** If you see the @telegram spam account PLEASE help me out and report them!** Did you guys think the Epi could hang with the Gibson tone wise? If it was your money which one would you choose? Enjoy 🙂
The Tribute is 2x the money for the Epiphone down here (NZ), so pretty hard to argue with that. I have seen a used Gibson LP Studio with a bound neck for the same money as the new Tribute. Maybe you see my problem.......? I think it will be the Epiphone when I find the right one (also, I recently bought an Epiphone 1956 Les Paul Standard PRO with P90s in Chicago Blue, so looking for a hunbucker LP to join it). Thanks for the video!
I’ve been playing Gibsons and Epiphones for over four decades. The new Epis inspired by Gibson guitars are great value. It’s really remarkable how good they are for the money. You really need to look beyond the names on the headstock and let your hands and ears guide your purchasing decision, imho. Rock on! 🎸🖖🏻
I've had this honeyburst gibson LP tribute for 2 years, and it's absolutely amazing, fully recommend going for the Gibson. You even learn to love the lack of binding. The fact that you can see the wood, and the satin finish on the neck is super nice
@@joebranston6330 I've got the Tobacco Burst Tribute and man that thing is seriously awesome. I've got a really high end 335 from the Memphis factory from 2003 and I find that I play my Tribute more than my Cust Shop Strat, Jimmy Page Mirror Tele, American Special Strat, and American Pro Strat, and my 335. They're just seriously cool and I don't see how there's any way on this earth that a Standard could be $2,000 better. I think of the Tribute as a Les Paul for the price of a Tele. The neck pickup in it is absolutely amazing and I use it with an AC30 and with literally zero pedals it still sounds super good. I could honestly take it to a gig without a pedal and just use my volume knobs and probably play everything from ZZ Top to Hendrix to George Benson. They rule dude!
In my experience, how good a guitar is ultimately is based on how good of a setup the guitar has and how good the pickups sound. Everything else is either cosmetic or optional. I've taken some really low-end guitars that played well and slapped some better pickups on them and those guitars really turn into screamers that can keep up with the best of them.
100% agree. One of my favourite guitars to play is my first guitar I ever got. A Jay Turser strat copy that I replaced the bridge pickup with Seymour Duncan Hot Rails. The guitar feels and plays great and now it sounds great too!
having owned both an epiphone and a Gibson, I'm sorry to say I don't agree with your story. Im sure some low end guitars with proper setup and some good pickups can be turned into really well played guitars that sound good, but they're still so very different from 'the real deal'. I've properly setup my epihpone, slapped a couple of 490s on them, replaced every electronic part in the guitar, but still it doesn't come close to the playbility and tone of the Gibson. You can already tell by how long a tone resonates on the Gibson and how long it resonates on the epiphone. You can get pretty close, but in the end it's still a night and day difference.
@@Bonesie1985 Consider the possibility that your Epi is a dud. I have a Harley Benton LP clone that I paid $120 for that played beautifully out of the box, easily as good as my Gibsons. I put some Seymour Duncan pickups on them and that lowly HB LP clone hangs with my Gibsons all day and night.
Excellent comparison video. Ive been playing since 1964. I still own a 72 Gibson Les Paul, 1988 Les Paul Standard, and 1990 Les Paul Classic...plus 2 recent epi's a 56 reissuue gold topw P90's and a goldtop standard all played thru various old Fender, Marshall and Orange amps. The all play & sound GREAT. I was playing the Epi goltop standard into an old Deluxe reverb, no pedals just prior to seeing this video. As I played clean and overdriven country, blues and country rock, I was and am Amazed as to how good the Epi plays and sounds on its own or head ot head with my Gibsons.... It was a $ 450 guitar w case. A properly set up intonated guitar, dialed into the right amp with a fine set of pickups no matter what brand is on the headstock will yield great tone. After all 75% of tone is in our hands. Play as many guitars as you can and pikc the ones that feel right and sound right to YOU.
Both are great guitars. The tone difference seems to be in line with the "law of diminishing returns". 50% more cashola gets you a better sound for the studio. On stage the Epi looks fab '59 to everyone except guitar nerds, and, after tweaking your amp, the tone in a live mix would be pretty much indistinguishable. Great, no nonsense post. Cheers Darrell.
A studio doesn't sound better, sounds different because the bridge pickup is different. But basically it's the same guitar except the neck material which is maple vs mahogany
@@Max_94 Not all studio's have a maple neck, mine has a mahogany neck. Also its sounds a lot better than my epiphone and burny did, all had the same pickups.
@@piemanmusic Having had many Epi and Gibbo guitars through my workshop for setup and repair i have to say that the cheap Gibsons invariably sound better and the expensive Epiphones always look the part, if you can see past the headstock shape.
Love your comparison vids! I think the Gibson won the tone challenge, when compted right next to each other! But honestly, they both sounded pretty great!
the gibson is simply LOUDER in the comparism. I recorded the audio of this video into an audio editor, adapted the volume of both guitars, and voila... OMG, the Epiphone sounded much better than the gibson...at least to my ears...
Mr Braun is my 'go to' guy for demonstrating all guitars...his 'tone sampling' is better than most gigging musicians out there today. Bravo to you, Darrell!
The GIbson sound was more full. Loved the overall tone slightly better. But honestly, I'd buy either as they are both pretty nice individually. Thanks for the comparison
funny thing, turn the Gibson down just a notch, and it will sound less full. I'm sure he got it as close as he could without pulling his hair out, but it all doesn't matter as much. I bet its a discrepancy with volume, which is very difficult to get the exact same. even one Gibson Les Paul to another won't sound exact.
I own the Gibson tribute and can say without a doubt that it has become my favorite! Had what I wanted in a Lester, honey comb weight relief, aluminum bridge and tail piece(sustain), plexed, alnico 2 490’s, satin finish neck and body…it is a mean machine!!!
@@frankgalzarano_gdiwealth I've been doing a lot of research on the Tribute and watched a ton of videos/reviews. I'm so close to pulling the trigger on one. It just doesn't seem like there is a better value in the entire guitar world than the Tribute. Also the PLEK alone is close to a $300 value and makes such a huge difference. EDIT/UPDATE TWO WEEKS LATER: I'm happy to report that the Tribute is unbelievable. The tone and playability are as good, if not better, than any guitar I've ever owned, not to mention how beautiful it is. And it stays in tune! (unlike other Gibson LP's I have owned in the past)I think it is the best value the guitar world has to offer - the bang for the buck is unbeatable IMO.
@@dowaliby1 Fantastic. These reports and reviews like yours that I've been reading the last few weeks are what helped me pull the trigger today. I bought a 2016 50s Tribute Gold Top. Very excited.
Definitely found the 490's to have that "raw" full sound which for me personally I really like! Ultimately you can't go wrong with a $500 Epi and a professional setup applied to it. Still however, there is something special about playing a Gibson. Great comparison video!
This Epiphone is not the same as a 500 buck one for sure. Burstbuckers, 490's do have a great sound but theoretically the Burstbuckers should sound better. That's a bit strange, Could be the pots are a bit hotter in the Gibson.
A week ago I brought home a Tribute after playing it and a high end Epi. I loved the Epiphone, until I played the Gibson. I was always skeptical about Gibson's value, until I played one. There is definitely a difference that must be felt in order to understand.
There *totally* is a difference, and anyone saying there isn't likely hasn't played a Gibson, or is trying to talk themselves into believing that there's no difference, because they don't *want* to want a Gibson.
I went to a guitar shop to buy an epi LP, played them through and then decided to try The tribute Gibson on the wall. Instant love. It just played easier, loved that slimmer and satin neck. I had to buy it, and never looked back.
I have both of these guitars and love them both! Honestly though, if I HAD to sell one, it’d be the Gibson. I personally love the neck on the Epi and the sound/ tone of the burstbuckers.
This was exactly the shootout I was hoping to find! Thank you. I've been considering both of these and have played both in guitar shops. They're both great guitars. I was especially surprised at how close these two are in tone and feel.
@@mrjackbagginzactually extremely close people who listen to music can tell the difference what so ever , the people that buy your songs don’t care if you use an ironing board they want the song to be catchy and interesting
Interesting comparison. After a bunch of trying things, I landed on the Epiphone 50’s Standard rather than the ‘59 because I preferred the tone of the mellower A2 probuckers to the Burstbuckers or the Gibson humbuckers. I think the Epiphone humbuckers and P90s are really great sounding pickups.
