By him making 3 different makes clearly shows that he cares about the working men/teens/kids who can't afford the custom makes. He's been there and understands everyone should play. Joe you are a cool dude.
I am actually amazed at the sound of the Epi. I don't think it sounded as good as the first Gibson, but feel it had a bit better sound than the second Gibson.
that' s why i tried all 3 and bought the epiphone $545 when i got a quote from sam ash in hollywood ,(new used epi bonnamassa) and went to west l.a guitar center(with price matching quote) , who marked guitar down........the last one they had marked down from $699 my favorite guitar i have ever played a 57 goldtop darkback and 1959 les paul hybrid(Epi) that cuts butter and a marshall amp, like a ninja..................burstbuckers make amp do all the work
Jon Ang It is clear! So you have to play like a master ! Most people who criticize epiphone not even get to play as Joe, then go to work ! For me, it is only when you have a certain level that can compare some models.
Joe comes across to me as a real humble, down to earth guy with gobs of talent who loves what he does. I for one really dig his musical sensibilities which combine so many great blues and rock artists techniques and sounds. Thanks for keeping the music alive Joe!
Hey, Joe is using a Neutrik SilentPlug to plug in his guitars. That's the only kind of cables my company makes. Every one of our Custom Silent Guitar Cables mute the amps signal the instant you pull the plug out of the guitar. It's a very cool and useful idea- it's not some gimmick as Joe shows here going from guitar to guitar without having to turn down the amp.
Outstanding! So good to see that Joe is dedicated to getting his sig guitars into the hands of regular players and kids, rather than just collectors. He is a genuine nice guy. I'll bet we will be seeing a sig line of his '59 burst reissues from Gibson in the not too distant future...
You are quite prophetic!.....Epiphone makes the Lazarus and the Norm Burst as replica's of a 59 & 60 LP standard that Joe owns. I think Gibson marketed a Lazarus as well, have to check on that. But they did NOT market a Norm Burst. Epiphone alone got that one!!! A well done prediction. There are other Gibson's as well, such as the Skinner Burst. I'm fortunate to have a Norm Burst and a Lazarus. Epiphone has cranked it up a notch!! Thanks Joe B.!!!
It's good to be humble and Joe does an honest job of it but the truth be told, Joe wields the very best Gibson guitars and backs 'em all up with the sickest riffs and amazing guitar playing anywhere!!!
Just pulled the trigger on an Epiphone Les Paul 1960 Tribute Plus. It ships with Gibson '57 Classics, Switchcraft switch, Grover locking tuners, no crappy weight relief, and a sexy flame maple veneer over a real maple cap. All it needed was a fret dress, saddle adjustment, and a bone nut, and it plays WAY better than the two Gibson LP Studios at my local music store. I'm so happy I saved $350 and got a nicer guitar out of the deal. Branding be damned
Yeah, totally agree - Joe comes across as a bit of a snob in this video. I just bought an Epiphone Les Paul Protop FX and it plays better than the Alex Lifeson signature Gibson that I tried out and was 3 thousand dollars less. When he said Epiphones were "for kids" I barked at the screen. Its about the engineering and craftsmanship and I'm sure people in South Korea or Indonesia take their jobs as seriously as people in Mexico or the States.
Glenn Jimenez I suppose I've been a bit of a guitar nerd the past few months. I bought a 2013 Gibson LP 70's Tribute, with those badass ceramic Dirty Finger pickups. It's, by a long shot, the best guitar I've ever played. I get butterflies when I play a riff through a nice tube amp, the clarity and crispness is unbelievable.
I love all you "one uppers" out there, I've been drumming 45 yrs. over the years I see you guys constantly, I like to show my drum student who cant afford a $4000 Ludwig set how nice his $400 set sounds, and when I'm done playing for him, he really likes his drums, I just bought a Epi 100th anniversary Les Paul Custom, Les Paul's birthday tribute guitar. Oh I know! Mr. Gibson owner, Mr One Upper, my guitar's not as nice as yours, its musicians like you that discourage the new players, I noticed a lot of the "one/upper" guitar players are the guys that say "I'm a rhythm guitar player" because you don't know how to play. Encourage someone today,
Here Here! I have a set of Ludwig Blue Vistilite OctaPlus Drums I bought in 1976 - Yes, I am that old. I bought them when I was nineteen. They are in Near Mint condition regardless of years and hundreds of gigs. I, like you, am really sick of the "One-Uppers". In their small insignificant world, they MUST make themselves, well, significant. Really they are simply trying to justify being taken by the "Name" on a Drum Set or Guitar's Headstock. Ever see that Gibson Les Paul played by Jimmy Page during thousands of shows - Guess what, here's a shocker - IT WASN'T MADE BY GIBSONAT ALL" Yes, you read that correctly. In fact, many, many of your favorite "Rock Stars" have Custom built guitars hand made by some the best Luthiers in the World and due to contractual obligations the headstocks are replaced - The Luthiers don't care, they are paid well. I own a few guitars, one of them is a handmade custom guitar that is worth more money than I care to admit and you know what? It stays in the case. No, it doesn't come out to play because I do not want to put a scratch on it. I also own three Epiphone Les Paul’s and I dare anyone to tell me the difference in a side by side blind comparison to any Gibson costing three or four time as much. Like you said, it comes down to the who is playing it. A friend of mine, when he was down on his luck, went to Wal-Mart and bought a Fender Telecaster Copy - However, in his hands, many people commented on just how awesome that guitar sounded and how great of a guitarist he was. On the drum set side my Ludwig’s no longer hit the road - and, since I am not a rich guy and unable to buy that $5000.00 set of DW Drums I would love to have, I bought, ON SALE, a set of PDP (Precision Drums and Percussion), actually made by DW that I use exclusively for gigs. I must say, like my Epiphone Les Paul’s, this kit absolutely rocks. They sound phenomenal - Are made with the same quality and care as DW's main line of Drums only a more economic version. The moral of this story is NEVER EVER judge a book by its cover, or in this case Guitars and Drums. Though I do not know of anyone who would do this, if you took a Gibson Les Paul and a Epiphone Les Paul and cut them right down the middle from the headstock to the hip strap - I doubt you would find thousands of dollars’ difference in either materials or workmanship. So One up me all you want - I am 60 years old (in two weeks) been playing drums since I was nine years old - And I guarantee you, in my hands, a hundred-dollar snare drum would sound just as good as a thousand-dollar snare drum. All these on-uppers really need to get over it. Besides, ever see Gary Clark Jr? That is an Epiphone, ever listen to The Beatles, John Lennon and George Harrison both loved their Epiphone Guitars - And today, they are better than ever. But, the one uppers will never "Lower" themselves to Epiphone’s high standards. As for me, I will relish in the fact that I can buy four awesome looking, sounding, and playing Epiphone Les Pauls for my collection for every one they can buy from Gibson. Nuff Said.
Kevin Stailey the Epiphones the Beatles played were made in America in the Gibson Kalamazoo factory along side the Gibsons using the same materials. The Epiphone name has from 1970 been used on guitars made in the far east apart from the ones made in the Fuji Gen factory in Japan the guitars are inferior to US made Gibson's I know I've just payed £619GBP for an Epiphone Joe Bonamassa Firebird 1 which has issues which it shouldn't have at the price. I'm on my second one as the first one went back to the shop due to serious finish flaws..
Thanks Joe for puttin the custom shop epiphone out....... it cuts thru any mix, and is so sweet in the studio and on stage...... i love my 2011 epi JB,LP Goldtop
I purchased my first electic guitar,a '56 Epiphone goldtop les Paul,secondhand with upgraded P90s about 6 months ago. Ill be keeping this guitar as long as iam breathing. Absolutely love it!!
I think epiphones guitars are wonderful. I got one recently, a plus top pro standard, and it sounded amazing. It's little on the brighter side compared to a les Paul which has that slighter warner tone. But that's like almost undetectable.. Not many will be able to differentiate them tones. A
I play an Epi JB Goldtop at pub jam gigs. Several ex-professional players say the tone of this guitar is the best from out of those that are played.It must be the guitar because surely is not my playing.
thanks for the kind words, helps me keep faith in humanity. I sure cant wait for the new one to get here, Burstbucker pickups have the tone Im looking for. One of the reasons why I like joe, his tone is killer, not to mention his writing ect.
joe"s kid comment is from a price point. he had $4000 (custom gib) $1200 (studiobona)$700 (epiphone) a kid could afford the epi MY OPINION AFTER playin all three and buying one 1. custom (smoothest) 2.epiphone(very smooth) 3. gibson studio(smooth)groover tuners , long neck tenon, mahogony /maple cap mahogony neck malory 150 caps 500 pots , switchcraft no weight relief , the custom was silk , the epiphone was very close to the custom, and the studio felt like a average gibson studio /with burstbuckers 2/3 and a kinda twangy sound. Winner Epiphone /custom
donthewatcher My first guitar was a 1990 white and gold studio with ebony fretboard. I was 15 and I worked my ass off, and saved my money. Do you see how that works?
