Thanks Colin. This is a really valuable review because there is a development in the Epiphone and affordable guitar space. This transition beyond affordable. I’m a big Epi fan and (in part thanks to you Colin) I’ve bought more than 10 in the past 3 yrs. But the prices are escalating out of this world with this and some other models. I think they’re testing the market to see how much they can just lift the price on all Epiphone models over time.
@@craigpimlott204 I’d say the same for people buying Murphy lab and Fender Custom Shop. As Colin says, if you’re into it then fair enough go ahead and pay for it.
Yeah - Epi and "affordable" are a tad different than they used to be - that Epi Dave Mustaine is a VERY nice V - ( after you change out a few bits) 🤘🎸💥 - But it has the same pickups as the Gibson, too
This is what scares me about Epiphone because they make quality guitars for an affordable price, now they are approaching Low end Gibson prices and I have a feeling like another poster said is they are testing to see if people will pay this price and then the other ones will go up in price and the people will just accept it as the new thing. I started playing on an Epiphone and then I went out and bought a few Gibson's and a couple American Fenders as my playing got better but I noticed that when choosing guitars I always ended up picking up one of my Epiphones. I just like the way they feel and it's probably because I learned on one. I love all of my Epiphones. As far as the Joe Bonamassa costing so much I have to agree that it's just too much for what you are getting, first off it has Epiphone Pro buckers which aren't bad pickup's themselves, but the Gibson's are better IMO and these custom buckers coming on the new SG custom non Sig. has Custom buckers that go for 400.00 a set and you are getting 3 of them. This alone justifies more of the higher cost of the guitar. The only REAL difference in the Bonamassa is it has no step at the neck like a normal SG, that was a custom appointment Joe wanted on his custom which for most players it does nothing. I think they should have lowered the price by at least 400.00 on this guitar but people will pay for a name in a heartbeat if it's their guy.
Look at the new Non sig. Custom SG by Epi. It's the same price but you are getting Gibson pick up's and expensive ones a that Custom buckers and they go for 400.00 a set. The only real difference is the Bonamassa doesn't have the step at the bottom of the neck but it has Pro Buckers instead of Gibson pick up's and it doesn't have the open book headstock. Same price.
Told you some months ago I had the Gibson itch. Finally scratched it a while back and bought a '61 SG with side trem brand new for a similar price - which is lower than average retail, I grant you. I saw it as a great deal and am thrilled with it in every way! Point is, I was happy to get the Gibson for such a price and it feels great every time I play it. Had I payed that for the Epiphone, I would just be angry every time I looked at it!
I constantly see the 61 SG for around 1500. I'd be much happier with that than a $1500 epiphone. I completely agree with your assessment not to mention still having the Gibson itch every time I looked at the Epiphone.
Colin, at around the 48 minute mark I think you hit the nail on the head. I agree that Epiphone began receiving accolades on their guitars and now believe that they can justify the higher prices. I also agree that if someone is a Joe Bonamassa fan the price isn't going to stop them from acquiring this guitar. It sounds marvelous in your hands and through the Marshall Jubilee, which would be another justification for buying the guitar. We're all chasing those tones in our heads. I'm loving "Chip" the Les Paul Jr through the 68' Twin Reverb. Being my first upscale (for me) tube amp I decided to keep the guitar simple until I get things dialed in. Last week I donated my Squire Jaguar back to the shop I bought it from. They were tickled and gave me a load of pasta and candy. Just wouldn't let me leave the shop without something. Crazy guys.
Agree with you whole heartedly. It' a nice guitar but they are price gouging you at that price. I bought a new Epiphone Marty Schwartz ES-335 which has a hard case, AAA flame maple veneer, graph tech nut, grover locking tuners and push pull volume which actually sound fairly decent and a out of phase tone pull. These are going for $899 US dollars and feel it's a decent price point.
I'm probably sounding like an old record but... for this price I would love to see a nitro finish and no crooked screws. The look (besides the headstock) is great and the sound is sweet. Thanks for the review Colin!
Bought my first SG today and I honestly believe it's the guitar I was born to play. I love it. Thanks for all the myth busting about them. What an amazing guitar.
I really wonder if the fact that Cesar Gueikian became CEO instead of James Curleigh is not a key cause of the price increases. I think curleigh's strategy was to make Gibson guitars available to the larger number by making all the classic models affordable with the original series. I loves the fact that they did that and I believe many of us started liking Gibson again because of this. Epiphone was for lower budgets but with great products. Gibson original collections was for "middle class" people and the custom shop for the rich ones. This all made a lot of sense to me. Each one of us had the possibility to have their classic dream Gibson models one way or another. It feels to me now that we are a bit returning in the Henry Juszkiewicz era with out of reach (weird) standard models with QC flaws, outrageously expensive artist models (that I am not sure anyone really wants for that kind of money) and the fact that they are making Epiphone the equivalent in price of Gibson guitars from 2019 to 2021 is plain crazy to me. I do not think that Gibson will be very popular over the next years with the trajectory they take.
In the late Henry J-era there were even a few more than affordable Gibson models . You could pick up a 'faded'- or 'worn' Gibson for 799 bucks (or sometimes even less than that) any day. Those were great value guitars, but these days Gibson doesn't offer anything below 1400. It's a shame, they've now pushed Epiphone to that price range to fill the gap.
@@cataclysmicconverter I just picked up an Epi Les Paul Special and after playing that and a Gibson there isn't much difference between the two to justify the price. Just my humble opinion.
Thanks for not being a shill and giving an honest review. This is a f'n cool guitar at an unreasonable price. At the begin opening when you said, well it's a really expensive Epiphone, that summed it up perfectly.
Great review again! I think the Epi versions of the 59 LP and the 61 SG were great value and contained substantial upgrades. But this price jump on every signature model without those upgrades are milking the customer, no matter if it’s Joe or Slash or Noel or Adam or Greeny. I chose Gibson for the LP and SG Juniors and Tributes and chose Epiphone for the LP and SG Special P90s, the 59/61 Standards and the Customs and all recent reviews just confirm me that i can be satisfied with those choices.
I think the current Epiphone prices are outrageous. For that money you can get a Gibson, Eastman, Maybach or Japanese Guitar, which all have better materials used and WAY better QC, fretwork and finishing.
Bro..I religiously follow 30 youtube guitar channels...and You sir..have become my go to favorite...Your taste in playing style matches mine..and your gear reviews are thr best..Thanks Professor..no BS reviews
My used SG Special, waaay back in '64, was my first gigging guitar 🎸. I paid $125 for it. Amazing axe. This Epi is non-amazing, except for the absurd pricing. This greedy move seems like the beginning of a disturbing trend. I wonder how and why Bonamassa signed off on this one. Good assessment, Colin. 😮Gary
@@MrPhinsAbsolutely correct assessment, Mr Phins. Why use his own wedge when he can rely on the gullible band of fanboys, and girls (fan people/persons?) who will buy any production Epi just sprayed up in a ‘custom’ colour, with his name applied, for his substantial share of a 100%+ uplift in price. They probably all started off, at school, with a ‘Sheriff Woody’ lunch box, an ‘Iron Man’ drinks bottle and graduated via playing ‘Rock Band’, or whatever it’s called, on their otherwise ‘Shoot-Em-Up’ games console. Sad 🤬s!
You already made me want to try giving an SG a fair chance, when I saw this came out I was super excited for your take on it. I would love one but damn, that’s a whole chunk of change I can’t justify when I don’t even own an official Gibson haha
Totally agree about the pricing Colin, not too sure what Epiphone are up to. I've got an Epi 61 SG, £699 and it has Gibson Burstbuckers. Also a Gibson SG Special, purchased this year for considerable less than this Epi. I was looking forward to the Epiphone version of the Greeny but I dread to think how much it'll cost.