I got an Epi LP 1960 tribute plus. Super great guitar. AAA flamed mapel top, mohagany neck and body, Gibson 57 humbuckers and a deep set neck. Cost me like 600-700 bucks a decade ago. And it is a dream to play.
The Epi had better cleans but the Gibsons high gain had a very noticeable difference. I’d spend the extra 450 for the Gibson, but that’s just my opinion 🤘🏻
Ive thought the same thing about nearly every Epiphone Ive ever played. The Epiphones always sound so good clean, but they always sound a little muddier with overdrive. From watching videos, A burstbucker 2/3 pickup combination always sounds best when people upgrade the pickups in the Epiphone if you're doing a lot of overdrive. These two guitars sounded very similar, but I still preferred the Gibson in the sound test. The problem is that a new 1959 Epiphone is $899 plus tax, which is exactly what you can buy a used Gibson Les Paul Studio on craigslist. I just can't see buying the Epi.
Buy the epiphone, chuck in some Seymour Duncan alnico pros and it would sound better than the Gibson. I’d buy a Schecter or PRS SE McCarty over either, though.
@@cybertrophic Schecters QC is failing massively. I was looking into a signature series Phil Sgrosso from As I Lay Dying Charvel. All 4 models from sweetwater were jacked. Go look at the routing for the Floydrose. It looks like they’ve been cut out with a handsaw. For a 1600$ guitar. That shouldn’t be an issue.
Even sweetwater didn’t know what to say. Basically picked out the least jacked up one and literally said this is the one that’s not messed up the most. Lol 😂.
I've played a lot of Epiphones, I've had even a few Korean ones (built by Samick) and the truth is that even the cheepest Les Pauls Studio feel/sound a lot better. My first Gibson was a 94 Studio (with broken headstock repair) and when I got it I couldn't believe the smashing difference in tone and feel it had compared to overpriced Epiphones which IMO mostly look like Gibsons, but no comparison possible.
I used to think the difference between Epi and Gibson was negligible at best, but after owning 3 Epis, and one Gibson, I've changed my tune. The quality of a nice Gibson far exceeds that of a nice Epi. The value to cost increase is debateable, but there's no denying that Gibson make better instruments. It's amazing, even w the Gibson electronics in the Epi, it doesn't quite sound as full or harmonically rich as the low end Gibson, at least to my ears. Very close though, and that Epi is fantastic; high end Epi's are amazing value for the money. I def stand behind them.
@@witchell8976 Yup, another scam artist. These scammers are popping up everywhere. The other day one tried to scam subscribers to MAX Guitar channel while pretending to be MAX and offering a guitar prize "just pay the shipping and it's yours!" Time to toss out the trash @Darrell Braun Guitar
I have a cheap epiphone. I got it 4 years ago and recently switched the pickups, pots and wiring inside to prs. It sounds great now. It would honestly be a tad hard to differentiate that and a high end guitar. It still does feel a little cheap and looks cheap as well but if tone is all you look for, this is an option for you
Sounds true and sarcastic all at once. I just returned an Epiphone I bought a week ago and went back for the got the tribute LP. The difference is like night and day. Stays in tune, Frets are dialed in 👌 has an organic wood feel which I love and sounds like the greats I grew up listening to .. USA 🇺🇸 Gibsons Vs copies. No comparison I think but I’ve never rebuilt a lower end guitar. I assume new pick ups mean a lot
@@alesstysanchez1614 yes, they are just little different, and i feels gibson is little better, and sounds like little more modern, and ephiphone is like something more good to heavy metal music, i feels. i like them both
I own a tribute and have played the Epi. The distinguishing thing for me was the feel. The Gibson feels like a premium guitar, the Epi feels like all epi's to me. It wants to be a Gibson, but it's kinda like a Volkswagen wanting to be a Porsche.
I own a Gibson Les Paul Classic, and love love Gibson's, but I must say sound wise in this instance that Epiphone is sweet for the price. Not to mention it's handwired with good capacitors, unlike this Gibson that uses PCB. Looks wise, the Gibson Headstock is just hard to get over IMO
PCB's are probably a deal breaker for me, I prefer the organics of the analog hand wiring. I'd like to think I'm buying a guitar that would still play in 50 years, even if it's for someone else to play by then. but I'm sure the Gibson is a better build overall. I've had an Epi Classic for 17 years, plays great..
@@industrialdb8039 What's not analogue about a PCB? It's all just copper channelling electrons. I admit I do like the look and idea of hand wiring, y'know just "knowing" it's there, but in my experience it makes zero difference to tone.
@@y2kcurran Yep, I had a pcb on my LP tribute, changed to a 50s style wiring with cts pots and orange drop capacitors. Tone was the same, only the tone knob darken more.
@@y2kcurran yeah it’s more for reliability sake if something goes wrong it’s easier to fix. I do like being able to tweak and customize things, so the 50s style hand wired is more convenient. Not to mention if you change cap values you can slightly change the tone to your favor, which is easier to do in a 50s style wiring. PCB aren’t bad, they sound fine, just not my favorite for traditions sake and feels like corner cutting on a Gibson. I agree just knowing it’s in there bugs me a bit 😂
I have the epiphone one in the green turquoise color. Heavy but I love it. Certain guitars get along with some songs and some don’t. That’s why u gotta have a few different kinds.
That tribute has some nice figuring tbf. Seriously, for the higher quality wood, tuners, resale, and plek alone is like 250 bucks, how is the Gibson not a better value unless you are keeping them for 20 years?
Only reason I could think is someone like me who really doesn’t like the feel of les Pauls but loves the tone and so I don’t wanna drop big bucks on a Gibson, but still want the LP on my rack. That Epiphone has all the features I’d want, and I already have a Sheraton II Pro and love it, so I know I like Epiphone. I know they’re basically the same company, but for that price difference I’ll take the Epiphone. I also just like the name more than Gibson 😂
I have a Tribute and I absolutely love it. Had it professionally setup and it is a beast. Nothing sounds like a LP. Finding a shop that does great setups is the key to having a LP that you love IMO.
@@macktheknife21 Absolutely!!! Gibsons are all over the place coming from the factory. Terrible setup, poorly cut nuts etc. A professional setup is a MUST!!!! And make sure they polish the frets. If you are anywhere near St Louis J Gravity strings does amazing setups!!
This was a great comparison. Thank you. I love my epiphons I have a few period but the Gibson sounded better in every demo. I left my Gibson's too. I love all guitars really. Thanks. That said, the Epiphone sounded great. The Gibson tones were more open. That's the best way I can describe it. More rich, complex.
I have thought long and hard about this decision and I think i'm going with the Gibson Les Paul tribute. While yes you do get much better value on the epi. It really is a matter of where its made for me. My second guitar was a Mexican fender strat. I love it! But this third time around, I just want a guitar that's made in america. And it being made with better materials and guaranteed to have perfect frets. That put the nail in the coffin for me.
Good Choice, you won't regret it. I purchased my first new Les Paul deluxe back in 1974 and have owned many, many guitars through the years. Every Gibson I've owned could be a multi-generational instrument. Superior materials and traditional craftsmanship and finish, taken care of the Gibson with its lacquer finish will look its age and at the end of the day be a vintage Gibson Les Paul. The Epiphone with its poly finish will look like a beat up toy after 20 years of regular use.
I got a sg tribute and it’s LIGHTYEARS better than my player strat or epiphone sg and epiphone Les Paul. The pickups are so much clearer on the Gibson and that’s something you really can only hear if your in the room with the guitar. You definitely won’t be disappointed. I recommend getting a demo model from Sweetwater if you can.
That's the choice i would make as well. If I could afford a top end Epiphone, I would just wait a little bit longer and get an actual Gibson Les Paul. In my opinion the entire point of brands like Epiphone or Squier is making affordable alternatives of expensive guitars. 850$ to 1000$ it's not affordable territory. It's almost at the starting point of the original brands.
I agree I thought the clean sounded better in epiphone. Gibson has that sound though when the hits the full cords. It’s hard to describe but it is what makes Gibsons unique. I can hear even that difference here.
epiphones are fantastic. that being said, i've refin'ed a high end epiphone and accidentally damaged the veneer (super easy to mess that up, oops) so i just stripped it all back. the mahogany underneath was like 5 pieces of wood glued together. might not matter to most ppl but something to know because i bet the gibson wouldn't be made of 5 pieces glued together.