Any of you guys notice that on the two Gibsons he has the stings going "over" the wrap-around tail piece. The sting angle is less severe than having the strings come up from the bottom of the tail piece. With the stings "over" the tail piece, there's actually less tension and string bending is like a Gibson with a trapeze tail piece, very easy, nice comfortable bends.
Well I own an Epiphone Casino and an Epiphone Les Paul Plustop Pro. Despite being made in China, they have good craftsmanship and sound very nice. Sure, because they're cheaper they're more accessible for youngsters and beginners, and that's fine, but they're still $500. Kids should really be starting with a Fender Squier you can get a nice new one for $100 and they sound just fine.
+Cheefrocco I got the Plustop Pro too. It's a great player and looks really nice.. Usually a single coil player (strats) but fancied an alternative, definitely made the right decision
I have a 2005 Epiphone Les Paul classic in ebony. The one made in Korea. I fell in love with it the very first time I played it. And of all the seven guitars in my home. I still like it the best. I have been leaning towards buying one of Joe Bonamassa models very soon. I really like this gold top. But some of the others are very nice too. decisions decisions lol
I own the Epiphone version and it's a brilliant guitar, it took a few weeks before it settled in but now it plays perfectly. The Burst Buckers are something very special and I'm surprised that they come as stock. For the price you'd be hard pressed to find anything anywhere near as good
@infinityjet He was plugged into a fantastic Lazy J Model 80 combo from UK-based boutique amp maker Jesse Hoff. He used the amp's VAC attenuator to keep the volume down but other than that there were no pedals - it just went straight into the amp.
i was just about to post the same thing! epi's aren't "for kids" they're for peeps (like us i guess) who don't have tons of money to blow on an expensive ass gibson. i proudly rock my Epi 335
Les Paul preferred Epiphone over Gibson. Took them quite a while to convince him to come over. As a matter of fact, they didn't have the prototype finished for him when he did come over. So they sanded down the headstock and slapped a Gibson logo on it.
Bonamassa could make any guitar sound good. My epiphone les paul sounds really good now, but I changed the tuners, put Duncan pickups in it, adjusted the neck, set it, reset it over a long period of time. It rivals certain Gibsons now, but it took a little doing. A five hundred dollar guitar now has turned into a thousand or more and a lot of time. It is pretty much the sound I want now, so I am happy with it. I am not playing to feed my family so it is hard for me to justify buying an expensive guitar like that. The difference in my situation probably isn't worth it. I guess it ultimately depends on the use to justify the cost. If I was doing it for a living I would probably buy a Gibson as well.
9 лет назад+5
Man so many people get this wrong... Why would you change the tuners? Grover tuners are one of the best tuners out there. I mean take a look at the very video you can see that the Gibsons he's using have grovers on them. You would be better off replacing that sihtty plastic nut that is on the epiphones
Tilen Marš The JB LP has a Corian nut stock. :-) Replacing the bridge and stop tailpiece with better quality materials makes the most difference in tone and sustain.
It's awesome to me that despite Joe's fame, you can tell that a very large part of him today is still that same kid sitting in his bedroom and dreaming of being a famous guitarist and having signature equipment. I'm sure he still looks at those guitars and says "Wow, I can't believe that I have a signature guitar!" I love watching JB play with legends like Clapton, because you can tell he's so excited to be jamming with his heroes. Who wouldn't be?
Joe just seems like a really nice guy. He's definitely a tremendous talent. It's cool to see someone who's got a good heart have success. God bless, Joe!
Eh. I wouldn't imply that Gibson players aren't "real players." While Epiphone is still great, this whole Gibson vs Epihone tribalism is kind of idiotic. At the end of the day, people buy what they want and that doesn't really have any impact on their ability to play.
Intro for the custom 2:26 for the studio like variant 4:08 for the Epi The studio sounded the brightest, the Epi was a bit less defined but smooth and the custom sounded a bit dark, all notably mellow or perhaps that's his style in effect.
I love my 2003 MIJ Epiphone Elite Les Paul from the Fujigen guitar factory. It has a long neck tenon and the fit and finish is on par with the Gibson custom shop. I love it so much I sold my Gibson R7 Historic from the Gibson custom/historic shop and kept the Epiphone. If you can track down a used one buy it!!!
***** i was able to play all three models, my rating and why.... #1 the custom shop felt and played the smoothest.. #2 the epiphone is very close duplicate to the custom shop (insane sustain &epiphone growl) #3 gibson bonamassa studio , it felt like a studio with burstbuckers , a little rough not smooth, in my humble opinion this epiphone is a great clone of a 1959 LP gibson and a better instrument quality wise than the gibson bonamassa studio mallory 500 pots ,long neck tenon burstbuckers2/3 ,grover tuners non weight relief make this the best epiphone les paul they put out (1959 lespaul epiphone tribute, has simular setup) was also a superb epiphone guitar get the epiphone...$500 on sale online
***** Actually, this one is not. If you buy at least a Plus Top Pro you'll get a guitar that will far outplay its price. Epi Customs and Classics have genuine Gibson pickups and switches in them. It then becomes a lot harder to pay five times more for a guitar with the same hardware for just a logo difference.
Jon Doh hey jon I traded in my plustop pro for a epiphone bonamassa goldtop ,way better guitar ,Mallory 150 caps 500k pots , switchcraft , burstbucker 2/3 long neck tenon etc , the probuckers are ok as BB clones but don't cut through mix like burstbuckers ,this is one of the best guitars epiphone has put out ,ive been through 5 epiphones 6 gibsons ,and I now prefer epiphone customshop guitars(better quality control)than gibson
I own an Ultra III Epi and I could not be happier, neck is fantastic and Probuckers are some of the best PU ever. Best $700 I have spent on any guitar.
I have a 75 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe fitted with a Burstbucker 2 and 3. I also bought a Bonamassa Epiphone Les Paul and I find that I like each equally well. The Gibson has a smaller neck profile, and is just an incredible guitar. The JB has a huge fat neck that I love. I also have a 09 59' Epiphone 50th anniversary Les Paul with Burstbuckers and it sounds and plays extremely well. I have 1 other Epi Les Paul that doesn't have anything special about it. I ENJOY PLAYING ALL FOUR of these guitars.
Let's face it... JB could make a few elastic bands on a plank of wood sound good.... Which reminds me, a pal of mine had a rubber trumpet !! He joined an elastic band....
For me the slight difference in tone does not justify the price difference. If you play as good as Bonamassa you can get away with playing beautifully on an Epiphone.
If you can't play, you're not going to get away with a Gibson either. If you can play you can get away with 90% of the guitars these days to be honest. Azia has improved a lot the past decade. Only the USA / UK made humbuckers remain a tad better, but as stated in the vid, the Epiphone has the Gibson Burstbuckers in it.
Put good pickups in an epiphone and you have no difference, especially on an SG! I have both and always end up with the epiphone because it has better pickups and is 1/5th the cost! Just the wages of the people that put it together differ dramatically!
there are other considerations as well between a gibson and Epiphone. If you can find an Epiphone from the 70's then you have a gem.. even today, the wood selection is better for gibson as Epiphone uses less quality woods. Also the electronics are better in a gibson vs today's Epiphone.
keithsa41 That might be true on your standard epi's. but on the signature models and higher end epi's, the difference between quality starts get very narrow.
Neil St My Epi Les Paul ES cost more than a Les Paul Studio back in 2000 and I am keeping that nasty little bugger. There is nothing cheap about it. I sold the Les Pauls I had (mostly due to their weight and the nerve damage I have in my left arm...) but that Epi is a keeper.
People who still claim Epiphone is so much lesser than Gibson are like people who still bash on Microsoft. Put down your 2007 newspaper and look at the world for fucks sake. At no other point in history has Epiphones quality been so good. Does Gibson use better woods? Eh. Maybe. Not so much better that people can really notice. Are the electronics better? Yes, usually. Enough to make a difference? Hard to say. Epis electronics are miles ahead of where the were 10 years ago though, boo question. Case in point: ever wonder why you can't buy aftermarket probuckers? Because they sound so damn close to the burstbuckers, everyone would just rush out and destroy a huge portion of Gibson's share of the pickup market. (And, Epiphone would sell far fewer guitars.) Sorry, but that massive pricetag on a Gibby just doesn't translate to quality like it used to. You're paying for the name on the headstock and American labor costs. These days Chinese and Korean guitar manufacturers are killing the USA in craftsmanship. Gibson has it's fair share of QC issues to deal with too.
