AMA 1: The big problem with Epiphone USA, EVH Wolfgang SA-126 Tone Secrets, Chapman Made in India
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- Опубликовано: 17 май 2024
- Are Epiphone USA Guitars doomed to fail? Does Wolfgang Van Halen know something we don't? What should you expect from the Chapman Guitars made in India. These are the questions we address in the inaugural episode of
Ministry of Guitar Ask Me Anything
Episode Guide
0:19 Introduction
1:11 Are Epiphone USA Guitars doomed to fail?
4:41 What does the new EVH SA-126 tell us about tone
10:47 Chapman Guitars being made in India. What to Expect
Utkarsh Mohan is a Singapore based writer, musician and artist of Indian origin. Formerly in corporate senior management, he now pursues his passions and is also the owner of the Ministry of Guitar collection
You can also follow him on Instagram @ministryofguitar 
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i love that you fulfill the business part of the guitar industry here on youtube.
Thank you
You're the guitar youtuber that we need but don't deserve yet! Great stuff as always
Thank you
Epiphone started in the USA and were building high quality guitars well before Gibson. Orville was still building Mandolins. They bought Epi, moved them overseas while still doing some select USA models in the Kalamazoo plant where Heritage Guitars may still be building thier Gibson like designs in the same factory with the same tooling. Very good guitars
Nice show. I like the format!
Thanks
Much needed video thx man 🎉
I really appreciate your perspective on the subjects you discuss. Thanks!
Good to see your site growing. A refreshing view on the YT community.
Thank you for the kind words
Very interesting, dude. Thank you.
Thanks. Glad it was of interest
Play some chords on an acoustic with your regular pick . Then play same thing with a wooden pick … next switch to a metal pick .. the pick has a HUGE effect on the tone and nobody mentions it. I think because no one markets it . And I think no one really markets it cuz there isn’t much money in selling picks …
I fully agree with you
I fully agree it changes the sound. Not sure if that’s noticeable on recordings or not. But if you’re not familiar with the $80 pick market you haven’t looked hard enough. There’s tons of people selling enormously expensive picks.
@@jamesmarkham7489
I spent decades in retail management. I can tell you with absolute certainty that inexpensive items usually have the highest profit margin in addition to being high sales volume items. So there is a lot of money to be made even in regular picks.
@@charlesbolton8471 oh I’m aware. That why I assume major companies aren’t pursuing high price picks. It’s a small segment of the consumers interested
Companies tried that angle in the 70's and 80's. I don't think there's enough money in it for them to really push it.
I have enjoyed this episode very much, especially the insight for Chapman! Thank you!
Thanks. Glad it was helpful
"For the chef rather than the diner" is the perfect analogy for guitar preferences!
Congrats on your rising subs!! I have no doubt this channel will reach 100k in no time, and even more.
I love the SA-126, the only thing I’m not sure is the country of origin, haven’t been able to find that out for some reason …
It is made in the Fender plant in Ensenada, Mexico. They produce very high quality guitars there in my opinion.
Epiphone USA have been produced off and on over the last 50 years. They released their first solid body in many years recently.
We are very proud to manufacture in Chennai, the factory has been wonderful and quality has really blown us away. Not only are the local timbers 2nd to none but the language ability of the workers and attention to detail has been exactly what Chapman was looking for for our next phase. Thank you for throwing a spotlight on this.
That sounds wonderful. I would love to drive down and take a look the next time I’m in Bangalore (my dad lives near Hosur which is near the Tamil Nadu border, so a short drive from Chennai). Not sure if it’s possible but just asking. Thanks, Utkarsh
You should consider creating a weekly or monthly video where you can voice your thoughts on the latest news and gear. Beautiful Chairs. Cheers from Toronto 🍺 🇨🇦
Thanks. Yes that is the intent with this weekly 'Ask me Anything' series
@@ministryofguitar That's Great to hear. I miss Dylan Talk's Tone's weekly gear news roundup. Andy's Pick of the week is a nice alternative. My Grandmother had a King Henry The Eighth Replica bed made in Scotland. When I saw the chairs it was the first thing I thought of. The whole bed was made out of Mahogany and had brass lanterns that hung off the ornate headboard. They don't make things like they used to.