That's kind of meaningless to me, if you ever saw how your house is nailed/screwed/glued together you'd probably move out. The fact is big G and F have been doing that forever, It's just a way of getting the most out of the materials they buy, it makes no difference in the guitar's quality.
The Gibson seemed a tad bit brighter tonality wise especially on the clean tones. I like the satin as have owned a number of gloss finished necks that wear in spots where you play the most. Given I do not own a Gibson would probably go for that if given the choice.
Hi Darrell ! Great video as always ! I have been subscribed to your channel for several years , and it never disapoints ! Very important info , well produced , entertaining , and of course all about guitars which is something we all have in common . Thanks again !
I got the -59 Les Paul. I anyone thinking of getting one, just DO! I was a bit afraid the chunky neck would be too much to my medium size hands, but I never felt a neck that feels more perfect than this one. All my thin neck guitars feels just wrong now. And the Burstbucker pickups are great.
I am a lefty and finding a decent guitar is tough to begin with....let alone a LP. I played a true left Gibson LP standard and it sounded like CRAP......muddy, dull sounding. It looked amazing though. Back in 2009 I went to Guitar Center in San Jose and was surprised to see an Epiphone Cherry Burst Standard. I picked it up and within an hour I was walking out with it. It plays and sounds amazing. No mod, no changing of anything. I think I found my "Pearly Gates". I think dollar to dollar the Epi's are just as good as a Gibson.
I preferred the Gibson’s tone. One thing I don’t recall being mentioned is the lacquer, the Gibson using nitrous vs the epi poly. I prefer the feel of nitrous, but I’ve never played a satin poly.
The biggest thing for me is when you get into the price of Gibson it opens up a whole lot of other options for single cut guitars from makers like ESP and PRS. If you're absolutely just dead set on the shape being exact to the Gibson than that could be a deal killer. BUT getting something like a PRS S2 or LTD 1000 series would be better money spent than the cheaper Gibson option imo.
Next to playability and tone the third most important thing for me is how easy is it to sell. Selling a Gibson is definitely much easier than an Epiphone. The value really retains in a Gibson over an Epiphone.
@@Anjohl I've bought and sold a lot of guitars over the years (Privately, i'm not a dealer) and in my opinion unless it's a sought after rare guitar or quickly discontinued model that there's still an appetite for, appreciation is fairly uncommon in 2nd hand guitars. Especially for these tributes. Even limited run guitars can be left sitting up on 2nd hand sites forever because they're not worth what sellers were hoping for when they bought it. I do agree however with the original comment that you should be able to sell the Gibson for a minimal loss, where as it'd be an absolute slog to sell that Epi for 600+.
@@jordanpratt3821 While I think that a lot of prices on Reverb are like ebay, you wonder who's actually buying the guitars at some of those prices, I'm not saying it doesn't happen. I have a few examples myself of guitars I own that have increased in value. But the majority of 2nd hand instruments you're going to take a loss on. For instance here in Europe new Les Paul standards cost about 2200-2300 euros. But (Baring some sought after colour or run) the resale value on them is about 1500-1800 max. Personally, I'd call that holding their value as a few hundred quid for the enjoyment you get is fair in my book. But if you put a 2nd hand standard up for sale at 2400-2500 to try make a profit, you're not going to sell it and the first comment you'll get is..."You know that's more than they cost new right!?"
I love the Tribute series with no binding on the body. It just looks great to me. As far as sound goes...They both have Gibson pickups and quality electronics. They're both great. To me, playability and sound are more important than a name on the headstock. Buy the Epi and have a quality setup done and it's just as good as the Gibson.
I just snagged a 59’ Epiphone Dark Burst on Reverb for $650 shipped. It already had a setup performed, proper intonation and had the frets leveled, dressed and polished. So it seemed like a good choice for my first Les Paul.
I really want the honey burst Gibson though. I like it best because it doesn't have binding. It looks like a working man's, or woman's, guitar. I'd probably take off the pick guard because I think the wood looks great.
I got a great deal on my B-stock 2019 Les Paul Tribute, $800. I swapped out the stock pickups for Bare Knuckle True Grit Humbuckers. In a local luthier to preformed a detailed setup(this included filing the fret ends). After all was done I spent around $1100 for something I really love.
I prefer the sound of the Gibson. Also, the Epiphone paint job and finish look cheap to me. But the fingerboard color on the Epiphone was darker, which I like. For me, the Gibson was my choice. Actually, the same finish that you just demoed!
My Epi was a goldtop. Now a burnished gold and black beautiful tone lab. ( Gold, and black for coal, Iiquid gold). I have a variety of pickup styles I swap in and out with easy. Makes mixing and matching fun as well.
I thought they both sounded great, but the Gibson sounded a bit brighter. I'd give it a slight edge overall on sound. If on a tight budget, I'd go with the Epi.
I have the Epi and it's great! I'm looking to pick up a LP Tribute used in Honey burst. Throw some slash zebras in there, change the knobs to reflectors, and add the selector washer and for the price of a new one you have the ultimate gigging machine. No way to go wrong!
My Les Paul is an Epiphone, the Les Paul Classic, flame top, bound body and neck. I love it, back when I played out, I ran it through my Sovtec Mig 100 w/4x12 Sovtec slant cab. Oh baby, let's rock!
Great comparison. Both are on my consideration list. After trying them in person the '59 has that classic fat 50's neck that I'm not a fan of at all. If it had a tapered neck I would likely go for it on value alone, but it just doesn't feel good in my hands. The Tribute on the other hand has a different neck feel altogether (the satin finish makes it smother to get up and down the neck) and makes it a winner for me. Maybe the Epiphone Standard 60's with the tapered neck is an alternative?
I got my ‘67 reissue Flying V 20 years ago. Had everything I want in a guitar except a bound neck. The 496R and 500T pickups, the tuneomatic bridge, the green key tuners, etc. all these years later and the V only has the original Wood, Tuners, and truss rod cover. Replaced the pick guard, pots, switch, strap buttons, frets, replaced the tone knob with a master volume, the nut is now bone, replaced the bridge with a new tune o matic and the stopbar with one that had fine tuners, probably a third of the cherry finish has worn away to the raw mahogany underneath, and I put some Seymour Duncan pearly gates pickups in it. It’s still, of my 25 guitars, my go to. the original pickups got put into my cheap epi Les Paul special II slab top I picked up at a garage sale for $40. where they’re still cranking away. If I ever buy another Gibson I’d want it to be a custom shop, all maple, ebony fretboard, bound neck Flying V in that ‘67 look and the white one this time I’ve always regretted not spending the extra $100 back then for the white one that would have antiqued by now.
Going into this, I expected to favor the Epi. But, getting into it, the Gibson had more clarity, openness, and raw grunt, to me...where the Epiphoney sounded restricted, and nasal.
I love the idea of the bare bones Tribute Gibson is offering. On the other hand they have still not given me a reason to let go of my Epiphone 1960 Tribute Plus. Guitars are meant to be played and not for posing or sniffing them.
It seems the Gibson sounded a little better. A little more definition in the tone. I wonder how the tribute compares in sound with the Les Paul Studio. I would easily go for the Epiphone, despite the name on the neck. The price difference is a huge factor.
The Epi seemed to have a more defined tonality. Worked much better for the clean sound where the notes are really singing. With the Gibson, you pick up a lot more overtones. Much more resonant so the heavy stuff sounds more full. Reminds me of my Gibson LP and Epi Dot. The LP is great when I want a full, resonant sound and the Dot is great when I want good, clean attack. Great video. 👏
Hard to really nail down a tone difference on the small speakers I'm listening on but to me the Gibson sounded a little better. I've never owned an Epiphone but it sure seems like you're getting a lot of guitar for not much money and I've been very tempted to buy one before. Gibsons can be very expensive so I don't knock anyone for owning an Epiphone.
I had the same experience. It had about 10 or 15% more rounded sound to me, but that's obviously not going to matter the same to different ears, wallets, etc.
I just loved how this epiphone sounded.. the tones were so distinct and separated whereas in Gibson I thought the sound was more muddled.. not sure if anyone else felt it.