A super great video from Joe ... did not know that the Japanese automaker has found a lucrative niche for electric guitar making but can sell to customers at a cheaper price ... or maybe when buying a car Nissan Juke 5-door from approx 20,000 and up in other Nissan types as a so-called ultimate Mitfahrobieke in the passenger seat as a gift to get ... and Joe of course leaves all his charm from the "stack" he is just wonderful
+John Poulos i played this epiphone alot in 2 years i have had it , it is my favorite guitar for gigs along with my 2013 gibson lpj , i can cover any style , the JB Epi compare's close too the Gibson JBLP custom shop(which i first played at sam ash hollywood), and The EPi has a insane sustain........................... and im thinking it feels like a les paul 1959 gibson hybrid with burstbuckers 2/3 and grover tuners ,and a fat smooth neck, this is the best guitar epipone has put out , since the les paul 1959 epiphone model that is not available anymore , play on breedren /brother , hopefully with a epiphone joe b model.... it rocks..............hard , i play this guitar on RUclips: Funkdoobiest Kalifornia Funk , i have it sounding like a stratacaster(it took a little work to get my epi bonamassa that loose........ peace
Epiphone makes a nice guitar, especially the ones that have the set up in the USA. I just have a $600 retail Epi LP standard that I think I paid $400 for 10 years ago. It sounds really great with 10 gauge strings. I hear adding a bone nut really makes a harmonic difference.
About two years too late, but I just slapped bone nuts on all my epiphones (les Paul custom, 335 IG, and a Dove Pro) and the difference is incredible! The bone nut really makes the guitars sing!
I personally don't like how he writes off any guitar as a "kid's guitar" Not everyone makes '59 Les Paul collection their claim to fame. I don't know about everyone else on this list, but my toys as a kid were $10 action figures, not $500+ electric guitars. Epiphone and Gibson Les Pauls are both professional instruments for people who worked hard to buy them. Not "kids".
Well Cletus, almost every "kid" i see these days are carrying around a cellphone that did not cost $10 so with a few sacrifices and compromises its not that far out of reach for them. I know the 80's was a rough time to come up.
I first guitar was a 1990 white and gold studio with ebony fretboard. I still have that guitar. I learned how to play in that guitar. These guitars are for everyone kids included.
The epiphones literally are the student line of guitars. Just like Paul reed Smith makes SE models in asia... SE stands for "student edition", SEs are the epiphones of the PRS world. Don't get butt hurt over reality.
Agreed he made a huge mistake from a selling point of view there saying it was a kids guitar,i have one and its a lot better than any of the standard Gibsons all round,seems like he was ill informed?
Joes a great guy and awesome player but I didnt like the comment about "kids guitar" It shows us how out of touch GMI is with the working class.I wonder how many Gibson factory workers could afford a new Gibson or even afford to buy the Epi for one of their kids?
Evan Herb Guitar sales had nothing to do with Gibson’s problems. Gibson actually makes a nice profit every year on guitar sales. Gibson’s business problems come from spending to much money on buying other companies and not doing anything with them. Gibson also less then a 5% return rate.
I mainly play Fender myself for a multitude of personal reasons - they just seem to fit me better. I was not much in for Joe Bonamassa's music in his early years, but he seems to get better and better, and like his style more and more, although he sometimes (for me) goes into "overkill-mode", when soloing. But I am following him music-wise and he seems only to get better with age!
So Gibson bought Epiphone, who used to be it's competitor, & made it it's "Squire". Oh well. Epiphone makes AMAZING guitars. Incredible guitar value. Indistinguishable in quality from the Gibsons. Edit: BTW, Joe Bonamassa rocks!!! & has good taste in guitars.
I have an Epi ES 335 Pro. I can see some small details in the finish, just really small imperfections that bother me a little. BUT, the sound... it is really good. The tone is just slightly different from the Gibson 335.
Japalloo I think it’s unattractive as well. It’s seems too large and out of balance compared to the Gibson shape. That being said I would still own one.
Got my les paul studio bonamassa today and its just great.Dont feel like any studio i ever played before.Sounds killer and plays great.....It is a bit on the heavy side but that i like with my les paul so i see that as a bonus:) If you are thinking of buying one,do it now before its to late.......
I think people are mis-interpreting the way Joe said 'for kids', he was saying it was the incentive to build the Epiphone.... he in no way mentioned the build quality or who SHOULD play it... he merely mentioned that he had a lot of kids who wanted his signature guitar but couldn't afford it.... it's understandable!!
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Gibson has been doing this trick for ages now (X's custom Les Paul). And each of them is… a Les Paul. You've had one of them, you've had all of them. Except for less than 1%, which have actually been somewhat different (3rd single coil pickup, coil spit or a Floyd Rose on them). Otherwise it's A Les Paul with a name tag on it in order to trick some more kids into buying them. I don't have anything against a Les Paul. A decent guitar. Not a particularly good guitar, but a decent guitar. But this one is exactly the same as a Les Paul made 10 years ago, or a Les Paul that will be made in 10 years from now. They do not even bother anymore to put different pickups in them, like single coils or buckers with three coils, etc. They just wish to be calling them by different names. It's smart on their side. They know most people do not care for a guitar, they care for a logo on the headstock.
So, if up and coming rocker JD Simo starts playing a Joe Bonamassa Les Paul on stage, will Gibson release the JD Simo Joe Bonamassa Les Paul? Or, what if a kid named Chris Fields becomes a guitar legend, and his guitar of choice is the JD Simo Joe Bonamassa Les Paul. Will Gibson release the Chris Fields JD Simo Joe Bonamassa Les Paul?
Cheap guitar = kid's guitar. Then John Lennon was a kid while playing Don't Let Me Down. Bob Dylan used an Epiphone Acoustic, what a kid. Brian Jones used Epiphone Casino, such a kid. Kurt Cobain used an Epiphone ET-270T, wow kid cobain. Les Paul recorded his stuff with Epiphones for ten years, that ambitious kiddo. Keith Richards, oh my god another Casino Kid! You lads don't seem so motivated about the Epiphone comments but let me explain the moral better for you. "If you are a good musician, you can make good music with a guitar for kids." None of you need to get the most expensive guitar to create the best music, thats just for the edge of the tone. It's like a Joe has a better car than another Joe, but poor Joe may go to a better destination with a shitty car. You are the musician, not your money.
Kenway Koritsy I see what you are saying but it should also be known that a. Joe was speaking strictly from a price perspective and b. Epiphone was actually its own company when it started and a competitor of Gibson, they didn't become a subordinate or entry level brand until later, so the epiphone guitars from that era played by the aforementioned artists are actually worth considerably more than their contemporary counterparts and are on par with Gibson...
it's the fact that the old epiphone brand, before it was bought by gibson, was making better and a lot more expensive guitars so when you see lennon playing one, it's like the top shelf guitar of its day
***** No. If Gibson used the Epi headstock. I would still think it's ugly. I know why i think it's ugly. It's not because the name it's because i legitimately think it looks ugly. Don't tell me why i like things. You don't know me lmao. What's ugly about it ? I think it doesn't suit the LP. Only the Sheraton and Casino. Looks terrible on the LP IMO.
***** I couldn't give a fucking shit what you believe or not LOL. No it doesn't justify the price difference. But the Gibson is much better. Think what you want Epi Fan boy. I'm allowed to have an opinion. You don't like it ? Get fucked mate ?
***** First off. I personally find the shape of the Epiphone Headstock ugly on the Les paul. I don't think it matches the rest of the body. That's my personal opinion on the design. It's like having the wrong mag wheels on the wrong car etc. Not my style. Everyone has different taste. I've made it very clear. It's not the name. I own Epiphones. I own Gibsons. I personally like my Epiphone Casino my than my Gibson 335 in every way. And it's made in Korea. Also own a couple of Epi Acoustics and they're fantastic. So PLEASE stop telling me why i like things. Because you really don't know why okay ? It's my opinion man. I'm not slagging Epiphone off. I just don't like the Headstock on the LP. At one point the Jap Epiphone LPs had the Gibson style one and they looked perfect. Well if people are going to put down a whole brand name for the logo that's their choice. I had Squiers. Classic vibes etc. They were great great guitars and the logo looked somewhat like Fenders so i don't see the issue. As i said. I like the Epiphone headstock. I just don't like it on the Les paul body that's all.
I owned the Epiphone (1st run) and then traded to a Studio. Today I'm finishing up with adding the saddles. It's been a very interesting journey getting it to "Custom Shop" spec...