One company that successfully up branded was Kiesel. Though they rebranded this way via changing brand from carvin.
I wished they would have kept it Carvin. I’m trying to score a Carvin headstock decal to put on a Kiesel I want. I’ll just sand off the stupid Kiesel decal.
I am very very impressed with guitars made in India ! My first was squier stratocaster from 2007 made in India with the nicest rosewood fret board and Spanish cedar body ! I also have the 2007 made in India squier Telecaster maple neck and Spanish cedar body but this one is heavy unlike the stratocaster. My last made in India guitar is a Dean Cadillac 2021 and OMG ! This guitar is so nice ! Rock hard mahogany and the nicest Indian rosewood fret board and the the flames on the maple top are amazing ! The new Dean made in India guitars are very nice and the Chapman guitars should be just as good, maybe better since the Chapman guys can spend more time in India being on that side of the world. I'm very impressed with India woods and craftsmanship, very impressed with India !
Just recently came across your channel. I'm really loving your content. Would be interested to hear your thoughts on Heritage guitars. They are built just a few hours from my home, but I recently learned they are owned by a company in your part of the country. Thank you!
Yes they are indeed Singaporean owned. I have tried them and they are very easily available by the retailer here (who is owned by the same company who owns Heritage). Will share more detailed thoughts in an upcoming AMA
How do you think Chapman guitars being made in India will effect the price ? Also outside of America and Japan which countries would you say make the best guitars for around $2500 ? Also which country would you say for guitars in the $1000 bracket ? Really hope you can answer as you seem very knowledgeable. I have only recently found your channel , but I am so glad that I did. With you understanding the world of finance and being able to relate that to guitars , I have so many questions for you , but of course they will have to wait as I'm sure your time is precious.
A semi hollow for high gain playing isn't unheard of in certain circles. Mastodon, Corrosion of Conformity, Queens of the Stone Age, and meany other bands have used/still use semi hollows for their high gain and fuzzy playing. As for indian made guitars, they could be very good. So long as they're given the right equipment. Mexico isn't necessarily thought of as a manufacturing hub in recent years. However a lot of made in mexico Fenders are proper workhorses. Obviously the made in american models are the show stoppers. But I've played mexican P basses and teles and (with a proper setup) will do what an MIA instrument will do. For a fraction of the cost. That and you don't have to baby them. I take care of my instruments, but with these I'm not petrified of potential dings and scratches
Should have studied Epiphone's history before making this wideo. Epiphone isn't trying to move anywhere in the market they haven't already been. I'm a Montana resident and take this personally. From everything I understand, the guitars being built here, are top shelf instruments. No Chinese, Indonesian, Korean, Japanese or Indian guitars I've ever seen, can match them.
Interesting observation about the legacy of craftsmanship in India. It’s a very good point, but it might be the smaller part of the equation when you consider that accuracy and consistency are the most important things for manufacturing instruments with tight tolerances. For example, the fretwork has to be spot on, and the expectations for quality fretwork are much higher today than they were even 10 years ago.
Yes I fully agree. Hence my assessment that I remain skeptical until the quality is demonstrated
@@ministryofguitarFender tried moving some of the squier production to india in '87-'88 and it wasn't pretty...hopefully chapman sees better results in the current time
@@jasondorsey7110😂 that was 30+ years ago.
I had one of those squier guitars from India circa 1987 and it's a great guitar made from okay plywood body, it wasn't junk it was just plywood but they were great cheap guitars. Yes the tolerance wasn't dialed in on the manufacturing but today they are absolutely top notch. Even 2007 made in India squier guitars are great but the modern new made in India Dean Vintage series guitars are phenomenal ! India has high grade wood and can cut that wood accurately to build a fine guitar !
