CLICK TO BUY - Epiphone 1959 Les Paul Standard (Inspired by Gibson Custom): www.zzounds.com/a--3979398/item--EPIECLPS59?siid=349729 GIBSON Les Paul Standard 50s: www.zzounds.com/a--3979398/item--GIBLPS500?siid=257849 COMMENT BELOW - Which is the WINNER? GUITAR GIVEAWAY Martin D-28: 1) SUBSCRIBE and turn on notifications 2) Enter on GLEAM: gleam.io/competitions/QySws-martin-d28-giveaway Browse ALL GEAR: USA: www.zzounds.com/a--3979398 EUROPE: www.thomann.de/intl/index.html?offid=1&affid=2603
I've been a Gibson player for 30 years, i just bought a new Epiphone '59 Les Paul and I gotta admit, the Custombuckers are EPIC pickups. It's just a really, REALLY good guitar.
I love them both......I will give the edge to the Gibson. Remember, there are a lot of factors to consider when buying a guitar (sound, playability, construction materials, price, value *resell, collector, etc, and others). I thought the Gibson looks way better with that gloss finish and actually thought it sounded better side by side with the Epiphone. I know the finish on the Epi is nicer for playing on stage when your hands start sweating so there's that. However, the Gibson will hold it's resell value, is made from nicer materials, and looks better. However, the Epi is far less likely to be stolen at a gig. Pros and cons but both are winners in my book!
Let's be real for a second, both sound fantastic and it's veeeeery hard to spot the differences blind. I would say I prefer the Gibson by an inch because of that hotter sound, but that's really because of the pickups, and I can't even tell if it's just because I aw the Gibson logo for a second. Both are AMAZING.
Remember guys, these 2 guitars have very different pickups! The Epiphone actually uses Gibson CUSTOMBUCKERS (yes, you read that correctly). The standard 50's uses Burstbucker 1 and 2. The burstbucker 2 is a hotter pickup than the custombucker, so it'll sound more aggressive and have a bit more top end bite. Both sound awesome, at this point it really is just what style of sound you like better! Lastly, of course the Gibson will most likely offer better playability/feel, but sheer sound both are right on par. You can't go wrong with either tbh.
No I have an Epiphone black Beauty it's junk compared to Gibson. I keep it because it's cheap and sounds good for what it is but it feels cheap compared to the Les Paul standard I had. I bought one of those inspired by Gibson 59 Epiphones a couple of years ago in Guadalajara but promptly returned it. They're just not worth what they charge for the now. Save up and get a real Gibson.
You aren’t wrong. But of THESE two guitars, that cherry nitro smelling Gibson would have got me in a second I know it. That’s a guitar I wouldn’t touch if I had no ability to buy lol
@@chrisgeruxubug5884 he's talking about the previous inpsired by Gibson 59 LP, not the inspired by Custom Shop. I don't think they're junk, but I think current Epiphone prices aren't really making much sense. Would have been better to include a Rosewood board and left the Epi probuckers in it rather than using the custom buckers, in my opinion. The custom and ES355 models are using real ebony, supposedly.
Still love my 2020 epiphone les paul protop plus! Don't use the coil tapping much though. Usually play single coil bridge pickup, humbucker neck pickup thru a marshall 50 watt amp. Sounds great!
As a owner of a Gibson CS R9 i think it is great these Epiphone 1959's are available and are great guitars overall. My only complaint against them is that Laurel Fingerboard? For the asking price of these Rosewood is a Must!
I think we’re at a point in time where rosewood is now considered the premium fretboard wood and laurel is what you’ll find on almost all guitars under $2k. Kind of blows my mind, but that’s where we are in 2024. I wonder if Rosewood really is in short supply or what? 🤷🏻♂️
@@metalliholic someone did it (can't remember which channel) and turned the VOS finish into a gloss finish. I believe the idea is that, with time, the finish will gloss around the areas where there are a lot of contact with the player so neck and top of the guitar where the right arm touches it.
@@dobiqwolf Probably Trogly that did it as a test under the pickguard under the SG Custom, for what I remember it wasn't a very clean looking gloss, bit of orange peel.
If this test was done blind, i bet many more would say they prefer the Epiphone. Andertons have done many Epiphone vs Gibson blind tests, and Chappers and Pete have had a hard time telling the difference, sometimes saying the Epiphone was better. That's with the Epiphones having pro-buckers in btw. The IBG Epiphones are fully pro guitars and will get the job done just as well. They don't need the Gibson pickups for that either. So much smoke and mirrors and confirmation bias in the electric guitar world.
Exactly. The same as many people see things through certain political lens, just as many guitarists hear things through certain filters via visual cues. For ex, if it says “Coke” it tastes better; if it says Gibson it sounds better. Indoctrination and dogmatism are real... especially in the world of guitar.
Looking closely it doesn’t look like the tone knobs are exact either. To me, anyways. I mean these silly comparisons aren’t exactly scientific but at least get the knobs set equally. Smh.
I just bought my first Gibson Les Paul yesterday at my local guitar shop. I still have my epiphone, it’s the generation behind the one in the video. I will keep it for life but… Mentally it feels different…. That Gibson logo has a lot of power behind it. It’s like comparing Nikes to Jordan’s…. Both are great shoes, but the Jordan’s hit different.
Not only the logo but the components, construction, finish... They're very different instruments. You may have a preference, but the Gibson is going to be a better instrument in spite of personal preferences.
That’s true…. even though “you get what you pay for” is often true with guitars, it’s only to a certain degree. There have been quite a few “budget” pieces make it to hall of fame status in music history
Even with custombuckers and good quality electronics, the Gibson still has that sound that no Epiphone stock has been able to replicate. Please for future videos. Play. The. Same. Thing. When. Comparing. 2. Different. Guitars..
@@These_go_to_eleven_1959laurel is the superior material. It's harder and lasts longer. He'll even richlite is better than Rosewood. Fretboard wood makes zero difference to tone on electrics.
Why not? The whole point of Epiphone is to be a cheap Chinese mass produced alternative to the American hand crafted original it’s based upon. Nothing will change this fact.
@@werewolflover8636 Epiphone is Epiphone. If they were comparing the Gibson to a Chinese fake Les Paul labelled Gibson on the headstock, then you would refer to the Chinese one as a fake Gibson and the Gibson as a “real” Gibson, but the Epiphone is not a fake Gibson, it is a real Epiphone.
Too much difference in the sound between the two. I've heard many other comparisons and there wasn't such a big difference, the Gibson sounds so much better.
Lol the epiphone has gibson custom shop pickups…. Those would be higher spec than what’s coming in the gibson. Where have you heard many other comparisons? These have only just come out in swear it would be pretty much be damn near impossible to find many…
@@dragan4658 the point is, it’s remarkable how often people can easily determine which sounds best when they can see the guitar and yet it gets more difficult when they are blindfolded. Our perception of the quality is greatly affected by our perceptions of value - ie our eyes. Given both of these guitars are made mostly with CNC machines and the Epiphone has the better pickups, there is no reason to think the Gibson should sound better.
I think getting and Epiphone with 500€ pickups (Gibson Custombuckers are surely better than Gibson Burstbuckers),a beautiful hard case,the right body and horn shape,and the right headstock,for 1.299€ is surely a very good Deal...l am thinking getting the honeyburst One👍👍👍😍❤️
Not a very good sound comparison. You need to play the same stuff on both guitar back-to-back, and preferably in a blind test so that the viewers don't listen with their eyes. To me, they both sounded like dual humbucker-guitars, but I'm not a tone snob that swears by non-electric components making a difference in an electric instrument
I considered the SG Custom because I like that look, but I’d probably play my Gibson 61 with the vibrola over the Epiphone anyway. I have an Epiphone Koa LP Custom-pretty wall art-have other things I want to play more.