I also thought the Epiphone tone was nicer. I’m not comparing it to some tone expectation. That is, I’m just considering how it sounds without regard to what it does or does not sound “like”.
I had one of the Gibson tribute exactly the same total waste of money frets were awful I’ve played budget Ibanez guitars which were better to play with better frets
@@Bcb79 I think that on the whole, A Japanese builder will produce a better built guitar, I own a Japanese Tokai Love Rock which is incredible for the money, and Yamaha are building guitars which will knock Gibson out of thee ball park. I've owned four Gibson's and the Yamaha SG1000 I played a while back beat every one of them as far as play-ability and quality goes. In the past, there was no bigger Gibson fan than myself, now I would not waste my money on a new Gibson.
@@Bcb79 i also used to own the same model of gibson tribute i just recently sold it, when I got it I had been playing for 14 years and it still seemed rough on my fingers and the slides sounded horrible.
I agree. The Epi had more clarity, the Gibson sounded more compressed and muddier, but frankly I like the sound of both. I think this is more Burstbuckers vs 490/498s than it is Epiphone vs Gibson.
I have a 1997 Gibson LP Studio with the 490/498, somewhat similar to a Tribute, and a 2021 Epiphone R9. I just had a setup done on the Gibson, and nothing against the R9, but the Gibson is hands down better. With the current Studio lineup now being $1600-ish vs $850 for the R9, the R9 is clearly the better value. The 490/498 series handles high gain much better than Burst Buckers IMO. BB leads might cut through a mix better though. Good video!
Generally I would expect to get more for the money with Epiphone. Having said that I can't help but note that there was a huge difference in terms of the pickup sounds.
The Epiphone pickups are still imported. They're built to the same spec as the Gibson ones (wire gauge, pole spacing, wind count, etc), but are not what you'd find in a Gibson equivalent, just very similar. Biggest differences are the quality of metal and coating used in the metal parts and quality of the magnets. This results in subtle differences in some cases to the tone and in most cases the longevity of the hardware.
With Gibson using a nitro satin lacquer and using a single piece mahogany, there is definitely a larger gap between manufacturing. Not even including the fact epiphone is made in China. I’d say the margins on the epiphone are much larger than the tribute. When I got my 59 epiphone, I wanted to do a project to get it close to a gibson. Just getting rid of the satin-y polyurethane finish and replacing with nitro would cost a shop almost $2k just due to labor. I asked what all goes into that and polyurethane has such potent adhesive qualities that removing it would borderline remove the the veneer top just from sanding. Polyurethane and bolt on necks are some of the easiest ways of mass producing guitars just from a turnaround standpoint. Which is why I refuse to pay over $1,500 for any Fender style guitar. Granted the epiphone is not a bolt on, but polyurethane is a very easy finish to apply when compared to nitro. While that may not be bothersome to many players, nitro is where a large portion of cost comes from when considering manufacturing overhead and turnaround times.
I have a tribute just like that one, and I love it. I have owned several of both brands and I have to say the tribute plays and sounds as good as most of the Gibsons I’ve owned.
I have a great fondness for the Tribute in satin Honeyburst. Although the Epiphone is spec'ed out "better" the fact that the Gibson is plek'd, has better hardware and is a Gibson makes it my choice. I don't care about binding or the flame veneer.... although the hard case is nice with the Epiphone, it doesn't close the gap for me. Especially because the Gibson should have significantly better resale value
I own both of these, the Epi Lazarus, a Gibson Standard 60's, and a PRS S2 McCarty 594 Singlecut. The Tribute gets 90% of the play. I did upgrade the wiring to orange caps and Bourne 500k pots but kept the 490s.
I had access to various LP's learning guitar in the mid 60's to mid 70's so yeah I've played high end LP's but never owned one. A Strat was all I could afford back then and it needed repair. I bought a Gibson 2013 in gold top LPJ in 2013 and oh yeah I've owned a Melody Maker or 2. Having 2 ESP 401's made in Korea I felt I didn't really need a LP. But my Gold LPJ is all I can ask out of a LP, no frills or binding and it's my number one. Reminds me of Mick Ronson's gold top. I owned and sold an Epi LP that went for $399 a few years back. My LPJ came in perfect factory condition but I lowered the strings. Should I raise them like in your 10 things you can do to a Strat video? BTW I have learned so much from your channel and saved a grip of $$. Thanks to you I went for the Grote ES335 style guitar. I pick the Gibson over the Epi.
I own several Epiphones and one Gibson (LP Standard '60s). I love that Epiphone lets me have a Junior, a P90 Goldtop, a couple of archtops, etc. They're all amazing quality. Can't say I'm crazy about the finish on this series of Epiphones. While my Epis all have gloss polyurethane finishes, somehow I don't mind it so much. But this particular poly satin finish just doesn't work for me against the nitro satin on the Gibson. I thought both of these sounded great, though! I think in this case, I'd probably go for the Gibson.
I've had Epiphone Juniors and they're okay. My Gibson double cut Junior absolutely rips. Even with a pickup swap the Epiphone just kinda lacked something.
I managed to get a second hand Gibson Les Paul ‘69 Tribute (with P90s instead of ‘buckers) for quite a lot less than a new Epi, and the weight reduction alone makes it a dream to play. Love it.
The Epi is an awesome value and really does sound awesome for what it is, but the Gibson definitely has an edge on the tone for me with a fuller sound that most likely has to do with the build and material quality of the body itself. Most won’t be able to tell the difference though and as a proud owner of an Epi SG ‘66 reissue I don’t judge those who “settle” for Epiphone
Am I the only person who thought the Gibson sounded better? Especially on the first run. It was a smoother less “squeaky “ sound. However, as the test went on, it became difficult to tell the difference. The big question it what guitar feels better to the player.
I thought the Gibson sounded better on the crunch tones but only marginally. Definitely not $450 better. The epiphone has a nicer clean tone. It’s the clear winner IMO.
The Gibsons I really want are the 58 and 68 reissues, but when I saw that Epiphone made the 59 in the dark burst I love, I'd lie if I said my eyes didn't turn to satellite dishes. The flame is a bit much for me as I like the more smooth look in the R8, but it's an Epiphone so it's definitely on my radar due to the value for money. I was simply watching this video to see how it compares (which is favourably) Thank you for the quick and informative video
Dude, I gotta say, I have the Epiphone, and I was interested in getting the Gibson 60's. I went to GC and tried one, and was totally unimpressed. Certainly didn't seem any better than the Epiphone. I have an early 90's Orville with a long tenon neck that looks like a '58 plain top, I threw Burstbucker Pro's in. Blows both of the aforementioned guitars away...
Happen'ed to me. I had a Korean SG knockoff I went to the store and i was really excited to try an acrual Gibson. Turns out it sounded flat and boring and my korean basswood version sound much better to me.
I was blown away to find out the Gibson 50's Standard *doesn't* have the long tenon, and the Epiphone Standard 50's *does*! That doesn't even make sense!
Sold both of my Gibson LPs back in the 90’s. Kids bought me an Epi in 94 and it plays WAY better than the gibsons. Put Duncan PAFs and nos 59 caps in it and set it up. It’s been in several studios and a few countries. It’s my go-to. I’d rather hear a good player on a ‘cheap’ guitar than a bad player on an expensive one.
I own the Epi 1959 and it's an awesome guitar. I also own a Gibson LP Custom with the 490 pickups. Soundwise they are different, with the Gibson pickups sounding hotter. I imagine if you put 490's into the Epi, it would sound really close to the Gibson.
I own the 59' as well and swapped out the pickups for some Kent Armstrong bluesbuster humbuckers , for a $350 upgrade I'd put my epi up against any Gibson Les Paul out there , well for the exception of guitars like greeny or billy gibbons pearly gates. But no doubt it's one awesome guitar and delivers the goods.
Both look like good guitars, but at that price difference is go for the Epi. The bit of extra mids I hear from the Gibson can be gotten elsewhere on the signal chain, and the name on the headstock really doesn't warrant an 30% plus price hike. I think Gibsons are overpriced these days in general.
I bought the cheapest guitar Gibson made slightly used a few years back and now it's selling for almost double what I paid on Reverb. Don't buy an expensive Epi unless you're going to keep it forever.
