Epiphone guitars

Sid_Vicious

G.O.A.T.
Hey guys, I am interested in buying an electric guitar.I am a complete n00b, so I don't want to buy an expensive one (>$200). I have noticed, on multiple online guitar stores, that there are a few epiphone electric guitars that are priced very nicely with hundreds of positive reviews from customers. I know plenty of posters in this section are avid guitarists and I would highly appreciate some advice.

Thanks. :)
 

man_untd11

Rookie
Hey guys, I am interested in buying an electric guitar.I am a complete n00b, so I don't want to buy an expensive one (>$200). I have noticed, on multiple online guitar stores, that there are a few epiphone electric guitars that are priced very nicely with hundreds of positive reviews from customers. I know plenty of posters in this section are avid guitarists and I would highly appreciate some advice.

Thanks. :)

Get an Epiphone Les Paul Special II; its really nice and has a great tone. You can get a package that comes with an amp, tuner and everything for like 250? :)
 

Fuji

Legend
Get an Epiphone Les Paul Special II; its really nice and has a great tone. You can get a package that comes with an amp, tuner and everything for like 250? :)

Good call!

My job is actually a guitar salesman LOL! I'm somewhat qualified as a guitarist. (Bass for 9 years, guitar for 6.)

The Epiphone special II is a great call. It has everything to get you started on electric, and Epiphone has some really solid quality. I personally have seen some of their higher end stuff compete and even surpass some low range Gibsons.

Are you sure you want to start on electric? Acoustics get you all the ladies! ;) Seriously. Electric is a lot of fun though. Plus you can get some solid shredding chops in the first year or so of playing without much trouble. (Most guys I know and play with can shred like crazy, and some have been playing as little as 3-4 years.)

I play a lot of blues and jazz myself on guitar. Gypsy Jazz has been my muse as of late. :) Bass I play death metal/blues/jazz/funk. :)

-Fuji
 

Fearsome Forehand

Professional
Epiphone is an old brand that has been owned by Gibson for a long time.

I had an Epiphone acoustic long ago and it was a good guitar. They are a good deal for the money and let you find out if you like guitar without dropping a bundle of cash.
 

man_untd11

Rookie
Thanks Fuji! And yeah, I play both but acoustic is easier to start off with in my opinion because you can focus more on chords and its more fun and motivating when you can play chords and sing along to your favorite song :p
 

Fuji

Legend
Thanks Fuji! And yeah, I play both but acoustic is easier to start off with in my opinion because you can focus more on chords and its more fun and motivating when you can play chords and sing along to your favorite song :p

Nice! :D I split my time about 50/50 between electric and acoustic!

Acoustic gets the basics down a lot quicker IMHO, but some view it as less fun compared to electric.

-Fuji
 

flashfire276

Hall of Fame
Agreeing with the guys here! I actually have a whole Epiphone setup (Hummingbird acoustic, and LP Standard), and I can really vouch for their quality! People think it's just a cheap branch of Gibson, but they really are the best bang for the buck.

If you want a little more value, try to get the Epiphone Les Paul 100. Definitely a good step up from the beginner's LP Special, but doesn't break the bank.
 

KenC

Hall of Fame
The Epiphone is a good Gibson Les Paul clone. You can always change out the pickups at a later date.

Are you set on the Les Paul style of guitar? There is also the Fender style which plays and sounds very differently. The Fender has a 25.5" scale neck while the Les Paul has a 24 3/4" scale, meaning the frets are closer together in the LP. This is "generally" good for people with small hands or those that play a lot of chords and rhythm guitar stuff. If you want to eventually shred you may want to consider the Fender type of guitars.

I say get both types as the Fender sound cannot be gotten with the Les Paul and vice versa. You can get a hybrid of the two which is a Super Strat. Generally these are the Jackson and Ibanez type guitars.

Like in tennis, a good teacher in the beginning will take you very far, very quickly.
 

Lsmkenpo

Hall of Fame
It depends on what type of tone you prefer. name some of your favorite bands or types of music you like. Generally if you like classic rock or blues (Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn) I would recommend a Squier Cool Vibes Strat, you want a guitar with single voice coil pickups for the best tone for this type of music.