The Gibson sounds better. I have a R8 with custom buckers and a gold top standard with burstbuckers. In my case the R8 sounds better and is my main gigging guitar. Burst buckers are thin and brighter in my case. Just proves the wood matters. Plus I wonder if the epiphone is still using the same headstock angle. The Gibson headstock angle is sharper. It has more tention on the strings which will change the sound. Every lespaul copy ive ever tried was darker then the real deal and lacks the high end clarity a lespaul gives you.
The Gibson sounded better as a guitar if that makes sense. I do prefer the PUPS on the Epiphone better. The Burstbuckers are louder and that doesn't mean better. Throw the Custombuckers in the Gibson and you're not paying Custom Shop money. The Epiphone at $1299 IMO is an incredible value with all the upgrades, they came a long way. The Gibson is a better guitar and that's not a joke.
They don't have the same pickups so this isn't a helpful tone comparison video. And the Epiphone is supposed to be a '59 reissue as opposed to the Gibson being a modern day LP Standard. So yeah, maybe you should have compared the Epiphone to a Gibson R9.
Would be cool to see a breakdown of the difference in models between them like you did on the Fender and Squire basses. Like the entry level Epiphone through the Gibson version.
Thanks for watching. We have buyers guides for Epiphone, Epiphone ES, Gibson, and a more recent video on Affordable Gibsons - ruclips.net/video/tLYhCR8sDpM/видео.html
Assuming a substantial part of production costs is labor, and assuming an Amercan employee is more than twice as expensive as a Chinese employee, I would say that justifies the price difference.
La Epiphone me suena opaca y con poca dinámica a pesar de las tremendas pick ups que tiene. Este video es contundente, para entender de la influencia de las maderas y por más excelentes pastillas que tiene, si la madera no es tan influyente en el audio final de poco servirá. De todas maneras la Epiphone suena bien.
Overton Window, baby. Get them consumers trained to pay (former) American pricing for Import guitars, price the American made instruments so high, that an Epi which was a pretty good deal at around $700 now looks like a "bargain" at $1300. Brilliant.
Why didn't you play the same thing on both guitars? I've seen many other demos where the Epiphone sounds much better than in this video. I know mine does!
I totally agree. Mine sounds much better than this demo. When I bought it I played it next to a Gibson and the Epiphone was the clear winner. Dropping the pickups would have brought the Epiphone sound much closer to the Gibson. Mine sounds way better after setting it up properly.
Great idea for a demo but I feel a better one would have been the two Epiphone 59s against each other . I think you can get a good second hand Gibson Les Paul for the cost of the newest 59 Epiphone ( I did ) . The satin finish on the new version looks cheap to me but guess it might clean up . The same price differential is seen here as is the one from the IBG Epiphone Firebird and the new one which is around £1500 which is ridiculous for a Chinese built guitar when you could shop around and maybe get a Gibson for that price . It’s a strange game that Epiphone/Gibson are playing here basically underplaying their £500 range which are decent guitars but Gibson models are aspirational so let’s introduce a middle ground which are more expensive than the good workhorse range we have but fall short of the real thing . Very similar strategy to Fender with their Vintera range which buying from new are similar in price to a decent second hand American Strat.
The older 59 epiphone has Burst Buckers.. You should have compared the old 59 and new 59 epiphones.. It would be interesting to see if the burst buckers sound better than the customs between the new and old.. The gibson sounds better here.. The burst buckers sound much more alive and vibrant, whilst the custom buckers sound flatter due to lower output.
Sound the same to me. $1200 for Epiphone though...I don't know, you're basically paying about $300 for the headstock. As for the Gibson, you're paying an extra $1000 for what's written _on_ the headstock. Personally I'm saving up for a Made in Japan Ibanez. To each their own.
Your money is best spent buying a Japanese domestic market Epiphone with the Open Book headstock and vintage specs made by Fujigen. With the weak Yen, you can score a great deal.
Call me snob if you want, but I prefer the sound of the Gibson Standard… brighter and handles overdrive and distortion better… I am also sure that the type of mahogany, the nitro finish and the small deails play also a big rol when it comes to the sound. I just feel the custombuckers are a bit weak…
The real deal sounds "hot" compared to the Epi, because of the distance between the bridge and the bridge P.U. Using a caliper for totally unimportant specs instead... Anyway. Having the correct distance is like hitting or missin pinched harmonics. (if you understand how string harmonics work... you might want to dive into that subject) Epi did it deliberate b.t.w..... They are not allowed to sound EXACTLY like the real deal, otherwise no one will buy the real deal. FWIW this bridge to P.U. distance dictates the voicing of a guitar.
People hyping long necktennon. It doesn’t look like a tight fit on this Epiphone. My old Epi has a rout for long necktennon but the neck is shorter so there is a hole. That thing vibrates longer than my Burny with long necktennon. My 2013 Tribute Future has the same build as this Gibson, tennon wise. Gibson said back then it had the biggest contact area up to that point. Would be interested in those Epiphones when second hand prices are good. Give it a nice buff to semigloss. Gibson get plenty of criticism about their necks and now it is celebrated as a plus for Epiphone. I’ll keep playing my 2001.
I might replace pickups in either one. I would want to know the guitars weight. Epi seems like a good deal. Could get some favorite humbuckers for half the cost difference of the Gibson.
A good deal? It’s a Chinese mass produced slave labor guitar that costs over 1k! And the moment you buy it I hope you love it because it’ll never be worth anywhere close to what you paid for it again!
I wish I could say this was brand blindness but that Gibson sounds way better. Played the audio out of my phone and my friend that wasn’t watching said he liked the sound of the guitar when I said “2” more (1 was epiphone, 2 was Gibson). He doesn’t even know much about guitars or that I was watching a guitar vs guitar video.
Thank you! There’s way to many children and idiots here getting upset and saying some down right stupid things because they realize that that cheap Chinese knockoff they bought is not the same as the American original and never will be!
Only the Custom Shop Les Paul's have the Long neck tenon. Many prefer the short tenon because the tone has more bite and cut in the mix. The Epiphone is being historically accurate like the Custom shop Les Paul's are. That LP standard he is playing here is a more modern take.
You forgot to mention this.. Disclaimer: In order to continually improve the design, quality and performance of our products and instruments and to make use of the best materials at all times, Epiphone reserves the right to change specifications without notice Epiphone added this to their page after a massive lawsuit, in which Epiphone was caught selling 1959 reissue guitars made of olive wood, with birch tops.. The guitar in question was tested by a highly reputable lab and in court Gibson never tried to discredit the lab or findings.. Gibson said (in summer months we changed the material due to temperature and moisture content in the air) as a result Epiphone added a disclaimer to protect themselves from a lawsuit in America and around the world for falsely advertising specs and materials.. So Epiphone could be using okoume(extremely cheap mahogany substitute) and birch (extremely cheap maple substitute) as construction and be telling people they are (mahogany and maple) and the disclaimer would protect Gibson from false advertising...Okoume is so close in appearance to mahogany that only a lab analysis would be able to tell you, it's extremely cheap and widely available in China but it sounds nothing like genuine mahogany it's closer to basswood, and birch is the same most would never be able to tell as it shares a similar appearance to maple,but sounds nothing like maple it lacks the sharp snap of maple and is extremely cheap in China,it's literally a few cents per board foot same with Okoume.. There's a moral situation with youtubers selling these for Gibson amd NOT DISCLOSING THE DISCLAIMER! It's just morally wrong and unacceptable... This lawsuit is common knowledge on forums, and many other places it's not a fake fabrication it's something that can actually be traced with court records and documents... Imagine spending $1200 on a guitar to find out it was less than $50 to produce and wasn't what you were led to believe it was... But this channel will likely remove this comment rather than leaving it to help guitarist make educated and informed decisions and not get burned, profits and brand loyalty over truth...