@van1980 They do make the Studio ’60s Tribute as a Goldtop, van - it's quite a beauty, and you can read a full review of it and the Bonamassa Epi LP in issue 343 of Guitarist!
to all haters of epiphone. PLAY SOMETHING ELSE Joe does actullay play his product (on you tube: joe bonamassa ryman auditorium 4/26/14 slow train)and so do, others like the beatles , gary clark jr zak wylde etc, my point is epiphone makes affordable professional instruments ,that normal people can work with ,without paying just for the Gibson name. (they ,over charge and put out shit product also)... or I can do what les paul did... take a old ,epiphone log piece of wood, body and make a neck and some pickups and, shape the body, and you know the rest.of that story.........so keep playing your guitar for your dog or your 10,000 fans , find your ax of choice and your pickups of choice and just play..............
Good stuff...Joe B is a great player and cool to see how happy he is being honored w sig guitars. The guitars,in this clip,sound overall great with the historic having that extra voodoo. It has,at least for me,that explosive attack followed by some bloom.
A true inspiration to me, your average kid. And he achieved his goal of getting his guitars into the hands of kids, because I'm lucky enough to own the gibby and epi version.
I resent the implication that the Epi is for kids. He should be slapped hard about the head and shoulders and by someone who knows how. Today's Epiphones are not his daddy's Epiphones. I'm a 59 year old proud to own a recently made Epiphone ES 339 ultra and it ain't no toy. $700 in today's economy is not peanuts either. Frankly that Epi sounded good in the video too. Dipshit.
StrikeOnDrifter I got mine on "clearance" at Guitar Center for $529. Best purchase for the money I've made. I have been original owner of guitars such as an American made Parker, the 52 Telecaster reissue, Steinberger---all cost well over a grand and none were as versatile and stayed in tune the way this Epi Ultra has. It's coil tap and nano-mag mix can produce an almost Hendrix like Strat sound. One just has to be patient and work it--get a good set up and watch that tuner in the bezel of the bridge pick up show you that this is not a "toy" for "kids", at least mine stays in tune like nothing else I've had. And I bend the heck out of it with 10--52 on.
RareBird0 i think he ment that it is a guitar for starters , almost everyone i know didnt start with a gibson . but thats my opinion because i am a kid and i started with an epiphone sg-310 (sounds great)
RareBird0 As Marco said, he was just saying that these guitars are for starters. They aren't as well made as the 4000 dollar Gibson variants but they are still great as he said at the end. He wasn't slanting epiphone, just saying that they're the guitars for those who cant afford crazy expensive guitars.
I dunno what are you talking about. I bought Epi, then I bought Gibson Traditional. And only after buying Gibson Reissue for 4700 I understood how the real guitar should sound like
Joe Bonamassa is the stuff! Taking his time to share his knowledge and passion for instruments and music! And he’s not conceded or egotistical, but I’d say more so rather uncomfortable with his fame and fortune. Just a regular person who made it big and didn’t let it get to him.
The Epiphone signature model is "for kids". What a deeply misguied, throw away comment. How to put off an entire generation of prospective adult players who can't afford Gibson USA prices from buying it. Worse still, how to piss off those adults who own the Epiphone model and are made to feel by its very endorser that they bought a child's guitar.
+Luke Deacon Guitar I like to think that he meant it was aimed to be priced so that someone my age (15) could save up and be able to buy it, rather than paying 2 or 3 times more for a Gibson
+Paul Wilson A guitar is a guitar you brainless twit. A $99 starter pack guitar by Silvertone is for beginners, not a $500 Epiphone Les Paul, you moron.
+Paul Wilson It helps to call someone a moron if you can actually write a grammatically correct sentence for once in your life. Yes, I also own American guitars, and happen to own some made in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China. And yes, I can tell you in very many cases the difference isn't all that big. This doesn't make me a moron, it makes me objective. I don't get ripped off by headstock chasing... like a moron.
I'll tell you about a very nice low budget great guitar. It's the CORT Sunset series. Well made and very nice for the $$$$. I almost bought one but then remembered that I haven't picked a guitar up in about a year.
Damn I knew Joe has always been pretty deadpan & frank when it comes to his personality and opinions but he is a terrible salesman ! Calling his own limited run of Epiphone signatures "kids guitars" ? Besides a few minuscule cosmetic upgrades & a bit more authentic finishes Epiphone's are the exact same as Gibsons. The only difference is that your paying an extra couple thousand dollars more to have a historic name on the headstock...there's no reason to make people feel like they bought a lesser guitar, he still put his own signature on it. Christ he's a good enough player that he could have plugged in a Sears catalogue guitar & made it sound just as good as his Gibson. I just have to question why he has to at times act like such a elitist, gets to be narcissistic in a way.
By him making 3 different makes clearly shows that he cares about the working men/teens/kids who can't afford the custom makes. He's been there and understands everyone should play. Joe you are a cool dude.
Anthony .Varone couldn't agree more
Agree completely, however he did own an original L series start at the age of ten or something lol
Joel French , yeah thanks to who Daddy?
Yeah most likely. However, if my dad owned a guitar shop I'd probably do the same thing
I have a Univox Paul copy from the 70s...its absolutely fantastic
Love Joe. A monster player, complete gentleman, and humble to a fault. Total guitar nerd too. He's a walking guitar encyclopedia.
I own a few Les Paul Customs and recently bought an Epiphone Honeyburst Les Paul Pro, I luv this guitar immensely and tend to use it more
I am actually amazed at the sound of the Epi. I don't think it sounded as good as the first Gibson, but feel it had a bit better sound than the second Gibson.
that' s why i tried all 3 and bought the epiphone $545 when i got a quote from sam ash in hollywood ,(new used epi bonnamassa) and went to west l.a guitar center(with price matching quote) , who marked guitar down........the last one they had marked down from $699 my favorite guitar i have ever played a 57 goldtop darkback and 1959 les paul hybrid(Epi) that cuts butter and a marshall amp, like a ninja..................burstbuckers make amp do all the work
It sound like it has the most balls and grunt, kinda pissed off like the burst bucker 2 kinda.
Damn that Epiphone held its own!
One of the nicest and polite guitar pla... masters around!
As a person who owns a Gibson Les Paul. Wow. That Epiphone sounded great!
almost any guitar will sound great in the hands of a master
Jon Ang It is clear! So you have to play like a master ! Most people who criticize epiphone not even get to play as Joe, then go to work !
For me, it is only when you have a certain level that can compare some models.
though lacks low and punch compared to his gibsons
Owned a Gibson LP Classic back when they were a thing. Now own an Epi LP Standard. The Epi is superior. Higher end Epiphone > Lower end Gibson
I am not a kid, can afford 10 gibsons, but play epiphone... nobody hears the diffence at live gig....
Joe comes across to me as a real humble, down to earth guy with gobs of talent who loves what he does. I for one really dig his musical sensibilities which combine so many great blues and rock artists techniques and sounds. Thanks for keeping the music alive Joe!
Hey, Joe is using a Neutrik SilentPlug to plug in his guitars. That's the only kind of cables my company makes. Every one of our Custom Silent Guitar Cables mute the amps signal the instant you pull the plug out of the guitar. It's a very cool and useful idea- it's not some gimmick as Joe shows here going from guitar to guitar without having to turn down the amp.
Outstanding! So good to see that Joe is dedicated to getting his sig guitars into the hands of regular players and kids, rather than just collectors. He is a genuine nice guy. I'll bet we will be seeing a sig line of his '59 burst reissues from Gibson in the not too distant future...
You are quite prophetic!.....Epiphone makes the Lazarus and the Norm Burst as replica's of a 59 & 60 LP standard that Joe owns. I think Gibson marketed a Lazarus as well, have to check on that. But they did NOT market a Norm Burst. Epiphone alone got that one!!! A well done prediction. There are other Gibson's as well, such as the Skinner Burst. I'm fortunate to have a Norm Burst and a Lazarus. Epiphone has cranked it up a notch!! Thanks Joe B.!!!
The Epiphone didn't sound different to me than the Gibson, so I would go for the Epiphone and have money left over for a good amp or effects
Or a Decent used Harley Davidson.
I already have the Harley... and two Les Pauls... among others...
The tone is in his fingers.
Nagesh Cavatur, the tone is in the guitar electronics. the fingers do the pitches of notes or intonation of notes, licks, riffs, etc.
My teachers always used to tell me they didn't like my tone.
Im surprised how nice he seems to be. He knows his stuff for sure.
He seems very humble. The Epiphones sound great.
It's good to be humble and Joe does an honest job of it but the truth be told, Joe wields the very best Gibson guitars and backs 'em all up with the sickest riffs and amazing guitar playing anywhere!!!