What do you think of the Yamaha Pacifica redo to professional that’s an up. Is it because the brand Yamaha is already known for high and low cost all good value or do you see Pacifica as a brand within brand going up.
I have some thoughts. Will share in an upcoming AMA
I’ve got a USA epiphone frontier and it kicks butt, had no qualms paying the premium
I'm pretty sure it's a great guitar
I would normally agree with you. I both respect and enjoy your content. My wife and I love your beautiful wife and enjoy especially when you present with her. Here in the US. Epiphone sell out immediately. I recently purchased a ML 59 from Mark A personal collection. He told me that Epiphone pays the Bill's. And they aren't done. Big plans he says. I have the new 79 custom and an alpine white. After some polishing and bridge/nut/tuner replacement these guitars are shockingly good. Definitely on the same level (almost) as my gib USA instruments. Severely backordered. I'm curious to see how it all turns out. Thanks and take care-
Thank you for the kind words. I appreciate it and I'll pass on the kind words to my wife as well. I'm a big fan of Epiphone, despite the occasional criticism and I fully agree ultimately it is the mass products that pay the bills in most company. I hope there is sufficient demand for the USA builds to keep them going. The dilution of the brand over the last sixty years is the biggest obstacle
I recently bought a Dean Vx made in India, it's excellent, I love it. Some years ago I've had a Chinese made one and it was awful.. I don't know about Chapman guitars but Indian Dean guitars are very good quality..
Thanks for sharing
If Epiphone will create USA versions of their original designs that were originally built in the USA then it just a return to their roots. I would happily buy a USA Coronet, Crestwood, or Casino they were high-end quality.
CMI used epiphone to deal with stores that couldn't get a proper gibson dealership license...in some cases, the epiphone models cost more than their gibson equivalents...Norlin threw epiphone under the bus when they took over in '69 and made it an offshore budget brand
I think MII guitars are gonna be good. Manufacturing and craftsmanship there has improved by leaps and bounds recently. Just look at the Royal Enfield brand of motorcycles, the Interceptor 650 in particular, it outsold all of its main competitors within a year of its launch 😱
Ah Royal Enfield. They are a childhood fascination of mine. Let's just say they were the Harley Davidson of India (both in Image and Quality Control. Very Gibson like actually) till very recently but stepped up quality and marketing under new leadership
The great monuments like the Taj Mahal as also great indicators of the ancient craft of India.
Given your marketing background, I think you would know better, but wouldn't it take native guitar brands in India delivering on quality to elevate the country to a source of confidence in the sector?
You are correct, it would take a native brand rather than a foreign one. Also I think a reputation for manufacturing excellence takes a long time. The Germans and Japanese have been at it for a quite a while. And it's not really modern India's forte just yet frankly.
Secondly on the topic of the Taj Mahal, it's beautiful but a touch on the tourist trap side if you know what I mean. I'd recommend the Ellora temples which were literally carved out of a mountain using both engineering and craftsmanship about 1500 years ago. If you are ever in this neck of the woods, check them out. Awe inspiring
Apparently India has a tremendous amount of Rosewood species and there are Indian families that supply Rosewood to many manufacturers
Chapman is now making guitars with solid Rosewood Necks!
That would be beautiful.
Don’t know how well a solid rosewood neck would handle a low humidity environment like a maple neck would in northern Canada
Completely agree with you on Epiphone. No matter the quality of what they produce they are saddled with a brand that can’t command premium prices over the entirety of the product line because consumers anchor off familiar price and brand image signals. It’s the same reason that Honda sold their NSX sports car under the Acura brand in the U.S. No one was going to pay the same price for a Honda as they would a Porsche, no matter how good the car was. Porsche has legacy and provenance as a performance brand in the U.S. Honda does not. Maybe for some one-offs and models that are historically exclusive to Epiphone alone like the Coronet, Wiltshire, Casino, etc it will work but not for models that are perceived as Gibson-lite models for only a small discount to one that says Gibson on the headstock. Gibson should first develop better goodwill with customers by making their cheapest offerings better values. It starts with small things that cost nothing, like finally putting the historically accurate body shapes and open book Gibson headstock on all Gibson-derived models regardless of price as Squier has done. Then they might capture more trust that allows them to move upmarket by making people feel as if they are getting good value before being asked to spend more money. Ironically, one thing they shouldn’t do is emulate Fender Mexico by charging almost much, and in some cases more than Fender USA for models that don’t have U.S. electronics or hardware.