It’s Epiphone for me, to my 62-year old eyes, ears and back. As I’m nearing retirement, although I have the means, owning a Gibson is not in my bucket list. Thanks for a great demo!👍🏼
Sorry but I would not buy this Epiphone. Indian laurel, no fret nibs, a cheap “satin” finish which I don’t believe is even nitro…the Epiphone 59 was a good value under $1K but at $1300 it’s ridiculously overpriced and will devalue 50% the moment you buy it. It’s poorly priced considering a used Gibson Les Paul traditional or classic can be had for $1500.
The problem is, both guitars have original Gibson pickups. Gibson claims that the CustomBuckers in the Epiphone are the best of their pickup line. CustomBuckers go for 499. The Burstbuckers on the other-hand, that are in the Gibson go for 299. It might be due to setup. Do both guitars have the same strings, is one set of strings older? It just convinces me to just keep my Epiphone 1959 with the Kalamazoo headstock. Mine has Burstbucker and sounds very good.
@@MisterTee I've watched many videos claiming they are real Custombuckers made in America. When you read the label on the back of the pickup, it's exactly the same. So, Gibson is scamming us?
The Epi just lacks that fat girth found on the Gibson. I’m guessing a big reason for that is the different pickups. If you weren’t A/Bing them and all I heard was the Epi, I’m sure I’d be plenty happy with that guitar.
I just bought the Epiphone - it sounds great. But the neck feels a little unfinished when compared to the Gibson. The Rosewood on the Gibson feels better than the Laurel on the Epi. And the frets on the Gibson feel better too. I'm sure the Epiphone will feel more broken in over time, but the Gibson just feel so much better from the start. However, for the price difference, it's hard to complain. The Epi does have a lot going for it - it's a great working guitar that I don't mind actually using.
These videos really need more opinion and subjective thoughts. The playing demo is really just highlighting the difference in pickups, I would have loved to have heard you compare the playing experience between the two.
I hear this blah. blah, blah, Epiphone is for guys who can't afford Gibson well if the name means that much you are willing to spend the extra money go for it ,1300 bucks isn't chump chain for a guitar and Epiphone is making some of the nicest guitars on the market .
Epiphone was and still is a cheap Chinese mass produced copy of an American hand crafted guitar! The fact that the Epiphone is a copy makes the title correct!
I think a lot of the folks saying they prefer the Gibson is because they can see it's a Gibson so the mind plays tricks. But I doubt the average audience members or listener will notice or even care about the difference. Where as to me a single working class musician these guitars are a great thing. Real Gibson humbuckers, nice finish and all the trappings without paying an extra 2/3k which is surely just profit. I'm also a big believer in the fact there is a point where one can pay too much for a guitar with diminishing returns. For the price and quality I'd take epiphone any day, I couldn't ever justify a Gibson, it would be purely for the fact it has the Gibson name on the headstock.
I agree. all audio test's should be in the dark, unseen just heard. Play the sounds without revealing which is which then at the very end show the results. I own a Gibson 2016 Historic R9 but am not biased i think these Epi 59's are amazing for the price! Many may prefer them to the R9's. It is all very subjective when it comes to stuff like this. we all have our different tastes and needs. I think the Epi held its own extremely well here!
You can get a Gibson for the price of that Epiphone though. Admittedly not a Standard, but you can get a Tribute (while stocks last) for exactly the same money, the new LP lites are not much more, and the studios are just a bit more again. I live in Australia so they are all cataclysmically expensive. So if I am going to pay over the odds for a guitar that is designed so it is hard to play in the upper register and goes out of tune, I want the version that is going to give me maximum harmonics and range. I just spent the afternoon playing a bunch of LPs in the guitar shop. High end Epiphanies and low end Gibsons. The difference was that the versatility. Like the Slash Epiphone was every bit as good as the Tribute and Studio when it came to gain sounds, and in some ways better, but it fell apart when trying to do the classic clean with both pickups sound. The Epiphone 59 had no bass on the bass strings. It was weird, the treble strings sounded bang on the money, but the wound strings sounded thin and quiet. Honestly go get a Tribute before they run out and the used prices start to climb. The winner of my shootout was a second hand Studio cherry satin. The sound out of the amp wasn't quite as good as the studio, but it rings like crazy acoustically and instilling a table bleed is no big deal. And its cheaper than even the second hand Epiphone 59
@@tonedowne I have a 2016 Tribute 50's goldtop and love it! I play it almost as much as my historic R9 mainly because it is on a stand and the R9 is in its case!😁 But in all seriousness the tribute i got used is stellar for what i paid. $650 with a gibson gig bag. The guy that bought it a few months earlier decided to just play strat's so he sold me his mint tribute! no joke!
@@These_go_to_eleven_1959 You got a real; score there. The Tributes are the real deal, they just don't look the best, particularly from behind, but no one can see that when you are playing it. I think with the Gibson logic being what it is, they discontinued the Tribute because it was too good of a deal and they want to sell more Epiphones. Great guitars, I played a bunch of more expensive LPs that I liked less than the Tribute. Chambered body, some ind of treble bleed, and no convoluted wiring to get in the way of the tone. its a winner.
@@tonedowne Yeah i got lucky. i also really like that it is different from my R9. They do not play the same even though both have a 50's neck shape and are LP's. The satin finish of the tribute is cool with me. never have to polish it. I play it as much as my R9. really great guitars for under $1000 used,
Why, when playing the clean comparisons, you "played" the Gibson, but you "strummed" the Epiphone with no enthusiasm. You made the Epiphone sound boring on purpose, I believe, trying to sell Gibsons low-key. GOOD JOB, MATE!!! There was no comparison. The Gibson wins by far. I was considering the Epiphone before hearing your video just now. I'd seriously suggest to anyone considering this Epiphone model not to do it!!! The first Epiphone/Gibson collab the '59 Lmt. Edition is a far better buy. OR...I'd just buy a Gibson Studio. But not the latest version of that one either. I don't own the nice, beautiful flame-top Les Paul's (which are cosmetic benefits that have NOTHING to do with sound), but i do own a Gibson Studio in Tangerine burst and the '59 Lmt. Edition Epiphone the $899 one. With that being said, I own two really good Les Paul's that SOUNDS really good and saved quite a bit of money sacrificing only the beautiful look of the more expensive Les Paul's. Who's proud of me?
The Epiphone sounds fantastic, but I’m not keen on the finish. Personally, I’d save for a few more months and get a Gibson. I know the Epiphone route… but it, play the hell out of it, GAS for a Gibson, sell it at a loss THEN buy a Gibson after a few major price hikes 😅. The custombuckers sound great but I’m pretty sure Alnico 3 mags in Epiphone probuckers will be in the same ballpark shrug. What can I say, I like expensive things but cheap at the same time 😊
@@johnnysix7162 first off you can't afford either one and the poor thing is very old and very tiresome the reality is since JC Curliegh Restored Epiphone back to high end guitars no one wants Gibson anymore no one is really playing them so with that said maybe next time know what you're talking about before you open your mouth and stick your foot in it and buddy you sure did 😁
@@Myfingersstinklikefish Weird that I can't afford them, When I literally unboxed a new a Gibson today. Strange. Oh well, you're right, I'll go play my Glarry instead, tell me about those I'm sure you've got plenty experience with them. Also "nobody is playing Gibson anymore" is probably the dumbest thing I've read. You're dismissed. Good day sir.
@@johnnysix7162you bought a Gibson a brand that no one cares about or wants anymore it was over for Gibson when JC Curliegh Restored Epiphone back to high end guitars in 2019 - 2020 it's full circle epiphone is back to slapping Gibson around like they did in the past get over it and use to it
@@Myfingersstinklikefish Nobody cares about Gibson :'(((((( i so sad, well go look at any sort of Gibson fan group and the amount of members vs an Epiphone fan group. You'll notice pretty quick, way more people care about Gibson. Epiphone hasn't gone full circle, if anything they've gone a step back when they left Korea. now they're nothing more than a company endorsed Chibson. When they were made in Korea, sure they were decent guitars. Anything else I can easily prove you wrong at?