Just pulled the trigger on an Epiphone Les Paul 1960 Tribute Plus. It ships with Gibson '57 Classics, Switchcraft switch, Grover locking tuners, no crappy weight relief, and a sexy flame maple veneer over a real maple cap. All it needed was a fret dress, saddle adjustment, and a bone nut, and it plays WAY better than the two Gibson LP Studios at my local music store. I'm so happy I saved $350 and got a nicer guitar out of the deal. Branding be damned
svfutbol20 got exactly the same here man, love it so much :-)
Yeah, totally agree - Joe comes across as a bit of a snob in this video. I just bought an Epiphone Les Paul Protop FX and it plays better than the Alex Lifeson signature Gibson that I tried out and was 3 thousand dollars less. When he said Epiphones were "for kids" I barked at the screen. Its about the engineering and craftsmanship and I'm sure people in South Korea or Indonesia take their jobs as seriously as people in Mexico or the States.
+svfutbol20 I don't know man. I just bought a Les Paul Traditional T. New for 2016. Whole Lotta Paul. Sometimes the branding does represent something.
Glenn Jimenez I suppose I've been a bit of a guitar nerd the past few months. I bought a 2013 Gibson LP 70's Tribute, with those badass ceramic Dirty Finger pickups. It's, by a long shot, the best guitar I've ever played. I get butterflies when I play a riff through a nice tube amp, the clarity and crispness is unbelievable.
+Glenn Jimenez Yeah, resale value.
I love all you "one uppers" out there, I've been drumming 45 yrs. over the years I see you guys constantly, I like to show my drum student who cant afford a $4000 Ludwig set how nice his $400 set sounds, and when I'm done playing for him, he really likes his drums, I just bought a Epi 100th anniversary Les Paul Custom, Les Paul's birthday tribute guitar. Oh I know! Mr. Gibson owner, Mr One Upper, my guitar's not as nice as yours, its musicians like you that discourage the new players, I noticed a lot of the "one/upper" guitar players are the guys that say "I'm a rhythm guitar player" because you don't know how to play. Encourage someone today,
Sunk cost fallacy, they blew $4000 on a gibson and have to justify it to themselves.
Here Here! I have a set of Ludwig Blue Vistilite OctaPlus Drums I bought in 1976 - Yes, I am that old. I bought them when I was nineteen. They are in Near Mint condition regardless of years and hundreds of gigs. I, like you, am really sick of the "One-Uppers". In their small insignificant world, they MUST make themselves, well, significant. Really they are simply trying to justify being taken by the "Name" on a Drum Set or Guitar's Headstock. Ever see that Gibson Les Paul played by Jimmy Page during thousands of shows - Guess what, here's a shocker - IT WASN'T MADE BY GIBSONAT ALL" Yes, you read that correctly. In fact, many, many of your favorite "Rock Stars" have Custom built guitars hand made by some the best Luthiers in the World and due to contractual obligations the headstocks are replaced - The Luthiers don't care, they are paid well. I own a few guitars, one of them is a handmade custom guitar that is worth more money than I care to admit and you know what? It stays in the case. No, it doesn't come out to play because I do not want to put a scratch on it. I also own three Epiphone Les Paul’s and I dare anyone to tell me the difference in a side by side blind comparison to any Gibson costing three or four time as much. Like you said, it comes down to the who is playing it. A friend of mine, when he was down on his luck, went to Wal-Mart and bought a Fender Telecaster Copy - However, in his hands, many people commented on just how awesome that guitar sounded and how great of a guitarist he was. On the drum set side my Ludwig’s no longer hit the road - and, since I am not a rich guy and unable to buy that $5000.00 set of DW Drums I would love to have, I bought, ON SALE, a set of PDP (Precision Drums and Percussion), actually made by DW that I use exclusively for gigs. I must say, like my Epiphone Les Paul’s, this kit absolutely rocks. They sound phenomenal - Are made with the same quality and care as DW's main line of Drums only a more economic version. The moral of this story is NEVER EVER judge a book by its cover, or in this case Guitars and Drums. Though I do not know of anyone who would do this, if you took a Gibson Les Paul and a Epiphone Les Paul and cut them right down the middle from the headstock to the hip strap - I doubt you would find thousands of dollars’ difference in either materials or workmanship. So One up me all you want - I am 60 years old (in two weeks) been playing drums since I was nine years old - And I guarantee you, in my hands, a hundred-dollar snare drum would sound just as good as a thousand-dollar snare drum. All these on-uppers really need to get over it. Besides, ever see Gary Clark Jr? That is an Epiphone, ever listen to The Beatles, John Lennon and George Harrison both loved their Epiphone Guitars - And today, they are better than ever. But, the one uppers will never "Lower" themselves to Epiphone’s high standards. As for me, I will relish in the fact that I can buy four awesome looking, sounding, and playing Epiphone Les Pauls for my collection for every one they can buy from Gibson. Nuff Said.
Kevin Stailey the Epiphones the Beatles played were made in America in the Gibson Kalamazoo factory along side the Gibsons using the same materials. The Epiphone name has from 1970 been used on guitars made in the far east apart from the ones made in the Fuji Gen factory in Japan the guitars are inferior to US made Gibson's I know I've just payed £619GBP for an Epiphone Joe Bonamassa Firebird 1 which has issues which it shouldn't have at the price. I'm on my second one as the first one went back to the shop due to serious finish flaws..
Its true the Epi is not as nice as the Gibson and never will be,that's why its a budget Les Paul.That does not mean its not a good guitar though
ha probably really true, a half ass carpenter can't blame his tools,
Thanks Joe for puttin the custom shop epiphone out....... it cuts thru any mix, and is so sweet in the studio and on stage...... i love my 2011 epi JB,LP Goldtop
its hard to tell the difference because he makes them all sound so good.
I purchased my first electic guitar,a '56 Epiphone goldtop les Paul,secondhand with upgraded P90s about 6 months ago. Ill be keeping this guitar as long as iam breathing. Absolutely love it!!
I think epiphones guitars are wonderful. I got one recently, a plus top pro standard, and it sounded amazing. It's little on the brighter side compared to a les Paul which has that slighter warner tone. But that's like almost undetectable.. Not many will be able to differentiate them tones.
A
joe you could play a tennis racket and sound good
I play an Epi JB Goldtop at pub jam gigs. Several ex-professional players say the tone of this guitar is the best from out of those that are played.It must be the guitar because surely is not my playing.
thanks for the kind words, helps me keep faith in humanity. I sure cant wait for the new one to get here, Burstbucker pickups have the tone Im looking for. One of the reasons why I like joe, his tone is killer, not to mention his writing ect.
joe"s kid comment is from a price point. he had $4000 (custom gib) $1200 (studiobona)$700 (epiphone) a kid could afford the epi MY OPINION AFTER playin all three and buying one 1. custom (smoothest) 2.epiphone(very smooth) 3. gibson studio(smooth)groover tuners , long neck tenon, mahogony /maple cap mahogony neck malory 150 caps 500 pots , switchcraft no weight relief ,
the custom was silk , the epiphone was very close to the custom, and the studio felt like a average gibson studio /with burstbuckers 2/3 and a kinda twangy sound. Winner Epiphone /custom
donthewatcher My first guitar was a 1990 white and gold studio with ebony fretboard. I was 15 and I worked my ass off, and saved my money. Do you see how that works?
Any of you guys notice that on the two Gibsons he has the stings going "over" the wrap-around tail piece. The sting angle is less severe than having the strings come up from the bottom of the tail piece. With the stings "over" the tail piece, there's actually less tension and string bending is like a Gibson with a trapeze tail piece, very easy, nice comfortable bends.
Well I own an Epiphone Casino and an Epiphone Les Paul Plustop Pro. Despite being made in China, they have good craftsmanship and sound very nice. Sure, because they're cheaper they're more accessible for youngsters and beginners, and that's fine, but they're still $500. Kids should really be starting with a Fender Squier you can get a nice new one for $100 and they sound just fine.
+Cheefrocco I got the Plustop Pro too. It's a great player and looks really nice.. Usually a single coil player (strats) but fancied an alternative, definitely made the right decision
I have a 2005 Epiphone Les Paul classic in ebony. The one made in Korea. I fell in love with it the very first time I played it. And of all the seven guitars in my home. I still like it the best. I have been leaning towards buying one of Joe Bonamassa models very soon. I really like this gold top. But some of the others are very nice too. decisions decisions lol
I own the Epiphone version and it's a brilliant guitar, it took a few weeks before it settled in but now it plays perfectly. The Burst Buckers are something very special and I'm surprised that they come as stock. For the price you'd be hard pressed to find anything anywhere near as good
Never make comparison with true tone maker, the epi surely steps ahead its dignity
As always said about the quality of sounds: "Is not the guitar is the player"!!!!