If you like heavy rock, alternative or metal (Guns & Roses, Green day) get a Les Paul clone like the Epiphone with Humbucker pickups.

If you like country music, get a telecaster

The stat style guitar will have a higher tone than a Les Paul.

Regardless of which guitar you pick, it will play much better if you get it setup professionally or learn to do it yourself, the action will need adjusted for sure and a nice fret leveling and dressing will make it play like a guitar worth three times as much. Without a good setup the guitar will be much tougher to learn to play on.

Here is IMO an entry level brand that is just as good and usually better than the cheaper Squiers or Epiphones. SX guitars http://www.rondomusic.com/electricguitar.html Your better off with a 100$ guitar and pay 50-80$ for a pro setup than a 300$ guitar without a setup.

I would pick one of the SX guitars under 100$ and a little fender champion 600 tube amp for about 150$ and it will sound so much better than any cheap Squier or Epiphone kit that comes with a crap sounding cheap solid state amp for 200$, trust me. If you buy the kit, shortly after you will ditch the amp it came with looking for a new one.
 
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Power Player

Bionic Poster
For $200 just get a used electric that looks and sounds cool to you.

Preferably at a small guitar store.

That's really at that matters at that price point. The epiphones in that range have pretty meager intonation and weak pickups so it is not like you are getting a top level epi.
 

Fuji

Legend
For $200 just get a used electric that looks and sounds cool to you.

Preferably at a small guitar store.

That's really at that matters at that price point. The epiphones in that range have pretty meager intonation and weak pickups so it is not like you are getting a top level epi.

The nice thing about the epi's though is that you can get some pretty sweet pickups put in later on if you dig the les paul shape. My buddy put in some mid range duncans and the guitar sounds 1000x better.

-Fuji
 

neverstopplaying

Professional
Hey guys, I am interested in buying an electric guitar.I am a complete n00b, so I don't want to buy an expensive one (>$200). I have noticed, on multiple online guitar stores, that there are a few epiphone electric guitars that are priced very nicely with hundreds of positive reviews from customers. I know plenty of posters in this section are avid guitarists and I would highly appreciate some advice.

Thanks. :)

I would suggest going to the store with someone that knows something about guitars. In a beginner price range it is more important that the guitar has a good neck, even frets and can be set up for good action.

I bought most of my instruments in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, so I'm not sure if this is still relevant, but I would think so.
 

Sid_Vicious

G.O.A.T.
Good call!

My job is actually a guitar salesman LOL! I'm somewhat qualified as a guitarist. (Bass for 9 years, guitar for 6.)

The Epiphone special II is a great call. It has everything to get you started on electric, and Epiphone has some really solid quality. I personally have seen some of their higher end stuff compete and even surpass some low range Gibsons.

Are you sure you want to start on electric? Acoustics get you all the ladies! ;) Seriously. Electric is a lot of fun though. Plus you can get some solid shredding chops in the first year or so of playing without much trouble. (Most guys I know and play with can shred like crazy, and some have been playing as little as 3-4 years.)

I play a lot of blues and jazz myself on guitar. Gypsy Jazz has been my muse as of late. :) Bass I play death metal/blues/jazz/funk. :)

-Fuji

I have an acoustic already and lets just say I need years of practice before it gets me "all the ladies" :).
What do you think is better? The Epi LP special or Epi SG special. They are both about the same price.
 
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Sid_Vicious

G.O.A.T.
It depends on what type of tone you prefer. name some of your favorite bands or types of music you like. Generally if you like classic rock or blues (Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn) I would recommend a Squier Cool Vibes Strat, you want a guitar with single voice coil pickups for the best tone for this type of music.

If you like heavy rock, alternative or metal (Guns & Roses, Green day) get a Les Paul clone like the Epiphone with Humbucker pickups.

If you like country music, get a telecaster

The stat style guitar will have a higher tone than a Les Paul.

Regardless of which guitar you pick, it will play much better if you get it setup professionally or learn to do it yourself, the action will need adjusted for sure and a nice fret leveling and dressing will make it play like a guitar worth three times as much. Without a good setup the guitar will be much tougher to learn to play on.

