Epiphone has always stood as the accessible route into enjoying Gibson-style instruments, with its various electric guitars and acoustic guitars providing the look and feel of Gibsons at a far more palatable price point.
The luthier believes its 'Inspired by Gibson Custom' range takes its builds to the next level, but such progress comes at a premium.
The series offers everything from Hummingbirds to Firebirds but at prices much higher than traditional Epiphone creations. So, how do they compare to other, more affordable Epi models?
To find out, Dinesh Lekhraj – host of the Gibson Gear Guide YouTube channel – pitted an 'Inspired by Gibson Custom' Les Paul Custom ($1,299) against an Epiphone Custom Les Paul ($799) in a brand new showdown.
Both guitars are united by their mahogany bodies, ebony fretboards, Grover tuners, and CTS pots as they look to give an authentic, Gibson-esque essence. There are, however, some price-widening differences.
The cheaper option offers a ‘60s-style slim tapered neck and ProBucker humbuckers, “closely engineered” to replicate the BurstBuckers of Gibson builds.
The Inspired By Gibson Custom model differs with a one-piece, rounded '50s neck and Gibson open book headstock. Its pickups are also Gibson 490R and 498T humbuckers – the same pairing you’d get from a Gibson Custom Shop guitar, which helps explain the inflated price.
For many, the fact that Epiphone price points are creeping towards Gibson territory goes against the grain of what the brand is all about, and it’s worth noting that – in terms of the shootout – the difference isn’t exactly night and day.
Sure, there is more bite to the Gibson bridge pickup and perhaps a little more rounded warmth to its neck humbucker, too, but is it enough to justify spending $500 extra on the pricer model? It will certainly come down to player preference.
It’s also worth pointing out the shootout isn’t exhaustive. The video only offers some rhythm playing from both guitars, which are plugged into a Gibson Falcon 20 2x10 combo amp.
Thankfully, YouTuber Sunny Haair has taken the two instruments for a far more detailed test drive.
Of the Inspired By Custom guitar, he says, “My opinion is that the gap between Gibson and Epiphone has been filled as much as it ever could be,” which is both high praise, and also justification for that rising cost.
“People will always split hairs over these things and that's totally okay,” he adds. “But this is the evolution for Epiphone that I wished we had when I was growing up.”
Of course, while the official shootout focuses on sonic hair-splitting, through a YouTube video – hardly the best platform for it – it does little to dive into the other details.
For some players, the ‘60s-style slim tapered neck of the $799 guitar may feel better. Again it’s all a matter of preference.
What is important, truthfully, is that while Epiphone continues to explore ways of closing the gap on Gibson builds, it doesn’t leave budget-minded players alienated. In other words, both models have a key role to play in the market.
Head over to Epiphone to find out more about the $799 Epiphone Les Paul Custom and the Inspired By Gibson model.