Fantastic Col, I'm so glad you're doing this one. I wanted to see a deep review of this one and was secretly hoping you'd be the one doing it (a moment of silence for your wallet). In 2 months I'll have enough to buy a guitar I longed for for so long and you helped me pull the trigger on it (I also discoverd your channel because of that video, now I'm hooked to your channel). It's the eastman SB55DC/v, the double cut junior. Cheers and keep dispensing your wisdom to both old and young like myself.
@@theguitaristas and you're right, these Epiphone prices are getting out of hand. And what you said at the end about the artists fees not being as high as some people estimate, I stand behind that opinion. It's just plain old Gibson pushing and testing people's limits, seeing how far they'd go.
@@pinkiewerewolf isn't that already kind of happening? That dave Mustaine Vanguard is a whopping 1599,00 euros on the European mainland. But they do still have their core models at cheap prices, for now.
yay! glad you're covering this guitar. I also find it weird that the sweetwater ad said this "Limited to 800 guitars built, the Epiphone Joe Bonamassa 1963 SG Custom is destined to become the centerpiece of your guitar collection." But the other retailers that still have em in stock like GC and epiphone's website don't mention a limited quantity at all
Great review! I’m on the fence but I already own several JB models and they are all really great guitars. Highly recommend the ES-335 model from last year. All premium parts and really sounds like a proper 335. Part of the price increase can be explained because of worldwide inflation. Everything costs so much more now and manufacturing in China is not as cheap as it used to be. Several companies are exploring more manufacturing in Vietnam and Indonesia to keep the costs down. Thanks Colin!
@@davidstephens1097 Out here the Epi JB 335 is $2799, so about the same as the SG... I've got zero clue why theyre so much more, they're made a few 100miles north of us!?! Cheers for the reply mate.
This guitar is a $999 USD guitar, MAX. Its beautiful, but not worth the price. Ib think epiphone needs to be humbled on price again. At that price you can get a great gibson used and have a few dollars in your pocket for a beer and lunch. Cheers Colin! Great vid yet again. Thank you for bringing a voice of the blue collar player!
This is why you are one of my favourites RUclipsrs mate, you are so honest. Not so long ago Epiphone was one of my favourite brands (for Les Paul’s Specifically) they done some really tasty, high spec, well priced Signature Les Paul’s. I had a few - Joe Bonamassa Goldtop, Slash Rossa Corsa & Zakk Wylde Bullseye. Each of them came in around €700 euro. As they shared much of its big brothers Gibson specs - Proper Signature Pickups etc they offered great value for money. But I can say not in hindsight they were good guitars and compared to todays Epiphone prices (which they do seem to be plucked from the sky, as you mentioned) bargains. Today Epiphones cost so much more and give you less. It’s crazy. To me Epiphones offer great value in the sub €1k Market. But today with their crazy prices I’ve lost interest in them tbh. It’s a Chinese Made guitar with Chinese Epiphone parts, pickups etc and it’s the same price as an American Made Gibson USA SG Standard with genuine USA pickups and parts. It’s absolutely Crazy 🤷♂️ no interest whatsoever ever, there are other brands out there that give you as much or even more for inc less
$1500 for this Epi is a crock. I got the white LTD version 15 years ago and ripped out the crappy bridge and electrics. Replaced with Gibson BB Pro pups, CTS 500K pots, straplocks and a beautiful roller tunamatic. All up, with mods, still cost way less than $1500, not British Pounds Sterling. It still rocks and sounds as good, if not better than my Gibby '61 SG Maestro.
Thanks Colin for the review...the JB SG sounded pretty damn good as you were playing. And you are right about the horn cut...A $1500 price tag should reflect what you are trying to emulate and this first run of JB's 63,' falls a little bit short of expectations. Your review was spot on... 👌
I thought the Korina explore pushed the $$ limit, this is over-the-top. But as long as JB fans keep buying them up, then I guess the price is justified. Their target audience isn't someone looking for a quality guitar, it's purely for someone who idolizes JB only.
I bought one and I love it. One of the factors making me buy it is that they are only making 800 of these. The biggest criticism is that they don’t come with Gibson pickups but to be honest, the Epiphone pickups sound great. There are some premium features that may or may not justify the cost but I am happy with my purchase.
I agree with every word you’ve said. What a shame. It’s a great looking guitar, sounds good but the quality control on it is unforgivable at that price. Not that it couldn’t be put right, but you shouldn’t have to. Epiphone have made great strides in attracting new buyers, me included, since they introduced the “Inspired by” series. I hope they’re not busy destroying that. With Gibson’s prices upwardly mobile and now this they’re in danger of shooting themselves in the foot. Now then, I’ve been in the Fender camp all my life, and it was your channel reviews and the Inspired by series that’s resulted in my owning 3 Epiphone Les Paul’s. I’m not yet an SG fan but I am a Guitaristas fan so I’m about subscribe to your TV channel ‘cos I can’t wait a week 😁👍
hi Collin, your comment of a 800 guitar for 1500 is bang on and i am disgusted that they can ask gibson money for a copy, not putting anything special in it is taking the p--s.A bit of a sad day for epi fans. Cheers Steve.
I heard they were a limited edition of 800 but that may not be true. I bought the JB ES335 for £1149 which was certainly overpriced but is a lovely guitar with the Gibson Burstbuckers. This SG should be at maximum £899 at the high end with Probuckers. I bought the Slash Victoria for £433 brand new with Probuckers and case of course! Epiphone have lost their sense on price.
Hey Colin, hope you are well, great playing again, thank you! I like Joe's music quite a bit and have been to see him play, he has a really good band. An Epiphone at this price is pretty steep. Over time it will be interesting to see where prices go. Good luck with fixing the Princeton! Have a nice weekend 😀
Last August I bought an Inspired Les Paul custom for £599. Its a superb instrument.. Given that the Gibson Custom costs neary five grand, its amazing value. This is what we expect from Epiphone. Not instruments that are the same price as some full fat Gibsons. I tried the JB335 in a store, it was frankly dissapointing especially for over a grand. This june I bought an SG special p90 for £349. Again Fantastic guitar, especially at that price. I play it more than my Gibson Standard Les Pauls and SG. I was panning on buying the Gibson P90 srpecial SG but I dint bother ! why cant Epiphone get it through their heads that their target audience is not the Insurance salesmen and Rent Collectors that Gibson Traditionally attracted. Yeeeesh"
At 45:45 you noted that Epiphone are bypassing their intended audience with this guitar, particularly as it is priced. You also duly noted its faults and I appreciate your frankness and honesty. I'm a longtime Epi fan and currently own four, which incidentally are all great guitars that I got for very reasonable if not amazing prices. Setting price aside and without picking nits about subjective aesthetic things on this Bonamassa SG, it has basic quality issues that are not excusable in any name-brand product. The crooked screws and sharp fret ends would flunk a student's project in trade school and are the kinds of flaws that would never make it out of my woodshop on any guitar or piece of furniture at ANY price. Getting these simple things right would've added only a few minutes at most to the overall production time. So where is this £1,500 price coming from and where is the profit going? Gibson and their investors, as they go to the bank laughing at their customers. At the right price I'd fix the screws and frets and be content about it. But for what you paid new as a retail buyer of a supposedly premium 'signature' product, you should return this piece of crap for a full refund. There are too many great high-quality alternatives out there for better prices and at some point we as consumers have to draw the line and send the greedy bastards at big name guitar companies a message that affects their thinking. I'll declare now that I'll never buy a new Epiphone unless and until they stop this shit and remember how they became the poor man's Gibson. End of rant. God bless you all and cheers from Dallas!
I bought three 'Inspired by Gibson' Epiphones between 2020-2022. They're all great. Now that it's mainly the pricing that's inspired by Gibson, I'll be sticking with what I have. They are taking the piss... hard case included!
So my question Colin is... how do you honestly think it compares against the Epi '61 LP standard with the Gibson BBs? Love the channel btw. Keep it up man. Cheers from Texas!