Here is IMO an entry level brand that is just as good and usually better than the cheaper Squiers or Epiphones. SX guitars http://www.rondomusic.com/electricguitar.html Your better off with a 100$ guitar and pay 50-80$ for a pro setup than a 300$ guitar without a setup.

I would pick one of the SX guitars under 100$ and a little fender champion 600 tube amp for about 150$ and it will sound so much better than any cheap Squier or Epiphone kit that comes with a crap sounding cheap solid state amp for 200$, trust me. If you buy the kit, shortly after you will ditch the amp it came with looking for a new one.

Thanks for the post, Lsmkenpo. Very Informative.

I am looking into some of these Rondo Music guitars. They look really nice, but I am skeptical of the price. It has to be cheaper for a reason.
 

Sid_Vicious

G.O.A.T.
Nice! :D I split my time about 50/50 between electric and acoustic!

Acoustic gets the basics down a lot quicker IMHO, but some view it as less fun compared to electric.

-Fuji

I have an acoustic guitar and I have read and heard many times before that electrics are easier to learn the basics on. Apparently, it is much easier to press down on strings on the electric guitar.
 

Lsmkenpo

Hall of Fame
Thanks for the post, Lsmkenpo. Very Informative.

I am looking into some of these Rondo Music guitars. They look really nice, but I am skeptical of the price. It has to be cheaper for a reason.

I was skeptical myself, I own quite a few electric guitars, a Godin, an American Strat and was looking for a decent entry level guitar for my girlfriends son. I figured for the cheap price I would take a chance on one over a bullet strat or epiphone Les Paul

I was extremely surprised with this guitar, excellent finish, the neck was nice and straight. I leveled the frets out dressed them and adjusted the action. It isn't a toy it is a real instrument for under a hundred dollars, it plays really well, a great value for someone just starting out. I believe the one I got him was the hawk model, a Stat clone, with the sunburst finish, it even came with a nice gig bag.

There are some video reviews on youtube you can see the guitars and hear what they sound like.
 
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Lsmkenpo

Hall of Fame
I have an acoustic guitar and I have read and heard many times before that electrics are easier to learn the basics on. Apparently, it is much easier to press down on strings on the electric guitar.

Yep, electric is much easier. I would recommend a cheap electric over any cheap acoustic guitar to start out. An acoustic is something you really need to spend a little money on to get a decent playing guitar, not much value in entry level acoustics.

The actions of most entry level acoustics are not good, many beginners buy one and give up playing soon after because they are hard to play.
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
I have an acoustic guitar and I have read and heard many times before that electrics are easier to learn the basics on. Apparently, it is much easier to press down on strings on the electric guitar.

This is true, but it is better to learn on an acoustic because how you fret and intonate notes is what seperates a great player from an average one. The electric hides technical mistakes from beginners.
 

Sid_Vicious

G.O.A.T.
I was skeptical myself, I own quite a few electric guitars, a Godin, an American Strat and was looking for a decent entry level guitar for my girlfriends son. I figured for the cheap price I would take a chance on one over a bullet strat or epiphone Les Paul

I was extremely surprised with this guitar, excellent finish, the neck was nice and straight. I leveled the frets out dressed them and adjusted the action. It isn't a toy it is a real instrument for under a hundred dollars, it plays really well, a great value for someone just starting out. I believe the one I got him was the hawk model, a Stat clone, with the sunburst finish, it even came with a nice gig bag.

There are some video reviews on youtube you can see the guitars and hear what they sound like.

Very cool. I am completely open to these guitars now. I have read multiple good reviews about them.

Some people even said that the Agile 3000 is better than the Epiphone Sheraton.
 

Sid_Vicious

G.O.A.T.
This is true, but it is better to learn on an acoustic because how you fret and intonate notes is what seperates a great player from an average one. The electric hides technical mistakes from beginners.

Kinda like tennis, where poly strings and ligher frames make it easier for people with poor stroke technique to hit a decent ball. :)
 

Sid_Vicious

G.O.A.T.
Few more questions. If I don't get a bundle pack, but just an electric guitar. Other than an amplifier, what else do I need? In particular, what types of cables do you need? Do I need a tuner to play?
 