At this point just throw a gibson on the headstock and make them in the same factorys are theyre already made in. My epiphone les paul had considerably better quality control than my 3x the price gibson les paul thats "made in America" as if thats an indicator of quality these days
Gibby has more dimension. Would a change in hardware and pickups help the Epi get closer? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe the pickups and wood in the Gibby is just better.
I dare say anyone who had not seen a Les Paul up close and did not know much about them. Would never know any difference and somebody listening unless they could see the guitars could only know the difference if they knew because they were told nobody could listen to this or my RN and tell any difference at all. It sounds just like it, I think it’s well. Spent $1300 and also it’s only wood and I am very guilty of buying a lot of that wood. I have a lot of Gibson guitars and I can tell you I have nothing but regret been set up pick up makers but regardless the finish on mine might be a little higher quality and it might have Murphy written on it, but it certainly doesn’t make it sound any better and I’m sure with a little fretwork. This probably plays just as good too, it should teach us all a lesson not help Gibson grow but teach us all a lesson. I certainly learned it from Eastman and I’m learning from this too and I’m selling all of my Gibson guitars because of it. I have bought nine Eastman guitars so far and couldn’t be happier. I have ordered one of these so I’ll have one in my collection besides my besides my take. 6:08
Epiphone raised their standards and raised their quality and then decided to raise their prices. Because your not allowed to get your moneys worth on an Epiphone Guitar purchase. Hey if Gibson can grossly overcharge for their guitars, we can too. Simply pathetic and I’ve probably purchased my last Epiphone.
You can buy 300$ guitars with rosewood. Yet this 1300$ Epiphone has laurel? I just don’t like the look of the laurel or the coarseness of the grain to the touch. They went so far to make the Epi a decent guitar, put rosewood on it.
In comparison the difference is a prestige purchase and the insistent artificial differences between people. The perceived gulf isn't bridged by the union of guitar conceptually because those that purchase Gibson products are in fact better people; a higher life form. Epiphone purchasers have but only a dim hope of eventual salvation thru the cyclical passage of a few billion years of protracted musical evolution.
Love this video's concept. To me it seems the real difference is in volume. The Gibson sounded louder through my head phones. The Gibson shines better, I kept wondering what the Epiphone would look like if you polished it hard style. One thing that would be cool if able to, is to use a split screen while taking measurements and put the measurements side by side for comparison.
“We should all feel lucky …”. That is an odd statement. Gibson and epiphone are not giving these guitars away and aren’t they supposed to be making good guitars?
I listened to this video by scrolling down to the comments, so that i couldn't be biased by actually seeing which guitar was being played in the demo. The Upon review after i listened to the video the first time, the Gibson with burstbuckers to me sounded better over the epiphone with the gibson custom buckers. Personally I think the epiphone with that finish looks cheap and doesn't look good at all, it looks like plastic and fake. What is odd to me ....i own 2 different gibson les pauls with each of these pickups demo'd here. A 2020 Gibson Les Paul Trad Pro 4 which has the burst buckers, and I own a 2019 Gibson Custom Shop reissue 1957 Les Paul Custom VOS which has the custom buckers in it. Between both of those Gibson the Custom Shop reissue sounds better than the Trad Pro. The difference in wiring between the Trad Pro has a PCB board with the pickups plugged in and the 57 reissue is hand wired with caps. I have Gibsons and Epiphones in my collection so i am not a fan boy of one or the other, to be its about liking the guitar I am playing and not the name on the head stock. So in this review video the epiphone with custom buckers should have sounded better but it didn't, I am by no means and expert but I suspect it has something to do with the wiring and capacitors being used between the Gibson and the Epiphone
Get your story straight Gibson FANBOYS KKR and Company finance Corp actually owns Gibson and Epiphone.. Epiphone is Gibson big brother and if not for Les Paul and Epiphone 1939 into 41 there would be no Gibson solid body les Paul guitar today.. Epiphone Les is the real deal whether you like it or not..start researching before you open your mouth and stick your foot in it...
The Gibson sounds better both dirty and clean and it’s due to the superior woods the epi will never be as good 👍 or why would you pay more for a Gibson
Man almost half of the price is the pickups, also you got correct headstock and one piece neck like only on some rare Epi signature models before. I would say this Epi is a very nice value actually. The only meaningful downgrade compared to the Gibson is the poly finish and the laurel fretboard for less than half the price. Let that sink in.
4 месяца назад
The Gibson sounded like a Gibson The Epiphone sounded like a Epiphone Plain and simple
CLICK TO BUY - Epiphone 1959 Les Paul Standard (Inspired by Gibson Custom):
www.zzounds.com/a--3979398/item--EPIECLPS59?siid=349729
GIBSON Les Paul Standard 50s:
www.zzounds.com/a--3979398/item--GIBLPS500?siid=257849
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Everybody knows the tone comes from the color of the guitar!
Facts
I always thought it was the material the pickguard was made of.
Not it the tuners!!!
Actually it’s all in the guitar pick
It comes from the headstock😂
I've been a Gibson player for 30 years, i just bought a new Epiphone '59 Les Paul and I gotta admit, the Custombuckers are EPIC pickups. It's just a really, REALLY good guitar.
I love them both......I will give the edge to the Gibson. Remember, there are a lot of factors to consider when buying a guitar (sound, playability, construction materials, price, value *resell, collector, etc, and others). I thought the Gibson looks way better with that gloss finish and actually thought it sounded better side by side with the Epiphone. I know the finish on the Epi is nicer for playing on stage when your hands start sweating so there's that. However, the Gibson will hold it's resell value, is made from nicer materials, and looks better. However, the Epi is far less likely to be stolen at a gig. Pros and cons but both are winners in my book!
Let's be real for a second, both sound fantastic and it's veeeeery hard to spot the differences blind. I would say I prefer the Gibson by an inch because of that hotter sound, but that's really because of the pickups, and I can't even tell if it's just because I aw the Gibson logo for a second. Both are AMAZING.
Tone comes from the headstock!
Epiphone is Warmer and has a vintage vibe. I like it.
Remember guys, these 2 guitars have very different pickups! The Epiphone actually uses Gibson CUSTOMBUCKERS (yes, you read that correctly). The standard 50's uses Burstbucker 1 and 2. The burstbucker 2 is a hotter pickup than the custombucker, so it'll sound more aggressive and have a bit more top end bite. Both sound awesome, at this point it really is just what style of sound you like better! Lastly, of course the Gibson will most likely offer better playability/feel, but sheer sound both are right on par. You can't go wrong with either tbh.
No I have an Epiphone black Beauty it's junk compared to Gibson. I keep it because it's cheap and sounds good for what it is but it feels cheap compared to the Les Paul standard I had.
I bought one of those inspired by Gibson 59 Epiphones a couple of years ago in Guadalajara but promptly returned it. They're just not worth what they charge for the now. Save up and get a real Gibson.
You aren’t wrong. But of THESE two guitars, that cherry nitro smelling Gibson would have got me in a second I know it. That’s a guitar I wouldn’t touch if I had no ability to buy lol
@@garycastronova7939 I get your point but this model just released, you couldn't buy it even one week ago 😐
@@chrisgeruxubug5884 he's talking about the previous inpsired by Gibson 59 LP, not the inspired by Custom Shop. I don't think they're junk, but I think current Epiphone prices aren't really making much sense. Would have been better to include a Rosewood board and left the Epi probuckers in it rather than using the custom buckers, in my opinion. The custom and ES355 models are using real ebony, supposedly.