I think a lot of people would prefer the '61 for the aged (matt or whatever you call it) finish...particularly on the neck. And of the course the pickups.... this is really just a same but different variation so not worth the extra cost imho.
I recently scored the 61 here in the States for $550 USD (slightly more than the price of the BBs and the case outright) and the matte finish is my only complaint. For poly, I would have preferred more of a semi-glossin that and my Epi '59 LP, but the neck does feel really good. The price on the JB is insane as having not played one yet, but I always appreciate your honesty. Sorry about the Princeton lol
I knew you'd get one of these Colin. We have similar taste in guitars. Mine comes tomorrow, I had to have it. They are limited to 800 pieces, so that helps cope with the premium price.
As a huge SG fan and also considering that I believe Joe Bonamassa is the best guitarist still with us (taken up the mantle from the greatest...Gary Moore), my mouth watered when seeing this guitar. But, £1,500 for an Epiphone? Is someone trying to pull my plonker? That is totally ridiculous! And they didn't even get all the details of the original correct. Think I'll pass on this one. Great review as always. Thanks Colin. 😊😎🎸🇬🇧🇺🇦
The pricing has gone crazy with Epiphone, The Alex Lifeson signature is also a crazy price. At the end of the day a lot of us, no matter how shallow, will look at the headstock and just see the wrong name (with the connotation of low price).
Your comments about prices are spot on. As a big Tony Iommi fan I was really excited when I heard about Epi monkey SG but I was completely put away by the asking price (1099 €). A couple weeks ago I bought it discounted at 840 € and I am really glad I did because it is a great guitar
Does seem like a stretch price-wise. Hard to stomach $1400 when I have a 2021 Epi LP59 w/ burstbuckers that cost me $750 (demo model) in the summer of 2021 when there were waiting lists everywhere for that model. Like you Colin, I'm a huge Epi fan. And there is nostalgia built into for me as well, because my first proper guitar is a MIJ Crestwood II from 1984 that I still have. That said, I don't get bent out of shape over this sorta thing. What would a Gibson JB signature cost? Twice the price? More? So from that angle you're getting a deal on a guitar that will play and sound really really good. If you're a JB fan. SG fan, I think you can make the argument. We are now in a time when import guitars are not just good, they can be great. Prices unfortunately are going to reflect that.
Colin, you are just a treasure! I’m a proud and session bassist in Nashville. I’ve turned all my session mates on to your channel. Such a wonderful and informative channel! Keep up the great work pal!
I think it’s wrong to say that Epiphone shouldn’t make guitars in this price range especially when Gibson’s line barely covers this price range in a very limited way and it’s not like they’ve abandoned their usual priced guitars. The notion that Epiphone are trying scam people with these prices is ridiculous. If you don’t want to pay that for an epiphone, you don’t have to. You can still get an Epiphone for $400-500. I’m a fan of the recent anniversaries and the Bonamassa 335 but, at this price, I must admit that the ProBuckers are inexcusable.
I feel the same. I was able to get both the Joe Bonamassa ES-335 and Adam Jones Les Paul from Epiphone on discount for just over $1100 and am super happy with both. Considering the upgrades and specs they came with, an equivalent Gibson version with those specs would prob run beyond $4K and be from their Custom Shop. However the fact this SG has probuckers and costs MORE than the prior models that had Gibson or Seymour Duncan pickups…that makes no sense to me.
Not sure if you missed my point… this guitar simply isn’t worth what they are charging and there is nothing that raises it above their usual priced guitars. If they want to charge this much they also need to raise their game at the production level… IMHO! 😆
As always it's refreshing to watch an honest in-depth review. Best guitar-channel on RUclips in my humble opinion. Keep up the good work Colin, you're doing great! I think this Epiphone looks really nice, but the lack of craftmanship is not acceptable for this price. The fretwork should be spot on, without any crooked screws. Also agree on the headstock design, for this price they have could put a Gibson-shaped one on.
Any sharp frets at 1500 is unforgivable in my opinion. The fretwork has to be impeccable at that price. Other brands at the same price point won't get away with that. I think you're right when you say that Epiphone (Gibson) are alienating their core audience. They had a really good resurgence in 2019/2020 with the changed headstock and range refresh but they've taken that good press too far and they just cranked their prices to silly levels. This is now a good opportunity for other brands to compete with similar body shapes. Harley Benton are doing well and Fender Squier as usual are killing it, especially with their Paranormal series which gives an interesting experimental spin on classic models, something that Gibson hardly ever does which is why I think they'll be in trouble when trying to get newer generations of players to buy their gear.
Nice. Of course you had to get it. As expected 😊 It looks great. Swapping pickups is a bit more expensive on this one. I do like the fretboard with real mop and those tuners. Oh those fretends seem to be problematic to fix even with that pricetag
First they came out with the Adam Jones and their stupid digital prints on back... 1400 euros to have a Les Paul printed with a digital printer on the back (this kind'o prints costs round 15-20 bucks a piece , for massive numbers) . Then they made the 150th anniversary pieces , not numbered , and for 1500 quids you can have a Sheraton with an Indian Laurel fretboard... ARE YOU KIDDING ME ?? Then it's the turn for this bonamassa SG custom ... Epiphone pups on it , an hard case with a finish that falls apart just by staring at it too strong, for a list price that is 500 euros more than a made in USA Les Paul tribute or 200 more than an USA Studio... think that the headquarters at Epiphone are built too close to the local alcoholic drinks producers.
Great review Colin 👍and love Bonamassa and seeing him in February and being a decades old guitarist myself..I just can’t justify paying this price for this model. With the pickups that’s in it & the neck should be rolled better among among other things 🙄I don’t know how they justify this price. I think I will pass and pick up a used one down the road and fine with that. Keep the honest reviews up Colin & Keep rocking 🤘🏻🎸🤘🏻
Thanks for the shout out 🤘 Ill look forward to what you get out of it, sounding good with the clean cranked! Im glad you got your hands on this guitar and give a proper real world opinion on it. Theres plenty i like about it but there is just too much ‘misplaced’ spec on it for me to think its worth the price 🤷♂️ Catch you on the next one 🎉
If I had a spare £1500 I’d get a used Gibson off eBay! 😂 Much better value. The only way Epiphone could justify this price for me is if it came with a nitro finish, until then £1500 is just ridiculous! The other thing I don’t like about these Epiphone’s is (correct me if I’m wrong) those hard cases have that faux leather outer covering which damages really easily. I have one for an Epiphone Bass, it’s awful, the Gibson cases are much tougher and more resistant to wear. I guess he needs to fund all those Bursts somehow! 😂😂😂
Hey Colin, long time viewer, don't usually comment but i thought i should back what you said about Epiphone getting greedy and how positive experience that you have with them drive sales. i hadn't touched an epi in over 20 years, the ones i did try where always a bit average, and i never really got on with them. I came across your channel and you re ignited my love for SGs and ended up getting an Epi special, no regrets and great instrument! and recently the epi custom ebony (both sgs). That'll be it for me now, the custom is next level for a sub 1K guitar and has quickly become a favourite. My point being, signature series or not they are starting to dip their wick a little to deep into the wax now and its starting to show with example you demo'ed today. Great video as always Colin, Rock On
'excuse me sir, would you like to purchase this epi for 1500 english pounds?' - 'no thank you my good chap, I'd rather dress as a clown and throw a grand in the sea'
By the way. Love the channel. Came across it a month ago while searching for a review of an Epiphone les paul. Been busy watching all the other videos as well. Now I look forward to the new ones each Friday. Very enjoyable. Thanks.
Nice bourbon on ice with my favorite show, pretty awesome! I love the guitar, looks great, sounds great, but really should be no more than $800 with the case. That is still a premium price for an import guitar. But more in line with what other premium imports cost. You nailed it with this review!