Lsmkenpo

Hall of Fame
Few more questions. If I don't get a bundle pack, but just an electric guitar. Other than an amplifier, what else do I need? In particular, what types of cables do you need? Do I need a tuner to play?

I pretty much agree with what he says in this video about accessories a beginner may need. Picks, cable, possibly a set of lighter gauge strings they are easier to play and bend for beginners, guitar strap.

http://www.justinguitar.com/en/BC-103-BeginnersProducts.php

There are now many free options available as phone apps or for computer that will work well for tuning and as a metronome.

There is a lot of excellent advise in the videos under getting started on this page, including which guitar to buy.
http://www.justinguitar.com/en/BC-000-BeginnersCourse.php
 
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Fuji

Legend
I have an acoustic already and lets just say I need years of practice before it gets me "all the ladies" :).
What do you think is better? The Epi LP special or Epi SG special. They are both about the same price.

Hahaha no worries! :)

Im a fan of the Les Paul, as the SG is a bit more unbalanced when standing up, not my most favorite to play.

Rondo are solid, and I am a big fan of their Agile line actually! They have some solid 7 and 8 string guitars. I do not have any experience with the SX line however.

-Fuji
 
T

tennisfanireland94

Guest
If you're looking for a nice Epiphone I'd recommend the Casino. It's a thinline hollow body if you like hollow bodies, pretty much the Epiphone version of the Gibson ES330 but the Casino is generally perceived to be as good if not better. Got mine last April and I love it! Really easy to play and not too expensive
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
I still believe the best way to buy a first guitar is to find a small little guitar store (not a guitar center) and go in and play some used ones that are in your budget. That first guitar should be used IMO and you never know what you will like..you could find a beat up Japanese Strat that blows your mind...you never know..buying a new entry level guitar IMO is a waste of cash.

Get something that inspires YOU to play every day. Thats all that matters.
 

VGP

Legend
I still believe the best way to buy a first guitar is to find a small little guitar store (not a guitar center) and go in and play some used ones that are in your budget. That first guitar should be used IMO and you never know what you will like..you could find a beat up Japanese Strat that blows your mind...you never know..buying a new entry level guitar IMO is a waste of cash.

Get something that inspires YOU to play every day. Thats all that matters.

I found a nice used Japanese E series with a collection of Seymour Duncan pickups. It's the one I play most. Even over a couple of American Standard Strats that I have. I first saw it hanging in a now closed mom and pop shop. I loved it from the time I just ran my thumb across the strings before even picking it up to play properly.

The action was set way too low and the intonation was off. But....the sound of the individual strings was great. That's the great thing about Strats. Easy to tweak. Once I got the action to where I wanted, intonated, and tuned up, it has been good to go ever since.

BTW - it's not the one in my avatar. That's a MIJ 50's Strat that's cool too, but not my favorite for tone.

If you have a guitar playing friend, take them with you to the store. They might be able to lend their opinion.
 

thug the bunny

Professional
I still believe the best way to buy a first guitar is to find a small little guitar store (not a guitar center) and go in and play some used ones that are in your budget. That first guitar should be used IMO and you never know what you will like..you could find a beat up Japanese Strat that blows your mind...you never know..buying a new entry level guitar IMO is a waste of cash.

Get something that inspires YOU to play every day. Thats all that matters.

I gotta cast my vote with this one. I (kind of) wasted my cash and time with 3 or 4 cheapos when I started playing before I wised up and bought a 10 yr old American made Strat for about the same $$ as a new cheapo, and what a difference! Cheaper clones tend to go out of tune, change intonation, and have crappy tone and feel, which discourages your early efforts. Nice thing about decent axes is that they hold up very well over time. And, there are lots available since guitars are one of those things that a lot of people buy and get rid of 5 yrs later after it becomes obvious that they suck. But, as others have said, have someone with knowledge guide you if you go this route.
 

VGP

Legend
That depends.

The Japanese made Strats from the 80s and early 90s can be very good instruments for their prices.

I haven't kept up with the market lately, but the build quality can be very good.

That's why I recommend taking someone who knows a thing or two about guitars with you to go see what's available. Ideally it's best to be able to play the actual instrument before you buy. Not just for sound and playability, but as thug the bunny mentioned, one with good functioning hardware that will hold up and stay in tune.
 

