Re: Epiphones arent so bad........
 

Hmm.

OK, here we go.

I have 2 Gibbies currently (LP Classic and LP Studio Doublecut). At the outset, I will not judge these by new prices, because that's not what I paid for them. I got the Studio DC w/an Epi hsc for $525 USD, and the LP Classic w/ohsc for $725.

I've also owned two Epi's. A G400 SG, and a Flying V. Both these Epi's had factors that made them less desirable than the Gibbies. With the SG it was muddy pickups, with the Flying V it was an iffy pickup selector switch. But, I only paid $175 for the Epi SG (pawn shop), and $250 for the Flying V (w/ohsc, private sale).

ALL 4 guitars were giggable stock, and indeed I gigged them all stock. With the Epi SG, I sold it after I got a P-90 SG knockoff (Agile Valkyrie II P-90), and with the Flying V, I ditched it when I got a ludicrous deal on a straight trade for a Ric 620 (w/ohsc).

Epi's are often perfectrly giggable stock. Both of mine were. Though I don't own them anymore, mine were both quite passable guitars. It just so happened that I was able to replace them with even better ones.

Re: Epiphones arent so bad........
 

I'm sure Epiphones are quite giggable stock, but I've heard a lot of things about them having kind of crappy quality control. In fact one local guitar store was so fed up with that combined with their service that they stopped carrying Epiphones altogether. Again, it varies from guitar to guitar and Epiphones are definitely decent, very playable instruments.

Re: Epiphones arent so bad........
 

Like a lot of factory-produced guitars (INCLUDING Gibbies and Fender USA, both of which I also own), it may come down to playing individual guitars before buying. I know a lot of fellers, whose opinions I value, who LOVE their Squier '51's. There were 3 at my local mom-&-pop, and they ALL had potentially fatally-sharp fret ends on them. To the point where I was not even interested in plugging any of them in for a test-run. Yet I bet one with a proper fret-finish might be really cool.

Re: Epiphones arent so bad........
 

My only complaint witih Epi's are the electronics. .Perhaps they have gotten better in the past couple of years, but every single one I've ever owned failed electronically in the first year. If I get a new one, I immediately go for the electronics and swap them out. Often, I do it before ever really playing it. 4 pots w/caps, 3-way, and jack = little dollars for a lot of insurance.

Re: Epiphones arent so bad........
 

I've owned a few Epi's and have generally been very happy with them. I agree that some of the elctronics have been weak spots, but I think they've improved much in the last couple years. I think the EE series SG are fantastic for the $ even with the stock electronics.

Re: Epiphones arent so bad........
 

EE series?

Wazzat?