I'm not sure about that. The Probuckers leave me wanting more so they would most likely be changed. That's $200 plus installation. putting Gibson pickups in there would be closer to $300+ I like the Gibson pickups and probably wouldn't change them. If you don't really like either one then go find any used LP copy and mod that and save even more money.
One comment, I believe the Epi has a laurel fretboard. I have both, each one is a great value but they definitely have their own feel. The Tribute is lighter, faster and brighter. Mostly because the neck is maple and slimmer plus the 490s. The Epi has a vintage feel, heavier and warmer. The neck is mahogany and chunkier.
I have the cherry finish 59 epi, was a toss between the tobacco one though. Just learning to play and when I saw the 59 I put a deposit, waited for the plague delay and then finally got it in the summer. I play through a small fender lt25 practise amp. Once i get more efficient with the guitar and figure out the exact sound I'm looking for, I'll start the search for an upgrade amp cab combo. But for now, in Canada, an $1100 guitar and a $200 amp with a ton of preset sounds isn't a bad place to start.
Listening to this on my surround sound at home and I have to say that the Gibson sounds way better in this particular comparison. The Epiphone almost sounds like something is off with it, intonation or wiring or something wrong, and then the Gibson comes on and sounds damn near perfect.
Did the same with studio headphones and came to the same conclusion. The Epi sounds like someone is trying to talk while pinching their nose closed..... that type of sound like not all frequencies get to ring out. I do think that Epi has potential, throw a pair of 490's in there and an aluminium bridge and tailpiece and you'll get pretty darn close in terms of the sound. And maybe playability too if you polish those frets and slightly sand the back of the neck.
i think you all are just gibson fanboys hearing what you want to hear. I've been sitting here for 20 minutes listening to both. the difference is so subtle it doesn't even matter. literally you're paying $400 in the name alone... and minus everything else.
Hi Darrel. What kind of strings did you use in this video? Answering your question, I would choose the cheaper one, here in Brazil all musical instruments are very expensive, although both both eletric guitars are great.
I have always loved Gibson and have plenty of them on wall hangers, along with a few US made Fenders. I have one Epi Jumbo acoustic that I love to play. That being said, these are both great sounding guitars. One thing I did notice on the clean sound....don't know if it was the way you tapped it, but....the Epi at the end had a much better harmonic ring to it than the Gibson. Again, may have just been they way it was tapped, but I noticed it.
Perfect review/comparison, thank you so much. As always, to my ears, Gibsons always have "that sound" that Epiphones just do not quite match exactly even with great pickups. But, that Epi is really close. Well done.
Both guitars are awesome and really a great value overall. I shelled out for the Tribute last year and truly love the guitar, it plays great. Beyond being a just a branding exercise, I really feel good about the fact that like my strat, it's a USA made product 👍 that matters to me.
@@Sleepy_Moon84 Nothing at all, they’re generally a great value! Well, MIJ are generally pretty pricey. I guess it’s mostly just supporting those classic made in USA brands. I also have a Godin hollow body, that’s Canadian made.
@@mathewbrown9371 No matter where the guitar is made though, they're such a beautiful instrument. Even at school I can't stop admiring Les Pauls, but they're way too expensive. I'm perfectly content with my 611 Pacifica though. Though I guess it doesn't hurt to want to buy another guitar...maybe just another? It won't be a big deal...right?
Hey Darrell, I'm so happy you made this shootout! I've been waiting a while to hear these guitars back to back, especially the classic crunch tones on a Marshall. And you didn't disappoint, everything in your usual quality package! Based on other individual demos, I was quite surprised the guitars were very close tonally, seems it mainly comes down to the pickup preference... And the aesthetics, brand thing and resale as you said. Did you notice any differences in playability, resonance etc.?
I have a 2017 Les Paul Tribute with Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates pickups, a mahogany neck and Grover tuners. Probably my favorite guitar of my small collection.
I bought the Epi 59 out of curiosity, I have 2 Gibson 50's Standards and a couple of other Epipones, after a good setup the Epi 59 is a pretty neat guitar considering what they put into it eletronics wise. I've never been a fan of the Studio model, I like the binding so for the $400 difference the Epi is definitely the better purchase.
The crunch and clean tones were different but both were quite nice. The tonal difference showed up in the high gain tone for me. I far preferred the Tribute there, it just sounded more aggressive.
Same here. I preferred the tribute. Sounded a bit grittier and clearer that would easily cut through a mix. The gibson sounded too warm and a bit muddy for me. Both sounded good though, but i just prefer the epi.
Really enjoyed your comparison video, unbiased and straightforward. I'm at 6's and 7's about the whole Gibson / Epiphone debate, I own a Epiphone '59 LP and a SG Pro, maybe not fair to say, but my '73 Gibson 335 TD is better than both of them, but then that's my biased opinion , I've had it since new, and it's a bit of apples and oranges..There is something that seems a bit flat on the Epiphones, tone wise, hard to put my finger on it, and it shows on your sound comparison, the Gibson has that bit of snap and sparkle missing from the Epiphone. Playability, build quality and all that of the Epis are there, but I feel your vid exposed the shortcomings of the Epiphones... Thanks, Mate!
Never much cared for LPs (too heavy, for one thing, too expensive for another), but I briefly had an Epi Blueshawk Deluxe a couple years ago, and it left a pleasant enough memory that I recently bought another Epi - a Nighthawk. The LPs Darrell is demo-ing here are close enough in tone that I wouldn't spend the extra cash for the Gibson name on the headstock.
What it says on the headstock does influence which one someone will buy regardless of tone/sound and playability. I have the Epi 60’ Tribute which has the Gibson 57 pickups and the same electronics. It sounds and plays beautifully but what people notice is the headstock and that’s a shame! Chris
** If you see the @telegram spam account PLEASE help me out and report them!**
Did you guys think the Epi could hang with the Gibson tone wise? If it was your money which one would you choose?
Enjoy 🙂
Definitely the epi so much cheaper and sound just as great 👍
Hey dude is your hand good?
👍👍👍
Yeah you should get an x-ray 😂
The Tribute is 2x the money for the Epiphone down here (NZ), so pretty hard to argue with that. I have seen a used Gibson LP Studio with a bound neck for the same money as the new Tribute. Maybe you see my problem.......? I think it will be the Epiphone when I find the right one (also, I recently bought an Epiphone 1956 Les Paul Standard PRO with P90s in Chicago Blue, so looking for a hunbucker LP to join it). Thanks for the video!
I’ve been playing Gibsons and Epiphones for over four decades. The new Epis inspired by Gibson guitars are great value. It’s really remarkable how good they are for the money. You really need to look beyond the names on the headstock and let your hands and ears guide your purchasing decision, imho. Rock on! 🎸🖖🏻
The line is really fantastic. I have two from the series, and am eyeing a 335 now as well!
what model do you saying
Ditto
I have the SG / LP 61 and it is my favorite guitar - it’s a fine instrument.
The Epiphones have a really cool model of Les Paul with cutouts on the body. comfortable as hell!!!
I've had this honeyburst gibson LP tribute for 2 years, and it's absolutely amazing, fully recommend going for the Gibson. You even learn to love the lack of binding. The fact that you can see the wood, and the satin finish on the neck is super nice
Thank you, you pushed me over the edge for this.
@@mrblank-zh1xy awesome, glad to help! You won’t regret it, it’s a brutal guitar. Also the clean sound from the 490s it great
@@joebranston6330 I've got the Tobacco Burst Tribute and man that thing is seriously awesome. I've got a really high end 335 from the Memphis factory from 2003 and I find that I play my Tribute more than my Cust Shop Strat, Jimmy Page Mirror Tele, American Special Strat, and American Pro Strat, and my 335. They're just seriously cool and I don't see how there's any way on this earth that a Standard could be $2,000 better. I think of the Tribute as a Les Paul for the price of a Tele. The neck pickup in it is absolutely amazing and I use it with an AC30 and with literally zero pedals it still sounds super good. I could honestly take it to a gig without a pedal and just use my volume knobs and probably play everything from ZZ Top to Hendrix to George Benson. They rule dude!
Bought one yesterday 👍. I’m beyond happy with it so far 😊
@@SimpleManGuitars1973 thanks awesome, I’ve no other high end electrics in my arsenal but honestly don’t need any. You can do almost anything with it
In my experience, how good a guitar is ultimately is based on how good of a setup the guitar has and how good the pickups sound. Everything else is either cosmetic or optional. I've taken some really low-end guitars that played well and slapped some better pickups on them and those guitars really turn into screamers that can keep up with the best of them.