Personally, I'm not a fan overall of bolt on necks with a guitar that very well could be a set neck (Fender Starcaster, some PRS', the new Wolfgang semi etc.).
I'm sure that they're fine instruments, but I generally feel that it's a cost cutting measure. For what these guitars will be priced at, it feels unnecessary.
I know nothing about the marketing industry as you do- very interesting to hear your knowledge about branding.
People are laughing at the new USA made Epiphone Coronet for $1700 USD. It is $100 more than a Gibson Les Paul Junior lol
Gibson 'bought the competition' many years ago and after the '60s Epiphone sort of faded away. Manufacturing was shipped around Asia - some quality instruments were made, probably better than some of the US made Gibsons - and then finally Epi got fully set up in PRC. Currently the 'Inspired by Gibson' stuff is, on the whole, very good - I bought a couple 2 or 3 years ago (altho, TBH, with the intention of modding them - pick-ups, '50s wiring etc etc) but the Les Pauls seem to be very well made, BUT, they are essentially Epiphone 'copying' what were (and will always be considered) Gibson guitars!
Where I think Gibson US could really make a mark is taking their initial, tentative 'US Casino' and adding the Riviera, Sheraton, Broadway - i.e. the semi-acoustics or arch-tops that were actually Epiphone originals, and really doing a good job on them. The Chinese made ones are 'OK' - for sure - but if Gibson could re-invent these classics up to Eastman or their own Custom Shop quality I believe they could re-position original Epi designs as absolute premium instruments. But PLEASE don't let Tom Murphy and his henchmen get anywhere near them!
Not sure about the original Epi solid-bodies - they have just done one that has everything wrong with it from where I'm sitting - a sort of a Tele body, ugly pick-guard, wraparound Bridge (tuning anybody?) and the one pick-up (wasted real estate) . . . why? Personally I don't find the original solid bodies attractive and they are definitely 'outliers' compared to the semis, all of which have some provenance / recognition attached to well known players (esp the Casino, obviously). They also messed up the Noel Gallagher tribute IMO - it's essentially a 335, and while apparently excellent (both the Chinese & US versions) it's hardly 'authentic' . . . whatever.
Yeah the EVH guitar really put me off. 2k for what’s essentially a Mexican bolt-on Fender and the quilted tops don’t even look that good? F that noise. A semi hollow Wolfgang shaped guitar is such a good idea that they should be embarrassed they F’d it up so bad. Making an EVH guitar NOT aimed at 80’s shred players but it keeps its tone and look… a brilliant idea…. Poorly executed.
Gillette huh? .........I hope you had nothing to do with that anti-men ad they ran. Perfect lesson in how to insult your main customers, and I hear it lost them a fair chunk of change too.
That was a North American Ad. I had nothing to do with it as I worked forJapan and Korea. For the record I thought it was a terrible piece of advertising
yeah that ad was ridiculously optimistic
nothing to do with India, but that Ghost Fret Classic looks like crap 😐 it's like a toy
I had one of the first ML-2's, from Korea, that was a pretty nice guitar, but it weighed a ton
all the newer ones look like crap and just don't do it for me
There are high quality products coming from India for decades now: tea. A good SFTGFOP Darjeeling maybe even DJ 1-5 is completely different than what you get as supermarket Darjeeling teabags. Or if you like darker black teas, there are Bokel OR 1000s, which are basically Assams with only golden tips. Try it, it might blow your mind and tea fortunately pound for pound is not that expensive yet. Just saying… ;)
Yes of course. If we start looking at commodities as well as certain parts of the food and beverage industry, that's a whole different ball game