars, but to me I spent a hundred more and didn’t have the hassle.

I also like the slightly thicker neck and I like the finish. It isn’t a true satin. There is some gloss to it.

This blows my Gibson Tribute LP out the door in all aspects. I like the sound better, I like the neck better, and I like the finish better. It comes with a real case, and not a pleather gig bag.

I would buy it if I had it to do all over again, but I would have bought it from Sam Ash.

$1499 to me is a little high, but wait for a GC coupon and you can get it for a couple hundred less.

Please take this for what it is my opinion. If you are going to spend this king of money the guitar should be correct when it arrives. Broken and needed every nut and bolt tightened does not sound like 1500$ worth of effort to me. Epiphone is a great brand that is losing it's way. They should not make and sell high priced gear. That is Gibson's job. If they are going to they need to at a minimum make them in the USA. I am glad you got her purring but it would piss me off if it were me.

 

[Darkness]

Epiphone is a great brand that is losing it's way. They should not make and sell high priced gear. That is Gibson's job.

While I would like this to be true, I see it differently. I think that Gibson has made improvements to the build quality of their current factory, and eventually the cost has to creep its way up. On their signature guitars (Greeny, Mustaine, those weird Adam Jones) I think the price is higher than expected. What we don't know is how much of that may be to pay the artist a cut for their involvement.

In the Gibson side of things. I think they have intended for some time to raise standards for Epiphone to have a wider price range. As they do this they are discontinuing their lower cost models. You can still get a great Epiphone for a couple hundred dollars, that will not change.

Should a guitar at the top of Epiphones price range be perfect? I think so. Adjustment is always needed, and damage cannot be avoided, but imperfections shouldn't be there at the top end of their line. I totally agree with you there.

 

[Raiyn]

Should a guitar at the top of Epiphones price range be perfect? I think so. Adjustment is always needed, and damage cannot be avoided, but imperfections shouldn't be there at the top end of their line. I totally agree with you there.

As I've said many a time here, if there's a comma in the price it had better be exactly what I want - excluding a couple personal touches. I don't mind swapping knobs, switch tips maybe even tuners, etc. That's all surface level stuff.

If I have to do repairs, swap pickups - basically anything other than a light setup / that surface level stuff it's going back.

I'll put $500 into a $500 guitar, and it'll be exactly what I want , even paying near retail.

 

[BlueSquirrel]

First question, WHERE DIDYOU BUY IT? I have a sales rep at Sweetwater and I got the pick of the initial litter when they arrived( 25 total) three weeks ago. Nice, tight flame and not one issue. Damn, I would want someone's head if that were my guitar. I would send a picture of mine, but this forum does not like large files. I can play the guitar but I can't reduce the size of a picture. I'm 64 and there were NO COMPUTERS for the masses back then. Yea, send it back, make them go over it head to toe and hopefully you won't get insulted by the other poster! People and their opinions, and that is all they are OPINIONS. I like FACTS. They seem to work much better than ad hoc statements!!!

You could use an app on your phone (for example Picture And Photo Resizer).

 

[3bolt79]

While I would like this to be true, I see it differently. I think that Gibson has made improvements to the build quality of their current factory, and eventually the cost has to creep its way up. On their signature guitars (Greeny, Mustaine, those weird Adam Jones) I think the price is higher than expected. What we don't know is how much of that may be to pay the artist a cut for their involvement.

In the Gibson side of things. I think they have intended for some time to raise standards for Epiphone to have a wider price range. As they do this they are discontinuing their lower cost models. You can still get a great Epiphone for a couple hundred dollars, that will not change.

Should a guitar at the top of Epiphones price range be perfect? I think so. Adjustment is always needed, and damage cannot be avoided, but imperfections shouldn't be there at the top end of their line. I totally agree with you there.

Every Epiphone I’ve bought, and they are all IBG’s, has needed screws tightened. I think it has to do with how long it takes for the guitars to get here to the states, and how long and where it’s stored in which wharehouse.

The fret work was nearly perfect. I had one fret to tap down. On one of my 59’s there were seven.

I agree that 1.5K is a lot for an Epiphone. And if one isn’t a tech/luthier, etc., maybe one should buy a lower cost model as it’s going to cost money for a set up.

My only two guitars that were perfect from the factory are my two Gibsons. My SG Standard was only 3 hundred more. My LP Tribute was 2 hundred less.

It is what it is. I probably won’t buy another one, as at the price one is enough. Weird though, if the headstock had Gibson written on it, people would be saying it’s a bargain.

 

[soulman969]

Please take this for what it is my opinion. If you are going to spend this king of money the guitar should be correct when it arrives. Broken and needed every nut and bolt tightened does not sound like 1500$ worth of effort to me. Epiphone is a great brand that is losing it's way. They should not make and sell high priced gear. That is Gibson's job. If they are going to they need to at a minimum make them in the USA. I am glad you got her purring but it would piss me off if it were me.

In this instance I have to wonder if the "Greeny" 3bolt received isn't more the exception than the rule. An outlier so to speak. For the most part Epi's QC has been very good or at least it has been on those I've bought more recently.

But I agree with you 100% as far as what one should expect out of most any new guitar and especially on a higher priced model. My question to Epi is why is this particular model as costly as it is? It may be different but is it really an upgrade in quality?