Show your Epiphones

[Mike M]

I wonder what are those components that don't stand the test of time in the non USA made ?

I heard from a guitar tech that he is seeing issues with the made in China’s necks. It was just something he said in passing while setting mine up.

Not sure what he meant by that, and didn’t ask him to elaborate

 

[Rusty Chops]

I wonder what are those components that don't stand the test of time in the non USA made ?

In the past, I’ve had issues with cheap toggle switches failing, as well as output jacks getting loose. Always on imports.
Sometimes the pots are abrupt on/off affairs, but these seem fine.

 

[BGood]

I heard from a guitar tech that he is seeing issues with the made in China’s necks. It was just something he said in passing while setting mine up.

Not sure what he meant by that, and didn’t ask him to elaborate

I never had neck or body issues with the bunch of 15-20 year old Epiphone I've had. Maybe your guitar tech was a bit of a corksniffer ?

In the past, I’ve had issues with cheap toggle switches failing, as well as output jacks getting loose.

A toggle switch is a mechanical part. Like any mechanical part, if not properly maintained it'll eventually fail. Again on all my old Epiphone, I make sure to spray clean the toggles at least once a year and on some I've had to tighten the prongs, but they all still perform like they should.

Same with the output jack. These are really simple parts and again, there's no magic powder on a more expensive nut, they both have to be tighten properly. Guitar cable seems loose in there ? Bend the long prong and voilà ! Stiff and tight connexion.

 

[Mike M]

I never had neck or body issues with the bunch of 15-20 year old Epiphone I've had. Maybe your guitar tech was a bit of a corksniffer ?

A toggle switch is a mechanical part. Like any mechanical part, if not properly maintained it'll eventually fail. Again on all my old Epiphone, I make sure to spray clean the toggles at least once a year and on some I've had to tighten the prongs, but they all still perform like they should.

Same with the output jack. These are really simple parts and again, there's no magic powder on a more expensive nut, they both have to be tighten properly. Guitar cable seems loose in there ? Bend the long prong and voilà ! Stiff and tight connexion.

FYI, I think the tech said he was starting to see issues with customers brining in MIC Casinos with cracked neck issues, something about the quality of wood they were using, I don't think it was a cork sniffer thing, he was talking about actual experience.

 

[Raiyn]

In the past, I’ve had issues with cheap toggle switches failing, as well as output jacks getting loose.

These days, the ones you really have to look out for are the PCB / box switches. The Epi switches that resemble Switchcraft if you take yer glasses off and squint are fairly decent and have been for a while.

As for jacks, I don't even bother with even the Switchcrafts anymore. Anything I get for my personal use gets a Pure Tone.

The one thing I don't like about them (other than their b.s. marketing department) is the fact they don't come with a proper lock washer.
But I have that covered.

 

[Fergyuk]

Epiphone family Pic!

 

[Mike M]

Epiphone family Pic!

Nice, what model/year Casino is top left?

 

[Fergyuk]

Nice, what model/year Casino is top left?

Not very old, it's a 2015

 

[soulman969]

Epiphone family Pic!

Well now, it's doesn't get a whole more complete than that.

Nice lookin' family you have there.

 

[macaroni]

Epiphone family Pic!

 

[macaroni]

want the les paul silver sparcle. is it made in korea?

 

[Fergyuk]

want the les paul silver sparcle. is it made in korea?

Yes MIK 1997. SD Jeff Beck bridge and SD Invader neck, gotoh tuners!

Nice bit of flame on the body

 

[macaroni]

a beauty

 

[jim_jiminy]

Hi, new to the forum....here's my Epi collection so far!

 

[Noodling Guitars]

Hello, new to the forum! I think this one's probably my favorite Epiphone that I own:
1996 MIK Les Paul (it says limited edition on the back - not sure what was limited about it - didn't really care back in the day. Just wanted a green les paul). It's gone through many many changes throughout the years. Did a thorough clean-up/polishing on it recently, changed back the tuners to the original Klusons (it had locking grovers for the longest time). It's gone through maybe 4-5 pickup and electronics changes over the years - now it's got a fairly old JB in the bridge (although not the oldest one - it previously had one of those without the brand stamped on the bobbin - i moved it to another guitar) and recently put in a sentient in the neck - the tone circuit's disengaged. All the hardware had to be changed as well. This one's been with me across the globe everywhere from west coast Canada to Japan and many countries in between. Constant changes in humidity over time led to some crazy rusting and corrosion and so I ended up replacing the bridge with a Wilkinson roller bridge about 10 years ago, and the tailpiece with a graphtech one with the little magnets.