@infinityjet He was plugged into a fantastic Lazy J Model 80 combo from UK-based boutique amp maker Jesse Hoff. He used the amp's VAC attenuator to keep the volume down but other than that there were no pedals - it just went straight into the amp.
that comment about the Epiphone being for kids hurt me jajaja more like being for poor people like me
i was just about to post the same thing!
epi's aren't "for kids" they're for peeps (like us i guess) who don't have tons of money to blow on an expensive ass gibson. i proudly rock my Epi 335
John Lennon played a Epiphone and he could afford any guitar 🎸
before gibson bought them out. i got an epi casino like the beatles
Les Paul preferred Epiphone over Gibson. Took them quite a while to convince him to come over.
As a matter of fact, they didn't have the prototype finished for him when he did come over. So they sanded down the headstock and slapped a Gibson logo on it.
@@Braglemaster123an Epiphone back then was totally not what Epiphone is now.
Holy shit.. I am 31 and for the first time in my life I have been able to hear the difference between a Gibson and an Epiphone... MIND BLOWN
They sound the same. I'm not a kid, can I still play that kiddies guitar?
Yeah. Epiphone are enormously underrated
Absa f**kin lutely !! I like the kiddie guitar btw 😎
any guitar sounds good in his hands saw him live and hes just unbelievable
Bonamassa could make any guitar sound good. My epiphone les paul sounds really good now, but I changed the tuners, put Duncan pickups in it, adjusted the neck, set it, reset it over a long period of time. It rivals certain Gibsons now, but it took a little doing. A five hundred dollar guitar now has turned into a thousand or more and a lot of time. It is pretty much the sound I want now, so I am happy with it. I am not playing to feed my family so it is hard for me to justify buying an expensive guitar like that. The difference in my situation probably isn't worth it. I guess it ultimately depends on the use to justify the cost. If I was doing it for a living I would probably buy a Gibson as well.
Man so many people get this wrong... Why would you change the tuners? Grover tuners are one of the best tuners out there. I mean take a look at the very video you can see that the Gibsons he's using have grovers on them. You would be better off replacing that sihtty plastic nut that is on the epiphones
Tilen Marš The JB LP has a Corian nut stock. :-) Replacing the bridge and stop tailpiece with better quality materials makes the most difference in tone and sustain.
you removed the epiphone mojo by installing these pesky sd pickups.
He is the only guy, who can play very fast but still with so much heart and soul. No otherone can do this....he must be a god or something.
I think the Epiphone sounds better. It's not for a kid but a kid would like it.
It's awesome to me that despite Joe's fame, you can tell that a very large part of him today is still that same kid sitting in his bedroom and dreaming of being a famous guitarist and having signature equipment.
I'm sure he still looks at those guitars and says "Wow, I can't believe that I have a signature guitar!"
I love watching JB play with legends like Clapton, because you can tell he's so excited to be jamming with his heroes. Who wouldn't be?
That guitar even makes Joe Bonamassa sound good !
David trueslayor Joe sounds good with any guitar
Check his bank account, someone thinks he’s pretty good. Let’s hear you play
Joe just seems like a really nice guy. He's definitely a tremendous talent. It's cool to see someone who's got a good heart have success. God bless, Joe!
Epiphone is for real players who aren't bothered about that Gibson name up top , my 1996 Sg sounds bloody fantastic
@PsycheGaming or gibson owners...they pay a surreal price for a half ass guitar...
@@marceloevera2009 True! How about you Gibson boys let us hear your great guitar! Where is your original music that we can hear? Come on, I will play!
Eh. I wouldn't imply that Gibson players aren't "real players." While Epiphone is still great, this whole Gibson vs Epihone tribalism is kind of idiotic. At the end of the day, people buy what they want and that doesn't really have any impact on their ability to play.
so what.
Those Korean epiphones were great. My first guitar was a mid late nineties SG. Made in Korea. Very nice guitar. But Not on par with the gibson line.
Intro for the custom
2:26 for the studio like variant
4:08 for the Epi
The studio sounded the brightest, the Epi was a bit less defined but smooth and the custom sounded a bit dark, all notably mellow or perhaps that's his style in effect.
The Epiphone did sound different to me but not in a bad way.
I love my 2003 MIJ Epiphone Elite Les Paul from the Fujigen guitar factory. It has a long neck tenon and the fit and finish is on par with the Gibson custom shop. I love it so much I sold my Gibson R7 Historic from the Gibson custom/historic shop and kept the Epiphone. If you can track down a used one buy it!!!
I think the epiphone sounds pretty good!! I guess this is a high end epiphone?
***** i was able to play all three models, my rating and why....
#1 the custom shop felt and played the smoothest..
#2 the epiphone is very close duplicate to the custom shop (insane sustain &epiphone growl)
#3 gibson bonamassa studio , it felt like a studio with burstbuckers , a little rough not smooth, in my humble opinion this epiphone is a great clone of a 1959 LP gibson and a better instrument quality wise than the gibson bonamassa studio
mallory 500 pots ,long neck tenon burstbuckers2/3 ,grover tuners non weight relief make this the best epiphone les paul they put out (1959 lespaul epiphone tribute, has simular setup) was also a superb epiphone guitar get the epiphone...$500 on sale online
Thank you!
***** Actually, this one is not. If you buy at least a Plus Top Pro you'll get a guitar that will far outplay its price. Epi Customs and Classics have genuine Gibson pickups and switches in them. It then becomes a lot harder to pay five times more for a guitar with the same hardware for just a logo difference.
Jon Doh hey jon I traded in my plustop pro for a epiphone bonamassa goldtop ,way better guitar ,Mallory 150 caps 500k pots , switchcraft , burstbucker 2/3 long neck tenon etc , the probuckers are ok as BB clones but don't cut through mix like burstbuckers ,this is one of the best guitars epiphone has put out ,ive been through 5 epiphones 6 gibsons ,and I now prefer epiphone customshop guitars(better quality control)than gibson
High end guitar player 😂
I own an Ultra III Epi and I could not be happier, neck is fantastic and Probuckers are some of the best PU ever. Best $700 I have spent on any guitar.
It doesn't matter what guitar Joe Bonamassa plays, it'll always sound like a million dollars!
geetarsean I used to think that..
I have a 75 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe fitted with a Burstbucker 2 and 3. I also bought a Bonamassa Epiphone Les Paul and I find that I like each equally well. The Gibson has a smaller neck profile, and is just an incredible guitar. The JB has a huge fat neck that I love. I also have a 09 59' Epiphone 50th anniversary Les Paul with Burstbuckers and it sounds and plays extremely well. I have 1 other Epi Les Paul that doesn't have anything special about it. I ENJOY PLAYING ALL FOUR of these guitars.
Let's face it... JB could make a few elastic bands on a plank of wood sound good.... Which reminds me, a pal of mine had a rubber trumpet !! He joined an elastic band....
was his friend called the rubber band man?
congrats Joe, I got a 2016 faded t studio that is pretty sweet, so I bet that gold top is fantabulous
Epiphone for kids? Come on Joe, do you really think all adults can afford a Gibson?
Specially adults living in Brazil xd
+Renato Fatore dos Santos kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk. Really. Gibson for 25,000 bucks.
+Ramon Ferreira and children epiphones for 5.000 hahahah
lucky you who don't live in south america...
Hauhauahajaua.
Refreshing perspectives. Thanks for your post. I feel great about the sound and craftsmanship of both my JB Gold Top Epi LP's
For me the slight difference in tone does not justify the price difference. If you play as good as Bonamassa you can get away with playing beautifully on an Epiphone.
If you can't play, you're not going to get away with a Gibson either. If you can play you can get away with 90% of the guitars these days to be honest. Azia has improved a lot the past decade. Only the USA / UK made humbuckers remain a tad better, but as stated in the vid, the Epiphone has the Gibson Burstbuckers in it.
You have a baby 👶 face in this presentation. Love ❤️ the joy you had .
and the winner is....the epiphone 🏆
Wish I had the les Paul version, this time I do have the ES-355 on order, meet and great at Red Rocks Aug 2019, rock on.
Put good pickups in an epiphone and you have no difference, especially on an SG!
I have both and always end up with the epiphone because it has better pickups and is 1/5th the cost!
Just the wages of the people that put it together differ dramatically!
there are other considerations as well between a gibson and Epiphone. If you can find an Epiphone from the 70's then you have a gem.. even today, the wood selection is better for gibson as Epiphone uses less quality woods. Also the electronics are better in a gibson vs today's Epiphone.
keithsa41 That might be true on your standard epi's. but on the signature models and higher end epi's, the difference between quality starts get very narrow.
Neil St My Epi Les Paul ES cost more than a Les Paul Studio back in 2000 and I am keeping that nasty little bugger. There is nothing cheap about it. I sold the Les Pauls I had (mostly due to their weight and the nerve damage I have in my left arm...) but that Epi is a keeper.