Pickups are pickups, when gain is added the differences are minimal at best, don't give into marketing
Still love my 2020 epiphone les paul protop plus! Don't use the coil tapping much though. Usually play single coil bridge pickup, humbucker neck pickup thru a marshall 50 watt amp. Sounds great!
As a owner of a Gibson CS R9 i think it is great these Epiphone 1959's are available and are great guitars overall. My only complaint against them is that Laurel Fingerboard? For the asking price of these Rosewood is a Must!
I think we’re at a point in time where rosewood is now considered the premium fretboard wood and laurel is what you’ll find on almost all guitars under $2k. Kind of blows my mind, but that’s where we are in 2024. I wonder if Rosewood really is in short supply or what? 🤷🏻♂️
@@jasonswitzer1748well prs se use rosewood on single cuts costing 600 gdp. Go figure.
I dont care for vos finish on the Epiphone.
Wonder how it would look polished.
@@metalliholic someone did it (can't remember which channel) and turned the VOS finish into a gloss finish.
I believe the idea is that, with time, the finish will gloss around the areas where there are a lot of contact with the player so neck and top of the guitar where the right arm touches it.
It just looks gloss polished. I polished mine.
@@dobiqwolf Probably Trogly that did it as a test under the pickguard under the SG Custom, for what I remember it wasn't a very clean looking gloss, bit of orange peel.
@@Masterfighterx thank you, it was Trogly.
If this test was done blind, i bet many more would say they prefer the Epiphone. Andertons have done many Epiphone vs Gibson blind tests, and Chappers and Pete have had a hard time telling the difference, sometimes saying the Epiphone was better. That's with the Epiphones having pro-buckers in btw.
The IBG Epiphones are fully pro guitars and will get the job done just as well. They don't need the Gibson pickups for that either.
So much smoke and mirrors and confirmation bias in the electric guitar world.
Exactly. The same as many people see things through certain political lens, just as many guitarists hear things through certain filters via visual cues. For ex, if it says “Coke” it tastes better; if it says Gibson it sounds better. Indoctrination and dogmatism are real... especially in the world of guitar.
Looking closely it doesn’t look like the tone knobs are exact either. To me, anyways. I mean these silly comparisons aren’t exactly scientific but at least get the knobs set equally. Smh.
Les paul the man once said "Players judge with their eyes not their ears"
@@These_go_to_eleven_1959 That’s exactly right. Even throw sight and hearing are uniquely subjective as well.
@@automatoncollectives7237 👍
I just bought my first Gibson Les Paul yesterday at my local guitar shop.
I still have my epiphone, it’s the generation behind the one in the video.
I will keep it for life but…
Mentally it feels different….
That Gibson logo has a lot of power behind it.
It’s like comparing Nikes to Jordan’s…. Both are great shoes, but the Jordan’s hit different.
Not only the logo but the components, construction, finish... They're very different instruments. You may have a preference, but the Gibson is going to be a better instrument in spite of personal preferences.
That’s true…. even though “you get what you pay for” is often true with guitars, it’s only to a certain degree. There have been quite a few “budget” pieces make it to hall of fame status in music history
The only disadvantage of the Epi is that it‘s missing the Gibson logo!
Even with custombuckers and good quality electronics, the Gibson still has that sound that no Epiphone stock has been able to replicate.
Please for future videos. Play. The. Same. Thing. When. Comparing. 2. Different. Guitars..
I agree. The Epiphone sounds much better!
@@th-pl3nx It doesn't
I think the Epiphone sounds way better also
Epiphone sounds better. Fuller. Don't listen with your eyes. Listen with your ears!
@@wildbanjobill I did listen with my ears, can't do that with anything else.
Great comparison! Cheers for this
They will have to use a better fret board to get me to buy one.
I buy older clipped headstock Epiphones and Squires too with rosewood boards. Electronics can be updated. You can’t change the wood!
Yes that is probably the biggest con of these New Epi 59's that laurel fingerboard. at $1200 it should be rosewood no question.
People should let epiphone know we don't want Indian laurel by not purchasing them until they go back to rosewood!
@@These_go_to_eleven_1959laurel is the superior material. It's harder and lasts longer. He'll even richlite is better than Rosewood. Fretboard wood makes zero difference to tone on electrics.
@@strawsparky33 Thanks and good to know but i don't have any guitars with Laurel but i do see many players not wanting
anything to do with it.
There’s no need to declare the Gibson a “real” Gibson in the title. The Epiphone says “Epiphone” on the headstock; it’s not claiming to be a Gibson.
Why not? The whole point of Epiphone is to be a cheap Chinese mass produced alternative to the American hand crafted original it’s based upon. Nothing will change this fact.
@@werewolflover8636 Epiphone is Epiphone. If they were comparing the Gibson to a Chinese fake Les Paul labelled Gibson on the headstock, then you would refer to the Chinese one as a fake Gibson and the Gibson as a “real” Gibson, but the Epiphone is not a fake Gibson, it is a real Epiphone.
Too much difference in the sound between the two. I've heard many other comparisons and there wasn't such a big difference, the Gibson sounds so much better.
The difference is even more obvious when unplugged, but it can be hidden a little with an amp.
Lol the epiphone has gibson custom shop pickups…. Those would be higher spec than what’s coming in the gibson. Where have you heard many other comparisons? These have only just come out in swear it would be pretty much be damn near impossible to find many…
The pickups are better than the standards, and the guitar itself will make nearly zero difference to the sound. You’re listening with your eyes. 😂
@zoeherriot ears are for listening, eyes are for looking. My advice is look at what is written, listen to the words to correctly understand them
@@dragan4658 the point is, it’s remarkable how often people can easily determine which sounds best when they can see the guitar and yet it gets more difficult when they are blindfolded. Our perception of the quality is greatly affected by our perceptions of value - ie our eyes.
Given both of these guitars are made mostly with CNC machines and the Epiphone has the better pickups, there is no reason to think the Gibson should sound better.
I think getting and Epiphone with 500€ pickups (Gibson Custombuckers are surely better than Gibson Burstbuckers),a beautiful hard case,the right body and horn shape,and the right headstock,for 1.299€ is surely a very good Deal...l am thinking getting the honeyburst One👍👍👍😍❤️
Not a very good sound comparison. You need to play the same stuff on both guitar back-to-back, and preferably in a blind test so that the viewers don't listen with their eyes.
To me, they both sounded like dual humbucker-guitars, but I'm not a tone snob that swears by non-electric components making a difference in an electric instrument
Epiphone for me
👍🤡
@@werewolflover8636ok wolfy 😂
I considered the SG Custom because I like that look, but I’d probably play my Gibson 61 with the vibrola over the Epiphone anyway. I have an Epiphone Koa LP Custom-pretty wall art-have other things I want to play more.
The Gibson sounds better. I have a R8 with custom buckers and a gold top standard with burstbuckers. In my case the R8 sounds better and is my main gigging guitar. Burst buckers are thin and brighter in my case. Just proves the wood matters. Plus I wonder if the epiphone is still using the same headstock angle. The Gibson headstock angle is sharper. It has more tention on the strings which will change the sound. Every lespaul copy ive ever tried was darker then the real deal and lacks the high end clarity a lespaul gives you.
The Gibson sounded better as a guitar if that makes sense. I do prefer the PUPS on the Epiphone better.
The Burstbuckers are louder and that doesn't mean better. Throw the Custombuckers in the Gibson and you're not paying Custom Shop money. The Epiphone at $1299 IMO is an incredible value with all the upgrades, they came a long way. The Gibson is a better guitar and that's not a joke.
They don't have the same pickups so this isn't a helpful tone comparison video. And the Epiphone is supposed to be a '59 reissue as opposed to the Gibson being a modern day LP Standard. So yeah, maybe you should have compared the Epiphone to a Gibson R9.