 

[BGood]

Hello, new to the forum! I think this one's probably my favorite Epiphone that I own:
1996 MIK Les Paul (it says limited edition on the back - not sure what was limited about it - didn't really care back in the day. Just wanted a green les paul). It's gone through many many changes throughout the years. Did a thorough clean-up/polishing on it recently, changed back the tuners to the original Klusons (it had locking grovers for the longest time). It's gone through maybe 4-5 pickup and electronics changes over the years - now it's got a fairly old JB in the bridge (although not the oldest one - it previously had one of those without the brand stamped on the bobbin - i moved it to another guitar) and recently put in a sentient in the neck - the tone circuit's disengaged. All the hardware had to be changed as well. This one's been with me across the globe everywhere from west coast Canada to Japan and many countries in between. Constant changes in humidity over time led to some crazy rusting and corrosion and so I ended up replacing the bridge with a Wilkinson roller bridge about 10 years ago, and the tailpiece with a graphtech one with the little magnets.

View attachment 15720

Beautiful ! We very rarely hear of a guitar that old having stayed with its original owner and evolved through the years. Love it.

Who is it that said Epiphone weren't built to last a long time ?

 

[Noodling Guitars]

Beautiful ! We very rarely hear of a guitar that old having stayed with its original owner and evolved through the years. Love it.

Who is it that said Epiphone weren't built to last a long time ?

Thanks! I think the regret of two poor sales decisions in the past have left me a bit traumatized (1st guitar from my parents and 1st gibson). So I tend to hold on to my guitars and just play and love each one of them for what they are.

Not only do Epi's last - these things are practically indestructible! I actually always thought the "complaint" was that the poly finishes were overly durable and almost not age at all (and hence the premium for the nitro thing). Even the hardware's not that bad with proper TLC.

 

[JY1978]

Here is my updated Epiphone collection.



From top left to low right some remarks re upgrades / changes:


Double neck: 2015, with 4 SD 59 pickups, graph tech nut, switchcraft electronics, CTS pots and Gotoh 135 Tune-o-matic bridge on the six string.


Explorer: 1998, with 490R and 498T pickups, graph tech nut, switchcraft electronics, CTS pots and Gotoh 135 Tune-o-matic bridge.


Les Paul ebony: 2009, haven’t changed anything but the tuners for the looks, as it is a personal museum piece because Slash signed it for me after a concert in 2013.


Les Paul 50’s Goldtop: 2020 Inspired by Gibson, Slash SD pickups, switchcraft electronics, and Gotoh 135 Tune-o-matic bridge.


SG Standard: 2020 Inspired by Gibson, only changed the knobs to witch hat knobs and the rhythm / treble chip from black to white so far.


Les Paul Standard Cherry Sunburst: 2000, Slash SD pickups, graph tech nut, switchcraft electronics, CTS pots and Gotoh 135 Tune-o-matic bridge


Les Paul Standard Classic Honeyburst: 2020, Slash SD pickups (zebra), switchcraft electronics, new CTS pots (as I do not need the push-pull option), Grover Kluson tuners and Gotoh 135 Tune-o-matic bridge


Vintage G400 (Korea): 2003, with 490R and 498T pickups, graph tech nut, switchcraft electronics, CTS pots, Grover Kluson tuners, full pickguard and Gotoh 135 Tune-o-matic bridge.


Les Paul Standard Ebony: 1998, SD 59 pickups, graph tech nut, switchcraft electronics, CTS pots and Gotoh 135 Tune-o-matic bridge.


No changes to the 2020 Inspired by Gibson J200 and Hummingbird

 

[BGood]

Here is my updated Epiphone collection.

View attachment 15738

Beautiful collection, but ... ?

​

 

[Noodling Guitars]

Here are a couple Prophecies - one is a first gen Les Paul with the Dirty Fingers and 1 volume 1 tone layout. Second one is the V from this year - bought it just to try the Fluences - really neat pickups. I haven't tried the newer version of the Les Paul, but the V has nice sized neck. I wonder if they did that for the Les Pauls? The first gen one has a very thin neck.