Oh Colin! I nearly commented last week to advise you to keep your money in your pocket and spend it later on 2 or 3 interesting guitars but I just knew that you’d talked yourself into it even before the end of the video! I guess the end we shouldn’t assign value simply on the basis of the name on the headstock, if it is a guitar that is worth the money then it is worth the money irrespective of brand or country of origin.
I do f***ing love your channel! I just saw the listing and hoped you would have made a video, due to the fact that it is a SG. And here we go.. Thanks for the good entertainment!
Another great video!! Thanks Colin. I bought his last signature model The 62 Es 335 and at the time i thought it was expensive nothing in comparison to this new SG. Keep up the good work.
Great vid Colin. Love your appraisal. Spot on. Just coming back from the pub and watching your play out jam it struck me that the headstock, with its yellow binding, Epiphone shape and logo, really looks like a transplant. I paid £795 in 2015 for a Gibson Derek Trucks signature SG which is looking very very good value these days! Best wishes
It's like Gibson is trying to narrow the price gap between their brands. Sadly they are raising Epiphone prices instead of dropping Gibson pricing. People are going to start buying Chibsons if they keep this up! I'm glad I got my Epi SG vibrola and Korina Explorer before these latest price jumps. That said, the Bonamassa is certainly nicer than the standard Epi SG without a doubt. Thanks for the review, Colin.
Greetings from Livermore California on a warm Friday evening. Great video, I agree with everything you point out: too pricey, no Gibson pickups, certain quality control issues, etc. Easy on the eyes, not so much on the wallet. I'm a huge Epiphone fan, but I took a pass on this one for these reasons and more. Thanks for the great content, cheers from abroad 🍺
Thank you for the honest review! They are rare these days! I bout the Lazarus after watching your review and it lives up to the hype it had at the time. I saw this for considerably more and running epi pickups and thought twice about it, although I do have an epi SG special and those p90s are great! I just couldn’t make the price jump. For this you are getting real close to a Gibson SG standard.
Hey Col, another great film. A friend and I went into our local go to shop here in Dallas, TX and they happened to have one that just came in. We checked it out, and while it is a stunning looking guitar, the factory setup was terrible and it needed a lot of work to become playable. Even after that, there wasn't anything that made me want to buy it, and I love SGs like you do. This is an $899 guitar even with the case all day long. At $1500 I am out. You can get a brand new Gibson Standard for $200 more and I actually picked up an absolutely mint used Gibson 2021 SG Standard for $1200 from a local bloke that looks brand new. Don't want to come across as a hater, and I love JB as much as anyone else, but this is a hard pass for me, especially at this price point. Cheers!
I must say I had one in the basket and thinking and thinking and the price was the one that put me off. I ended up buying a Gibson, at almost the same price. But very good review, I must say I was waiting for this. I watch some other reviews, but I always appreciate yours as it has a lot of specs in details which are always good to know, and a very honest opinion. Good one!
It's a beautiful guitar. I know you will cherish it and enjoy playing her. The price is a bit dear for my wallet. I was lucky today and acquired a Korean 2008 Epiphone SG in Cherry red Mint! With a SKB HSC for $200. I like SG's with an all mahogany body without this veneer Epiphone is putting on their guitars as of late. Love your show, keep up the great work! 👍
The 2024 epiphone 1963 les paul sg custom is similar. Has the ebony fret board. Real mother of pearl inlays. Gibson headstock. And a $500 set of gibson custom buckers. Hand wired with cts pots and switchcraft switch and output jack.. makes it more of a value
Thanks for the review Collin ❤. I agree with you about the price tag for what it is😢. I’m like what should I pay this price !! If I can save a bit more then I can fucking afford a Gibson… it won’t be a custom like this but still it will be a standard of some sort. I bought the epiphone Firebird and SG special after your reviews and I so happy with the purchase especially because of what you get for the price is awesome!
I just recently had two examples of these to play. Here in Canada, they are priced at $1949. They are striking in the flesh, and both examples were consistently very well built....but they aren't flawless. They have comfortable necks, and the smooth neck joint is a big plus. Above all else, the sound really good. And, yes, they are limited to a run of 800 worldwide. Downsides are the weight was slightly heavy and the fret ends could have been smoothed out a bit more. Action was higher than normal, but no buzz. When cleaning up the fingerboard (Epiphone's typically have factory dirt on the board), I found the block markers not level with the board. Yep, it bugged me too that the body carve is incorrect. Ultimately, I declined buying one because it's downsides. That said, these are, on their own, pretty good. I just wish they got the wrong stuff, right, and they should have been flawless for the price.
Thank you for the review! Love this channel for the honesty. Correct me if I’m wrong but I’ve never seen you review a Gibson 335 on any kind.. would love to see a video on that. Cheers!
Brilliant! I have the day off and a gig tonight. I've got the flat to myself and have just made an enormous plate of bangers and mash so what better way to spend my lunchtime than watching a fellow nerd talk about a guitar i shall never own for an hour.
"It's a lovely thing until you think of its cost" . Perfect. Colin, just love your channel.
Ikr I like the three humbucker sg but not 1500 big ones
I really like it but that’s a lot of money for a Chinese guitar
ITS WORTH $1,500 ALL DAY LONG..........DONT BE A DOPE
Thanks Colin. This is a really valuable review because there is a development in the Epiphone and affordable guitar space. This transition beyond affordable. I’m a big Epi fan and (in part thanks to you Colin) I’ve bought more than 10 in the past 3 yrs. But the prices are escalating out of this world with this and some other models. I think they’re testing the market to see how much they can just lift the price on all Epiphone models over time.
To find the gullable among us
@@craigpimlott204 I’d say the same for people buying Murphy lab and Fender Custom Shop. As Colin says, if you’re into it then fair enough go ahead and pay for it.
Yeah - Epi and "affordable" are a tad different than they used to be - that Epi Dave Mustaine is a VERY nice V - ( after you change out a few bits) 🤘🎸💥 - But it has the same pickups as the Gibson, too
They are really stretching now 😮
This is what scares me about Epiphone because they make quality guitars for an affordable price, now they are approaching Low end Gibson prices and I have a feeling like another poster said is they are testing to see if people will pay this price and then the other ones will go up in price and the people will just accept it as the new thing. I started playing on an Epiphone and then I went out and bought a few Gibson's and a couple American Fenders as my playing got better but I noticed that when choosing guitars I always ended up picking up one of my Epiphones. I just like the way they feel and it's probably because I learned on one. I love all of my Epiphones. As far as the Joe Bonamassa costing so much I have to agree that it's just too much for what you are getting, first off it has Epiphone Pro buckers which aren't bad pickup's themselves, but the Gibson's are better IMO and these custom buckers coming on the new SG custom non Sig. has Custom buckers that go for 400.00 a set and you are getting 3 of them. This alone justifies more of the higher cost of the guitar. The only REAL difference in the Bonamassa is it has no step at the neck like a normal SG, that was a custom appointment Joe wanted on his custom which for most players it does nothing. I think they should have lowered the price by at least 400.00 on this guitar but people will pay for a name in a heartbeat if it's their guy.
Independent reviews like yours are invaluable in those days of paid promotion. Thanks a lot! And yes this model is obviously overpriced.
Joe Bonamossa math is: 550.00 + 95.00 case + 855.00 to Joe
Overpriced? Seen Gibsons lately?
Look at the new Non sig. Custom SG by Epi. It's the same price but you are getting Gibson pick up's and expensive ones a that Custom buckers and they go for 400.00 a set. The only real difference is the Bonamassa doesn't have the step at the bottom of the neck but it has Pro Buckers instead of Gibson pick up's and it doesn't have the open book headstock. Same price.