Most important thing is how the neck feels.
100% agree. One of my favourite guitars to play is my first guitar I ever got. A Jay Turser strat copy that I replaced the bridge pickup with Seymour Duncan Hot Rails. The guitar feels and plays great and now it sounds great too!
having owned both an epiphone and a Gibson, I'm sorry to say I don't agree with your story. Im sure some low end guitars with proper setup and some good pickups can be turned into really well played guitars that sound good, but they're still so very different from 'the real deal'. I've properly setup my epihpone, slapped a couple of 490s on them, replaced every electronic part in the guitar, but still it doesn't come close to the playbility and tone of the Gibson. You can already tell by how long a tone resonates on the Gibson and how long it resonates on the epiphone. You can get pretty close, but in the end it's still a night and day difference.
@@Bonesie1985 I own 6 gibson les Pauls and 2 epiphones. Your full of hot air my friend
@@Bonesie1985 Consider the possibility that your Epi is a dud. I have a Harley Benton LP clone that I paid $120 for that played beautifully out of the box, easily as good as my Gibsons. I put some Seymour Duncan pickups on them and that lowly HB LP clone hangs with my Gibsons all day and night.
Excellent comparison video. Ive been playing since 1964. I still own a 72 Gibson Les Paul, 1988 Les Paul Standard, and 1990 Les Paul Classic...plus 2 recent epi's a 56 reissuue gold topw P90's and a goldtop standard all played thru various old Fender, Marshall and Orange amps. The all play & sound GREAT. I was playing the Epi goltop standard into an old Deluxe reverb, no pedals just prior to seeing this video. As I played clean and overdriven country, blues and country rock, I was and am Amazed as to how good the Epi plays and sounds on its own or head ot head with my Gibsons.... It was a $ 450 guitar w case. A properly set up intonated guitar, dialed into the right amp with a fine set of pickups no matter what brand is on the headstock will yield great tone. After all 75% of tone is in our hands. Play as many guitars as you can and pikc the ones that feel right and sound right to YOU.
Both are great guitars. The tone difference seems to be in line with the "law of diminishing returns". 50% more cashola gets you a better sound for the studio. On stage the Epi looks fab '59 to everyone except guitar nerds, and, after tweaking your amp, the tone in a live mix would be pretty much indistinguishable. Great, no nonsense post. Cheers Darrell.
Are we certain the Gibbo actually DOES get a "better" sound?
A studio doesn't sound better, sounds different because the bridge pickup is different. But basically it's the same guitar except the neck material which is maple vs mahogany
@@Max_94 Not all studio's have a maple neck, mine has a mahogany neck. Also its sounds a lot better than my epiphone and burny did, all had the same pickups.
@@florisvanlingen no, I mean the tribute has a maple neck ( which I personally prefer) but current studios have a mahogany neck
@@piemanmusic Having had many Epi and Gibbo guitars through my workshop for setup and repair i have to say that the cheap Gibsons invariably sound better and the expensive Epiphones always look the part, if you can see past the headstock shape.
Love your comparison vids! I think the Gibson won the tone challenge, when compted right next to each other! But honestly, they both sounded pretty great!
the gibson is simply LOUDER in the comparism. I recorded the audio of this video into an audio editor, adapted the volume of both guitars, and voila...
OMG, the Epiphone sounded much better than the gibson...at least to my ears...
I agree…. The gibbys tone just sounded better to my ears.
Mr Braun is my 'go to' guy for demonstrating all guitars...his 'tone sampling' is better than most gigging musicians out there today. Bravo to you, Darrell!
The GIbson sound was more full. Loved the overall tone slightly better. But honestly, I'd buy either as they are both pretty nice individually. Thanks for the comparison
Thought exactly the same. The Gibson has more depth to the sound. Both nice though.
funny thing, turn the Gibson down just a notch, and it will sound less full. I'm sure he got it as close as he could without pulling his hair out, but it all doesn't matter as much. I bet its a discrepancy with volume, which is very difficult to get the exact same. even one Gibson Les Paul to another won't sound exact.
I own the Gibson tribute and can say without a doubt that it has become my favorite! Had what I wanted in a Lester, honey comb weight relief, aluminum bridge and tail piece(sustain), plexed, alnico 2 490’s, satin finish neck and body…it is a mean machine!!!
My sentiments exactly. What an incredible value the tribute is. It’s become my favorite….and I’ve played strats for 25 years!
@@frankgalzarano_gdiwealth I've been doing a lot of research on the Tribute and watched a ton of videos/reviews. I'm so close to pulling the trigger on one. It just doesn't seem like there is a better value in the entire guitar world than the Tribute. Also the PLEK alone is close to a $300 value and makes such a huge difference.
EDIT/UPDATE TWO WEEKS LATER: I'm happy to report that the Tribute is unbelievable. The tone and playability are as good, if not better, than any guitar I've ever owned, not to mention how beautiful it is. And it stays in tune! (unlike other Gibson LP's I have owned in the past)I think it is the best value the guitar world has to offer - the bang for the buck is unbeatable IMO.
@@dowaliby1 thanks for the follow up!
@@dowaliby1 Fantastic. These reports and reviews like yours that I've been reading the last few weeks are what helped me pull the trigger today. I bought a 2016 50s Tribute Gold Top. Very excited.
Tribute it’s simply fantastic bro👍👍👍👍👍
Definitely found the 490's to have that "raw" full sound which for me personally I really like! Ultimately you can't go wrong with a $500 Epi and a professional setup applied to it. Still however, there is something special about playing a Gibson. Great comparison video!
I had a brown worn Gibson Les Paul studio .it just had a better soft touch when applying chords, sound ? Nothing to write home about
5000 buck Gibson Customs have 490s. ha
Nothing special to me about the name on a headstock unless it has the tone to back up the extra $$$,
This Epiphone is not the same as a 500 buck one for sure. Burstbuckers, 490's do have a great sound but theoretically the Burstbuckers should sound better. That's a bit strange, Could be the pots are a bit hotter in the Gibson.
A week ago I brought home a Tribute after playing it and a high end Epi. I loved the Epiphone, until I played the Gibson. I was always skeptical about Gibson's value, until I played one. There is definitely a difference that must be felt in order to understand.
Agreed, i have this Gibson and there is a difference that you rightly say has to be felt, i coudnt have put it better. Cheers.
im sold. a tribute it is then. thanks.
@@iandope I just got one. It's an incredible guitar. My favorite I've ever played.
There *totally* is a difference, and anyone saying there isn't likely hasn't played a Gibson, or is trying to talk themselves into believing that there's no difference, because they don't *want* to want a Gibson.
I went to a guitar shop to buy an epi LP, played them through and then decided to try The tribute Gibson on the wall. Instant love. It just played easier, loved that slimmer and satin neck. I had to buy it, and never looked back.
I have both of these guitars and love them both! Honestly though, if I HAD to sell one, it’d be the Gibson. I personally love the neck on the Epi and the sound/ tone of the burstbuckers.
Epi all life long!!! Love my Epiphone Standard VS 2003🤘😃🎸. Congrats on the video Mr. Braun!!!👏👏👏🤩
This was exactly the shootout I was hoping to find! Thank you. I've been considering both of these and have played both in guitar shops. They're both great guitars. I was especially surprised at how close these two are in tone and feel.
Not even close bro,.
@@mrjackbagginzactually extremely close people who listen to music can tell the difference what so ever , the people that buy your songs don’t care if you use an ironing board they want the song to be catchy and interesting
I would have to go with the LP Tribute. It doesn't just sound better, it will also hold its value for a rainy day
Correct 👍
Interesting comparison. After a bunch of trying things, I landed on the Epiphone 50’s Standard rather than the ‘59 because I preferred the tone of the mellower A2 probuckers to the Burstbuckers or the Gibson humbuckers. I think the Epiphone humbuckers and P90s are really great sounding pickups.
Great comparison as always, Darrell! I tried both at L&M and voted with my wallet. I took home the Tribute.
good joyce.....its the better guitar....