Would be cool to see a breakdown of the difference in models between them like you did on the Fender and Squire basses. Like the entry level Epiphone through the Gibson version.
Thanks for watching. We have buyers guides for Epiphone, Epiphone ES, Gibson, and a more recent video on Affordable Gibsons - ruclips.net/video/tLYhCR8sDpM/видео.html
Let's not forget that the Gibson is more than twice the money. Is this really justified? I don't think so... Epiphones always represent a great value.
Assuming a substantial part of production costs is labor, and assuming an Amercan employee is more than twice as expensive as a Chinese employee, I would say that justifies the price difference.
It’s so funny how people keep saying the Gibson is better. Yea obviously everybody knew that
The epiphone sounds muffled compared to the Gibson. It’s like it’s trying to breathe hard but can’t get it out.
its garbage...i recently played epiphone greenie it was just ok...epihone big money grab recently...GIBSON ALL THE WAY
@@soofitnsexysounds like a threatened Gibson collector lol
@@soofitnsexy garbage? A bit dramatic don't you think?
custombucker baby
@@soofitnsexyyeah Gibson CS, Gibson USA isnt worth it… I have a Murphy Lab 59 btw.
La Epiphone me suena opaca y con poca dinámica a pesar de las tremendas pick ups que tiene. Este video es contundente, para entender de la influencia de las maderas y por más excelentes pastillas que tiene, si la madera no es tan influyente en el audio final de poco servirá. De todas maneras la Epiphone suena bien.
Overton Window, baby. Get them consumers trained to pay (former) American pricing for Import guitars, price the American made instruments so high, that an Epi which was a pretty good deal at around $700 now looks like a "bargain" at $1300. Brilliant.
Gibson marketing in a nutshell. And it's working.
Why didn't you play the same thing on both guitars? I've seen many other demos where the Epiphone sounds much better than in this video. I know mine does!
🤡
I totally agree. Mine sounds much better than this demo. When I bought it I played it next to a Gibson and the Epiphone was the clear winner. Dropping the pickups would have brought the Epiphone sound much closer to the Gibson. Mine sounds way better after setting it up properly.
Great idea for a demo but I feel a better one would have been the two Epiphone 59s against each other . I think you can get a good second hand Gibson Les Paul for the cost of the newest 59 Epiphone ( I did ) . The satin finish on the new version looks cheap to me but guess it might clean up . The same price differential is seen here as is the one from the IBG Epiphone Firebird and the new one which is around £1500 which is ridiculous for a Chinese built guitar when you could shop around and maybe get a Gibson for that price . It’s a strange game that Epiphone/Gibson are playing here basically underplaying their £500 range which are decent guitars but Gibson models are aspirational so let’s introduce a middle ground which are more expensive than the good workhorse range we have but fall short of the real thing . Very similar strategy to Fender with their Vintera range which buying from new are similar in price to a decent second hand American Strat.
I'm more into the Epiphone finish than the clown burst 50s
Why isn't the Epiphone body 2 inches like the Gibson?!!😂
The epiphone has the Gibson body shape too instead of the epiphone body shape. Usually epiphones have a chunkier horn.
Epi sounds like more value for the money. Gibson had a slight edge of warmth but not enough to be double the price of the Epi!
The older 59 epiphone has Burst Buckers.. You should have compared the old 59 and new 59 epiphones.. It would be interesting to see if the burst buckers sound better than the customs between the new and old.. The gibson sounds better here.. The burst buckers sound much more alive and vibrant, whilst the custom buckers sound flatter due to lower output.
Which do you recommend?
Gibby have more clarity and low end I think
Sound the same to me. $1200 for Epiphone though...I don't know, you're basically paying about $300 for the headstock. As for the Gibson, you're paying an extra $1000 for what's written _on_ the headstock. Personally I'm saving up for a Made in Japan Ibanez. To each their own.
The Epi has the longer neck tenon.
でもギブソンのスタンダードと比べてみてほしかったなぁ
Your money is best spent buying a Japanese domestic market Epiphone with the Open Book headstock and vintage specs made by Fujigen. With the weak Yen, you can score a great deal.
Didn't know they come with custombuckers thx !
Lol, Gibson costs more than 2x the Gibson. The difference between the 2 of em is not worth the difference in price.
I like them both just not a fan of the satin finish on Epiphone.
Call me snob if you want, but I prefer the sound of the Gibson Standard… brighter and handles overdrive and distortion better… I am also sure that the type of mahogany, the nitro finish and the small deails play also a big rol when it comes to the sound. I just feel the custombuckers are a bit weak…
The real deal sounds "hot" compared to the Epi, because of the distance between the bridge and the bridge P.U.
Using a caliper for totally unimportant specs instead...
Anyway. Having the correct distance is like hitting or missin pinched harmonics. (if you understand how string harmonics work... you might want to dive into that subject)
Epi did it deliberate b.t.w..... They are not allowed to sound EXACTLY like the real deal, otherwise no one will buy the real deal.
FWIW this bridge to P.U. distance dictates the voicing of a guitar.
People hyping long necktennon. It doesn’t look like a tight fit on this Epiphone.
My old Epi has a rout for long necktennon but the neck is shorter so there is a hole. That thing vibrates longer than my Burny with long necktennon.
My 2013 Tribute Future has the same build as this Gibson, tennon wise. Gibson said back then it had the biggest contact area up to that point.
Would be interested in those Epiphones when second hand prices are good. Give it a nice buff to semigloss.
Gibson get plenty of criticism about their necks and now it is celebrated as a plus for Epiphone.
I’ll keep playing my 2001.
Cool demo. GREAT playing!
I appreciate it, thanks for watching!
I might replace pickups in either one. I would want to know the guitars weight. Epi seems like a good deal. Could get some favorite humbuckers for half the cost difference of the Gibson.
A good deal? It’s a Chinese mass produced slave labor guitar that costs over 1k! And the moment you buy it I hope you love it because it’ll never be worth anywhere close to what you paid for it again!
I wish I could say this was brand blindness but that Gibson sounds way better. Played the audio out of my phone and my friend that wasn’t watching said he liked the sound of the guitar when I said “2” more (1 was epiphone, 2 was Gibson). He doesn’t even know much about guitars or that I was watching a guitar vs guitar video.
Thank you! There’s way to many children and idiots here getting upset and saying some down right stupid things because they realize that that cheap Chinese knockoff they bought is not the same as the American original and never will be!
I 'm happy with the Epiphone 59, the older version with the Burstbucker PUs, and see no need to buy one of these...
plus one
I wish i could say they sound the same, but the Gibson, to me, has the sound I prefer. Seems more articulate to me.
The fact that the epiphane has a long tenon and the Gibson does not is bullshit.
Only the Custom Shop Les Paul's have the Long neck tenon. Many prefer the short tenon because the tone has more
bite and cut in the mix. The Epiphone is being historically accurate like the Custom shop Les Paul's are. That LP standard he is playing here
is a more modern take.
You forgot to mention this..
Disclaimer: In order to continually improve the design, quality and performance of our products and instruments and to make use of the best materials at all times, Epiphone reserves the right to change specifications without notice
Epiphone added this to their page after a massive lawsuit, in which Epiphone was caught selling 1959 reissue guitars made of olive wood, with birch tops.. The guitar in question was tested by a highly reputable lab and in court Gibson never tried to discredit the lab or findings.. Gibson said (in summer months we changed the material due to temperature and moisture content in the air) as a result Epiphone added a disclaimer to protect themselves from a lawsuit in America and around the world for falsely advertising specs and materials..