Told you some months ago I had the Gibson itch. Finally scratched it a while back and bought a '61 SG with side trem brand new for a similar price - which is lower than average retail, I grant you. I saw it as a great deal and am thrilled with it in every way! Point is, I was happy to get the Gibson for such a price and it feels great every time I play it. Had I payed that for the Epiphone, I would just be angry every time I looked at it!
I constantly see the 61 SG for around 1500. I'd be much happier with that than a $1500 epiphone. I completely agree with your assessment not to mention still having the Gibson itch every time I looked at the Epiphone.
Most honest man reviewing guitars. Cheers from the states.
Colin, at around the 48 minute mark I think you hit the nail on the head. I agree that Epiphone began receiving accolades on their guitars and now believe that they can justify the higher prices.
I also agree that if someone is a Joe Bonamassa fan the price isn't going to stop them from acquiring this guitar. It sounds marvelous in your hands and through the Marshall Jubilee, which would be another justification for buying the guitar. We're all chasing those tones in our heads.
I'm loving "Chip" the Les Paul Jr through the 68' Twin Reverb. Being my first upscale (for me) tube amp I decided to keep the guitar simple until I get things dialed in.
Last week I donated my Squire Jaguar back to the shop I bought it from. They were tickled and gave me a load of pasta and candy. Just wouldn't let me leave the shop without something. Crazy guys.
Match made in heaven!! 🔥😁👍
The other Joe Bonamasa Epiphone I bought were under $1,000. Once they started going over $1,000, I stayed away. I kind of wanted a 335
Agree with you whole heartedly. It' a nice guitar but they are price gouging you at that price. I bought a new Epiphone Marty Schwartz ES-335 which has a hard case, AAA flame maple veneer, graph tech nut, grover locking tuners and push pull volume which actually sound fairly decent and a out of phase tone pull. These are going for $899 US dollars and feel it's a decent price point.
I'm probably sounding like an old record but... for this price I would love to see a nitro finish and no crooked screws. The look (besides the headstock) is great and the sound is sweet. Thanks for the review Colin!
Bought my first SG today and I honestly believe it's the guitar I was born to play. I love it. Thanks for all the myth busting about them. What an amazing guitar.
I really wonder if the fact that Cesar Gueikian became CEO instead of James Curleigh is not a key cause of the price increases. I think curleigh's strategy was to make Gibson guitars available to the larger number by making all the classic models affordable with the original series. I loves the fact that they did that and I believe many of us started liking Gibson again because of this. Epiphone was for lower budgets but with great products. Gibson original collections was for "middle class" people and the custom shop for the rich ones. This all made a lot of sense to me. Each one of us had the possibility to have their classic dream Gibson models one way or another. It feels to me now that we are a bit returning in the Henry Juszkiewicz era with out of reach (weird) standard models with QC flaws, outrageously expensive artist models (that I am not sure anyone really wants for that kind of money) and the fact that they are making Epiphone the equivalent in price of Gibson guitars from 2019 to 2021 is plain crazy to me. I do not think that Gibson will be very popular over the next years with the trajectory they take.
I think you might have hit the nail on the head here! 👍👍
The CEOs a psychopath in my opinion he looked about as excited as Harold Shipman did in court when he went through his collection with agnesi.
In the late Henry J-era there were even a few more than affordable Gibson models . You could pick up a 'faded'- or 'worn' Gibson for 799 bucks (or sometimes even less than that) any day. Those were great value guitars, but these days Gibson doesn't offer anything below 1400. It's a shame, they've now pushed Epiphone to that price range to fill the gap.
@@cataclysmicconverter I just picked up an Epi Les Paul Special and after playing that and a Gibson there isn't much difference between the two to justify the price. Just my humble opinion.
Thanks for not being a shill and giving an honest review. This is a f'n cool guitar at an unreasonable price. At the begin opening when you said, well it's a really expensive Epiphone, that summed it up perfectly.
Bloody love your channel mate❤ best reviews on utube full stop.
Great review again! I think the Epi versions of the 59 LP and the 61 SG were great value and contained substantial upgrades. But this price jump on every signature model without those upgrades are milking the customer, no matter if it’s Joe or Slash or Noel or Adam or Greeny. I chose Gibson for the LP and SG Juniors and Tributes and chose Epiphone for the LP and SG Special P90s, the 59/61 Standards and the Customs and all recent reviews just confirm me that i can be satisfied with those choices.
Those are now over 1k
I think the current Epiphone prices are outrageous. For that money you can get a Gibson, Eastman, Maybach or Japanese Guitar, which all have better materials used and WAY better QC, fretwork and finishing.
Agreed. If I was spending that amount I'd go Eastman. They're lovely.
Thank you! My issue is where is the value?
Gibsons QC is far worse than any other guitar I’ve bought in the last few years. That said, I agree the $1500 Epiphone is ridiculous
Thanks for reviewing I was in the fence .. I rather get a Noel Gallagher for 899
Only thing that sucks is that Eastman don't do an SG yet.
Bro..I religiously follow 30 youtube guitar channels...and You sir..have become my go to favorite...Your taste in playing style matches mine..and your gear reviews are thr best..Thanks Professor..no BS reviews
Cheers man that's appreciated! 😁🙏
My used SG Special, waaay back in '64, was my first gigging guitar 🎸. I paid $125 for it. Amazing axe. This Epi is non-amazing, except for the absurd pricing. This greedy move seems like the beginning of a disturbing trend. I wonder how and why Bonamassa signed off on this one. Good assessment, Colin. 😮Gary
Because JB needs more $$$ to fund buying the real guitars 🤣
@@MrPhinsAbsolutely correct assessment, Mr Phins. Why use his own wedge when he can rely on the gullible band of fanboys, and girls (fan people/persons?) who will buy any production Epi just sprayed up in a ‘custom’ colour, with his name applied, for his substantial share of a 100%+ uplift in price.
They probably all started off, at school, with a ‘Sheriff Woody’ lunch box, an ‘Iron Man’ drinks bottle and graduated via playing ‘Rock Band’, or whatever it’s called, on their otherwise ‘Shoot-Em-Up’ games console.
Sad 🤬s!
It ain't 1964 anymore.
You already made me want to try giving an SG a fair chance, when I saw this came out I was super excited for your take on it. I would love one but damn, that’s a whole chunk of change I can’t justify when I don’t even own an official Gibson haha
Totally agree about the pricing Colin, not too sure what Epiphone are up to. I've got an Epi 61 SG, £699 and it has Gibson Burstbuckers. Also a Gibson SG Special, purchased this year for considerable less than this Epi. I was looking forward to the Epiphone version of the Greeny but I dread to think how much it'll cost.
Fantastic Col, I'm so glad you're doing this one. I wanted to see a deep review of this one and was secretly hoping you'd be the one doing it (a moment of silence for your wallet). In 2 months I'll have enough to buy a guitar I longed for for so long and you helped me pull the trigger on it (I also discoverd your channel because of that video, now I'm hooked to your channel). It's the eastman SB55DC/v, the double cut junior. Cheers and keep dispensing your wisdom to both old and young like myself.
Ah nice one... that 55DC/v is the nuts! 😁👍🔥
@@theguitaristas and you're right, these Epiphone prices are getting out of hand. And what you said at the end about the artists fees not being as high as some people estimate, I stand behind that opinion. It's just plain old Gibson pushing and testing people's limits, seeing how far they'd go.
@@fisterroboto1044 Agreed! I think that sometimes people forget that Gibson owns Epiphone.
How soon before Kramer prices skyrocket?
@@pinkiewerewolf isn't that already kind of happening? That dave Mustaine Vanguard is a whopping 1599,00 euros on the European mainland. But they do still have their core models at cheap prices, for now.
@@fisterroboto1044 I hadn’t seen The Dave Mustaine Flying V but I guess it doesn’t surprise me these days.