I got an Epi LP 1960 tribute plus. Super great guitar. AAA flamed mapel top, mohagany neck and body, Gibson 57 humbuckers and a deep set neck. Cost me like 600-700 bucks a decade ago. And it is a dream to play.
The Epi had better cleans but the Gibsons high gain had a very noticeable difference. I’d spend the extra 450 for the Gibson, but that’s just my opinion 🤘🏻
Ive thought the same thing about nearly every Epiphone Ive ever played. The Epiphones always sound so good clean, but they always sound a little muddier with overdrive. From watching videos, A burstbucker 2/3 pickup combination always sounds best when people upgrade the pickups in the Epiphone if you're doing a lot of overdrive. These two guitars sounded very similar, but I still preferred the Gibson in the sound test. The problem is that a new 1959 Epiphone is $899 plus tax, which is exactly what you can buy a used Gibson Les Paul Studio on craigslist. I just can't see buying the Epi.
Gibson is a little sharper, practically equal but ill keep that $450 and get some good pedals
Buy the epiphone, chuck in some Seymour Duncan alnico pros and it would sound better than the Gibson. I’d buy a Schecter or PRS SE McCarty over either, though.
@@cybertrophic Schecters QC is failing massively. I was looking into a signature series Phil Sgrosso from As I Lay Dying Charvel. All 4 models from sweetwater were jacked. Go look at the routing for the Floydrose. It looks like they’ve been cut out with a handsaw. For a 1600$ guitar. That shouldn’t be an issue.
Even sweetwater didn’t know what to say. Basically picked out the least jacked up one and literally said this is the one that’s not messed up the most. Lol 😂.
Love both models! Having played both, their is a nicer "unplugged" acoustic resonance that Gibsons capture. But you can't really go wrong with either!
I've played a lot of Epiphones, I've had even a few Korean ones (built by Samick) and the truth is that even the cheepest Les Pauls Studio feel/sound a lot better. My first Gibson was a 94 Studio (with broken headstock repair) and when I got it I couldn't believe the smashing difference in tone and feel it had compared to overpriced Epiphones which IMO mostly look like Gibsons, but no comparison possible.
I have a 94 ebony studio! Actually as I write this, it's sitting next to me on my car. Just played a show!
I used to think the difference between Epi and Gibson was negligible at best, but after owning 3 Epis, and one Gibson, I've changed my tune. The quality of a nice Gibson far exceeds that of a nice Epi. The value to cost increase is debateable, but there's no denying that Gibson make better instruments.
It's amazing, even w the Gibson electronics in the Epi, it doesn't quite sound as full or harmonically rich as the low end Gibson, at least to my ears. Very close though, and that Epi is fantastic; high end Epi's are amazing value for the money. I def stand behind them.
@@witchell8976 yep, that’s another critical point. Gibson resale blows Epi out of the water.
I’m happy to hear that. I’ve heard that quite a few times before, that a Gibson just has a different feel to it, and that it’s noticeable
@@witchell8976 Yup, another scam artist. These scammers are popping up everywhere. The other day one tried to scam subscribers to MAX Guitar channel while pretending to be MAX and offering a guitar prize "just pay the shipping and it's yours!" Time to toss out the trash @Darrell Braun Guitar
@@witchell8976 he’s probably a republican since they are always whining about prices being so high 😢
@@witchell8976 and the $1299 gibson would be worth $900. You'd have lost $400 either way.
Both guitars are great, but your amp micing and engineering skills are off the charts in this video! Good job :)
I have a cheap epiphone. I got it 4 years ago and recently switched the pickups, pots and wiring inside to prs. It sounds great now. It would honestly be a tad hard to differentiate that and a high end guitar. It still does feel a little cheap and looks cheap as well but if tone is all you look for, this is an option for you
Sounds true and sarcastic all at once. I just returned an Epiphone I bought a week ago and went back for the got the tribute LP. The difference is like night and day. Stays in tune, Frets are dialed in 👌 has an organic wood feel which I love and sounds like the greats I grew up listening to .. USA 🇺🇸 Gibsons Vs copies. No comparison I think but I’ve never rebuilt a lower end guitar. I assume new pick ups mean a lot
@@alesstysanchez1614 most important thing is the amp.
@@mkkim7454 true but a better guitar just feels nicer.
@@alesstysanchez1614 yes, they are just little different, and i feels gibson is little better, and sounds like little more modern, and ephiphone is like something more good to heavy metal music, i feels. i like them both
I own a tribute and have played the Epi. The distinguishing thing for me was the feel. The Gibson feels like a premium guitar, the Epi feels like all epi's to me. It wants to be a Gibson, but it's kinda like a Volkswagen wanting to be a Porsche.
Funnily enough, Porsches have been called overpriced Volkswagens.
I own a Gibson Les Paul Classic, and love love Gibson's, but I must say sound wise in this instance that Epiphone is sweet for the price. Not to mention it's handwired with good capacitors, unlike this Gibson that uses PCB. Looks wise, the Gibson Headstock is just hard to get over IMO
PCB's are probably a deal breaker for me, I prefer the organics of the analog hand wiring. I'd like to think I'm buying a guitar that would still play in 50 years, even if it's for someone else to play by then. but I'm sure the Gibson is a better build overall. I've had an Epi Classic for 17 years, plays great..
@@industrialdb8039 What's not analogue about a PCB? It's all just copper channelling electrons. I admit I do like the look and idea of hand wiring, y'know just "knowing" it's there, but in my experience it makes zero difference to tone.
@@y2kcurran Exactly
@@y2kcurran Yep, I had a pcb on my LP tribute, changed to a 50s style wiring with cts pots and orange drop capacitors. Tone was the same, only the tone knob darken more.
@@y2kcurran yeah it’s more for reliability sake if something goes wrong it’s easier to fix. I do like being able to tweak and customize things, so the 50s style hand wired is more convenient. Not to mention if you change cap values you can slightly change the tone to your favor, which is easier to do in a 50s style wiring. PCB aren’t bad, they sound fine, just not my favorite for traditions sake and feels like corner cutting on a Gibson. I agree just knowing it’s in there bugs me a bit 😂
I have the epiphone one in the green turquoise color. Heavy but I love it. Certain guitars get along with some songs and some don’t. That’s why u gotta have a few different kinds.
That tribute has some nice figuring tbf. Seriously, for the higher quality wood, tuners, resale, and plek alone is like 250 bucks, how is the Gibson not a better value unless you are keeping them for 20 years?
Only reason I could think is someone like me who really doesn’t like the feel of les Pauls but loves the tone and so I don’t wanna drop big bucks on a Gibson, but still want the LP on my rack. That Epiphone has all the features I’d want, and I already have a Sheraton II Pro and love it, so I know I like Epiphone.
I know they’re basically the same company, but for that price difference I’ll take the Epiphone. I also just like the name more than Gibson 😂
Lolz. You are correct. Toothpicks value increasing with age.
Plek is a scam
@@jakekovacs55 😆 Ok have fun leveling the frets on your Epiphone
Higher quality wood ?
Dude that's not a thing.
I have a Tribute and I absolutely love it. Had it professionally setup and it is a beast. Nothing sounds like a LP. Finding a shop that does great setups is the key to having a LP that you love IMO.
Was it a big difference after the set up? Cause I love mine but feel like maybe it would benefit from a pro set up
@@macktheknife21 Absolutely!!! Gibsons are all over the place coming from the factory. Terrible setup, poorly cut nuts etc. A professional setup is a MUST!!!! And make sure they polish the frets. If you are anywhere near St Louis J Gravity strings does amazing setups!!
This was a great comparison. Thank you. I love my epiphons I have a few period but the Gibson sounded better in every demo. I left my Gibson's too. I love all guitars really. Thanks.
That said, the Epiphone sounded great. The Gibson tones were more open. That's the best way I can describe it. More rich, complex.
I have thought long and hard about this decision and I think i'm going with the Gibson Les Paul tribute. While yes you do get much better value on the epi. It really is a matter of where its made for me. My second guitar was a Mexican fender strat. I love it! But this third time around, I just want a guitar that's made in america. And it being made with better materials and guaranteed to have perfect frets. That put the nail in the coffin for me.
Good Choice, you won't regret it.
I purchased my first new Les Paul deluxe back in 1974 and have owned many, many guitars through the years.