So Epiphone could be using okoume(extremely cheap mahogany substitute) and birch (extremely cheap maple substitute) as construction and be telling people they are (mahogany and maple) and the disclaimer would protect Gibson from false advertising...Okoume is so close in appearance to mahogany that only a lab analysis would be able to tell you, it's extremely cheap and widely available in China but it sounds nothing like genuine mahogany it's closer to basswood, and birch is the same most would never be able to tell as it shares a similar appearance to maple,but sounds nothing like maple it lacks the sharp snap of maple and is extremely cheap in China,it's literally a few cents per board foot same with Okoume..
There's a moral situation with youtubers selling these for Gibson amd NOT DISCLOSING THE DISCLAIMER!
It's just morally wrong and unacceptable... This lawsuit is common knowledge on forums, and many other places it's not a fake fabrication it's something that can actually be traced with court records and documents...
Imagine spending $1200 on a guitar to find out it was less than $50 to produce and wasn't what you were led to believe it was...
But this channel will likely remove this comment rather than leaving it to help guitarist make educated and informed decisions and not get burned, profits and brand loyalty over truth...
I would prefer this channel to leave this comment up, but delete this guy's guitar playing.
It’s Epiphone for me, to my 62-year old eyes, ears and back. As I’m nearing retirement, although I have the means, owning a Gibson is not in my bucket list. Thanks for a great demo!👍🏼
I'll tell you what I think, I think you're a damn fine guitar player!!💨💨💨
Honestly, either of them are excellent. Personally, I’d go for the Epiphone.
Sorry but I would not buy this Epiphone. Indian laurel, no fret nibs, a cheap “satin” finish which I don’t believe is even nitro…the Epiphone 59 was a good value under $1K but at $1300 it’s ridiculously overpriced and will devalue 50% the moment you buy it. It’s poorly priced considering a used Gibson Les Paul traditional or classic can be had for $1500.
The Epiphone isn’t bad, but the Gibson has much better clarity.
not even close
The problem is, both guitars have original Gibson pickups. Gibson claims that the CustomBuckers in the Epiphone are the best of their pickup line. CustomBuckers go for 499. The Burstbuckers on the other-hand, that are in the Gibson go for 299. It might be due to setup. Do both guitars have the same strings, is one set of strings older? It just convinces me to just keep my Epiphone 1959 with the Kalamazoo headstock. Mine has Burstbucker and sounds very good.
@@ldfox11the custom shop Custombuckers are wound in the custom shop, The retail ones, like in the epi are a production floor model.
@@MisterTee I've watched many videos claiming they are real Custombuckers made in America. When you read the label on the back of the pickup, it's exactly the same. So, Gibson is scamming us?
@@MisterTee these are real custom buckers in the epi.
The Epi just lacks that fat girth found on the Gibson. I’m guessing a big reason for that is the different pickups. If you weren’t A/Bing them and all I heard was the Epi, I’m sure I’d be plenty happy with that guitar.
I just bought the Epiphone - it sounds great. But the neck feels a little unfinished when compared to the Gibson. The Rosewood on the Gibson feels better than the Laurel on the Epi. And the frets on the Gibson feel better too. I'm sure the Epiphone will feel more broken in over time, but the Gibson just feel so much better from the start. However, for the price difference, it's hard to complain. The Epi does have a lot going for it - it's a great working guitar that I don't mind actually using.
These videos really need more opinion and subjective thoughts. The playing demo is really just highlighting the difference in pickups, I would have loved to have heard you compare the playing experience between the two.
Above the 12th the Gibson was "clearly" on another plane.
I like the epiphone but that finish looks cheap and weird. I would definitely buff or polish it to give a more normal shine. I dig it otherwise.
Bad demo
I hear this blah. blah, blah, Epiphone is for guys who can't afford Gibson well if the name means that much you are willing to spend the extra money go for it ,1300 bucks isn't chump chain for a guitar and Epiphone is making some of the nicest guitars on the market .
I love this demo.
What do you mean by 'real Gibson'?
Epiphone was and still is a cheap Chinese mass produced copy of an American hand crafted guitar! The fact that the Epiphone is a copy makes the title correct!
@@werewolflover8636, the Epiphone is as „hand crafted“ as the Gibson. The production processes are nearly the same.
The Gibson sounds better because it costs more
😂
I think a lot of the folks saying they prefer the Gibson is because they can see it's a Gibson so the mind plays tricks.
But I doubt the average audience members or listener will notice or even care about the difference.
Where as to me a single working class musician these guitars are a great thing.
Real Gibson humbuckers, nice finish and all the trappings without paying an extra 2/3k which is surely just profit.
I'm also a big believer in the fact there is a point where one can pay too much for a guitar with diminishing returns.
For the price and quality I'd take epiphone any day, I couldn't ever justify a Gibson, it would be purely for the fact it has the Gibson name on the headstock.
I agree. all audio test's should be in the dark, unseen just heard. Play the sounds without revealing which is which then at the very end show the results.
I own a Gibson 2016 Historic R9 but am not biased i think these Epi 59's are amazing for the price! Many may prefer them to the R9's. It is
all very subjective when it comes to stuff like this. we all have our different tastes and needs. I think the Epi held its own extremely well here!
You can get a Gibson for the price of that Epiphone though.
Admittedly not a Standard, but you can get a Tribute (while stocks last) for exactly the same money, the new LP lites are not much more, and the studios are just a bit more again.
I live in Australia so they are all cataclysmically expensive. So if I am going to pay over the odds for a guitar that is designed so it is hard to play in the upper register and goes out of tune, I want the version that is going to give me maximum harmonics and range.
I just spent the afternoon playing a bunch of LPs in the guitar shop. High end Epiphanies and low end Gibsons.
The difference was that the versatility. Like the Slash Epiphone was every bit as good as the Tribute and Studio when it came to gain sounds, and in some ways better, but it fell apart when trying to do the classic clean with both pickups sound. The Epiphone 59 had no bass on the bass strings. It was weird, the treble strings sounded bang on the money, but the wound strings sounded thin and quiet.
Honestly go get a Tribute before they run out and the used prices start to climb.
The winner of my shootout was a second hand Studio cherry satin. The sound out of the amp wasn't quite as good as the studio, but it rings like crazy acoustically and instilling a table bleed is no big deal.
And its cheaper than even the second hand Epiphone 59
@@tonedowne I have a 2016 Tribute 50's goldtop and love it! I play it almost as much as my historic R9 mainly because
it is on a stand and the R9 is in its case!😁 But in all seriousness the tribute i got used is stellar for what i paid.
$650 with a gibson gig bag. The guy that bought it a few months earlier decided to just play strat's
so he sold me his mint tribute! no joke!
@@These_go_to_eleven_1959 You got a real; score there. The Tributes are the real deal, they just don't look the best, particularly from behind, but no one can see that when you are playing it.
I think with the Gibson logic being what it is, they discontinued the Tribute because it was too good of a deal and they want to sell more Epiphones.
Great guitars, I played a bunch of more expensive LPs that I liked less than the Tribute. Chambered body, some ind of treble bleed, and no convoluted wiring to get in the way of the tone. its a winner.
@@tonedowne Yeah i got lucky. i also really like that it is different from my R9. They do not play the same even though both have a 50's neck shape
and are LP's. The satin finish of the tribute is cool with me. never have to polish it. I play it as much as my R9. really great guitars for under $1000
used,
I want another classic. I think that’s the best investment. I can sell my 2017 for the same price I bought it for still today in 2024.
The 50's Gibson smokes the Epiphone '59 in tones.
Why, when playing the clean comparisons, you "played" the Gibson, but you "strummed" the Epiphone with no enthusiasm. You made the Epiphone sound boring on purpose, I believe, trying to sell Gibsons low-key.
GOOD JOB, MATE!!! There was no comparison. The Gibson wins by far. I was considering the Epiphone before hearing your video just now. I'd seriously suggest to anyone considering this Epiphone model not to do it!!!
The first Epiphone/Gibson collab the '59 Lmt. Edition is a far better buy. OR...I'd just buy a Gibson Studio. But not the latest version of that one either.