I've paid this sort of money for the Japanese made Epiphones (80's Matsumoku or Elite Sheratons / Rivieras). Amazing guitars.
yay! glad you're covering this guitar. I also find it weird that the sweetwater ad said this "Limited to 800 guitars built, the Epiphone Joe Bonamassa 1963 SG Custom is destined to become the centerpiece of your guitar collection."
But the other retailers that still have em in stock like GC and epiphone's website don't mention a limited quantity at all
Great review! I’m on the fence but I already own several JB models and they are all really great guitars. Highly recommend the ES-335 model from last year. All premium parts and really sounds like a proper 335. Part of the price increase can be explained because of worldwide inflation. Everything costs so much more now and manufacturing in China is not as cheap as it used to be. Several companies are exploring more manufacturing in Vietnam and Indonesia to keep the costs down. Thanks Colin!
How much was the 335 mate...if ya don't mind me asking?
@@baabaabaa-yp2jh not much less than the current SG Custom. The ES-335 was $1299 USD. The SG is currently $1399 USD.
@@davidstephens1097 Out here the Epi JB 335 is $2799, so about the same as the SG...
I've got zero clue why theyre so much more, they're made a few 100miles north of us!?!
Cheers for the reply mate.
The case shoud have "Suckerville" printed on it.
This guitar is a $999 USD guitar, MAX. Its beautiful, but not worth the price. Ib think epiphone needs to be humbled on price again. At that price you can get a great gibson used and have a few dollars in your pocket for a beer and lunch. Cheers Colin! Great vid yet again. Thank you for bringing a voice of the blue collar player!
$699 max
This is why you are one of my favourites RUclipsrs mate, you are so honest.
Not so long ago Epiphone was one of my favourite brands (for Les Paul’s Specifically) they done some really tasty, high spec, well priced Signature Les Paul’s. I had a few - Joe Bonamassa Goldtop, Slash Rossa Corsa & Zakk Wylde Bullseye. Each of them came in around €700 euro. As they shared much of its big brothers Gibson specs - Proper Signature Pickups etc they offered great value for money. But I can say not in hindsight they were good guitars and compared to todays Epiphone prices (which they do seem to be plucked from the sky, as you mentioned) bargains. Today Epiphones cost so much more and give you less. It’s crazy.
To me Epiphones offer great value in the sub €1k Market. But today with their crazy prices I’ve lost interest in them tbh. It’s a Chinese Made guitar with Chinese Epiphone parts, pickups etc and it’s the same price as an American Made Gibson USA SG Standard with genuine USA pickups and parts. It’s absolutely Crazy 🤷♂️ no interest whatsoever ever, there are other brands out there that give you as much or even more for inc less
$1500 for this Epi is a crock. I got the white LTD version 15 years ago and ripped out the crappy bridge and electrics. Replaced with Gibson BB Pro pups, CTS 500K pots, straplocks and a beautiful roller tunamatic. All up, with mods, still cost way less than $1500, not British Pounds Sterling. It still rocks and sounds as good, if not better than my Gibby '61 SG Maestro.
THAT'S A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN COLIN, GIBSON/EPI, AND A CRANKED MARSHALL, GREAT VID MT, HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND.
cheers mt.
thanks.
Thanks Colin for the review...the JB SG sounded pretty damn good as you were playing. And you are right about the horn cut...A $1500 price tag should reflect what you are trying to emulate and this first run of JB's 63,' falls a little bit short of expectations. Your review was spot on... 👌
Spot on, they're taking the Mick. Very happy with my 2 year old used Gibson Standard for £900, thanks very much!
I thought the Korina explore pushed the $$ limit, this is over-the-top. But as long as JB fans keep buying them up, then I guess the price is justified. Their target audience isn't someone looking for a quality guitar, it's purely for someone who idolizes JB only.
Solid honest review,you gained a subscriber..
I bought one and I love it. One of the factors making me buy it is that they are only making 800 of these. The biggest criticism is that they don’t come with Gibson pickups but to be honest, the Epiphone pickups sound great. There are some premium features that may or may not justify the cost but I am happy with my purchase.
Colin review any SG is a must see, even for an ol’ bassist with a secret dream of having one😄 Great and well done as always👍😊
I agree with every word you’ve said. What a shame. It’s a great looking guitar, sounds good but the quality control on it is unforgivable at that price. Not that it couldn’t be put right, but you shouldn’t have to. Epiphone have made great strides in attracting new buyers, me included, since they introduced the “Inspired by” series. I hope they’re not busy destroying that. With Gibson’s prices upwardly mobile and now this they’re in danger of shooting themselves in the foot. Now then, I’ve been in the Fender camp all my life, and it was your channel reviews and the Inspired by series that’s resulted in my owning 3 Epiphone Les Paul’s. I’m not yet an SG fan but I am a Guitaristas fan so I’m about subscribe to your TV channel ‘cos I can’t wait a week 😁👍
Cheers hope to see you over there! 😁👍
Love these honest reviews, helping me decide on an epi or a gibson...
hi Collin, your comment of a 800 guitar for 1500 is bang on and i am disgusted that they can ask gibson money for a copy, not putting anything special in it is taking the p--s.A bit of a sad day for epi fans. Cheers Steve.
Great video and I agree with everything you said about the price, but I am a sucker for SGs also!
I heard they were a limited edition of 800 but that may not be true. I bought the JB ES335 for £1149 which was certainly overpriced but is a lovely guitar with the Gibson Burstbuckers. This SG should be at maximum £899 at the high end with Probuckers. I bought the Slash Victoria for £433 brand new with Probuckers and case of course! Epiphone have lost their sense on price.
Hey Colin, hope you are well, great playing again, thank you! I like Joe's music quite a bit and have been to see him play, he has a really good band. An Epiphone at this price is pretty steep. Over time it will be interesting to see where prices go. Good luck with fixing the Princeton! Have a nice weekend 😀
Last August I bought an Inspired Les Paul custom for £599. Its a superb instrument.. Given that the Gibson Custom costs neary five grand, its amazing value. This is what we expect from Epiphone. Not instruments that are the same price as some full fat Gibsons. I tried the JB335 in a store, it was frankly dissapointing especially for over a grand. This june I bought an SG special p90 for £349. Again Fantastic guitar, especially at that price. I play it more than my Gibson Standard Les Pauls and SG. I was panning on buying the Gibson P90 srpecial SG but I dint bother ! why cant Epiphone get it through their heads that their target audience is not the Insurance salesmen and Rent Collectors that Gibson Traditionally attracted. Yeeeesh"
Excellent video, as always! I hope Epiphone are paying attention.
At 45:45 you noted that Epiphone are bypassing their intended audience with this guitar, particularly as it is priced. You also duly noted its faults and I appreciate your frankness and honesty. I'm a longtime Epi fan and currently own four, which incidentally are all great guitars that I got for very reasonable if not amazing prices. Setting price aside and without picking nits about subjective aesthetic things on this Bonamassa SG, it has basic quality issues that are not excusable in any name-brand product. The crooked screws and sharp fret ends would flunk a student's project in trade school and are the kinds of flaws that would never make it out of my woodshop on any guitar or piece of furniture at ANY price. Getting these simple things right would've added only a few minutes at most to the overall production time. So where is this £1,500 price coming from and where is the profit going? Gibson and their investors, as they go to the bank laughing at their customers. At the right price I'd fix the screws and frets and be content about it. But for what you paid new as a retail buyer of a supposedly premium 'signature' product, you should return this piece of crap for a full refund. There are too many great high-quality alternatives out there for better prices and at some point we as consumers have to draw the line and send the greedy bastards at big name guitar companies a message that affects their thinking. I'll declare now that I'll never buy a new Epiphone unless and until they stop this shit and remember how they became the poor man's Gibson. End of rant. God bless you all and cheers from Dallas!
Cheers Mark, have a good weekend mate!
@@theguitaristas And you too Colin. Thanks.