People who still claim Epiphone is so much lesser than Gibson are like people who still bash on Microsoft. Put down your 2007 newspaper and look at the world for fucks sake. At no other point in history has Epiphones quality been so good. Does Gibson use better woods? Eh. Maybe. Not so much better that people can really notice. Are the electronics better? Yes, usually. Enough to make a difference? Hard to say. Epis electronics are miles ahead of where the were 10 years ago though, boo question. Case in point: ever wonder why you can't buy aftermarket probuckers? Because they sound so damn close to the burstbuckers, everyone would just rush out and destroy a huge portion of Gibson's share of the pickup market. (And, Epiphone would sell far fewer guitars.) Sorry, but that massive pricetag on a Gibby just doesn't translate to quality like it used to. You're paying for the name on the headstock and American labor costs. These days Chinese and Korean guitar manufacturers are killing the USA in craftsmanship. Gibson has it's fair share of QC issues to deal with too.
Thank you George. Felt like I stepped back into high school or some shit.
A super great video from Joe ... did not know that the Japanese automaker has found a lucrative niche for electric guitar making but can sell to customers at a cheaper price ... or maybe when buying a car Nissan Juke 5-door from approx 20,000 and up in other Nissan types as a so-called ultimate Mitfahrobieke in the passenger seat as a gift to get ... and Joe of course leaves all his charm from the "stack" he is just wonderful
i always new i,d have a guitar with my name on...my name is steve gibson.
Bravo Dzo!!!U rukama Mandusica Vuka svaka puska bit ce ubojita !!! Tako i ti s ovim epifonom!!!
The Epiphone sounds better- brighter, clearer
+John Poulos i played this epiphone alot in 2 years i have had it , it is my favorite guitar for gigs along with my 2013 gibson lpj , i can cover any style , the JB Epi compare's close too the Gibson JBLP custom shop(which i first played at sam ash hollywood), and The EPi has a insane sustain........................... and im thinking it feels like a les paul 1959 gibson hybrid with burstbuckers 2/3 and grover tuners ,and a fat smooth neck, this is the best guitar epipone has put out , since the les paul 1959 epiphone model that is not available anymore , play on breedren /brother , hopefully with a epiphone joe b model.... it rocks..............hard , i play this guitar on RUclips: Funkdoobiest Kalifornia Funk , i have it sounding like a stratacaster(it took a little work to get my epi bonamassa that loose........ peace
the 2013 lpj was the best deal gibson ever sold
Epiphone makes a nice guitar, especially the ones that have the set up in the USA. I just have a $600 retail Epi LP standard that I think I paid $400 for 10 years ago. It sounds really great with 10 gauge strings. I hear adding a bone nut really makes a harmonic difference.
About two years too late, but I just slapped bone nuts on all my epiphones (les Paul custom, 335 IG, and a Dove Pro) and the difference is incredible! The bone nut really makes the guitars sing!
I personally don't like how he writes off any guitar as a "kid's guitar" Not everyone makes '59 Les Paul collection their claim to fame. I don't know about everyone else on this list, but my toys as a kid were $10 action figures, not $500+ electric guitars. Epiphone and Gibson Les Pauls are both professional instruments for people who worked hard to buy them. Not "kids".
Those are HIS guitars. Who cares? Too many butthurt Epiphonies.
Well Cletus, almost every "kid" i see these days are carrying around a cellphone that did not cost $10 so with a few sacrifices and compromises its not that far out of reach for them. I know the 80's was a rough time to come up.
I first guitar was a 1990 white and gold studio with ebony fretboard. I still have that guitar. I learned how to play in that guitar. These guitars are for everyone kids included.
The epiphones literally are the student line of guitars. Just like Paul reed Smith makes SE models in asia... SE stands for "student edition", SEs are the epiphones of the PRS world. Don't get butt hurt over reality.
Agreed he made a huge mistake from a selling point of view there saying it was a kids guitar,i have one and its a lot better than any of the standard Gibsons all round,seems like he was ill informed?
I have his Gibson. Absolutely amazing instrument!! It's butter smooth and plays like a dream
Joes a great guy and awesome player but I didnt like the comment about "kids guitar" It shows us how out of touch GMI is with the working class.I wonder how many Gibson factory workers could afford a new Gibson or even afford to buy the Epi for one of their kids?
Is that why Gibson is filing for bankruptcy and moves magnitudes more Epiphone guitars than they do Gibsons? Get over yourself.
jim rhodes my uncle worked at Gibson USA for twenty years and owned many Gibson Les Pauls.
Evan Herb Guitar sales had nothing to do with Gibson’s problems. Gibson actually makes a nice profit every year on guitar sales. Gibson’s business problems come from spending to much money on buying other companies and not doing anything with them. Gibson also less then a 5% return rate.
I mainly play Fender myself for a multitude of personal reasons - they just seem to fit me better. I was not much in for Joe Bonamassa's music in his early years, but he seems to get better and better, and like his style more and more, although he sometimes (for me) goes into "overkill-mode", when soloing. But I am following him music-wise and he seems only to get better with age!
So Gibson bought Epiphone, who used to be it's competitor, & made it it's "Squire".
Oh well. Epiphone makes AMAZING guitars. Incredible guitar value. Indistinguishable in quality from the Gibsons.
Edit:
BTW, Joe Bonamassa rocks!!! & has good taste in guitars.
Most of the comments are about the Epiphone. I got a Epi LP 1960 Tribute and a Gibson LP Standard. Love em both!
Epiphone all the way!!!!!
I have an Epi ES 335 Pro. I can see some small details in the finish, just really small imperfections that bother me a little. BUT, the sound... it is really good. The tone is just slightly different from the Gibson 335.
A high end Epiphone is usually a good guitar and look great, apart from that headstock which is just awful.
Xavier Roberts no, some people actually prefer the epi headstock to the gibson. I also think the epi headstock is ugly, but its just taste
Japalloo I think it’s unattractive as well. It’s seems too large and out of balance compared to the Gibson shape. That being said I would still own one.
Got my les paul studio bonamassa today and its just great.Dont feel like any studio i ever played before.Sounds killer and plays great.....It is a bit on the heavy side but that i like with my les paul so i see that as a bonus:)
If you are thinking of buying one,do it now before its to late.......
Joe B is a boss
I think people are mis-interpreting the way Joe said 'for kids', he was saying it was the incentive to build the Epiphone.... he in no way mentioned the build quality or who SHOULD play it... he merely mentioned that he had a lot of kids who wanted his signature guitar but couldn't afford it.... it's understandable!!
the epiphone sounds better than the gibson studio sadly :/
Nice comparison! The Gibson played at the beginning has a nice tone.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Gibson has been doing this trick for ages now (X's custom Les Paul). And each of them is… a Les Paul. You've had one of them, you've had all of them. Except for less than 1%, which have actually been somewhat different (3rd single coil pickup, coil spit or a Floyd Rose on them). Otherwise it's A Les Paul with a name tag on it in order to trick some more kids into buying them. I don't have anything against a Les Paul. A decent guitar. Not a particularly good guitar, but a decent guitar. But this one is exactly the same as a Les Paul made 10 years ago, or a Les Paul that will be made in 10 years from now. They do not even bother anymore to put different pickups in them, like single coils or buckers with three coils, etc. They just wish to be calling them by different names. It's smart on their side. They know most people do not care for a guitar, they care for a logo on the headstock.
There's not much I wouldn't give up to have that kind of talent.
So, if up and coming rocker JD Simo starts playing a Joe Bonamassa Les Paul on stage, will Gibson release the JD Simo Joe Bonamassa Les Paul? Or, what if a kid named Chris Fields becomes a guitar legend, and his guitar of choice is the JD Simo Joe Bonamassa Les Paul. Will Gibson release the Chris Fields JD Simo Joe Bonamassa Les Paul?
the first one he talks about is hanging up at his fathers guitar shop in New Hartford NY really cool!
I actually prefer the Epi to the Guild.
What Guild? Can I have some of what you're on....? 😂
He's so humble and self-effacing. "Take them out, beat them up, put scratches on them..." Amen.
Cheap guitar = kid's guitar. Then John Lennon was a kid while playing Don't Let Me Down. Bob Dylan used an Epiphone Acoustic, what a kid. Brian Jones used Epiphone Casino, such a kid. Kurt Cobain used an Epiphone ET-270T, wow kid cobain. Les Paul recorded his stuff with Epiphones for ten years, that ambitious kiddo. Keith Richards, oh my god another Casino Kid!
You lads don't seem so motivated about the Epiphone comments but let me explain the moral better for you. "If you are a good musician, you can make good music with a guitar for kids."