Fuji

Legend
Id love to get a Japanese made Strat! Ive been looking at getting an American Strat but the $1600 price tag is a bit high for me. (But the one I played was GORGEOUS. 08 Sunburst with handwired pickups the guy actually made himself!)

Honestly, dont worry too much about where they are made. If it plays decently, then its good to go! My favorite bass was made in Indonesia I believe, and after changing out the bridge and tuning pegs its a monster! :)

-Fuji
 

fortun8son

Hall of Fame
I have an acoustic already and lets just say I need years of practice before it gets me "all the ladies" :).
What do you think is better? The Epi LP special or Epi SG special. They are both about the same price.

I always preferred the SG style. The Les Paul doesn't 'sit' right with me.
 

chollyred

Rookie
Id love to get a Japanese made Strat! Ive been looking at getting an American Strat but the $1600 price tag is a bit high for me. (But the one I played was GORGEOUS. 08 Sunburst with handwired pickups the guy actually made himself!)

Honestly, dont worry too much about where they are made. If it plays decently, then its good to go! My favorite bass was made in Indonesia I believe, and after changing out the bridge and tuning pegs its a monster! :)

-Fuji

I have a Yamaha Pacifica 302S (tele copy) that plays like a dream. Solid alder body. Great finish. Could use some better pickups, but sounds pretty good now. Some of their models are real steals, particularly found used.

yamaha302s.jpg
 

Brettolius

Professional
Id love to get a Japanese made Strat! Ive been looking at getting an American Strat but the $1600 price tag is a bit high for me. (But the one I played was GORGEOUS. 08 Sunburst with handwired pickups the guy actually made himself!)

Honestly, dont worry too much about where they are made. If it plays decently, then its good to go! My favorite bass was made in Indonesia I believe, and after changing out the bridge and tuning pegs its a monster! :)

-Fuji

I've got an '84 japanese e series strat, white with nicely broken in maple neck that I think I'm going to sell if you are interested.
 

Brettolius

Professional
Also I have a Goldtop Agile Al-3000 with p-90's that absolutely rips. Tone is just filthy nasty and the most comfortable guitar to play that I own. A little heavy, but that's what makes it do what it do!
 

Viper

Professional
As another poster said, go used. Check Craigslist, pawn shops, and local guitar stores. You can get crazy deals off relatively new equipment. I saw Jimmie Vaughan strat for $450 the other day.
 

thug the bunny

Professional
Fuji, I ain't knocking any particular country of origin. I prefer my Korean made Schecter C1 classic to the LP Studio I used to own. Rock solid, with incredible tone and feel. I literally don't have to re-tune it for weeks at a time unless I do some crazy bending.

I just have never met a $200 axe that really gave me a warm-fuzzy, which is why I would recommend a 5 - 10 yr old $800 instrument for the same price. I have noticed that the 7-8 hundred mark is around where you start to find good materials, build, and hardware.
 

Sid_Vicious

G.O.A.T.
Thanks for all the help guys. I bought an epiphone Les Paul Special II. I am really looking forward to learning how to play. :)
 
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thug the bunny

Professional
Good luck dude. Before you start shredding, spend some time just playing chords and half-chords, learning how to play clean, and experiment with all the different ways to strike the strings. Concentrate on the sound and tone, before you go off trying to be Van Halen.
 

Sid_Vicious

G.O.A.T.
Good luck dude. Before you start shredding, spend some time just playing chords and half-chords, learning how to play clean, and experiment with all the different ways to strike the strings. Concentrate on the sound and tone, before you go off trying to be Van Halen.

Thanks, thug the bunny. Trust me, I would not try shredding right away. I feel I am one of those people with very little musical ability. I started playing guitar about 2 months ago and I have approached everything in a methodological fashion by learning everything step by step ex. What is an A chord?, What are bar chords?, how to strum properly? etc. .

It is amazing that some people can just learn by ear. :)
 

thug the bunny

Professional
I am self-taught, and can pick up most things by ear, but I still had to start by learning chords and basic scales. Just a hint for picking stuff up by ear - if you can mimic a guitar line with your voice, you can then determine what chords/notes are being played. Enjoy!
 
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