I bought three 'Inspired by Gibson' Epiphones between 2020-2022. They're all great. Now that it's mainly the pricing that's inspired by Gibson, I'll be sticking with what I have. They are taking the piss... hard case included!
So my question Colin is... how do you honestly think it compares against the Epi '61 LP standard with the Gibson BBs? Love the channel btw. Keep it up man. Cheers from Texas!
I think a lot of people would prefer the '61 for the aged (matt or whatever you call it) finish...particularly on the neck. And of the course the pickups.... this is really just a same but different variation so not worth the extra cost imho.
I recently scored the 61 here in the States for $550 USD (slightly more than the price of the BBs and the case outright) and the matte finish is my only complaint. For poly, I would have preferred more of a semi-glossin that and my Epi '59 LP, but the neck does feel really good. The price on the JB is insane as having not played one yet, but I always appreciate your honesty. Sorry about the Princeton lol
I knew you'd get one of these Colin. We have similar taste in guitars. Mine comes tomorrow, I had to have it. They are limited to 800 pieces, so that helps cope with the premium price.
Congratulations you won't be disappointed just try to not think about the cost! 😂👍
Looks nice, but $2800 AUD is absolutely absurd for an Epiphone. I recently bought my Gibson SG Standard for $2,879 AUD.
Shits gone nuts. 2 years ago my mate bought his new for $2200 😢 shipped to Sydney from Perth
It's advertised at Guitar Paradise in Melb for .. $3.499.00 🤮 what a joke that is.
Thanks again for your honest opinion and great review. Regards from Mallorca island.
As a huge SG fan and also considering that I believe Joe Bonamassa is the best guitarist still with us (taken up the mantle from the greatest...Gary Moore), my mouth watered when seeing this guitar.
But, £1,500 for an Epiphone? Is someone trying to pull my plonker? That is totally ridiculous!
And they didn't even get all the details of the original correct.
Think I'll pass on this one.
Great review as always.
Thanks Colin.
😊😎🎸🇬🇧🇺🇦
The pricing has gone crazy with Epiphone, The Alex Lifeson signature is also a crazy price. At the end of the day a lot of us, no matter how shallow, will look at the headstock and just see the wrong name (with the connotation of low price).
Your comments about prices are spot on. As a big Tony Iommi fan I was really excited when I heard about Epi monkey SG but I was completely put away by the asking price (1099 €). A couple weeks ago I bought it discounted at 840 € and I am really glad I did because it is a great guitar
Does seem like a stretch price-wise. Hard to stomach $1400 when I have a 2021 Epi LP59 w/ burstbuckers that cost me $750 (demo model) in the summer of 2021 when there were waiting lists everywhere for that model. Like you Colin, I'm a huge Epi fan. And there is nostalgia built into for me as well, because my first proper guitar is a MIJ Crestwood II from 1984 that I still have. That said, I don't get bent out of shape over this sorta thing. What would a Gibson JB signature cost? Twice the price? More? So from that angle you're getting a deal on a guitar that will play and sound really really good. If you're a JB fan. SG fan, I think you can make the argument. We are now in a time when import guitars are not just good, they can be great. Prices unfortunately are going to reflect that.
Colin, you are just a treasure! I’m a proud and session bassist in Nashville. I’ve turned all my session mates on to your channel. Such a wonderful and informative channel! Keep up the great work pal!
Cheers man that’s appreciated! 😁👍
I think it’s wrong to say that Epiphone shouldn’t make guitars in this price range especially when Gibson’s line barely covers this price range in a very limited way and it’s not like they’ve abandoned their usual priced guitars. The notion that Epiphone are trying scam people with these prices is ridiculous. If you don’t want to pay that for an epiphone, you don’t have to. You can still get an Epiphone for $400-500. I’m a fan of the recent anniversaries and the Bonamassa 335 but, at this price, I must admit that the ProBuckers are inexcusable.
I feel the same. I was able to get both the Joe Bonamassa ES-335 and Adam Jones Les Paul from Epiphone on discount for just over $1100 and am super happy with both. Considering the upgrades and specs they came with, an equivalent Gibson version with those specs would prob run beyond $4K and be from their Custom Shop. However the fact this SG has probuckers and costs MORE than the prior models that had Gibson or Seymour Duncan pickups…that makes no sense to me.
Not sure if you missed my point… this guitar simply isn’t worth what they are charging and there is nothing that raises it above their usual priced guitars. If they want to charge this much they also need to raise their game at the production level… IMHO! 😆
As always it's refreshing to watch an honest in-depth review. Best guitar-channel on RUclips in my humble opinion. Keep up the good work Colin, you're doing great! I think this Epiphone looks really nice, but the lack of craftmanship is not acceptable for this price. The fretwork should be spot on, without any crooked screws. Also agree on the headstock design, for this price they have could put a Gibson-shaped one on.
It's not a Gibson so why should they put a Gib headstock on it?
Any sharp frets at 1500 is unforgivable in my opinion. The fretwork has to be impeccable at that price. Other brands at the same price point won't get away with that.
I think you're right when you say that Epiphone (Gibson) are alienating their core audience. They had a really good resurgence in 2019/2020 with the changed headstock and range refresh but they've taken that good press too far and they just cranked their prices to silly levels. This is now a good opportunity for other brands to compete with similar body shapes. Harley Benton are doing well and Fender Squier as usual are killing it, especially with their Paranormal series which gives an interesting experimental spin on classic models, something that Gibson hardly ever does which is why I think they'll be in trouble when trying to get newer generations of players to buy their gear.
Nice. Of course you had to get it. As expected 😊
It looks great.
Swapping pickups is a bit more expensive on this one.
I do like the fretboard with real mop and those tuners.
Oh those fretends seem to be problematic to fix even with that pricetag
First they came out with the Adam Jones and their stupid digital prints on back... 1400 euros to have a Les Paul printed with a digital printer on the back (this kind'o prints costs round 15-20 bucks a piece , for massive numbers) . Then they made the 150th anniversary pieces , not numbered , and for 1500 quids you can have a Sheraton with an Indian Laurel fretboard... ARE YOU KIDDING ME ?? Then it's the turn for this bonamassa SG custom ... Epiphone pups on it , an hard case with a finish that falls apart just by staring at it too strong, for a list price that is 500 euros more than a made in USA Les Paul tribute or 200 more than an USA Studio... think that the headquarters at Epiphone are built too close to the local alcoholic drinks producers.
Great review Colin 👍and love Bonamassa and seeing him in February and being a decades old guitarist myself..I just can’t justify paying this price for this model. With the pickups that’s in it & the neck should be rolled better among among other things 🙄I don’t know how they justify this price. I think I will pass and pick up a used one down the road and fine with that. Keep the honest reviews up Colin & Keep rocking 🤘🏻🎸🤘🏻
Just buy a used SG. This is the biggest money grab Joe has done. It pains me that he's OK with this...
Thanks for the shout out 🤘
Ill look forward to what you get out of it, sounding good with the clean cranked!
Im glad you got your hands on this guitar and give a proper real world opinion on it. Theres plenty i like about it but there is just too much ‘misplaced’ spec on it for me to think its worth the price 🤷♂️
Catch you on the next one 🎉
If I had a spare £1500 I’d get a used Gibson off eBay! 😂 Much better value. The only way Epiphone could justify this price for me is if it came with a nitro finish, until then £1500 is just ridiculous! The other thing I don’t like about these Epiphone’s is (correct me if I’m wrong) those hard cases have that faux leather outer covering which damages really easily. I have one for an Epiphone Bass, it’s awful, the Gibson cases are much tougher and more resistant to wear. I guess he needs to fund all those Bursts somehow! 😂😂😂
Hey Colin, long time viewer, don't usually comment but i thought i should back what you said about Epiphone getting greedy and how positive experience that you have with them drive sales. i hadn't touched an epi in over 20 years, the ones i did try where always a bit average, and i never really got on with them. I came across your channel and you re ignited my love for SGs and ended up getting an Epi special, no regrets and great instrument! and recently the epi custom ebony (both sgs). That'll be it for me now, the custom is next level for a sub 1K guitar and has quickly become a favourite. My point being, signature series or not they are starting to dip their wick a little to deep into the wax now and its starting to show with example you demo'ed today. Great video as always Colin, Rock On
Cheers man thanks for comment! 😁👍
'excuse me sir, would you like to purchase this epi for 1500 english pounds?' - 'no thank you my good chap, I'd rather dress as a clown and throw a grand in the sea'
I would rather live with a clown and throw my wife in the sea...