None of you need to get the most expensive guitar to create the best music, thats just for the edge of the tone. It's like a Joe has a better car than another Joe, but poor Joe may go to a better destination with a shitty car. You are the musician, not your money.
they were american built epiphones!
I have been using a 2010 Epiphone Les Paul Custom (Korean) and it is a total lie if I say this is a bad guitar.
I own a korean custom les paul 50th aniversary edition from 2002 they were really good. ...only 2002 made.....
Kenway Koritsy I see what you are saying but it should also be known that a. Joe was speaking strictly from a price perspective and b. Epiphone was actually its own company when it started and a competitor of Gibson, they didn't become a subordinate or entry level brand until later, so the epiphone guitars from that era played by the aforementioned artists are actually worth considerably more than their contemporary counterparts and are on par with Gibson...
Kenway Koritsy your comments on that .. are the !!! Agreee 100%
it's the fact that the old epiphone brand, before it was bought by gibson, was making better and a lot more expensive guitars so when you see lennon playing one, it's like the top shelf guitar of its day
The only thing i dislike about the Epis are the headstocks. Really ugly imo
***** No. If Gibson used the Epi headstock. I would still think it's ugly. I know why i think it's ugly. It's not because the name it's because i legitimately think it looks ugly. Don't tell me why i like things. You don't know me lmao. What's ugly about it ? I think it doesn't suit the LP. Only the Sheraton and Casino. Looks terrible on the LP IMO.
***** I couldn't give a fucking shit what you believe or not LOL. No it doesn't justify the price difference. But the Gibson is much better. Think what you want Epi Fan boy. I'm allowed to have an opinion. You don't like it ? Get fucked mate ?
***** First off. I personally find the shape of the Epiphone Headstock ugly on the Les paul. I don't think it matches the rest of the body. That's my personal opinion on the design. It's like having the wrong mag wheels on the wrong car etc. Not my style. Everyone has different taste. I've made it very clear. It's not the name. I own Epiphones. I own Gibsons. I personally like my Epiphone Casino my than my Gibson 335 in every way. And it's made in Korea. Also own a couple of Epi Acoustics and they're fantastic. So PLEASE stop telling me why i like things. Because you really don't know why okay ? It's my opinion man. I'm not slagging Epiphone off. I just don't like the Headstock on the LP. At one point the Jap Epiphone LPs had the Gibson style one and they looked perfect. Well if people are going to put down a whole brand name for the logo that's their choice. I had Squiers. Classic vibes etc. They were great great guitars and the logo looked somewhat like Fenders so i don't see the issue. As i said. I like the Epiphone headstock. I just don't like it on the Les paul body that's all.
You don't play the headstock.
TheIkaika777 What does that have to do with me disliking the look of it ? Nothing.
I owned the Epiphone (1st run) and then traded to a Studio. Today I'm finishing up with adding the saddles. It's been a very interesting journey getting it to "Custom Shop" spec...
The Gibson USA Les Paul sounded the worst; however, to my ears, the Epiphone Les Paul sounded the best.
Platinum Black Maybe you should have your ears checked?
@@Panic42000 he owns epiphone.. And is justifying his purchase. Common placebo type effect. Well documented
@van1980 They do make the Studio ’60s Tribute as a Goldtop, van - it's quite a beauty, and you can read a full review of it and the Bonamassa Epi LP in issue 343 of Guitarist!
to all haters of epiphone. PLAY SOMETHING ELSE Joe does actullay play his product (on you tube: joe bonamassa ryman auditorium 4/26/14 slow train)and so do, others like the beatles , gary clark jr zak wylde etc, my point is epiphone makes affordable professional instruments ,that normal people can work with ,without paying just for the Gibson name. (they ,over charge and put out shit product also)... or I can do what les paul did... take a old ,epiphone log piece of wood, body and make a neck and some pickups and, shape the body, and you know the rest.of that story.........so
keep playing your guitar for your dog or your 10,000 fans , find your ax of choice
and your pickups of choice and just play..............
Honestly ,there are some crap Epis out there,but the bonamasa one there is way ahead of anything epi have ever produced,its a one off .
YES!!!! My Epiphone Joe Bonamassa goldtop has arrived! What a beauty!
"A guitar for kids" disappointed Joe...Epi are great guitars ..
Good stuff...Joe B is a great player and cool to see how happy he is being honored w sig guitars. The guitars,in this clip,sound overall great with the historic having that extra voodoo. It has,at least for me,that explosive attack followed by some bloom.
Epiphone is for kids.... ha....
Epi IS the original les paul
Actually no it's not
+Isaac Rivas Yeah, I'm a 67 year old kid ! Epis' are just fine , thank you.
+Paul Wilson
Ok Paul.. You dont have to shout ?
+Paul Wilson its never finished!
Never you hear me!
I'm receiving my own Epiphone JB this week. Can't wait!
A true inspiration to me, your average kid. And he achieved his goal of getting his guitars into the hands of kids, because I'm lucky enough to own the gibby and epi version.
I resent the implication that the Epi is for kids. He should be slapped hard about the head and shoulders and by someone who knows how. Today's Epiphones are not his daddy's Epiphones. I'm a 59 year old proud to own a recently made Epiphone ES 339 ultra and it ain't no toy. $700 in today's economy is not peanuts either. Frankly that Epi sounded good in the video too. Dipshit.
Yup, retail $700 but it probably cost $200 to make. Either way it's a good looking and great sounding guitar.
StrikeOnDrifter
I got mine on "clearance" at Guitar Center for $529. Best purchase for the money I've made. I have been original owner of guitars such as an American made Parker, the 52 Telecaster reissue, Steinberger---all cost well over a grand and none were as versatile and stayed in tune the way this Epi Ultra has. It's coil tap and nano-mag mix can produce an almost Hendrix like Strat sound. One just has to be patient and work it--get a good set up and watch that tuner in the bezel of the bridge pick up show you that this is not a "toy" for "kids", at least mine stays in tune like nothing else I've had. And I bend the heck out of it with 10--52 on.
RareBird0 i think he ment that it is a guitar for starters , almost everyone i know didnt start with a gibson .
but thats my opinion because i am a kid and i started with an epiphone sg-310 (sounds great)
RareBird0
As Marco said, he was just saying that these guitars are for starters. They aren't as well made as the 4000 dollar Gibson variants but they are still great as he said at the end. He wasn't slanting epiphone, just saying that they're the guitars for those who cant afford crazy expensive guitars.
I dunno what are you talking about. I bought Epi, then I bought Gibson Traditional. And only after buying Gibson Reissue for 4700 I understood how the real guitar should sound like
Joe Bonamassa is the stuff! Taking his time to share his knowledge and passion for instruments and music! And he’s not conceded or egotistical, but I’d say more so rather uncomfortable with his fame and fortune. Just a regular person who made it big and didn’t let it get to him.
The Epiphone signature model is "for kids". What a deeply misguied, throw away comment. How to put off an entire generation of prospective adult players who can't afford Gibson USA prices from buying it. Worse still, how to piss off those adults who own the Epiphone model and are made to feel by its very endorser that they bought a child's guitar.
+Luke Deacon Guitar I like to think that he meant it was aimed to be priced so that someone my age (15) could save up and be able to buy it, rather than paying 2 or 3 times more for a Gibson
+Luke Deacon Guitar The most intelligent comment here.
+Paul Wilson A guitar is a guitar you brainless twit. A $99 starter pack guitar by Silvertone is for beginners, not a $500 Epiphone Les Paul, you moron.
+Paul Wilson It helps to call someone a moron if you can actually write a grammatically correct sentence for once in your life. Yes, I also own American guitars, and happen to own some made in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China. And yes, I can tell you in very many cases the difference isn't all that big. This doesn't make me a moron, it makes me objective. I don't get ripped off by headstock chasing... like a moron.
What's so wrong with Silvertone guitars?
I'll tell you about a very nice low budget great guitar. It's the CORT Sunset series. Well made and very nice for the $$$$. I almost bought one but then remembered that I haven't picked a guitar up in about a year.
Damn I knew Joe has always been pretty deadpan & frank when it comes to his personality and opinions but he is a terrible salesman ! Calling his own limited run of Epiphone signatures "kids guitars" ? Besides a few minuscule cosmetic upgrades & a bit more authentic finishes Epiphone's are the exact same as Gibsons. The only difference is that your paying an extra couple thousand dollars more to have a historic name on the headstock...there's no reason to make people feel like they bought a lesser guitar, he still put his own signature on it. Christ he's a good enough player that he could have plugged in a Sears catalogue guitar & made it sound just as good as his Gibson. I just have to question why he has to at times act like such a elitist, gets to be narcissistic in a way.
Cameron Hawes He’s talking about the lower price you dumb ass!! Please tell you are not that stupid? Wow!!!