SLMC

Silas Scarborough · Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Posts: 1224 Location: Rhode Island

I had to smile when I saw this one: Musician's Friend is listing a Les Paul with an 'acoustic' output. At first I thought that maybe you can teach on old dog new tricks but it's not the right dog. This is a Les Paul from Epiphone. It's outrageous that Epiphone can make mirror-image copies of something Gibson has spent so many years developing but I'll leave that editorial to anyone who wants to go with it.

What amused me is that Godin has been offering an 'acoustic' output for quite some time. I don't have any particular interest in it from either guitar maker as it seems to me it's selling a cow and telling you it's a horse. In any case, Epiphone's shamelessness in copying things is really quite amazing.[/url]
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Ever vigilant for da gooses overhead.

- Silas

My Web site is at myducksoup.com

ka-klick · Joined: 12 Sep 2007 Posts: 242 Location: Central Iowa (USA)

Um, Silas, you do know that Epiphone is a subsidiary of Gibson these days, don't you?
(Which they use as the low cost foreign made line).

There's a link to Epiphone right there on Gibson's site. They've basically been made the "Squire" line (in Fender-ese). THough lately I believe they also have started doing a revival line of some of their old classic stuff (like the axes John and George used to play). My first acoustic was an Epiphone Texan from the early 70's - bad design - bolt-on neck. It died a horrible slow , humidity lacking death when I lived in the high desert above LA (Santa Clarita).

Silas Scarborough · Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Posts: 1224 Location: Rhode Island

Nope, didn't know that and how strange that they would undercut the Les Paul with their own offering. No stranger than the way the Squier knocks off a Strat, I suppose. I read a little more and see them being offered as 'starter' guitars but it's still peculiar to me as it seems that a cheap copy of these iconic guitars would leave a bad taste in the mouths of those who play them.
_________________
Ever vigilant for da gooses overhead.

- Silas

My Web site is at myducksoup.com

Zak Claxton · Joined: 16 Oct 2007 Posts: 2008 Location: Podul/33/243/154/

Silas, they don't undercut Gibson. It's all part of the business plan so that they don't acquiesce the low-end price point sales to other inexpensive brands. Since they're part of Gibson (have been since the late '50s), they'd rather sell those guitars to that customer than give away the business.

One of my clients is a competing guitar company... I deal with this stuff every day. Smile

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Silas Scarborough · Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Posts: 1224 Location: Rhode Island

Zak Claxton · Joined: 16 Oct 2007 Posts: 2008 Location: Podul/33/243/154/

Silas Scarborough · Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Posts: 1224 Location: Rhode Island

Distilled1 · Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Posts: 400 Location: Chicago

I have to say some of the Epis are pretty darn nice Wink

I like mine ... now the les paul epis well I've had better cheap cheap copys than theirs Sad

sad but true had a 129.00USD copy that played well pretty close to the LEs paul I played back in the late 80's
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"Being drunk is a good disguise.
I drink so that I can talk to Ass Holes,
This includes myself"
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http://distill.dmusic.com

Silas Scarborough · Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Posts: 1224 Location: Rhode Island

I had one way back as well but the weight is too destructive on my shoulder. The collarbone was broken and the arm was pushed into the rotator cuff. The consequence is that the Les Paul weight will paralyze my arm pretty quickly. The sound and the action were quite good but that couldn't offset the weight problem. I went to an L6S after that and loved as it had the great Gibson fingerboard with dual Humbuckers and the balance / weight of the guitar were perfect. Plus the L6S has 24 frets and that was pretty cool. Eventually tho I decided that a Strat was the girl I wanted to marry and we stayed together for many years. We finally broke up when I discovered the Godin as it had the best of every guitar I had ever played plus quite a bit more and that relationship continues to this day.
_________________
Ever vigilant for da gooses overhead.

- Silas

My Web site is at myducksoup.com

Zak Claxton · Joined: 16 Oct 2007 Posts: 2008 Location: Podul/33/243/154/

I used to complain about my Les Paul being too heavy until Leyah Renegade of What The...?, who in real life is ten inches smaller and 50 pounds lighter than me, called me a wuss. She throws her LP around all day and never complains once about it, so I stopped as well. Very Happy

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