😂
Just over a week ago I didn’t own a SG… now I have 2… thanks to you… much appreciated ;)
🤣👍👍
By the way. Love the channel. Came across it a month ago while searching for a review of an Epiphone les paul. Been busy watching all the other videos as well. Now I look forward to the new ones each Friday. Very enjoyable. Thanks.
Cheers man thanks for supporting! 😁👍
Great review again - would be interesting to compare this with your real £1500 SG. I think I know which I'd pick.
Nice bourbon on ice with my favorite show, pretty awesome! I love the guitar, looks great, sounds great, but really should be no more than $800 with the case. That is still a premium price for an import guitar. But more in line with what other premium imports cost.
You nailed it with this review!
Oh Colin! I nearly commented last week to advise you to keep your money in your pocket and spend it later on 2 or 3 interesting guitars but I just knew that you’d talked yourself into it even before the end of the video!
I guess the end we shouldn’t assign value simply on the basis of the name on the headstock, if it is a guitar that is worth the money then it is worth the money irrespective of brand or country of origin.
Colin, I bought Lazuras cause of your review. And I’m very happy I did. I love the guitar.
I do f***ing love your channel! I just saw the listing and hoped you would have made a video, due to the fact that it is a SG. And here we go.. Thanks for the good entertainment!
Here we go!
Another great video!! Thanks Colin. I bought his last signature model The 62 Es 335 and at the time i thought it was expensive nothing in comparison to this new SG. Keep up the good work.
Great vid Colin. Love your appraisal. Spot on. Just coming back from the pub and watching your play out jam it struck me that the headstock, with its yellow binding, Epiphone shape and logo, really looks like a transplant. I paid £795 in 2015 for a Gibson Derek Trucks signature SG which is looking very very good value these days! Best wishes
This movie is what we been waiting for.
This price is beyond the line…
from Japan
So glad you’ve addressed the ‘kids guitar’ comment
It's like Gibson is trying to narrow the price gap between their brands. Sadly they are raising Epiphone prices instead of dropping Gibson pricing. People are going to start buying Chibsons if they keep this up! I'm glad I got my Epi SG vibrola and Korina Explorer before these latest price jumps. That said, the Bonamassa is certainly nicer than the standard Epi SG without a doubt. Thanks for the review, Colin.
Greetings from Livermore California on a warm Friday evening. Great video, I agree with everything you point out: too pricey, no Gibson pickups, certain quality control issues, etc. Easy on the eyes, not so much on the wallet. I'm a huge Epiphone fan, but I took a pass on this one for these reasons and more. Thanks for the great content, cheers from abroad 🍺
Way too expensive! Ridiculously expensive... Thanks for the video! It's great as usual.
Thank you for the honest review! They are rare these days! I bout the Lazarus after watching your review and it lives up to the hype it had at the time. I saw this for considerably more and running epi pickups and thought twice about it, although I do have an epi SG special and those p90s are great! I just couldn’t make the price jump. For this you are getting real close to a Gibson SG standard.
I bought a Epi 59 std from Sweetwater, blem, with one little ding for $764.00 largely due to your review. I love it. Great LP.
Love your channel & honesty, Colin. Greetings from Warsaw!
Cheers man!
Hey Col, another great film. A friend and I went into our local go to shop here in Dallas, TX and they happened to have one that just came in. We checked it out, and while it is a stunning looking guitar, the factory setup was terrible and it needed a lot of work to become playable. Even after that, there wasn't anything that made me want to buy it, and I love SGs like you do. This is an $899 guitar even with the case all day long. At $1500 I am out. You can get a brand new Gibson Standard for $200 more and I actually picked up an absolutely mint used Gibson 2021 SG Standard for $1200 from a local bloke that looks brand new. Don't want to come across as a hater, and I love JB as much as anyone else, but this is a hard pass for me, especially at this price point. Cheers!
I actually got a 2021 brand new Gibson SG Standard at a guitar center sale for less than that!! Gotta be crazy to pay over a grand for an Epi.
Another nice review, honest and truthful, great playing.
Great discussion and hard look at a very expensive Epiphone SG. Cheers!
I must say I had one in the basket and thinking and thinking and the price was the one that put me off. I ended up buying a Gibson, at almost the same price. But very good review, I must say I was waiting for this. I watch some other reviews, but I always appreciate yours as it has a lot of specs in details which are always good to know, and a very honest opinion. Good one!
It's a beautiful guitar. I know you will cherish it and enjoy playing her. The price is a bit dear for my wallet. I was lucky today and acquired a Korean 2008 Epiphone SG in Cherry red Mint! With a SKB HSC for $200. I like SG's with an all mahogany body without this veneer Epiphone is putting on their guitars as of late. Love your show, keep up the great work! 👍
Im completely agree with you Colin!!!!!!!
What a fantastic video colin have a good weekend also Monday is Thanksgiving in Canada ❤😊
The 2024 epiphone 1963 les paul sg custom is similar. Has the ebony fret board. Real mother of pearl inlays. Gibson headstock. And a $500 set of gibson custom buckers. Hand wired with cts pots and switchcraft switch and output jack.. makes it more of a value
Thanks for the review Collin ❤. I agree with you about the price tag for what it is😢. I’m like what should I pay this price !! If I can save a bit more then I can fucking afford a Gibson… it won’t be a custom like this but still it will be a standard of some sort. I bought the epiphone Firebird and SG special after your reviews and I so happy with the purchase especially because of what you get for the price is awesome!
I have been waiting for this, despite the price I still might need one.
nicest thing as an ex engineer is where the neck meets the body , that`s class , sorry Col obviously commenting as I watch the review
You've outdone yourself this time Col, that's a gorgeous looking Guitar. Thanks for sharing mate, superb content.
I just love you! I appreciate your honest and funny reviews. !!! Your mate arcross the pond!! Billy. Ps lets have a few beers someday!!!
Cheers Billy that would be cool mate! 😁👍
I'm still waiting for an Epiphone SG Junior in the flat cherry finish...lol
Another great show!
I just recently had two examples of these to play. Here in Canada, they are priced at $1949. They are striking in the flesh, and both examples were consistently very well built....but they aren't flawless. They have comfortable necks, and the smooth neck joint is a big plus. Above all else, the sound really good. And, yes, they are limited to a run of 800 worldwide. Downsides are the weight was slightly heavy and the fret ends could have been smoothed out a bit more. Action was higher than normal, but no buzz. When cleaning up the fingerboard (Epiphone's typically have factory dirt on the board), I found the block markers not level with the board. Yep, it bugged me too that the body carve is incorrect. Ultimately, I declined buying one because it's downsides. That said, these are, on their own, pretty good. I just wish they got the wrong stuff, right, and they should have been flawless for the price.
Thank you for the review! Love this channel for the honesty. Correct me if I’m wrong but I’ve never seen you review a Gibson 335 on any kind.. would love to see a video on that. Cheers!
I’ve done a couple of Epiphone’s but not and Gibson.
Brilliant! I have the day off and a gig tonight. I've got the flat to myself and have just made an enormous plate of bangers and mash so what better way to spend my lunchtime than watching a fellow nerd talk about a guitar i shall never own for an hour.
That's the way to do it! 😂👍
I love this. thanks Colin. Making me giggle. Great stuff:)