I don't own the nice, beautiful flame-top Les Paul's (which are cosmetic benefits that have NOTHING to do with sound), but i do own a Gibson Studio in Tangerine burst and the '59 Lmt. Edition Epiphone the $899 one. With that being said, I own two really good Les Paul's that SOUNDS really good and saved quite a bit of money sacrificing only the beautiful look of the more expensive Les Paul's. Who's proud of me?
The Epiphone sounds fantastic, but I’m not keen on the finish. Personally, I’d save for a few more months and get a Gibson. I know the Epiphone route… but it, play the hell out of it, GAS for a Gibson, sell it at a loss THEN buy a Gibson after a few major price hikes 😅. The custombuckers sound great but I’m pretty sure Alnico 3 mags in Epiphone probuckers will be in the same ballpark shrug. What can I say, I like expensive things but cheap at the same time 😊
Gibson FANBOYS and content creators need to get into reality the epiphone is gibsons daddy plain and simple
If you're poor and deaf. Sure.
@@johnnysix7162 first off you can't afford either one and the poor thing is very old and very tiresome the reality is since JC Curliegh Restored Epiphone back to high end guitars no one wants Gibson anymore no one is really playing them so with that said maybe next time know what you're talking about before you open your mouth and stick your foot in it and buddy you sure did 😁
@@Myfingersstinklikefish Weird that I can't afford them, When I literally unboxed a new a Gibson today. Strange. Oh well, you're right, I'll go play my Glarry instead, tell me about those I'm sure you've got plenty experience with them. Also "nobody is playing Gibson anymore" is probably the dumbest thing I've read. You're dismissed. Good day sir.
@@johnnysix7162you bought a Gibson a brand that no one cares about or wants anymore it was over for Gibson when JC Curliegh Restored Epiphone back to high end guitars in 2019 - 2020 it's full circle epiphone is back to slapping Gibson around like they did in the past get over it and use to it
@@Myfingersstinklikefish Nobody cares about Gibson :'(((((( i so sad, well go look at any sort of Gibson fan group and the amount of members vs an Epiphone fan group. You'll notice pretty quick, way more people care about Gibson. Epiphone hasn't gone full circle, if anything they've gone a step back when they left Korea. now they're nothing more than a company endorsed Chibson. When they were made in Korea, sure they were decent guitars. Anything else I can easily prove you wrong at?
At this point just throw a gibson on the headstock and make them in the same factorys are theyre already made in. My epiphone les paul had considerably better quality control than my 3x the price gibson les paul thats "made in America" as if thats an indicator of quality these days
Gibby has more dimension. Would a change in hardware and pickups help the Epi get closer? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe the pickups and wood in the Gibby is just better.
I dare say anyone who had not seen a Les Paul up close and did not know much about them. Would never know any difference and somebody listening unless they could see the guitars could only know the difference if they knew because they were told nobody could listen to this or my RN and tell any difference at all. It sounds just like it, I think it’s well. Spent $1300 and also it’s only wood and I am very guilty of buying a lot of that wood. I have a lot of Gibson guitars and I can tell you I have nothing but regret been set up pick up makers but regardless the finish on mine might be a little higher quality and it might have Murphy written on it, but it certainly doesn’t make it sound any better and I’m sure with a little fretwork. This probably plays just as good too, it should teach us all a lesson not help Gibson grow but teach us all a lesson. I certainly learned it from Eastman and I’m learning from this too and I’m selling all of my Gibson guitars because of it. I have bought nine Eastman guitars so far and couldn’t be happier. I have ordered one of these so I’ll have one in my collection besides my besides my take. 6:08
Epiphone raised their standards and raised their quality and then decided to raise their prices. Because your not allowed to get your moneys worth on an Epiphone Guitar purchase. Hey if Gibson can grossly overcharge for their guitars, we can too. Simply pathetic and I’ve probably purchased my last Epiphone.
You can buy 300$ guitars with rosewood. Yet this 1300$ Epiphone has laurel? I just don’t like the look of the laurel or the coarseness of the grain to the touch. They went so far to make the Epi a decent guitar, put rosewood on it.
In comparison the difference is a prestige purchase and the insistent artificial differences between people. The perceived gulf isn't bridged by the union of guitar conceptually because those that purchase Gibson products are in fact better people; a higher life form. Epiphone purchasers have but only a dim hope of eventual salvation thru the cyclical passage of a few billion years of protracted musical evolution.
Love this video's concept. To me it seems the real difference is in volume. The Gibson sounded louder through my head phones. The Gibson shines better, I kept wondering what the Epiphone would look like if you polished it hard style. One thing that would be cool if able to, is to use a split screen while taking measurements and put the measurements side by side for comparison.
“We should all feel lucky …”. That is an odd statement. Gibson and epiphone are not giving these guitars away and aren’t they supposed to be making good guitars?
I listened to this video by scrolling down to the comments, so that i couldn't be biased by actually seeing which guitar was being played in the demo. The Upon review after i listened to the video the first time, the Gibson with burstbuckers to me sounded better over the epiphone with the gibson custom buckers. Personally I think the epiphone with that finish looks cheap and doesn't look good at all, it looks like plastic and fake. What is odd to me ....i own 2 different gibson les pauls with each of these pickups demo'd here. A 2020 Gibson Les Paul Trad Pro 4 which has the burst buckers, and I own a 2019 Gibson Custom Shop reissue 1957 Les Paul Custom VOS which has the custom buckers in it. Between both of those Gibson the Custom Shop reissue sounds better than the Trad Pro. The difference in wiring between the Trad Pro has a PCB board with the pickups plugged in and the 57 reissue is hand wired with caps. I have Gibsons and Epiphones in my collection so i am not a fan boy of one or the other, to be its about liking the guitar I am playing and not the name on the head stock. So in this review video the epiphone with custom buckers should have sounded better but it didn't, I am by no means and expert but I suspect it has something to do with the wiring and capacitors being used between the Gibson and the Epiphone
Does the Epiphone 59 have the same neck shape, size, feel as the previous Epiphone 59 Outfit?
Any perceived differences could be easily negated with a simple and inexpensive eq pedal.
Except from the feel and playability. We play with our hands.
I have both of these guitars. Don't be fooled. The feel, sound, and playability are miles ahead with the Gibson.
These would be so much better if this guy could play better. So boring.
Get your story straight Gibson FANBOYS KKR and Company finance Corp actually owns Gibson and Epiphone.. Epiphone is Gibson big brother and if not for Les Paul and Epiphone 1939 into 41 there would be no Gibson solid body les Paul guitar today.. Epiphone Les is the real deal whether you like it or not..start researching before you open your mouth and stick your foot in it...
Seriously you again?? Dude this is 2024 not 1939.
Yes I agree Gibson is over priced but stop promoting crap , it’s a copy I want the real thing .
La Gibson es más cristalina. Claro, son como unos 1000 USD más pues.
I like this channel but what a bowl of spaghetti that sound demo was. I appreciate demo videos but if you're not gonna do it right leave it alone
Epiphoneでもこのレベルのギターを買えるようになっていい時代になったと思います。
The Gibson sounds better both dirty and clean and it’s due to the superior woods the epi will never be as good 👍 or why would you pay more for a Gibson
That's too much money for even a Epiphone.
Man almost half of the price is the pickups, also you got correct headstock and one piece neck like only on some rare Epi signature models before. I would say this Epi is a very nice value actually. The only meaningful downgrade compared to the Gibson is the poly finish and the laurel fretboard for less than half the price. Let that sink in.
The Gibson sounded like a Gibson
The Epiphone sounded like a Epiphone
Plain and simple
Laurel fingerboard and a veneer top? The world has officially gone mad
Short tenon for LP Standard 50s. That's not right.
A satin finish means i just walk on by it...
Very good video though.