Every Gibson I've owned could be a multi-generational instrument. Superior materials and traditional craftsmanship and finish, taken care of the Gibson with its lacquer finish will look its age and at the end of the day be a vintage Gibson Les Paul.
The Epiphone with its poly finish will look like a beat up toy after 20 years of regular use.
I got a sg tribute and it’s LIGHTYEARS better than my player strat or epiphone sg and epiphone Les Paul. The pickups are so much clearer on the Gibson and that’s something you really can only hear if your in the room with the guitar. You definitely won’t be disappointed. I recommend getting a demo model from Sweetwater if you can.
Good choice!
Get a Heritage then :P
That's the choice i would make as well. If I could afford a top end Epiphone, I would just wait a little bit longer and get an actual Gibson Les Paul.
In my opinion the entire point of brands like Epiphone or Squier is making affordable alternatives of expensive guitars. 850$ to 1000$ it's not affordable territory. It's almost at the starting point of the original brands.
I definately liked the sound of the Epiphone, especially on the clean tones. I would buy the Epiphone over that Gibson Tribute.
I agree. The Gibson sounded kind of muddy compared to the Epiphone.
@TELEGRAM only 👉 @DarrelBraun okay.. so is that your only way of living? Scamming people? You are a lost soul ..
I agree I thought the clean sounded better in epiphone. Gibson has that sound though when the hits the full cords. It’s hard to describe but it is what makes Gibsons unique. I can hear even that difference here.
Enjoy your Chinese guitar
@@bewusstsein3527 Trust me, this is not from Darrell.
I noticed quite a difference on the clean tones. The Gibson had a better more defined tone.
epiphones are fantastic. that being said, i've refin'ed a high end epiphone and accidentally damaged the veneer (super easy to mess that up, oops) so i just stripped it all back. the mahogany underneath was like 5 pieces of wood glued together. might not matter to most ppl but something to know because i bet the gibson wouldn't be made of 5 pieces glued together.
Gibson has commonly used three piece bodies for Les Pauls. even three piece maple tops. and this is on guitars with a translucent finish.
Wow, didn't know that foresure. Kinda pisses me off really
@@normawinton6832 why?
My RG is 4 pieces
That's kind of meaningless to me, if you ever saw how your house is nailed/screwed/glued together you'd probably move out. The fact is big G and F have been doing that forever, It's just a way of getting the most out of the materials they buy, it makes no difference in the guitar's quality.
Very nice pictures, thank you ... Little sad, the solo gain lead tone is missing, which actually defines the quality of a Les Paul 😊
The Gibson seemed a tad bit brighter tonality wise especially on the clean tones. I like the satin as have owned a number of gloss finished necks that wear in spots where you play the most. Given I do not own a Gibson would probably go for that if given the choice.
Hi Darrell ! Great video as always ! I have been subscribed to your channel for several years , and it never disapoints ! Very important info , well produced , entertaining , and of course all about guitars which is something we all have in common . Thanks again !
I got the -59 Les Paul. I anyone thinking of getting one, just DO!
I was a bit afraid the chunky neck would be too much to my medium size hands, but I never felt a neck that feels more perfect than this one. All my thin neck guitars feels just wrong now. And the Burstbucker pickups are great.
I am a lefty and finding a decent guitar is tough to begin with....let alone a LP. I played a true left Gibson LP standard and it sounded like CRAP......muddy, dull sounding. It looked amazing though. Back in 2009 I went to Guitar Center in San Jose and was surprised to see an Epiphone Cherry Burst Standard. I picked it up and within an hour I was walking out with it. It plays and sounds amazing. No mod, no changing of anything. I think I found my "Pearly Gates". I think dollar to dollar the Epi's are just as good as a Gibson.
I preferred the Gibson’s tone. One thing I don’t recall being mentioned is the lacquer, the Gibson using nitrous vs the epi poly. I prefer the feel of nitrous, but I’ve never played a satin poly.
The biggest thing for me is when you get into the price of Gibson it opens up a whole lot of other options for single cut guitars from makers like ESP and PRS. If you're absolutely just dead set on the shape being exact to the Gibson than that could be a deal killer. BUT getting something like a PRS S2 or LTD 1000 series would be better money spent than the cheaper Gibson option imo.
I sure love that Gibson. I fell in love with it during your earlier review of it.
Next to playability and tone the third most important thing for me is how easy is it to sell. Selling a Gibson is definitely much easier than an Epiphone. The value really retains in a Gibson over an Epiphone.
Gibson's will often appreciate in value, with how crazy inflation is now.
@@Anjohl I've bought and sold a lot of guitars over the years (Privately, i'm not a dealer) and in my opinion unless it's a sought after rare guitar or quickly discontinued model that there's still an appetite for, appreciation is fairly uncommon in 2nd hand guitars. Especially for these tributes. Even limited run guitars can be left sitting up on 2nd hand sites forever because they're not worth what sellers were hoping for when they bought it. I do agree however with the original comment that you should be able to sell the Gibson for a minimal loss, where as it'd be an absolute slog to sell that Epi for 600+.
I bought a Gibson explorer new in 1999 for $999.99.That same guitar now is going to cost you two thousand bones on reverb.$2,200 new.
@@jordanpratt3821 While I think that a lot of prices on Reverb are like ebay, you wonder who's actually buying the guitars at some of those prices, I'm not saying it doesn't happen. I have a few examples myself of guitars I own that have increased in value. But the majority of 2nd hand instruments you're going to take a loss on. For instance here in Europe new Les Paul standards cost about 2200-2300 euros. But (Baring some sought after colour or run) the resale value on them is about 1500-1800 max. Personally, I'd call that holding their value as a few hundred quid for the enjoyment you get is fair in my book. But if you put a 2nd hand standard up for sale at 2400-2500 to try make a profit, you're not going to sell it and the first comment you'll get is..."You know that's more than they cost new right!?"
I actually lost money on the 2 gibsons I had and the epiphones gave me a profit both times.
Great video, it’s weird because I preferred the Gibson crunch tones, but liked the Epiphone clean tone better.
I love the Tribute series with no binding on the body. It just looks great to me. As far as sound goes...They both have Gibson pickups and quality electronics. They're both great. To me, playability and sound are more important than a name on the headstock. Buy the Epi and have a quality setup done and it's just as good as the Gibson.
I agree 100%
I just snagged a 59’ Epiphone Dark Burst on Reverb for $650 shipped. It already had a setup performed, proper intonation and had the frets leveled, dressed and polished. So it seemed like a good choice for my first Les Paul.
I really want the honey burst Gibson though. I like it best because it doesn't have binding. It looks like a working man's, or woman's, guitar. I'd probably take off the pick guard because I think the wood looks great.
I got a great deal on my B-stock 2019 Les Paul Tribute, $800. I swapped out the stock pickups for Bare Knuckle True Grit Humbuckers. In a local luthier to preformed a detailed setup(this included filing the fret ends). After all was done I spent around $1100 for something I really love.
I prefer the sound of the Gibson.
Also, the Epiphone paint job and finish look cheap to me. But the fingerboard color on the Epiphone was darker, which I like.
For me, the Gibson was my choice. Actually, the same finish that you just demoed!
My Epi was a goldtop. Now a burnished gold and black beautiful tone lab. ( Gold, and black for coal, Iiquid gold). I have a variety of pickup styles I swap in and out with easy. Makes mixing and matching fun as well.
I thought they both sounded great, but the Gibson sounded a bit brighter. I'd give it a slight edge overall on sound. If on a tight budget, I'd go with the Epi.
I have the Epi and it's great! I'm looking to pick up a LP Tribute used in Honey burst. Throw some slash zebras in there, change the knobs to reflectors, and add the selector washer and for the price of a new one you have the ultimate gigging machine. No way to go wrong!
I went for the Epiphone 59...It's an unbelievable guitar for the money. The Casino and the P-90 SG are cool too! I'm a believer
My Les Paul is an Epiphone, the Les Paul Classic, flame top, bound body and neck. I love it, back when I played out, I ran it through my Sovtec Mig 100 w/4x12 Sovtec slant cab. Oh baby, let's rock!
Great comparison. Both are on my consideration list. After trying them in person the '59 has that classic fat 50's neck that I'm not a fan of at all. If it had a tapered neck I would likely go for it on value alone, but it just doesn't feel good in my hands. The Tribute on the other hand has a different neck feel altogether (the satin finish makes it smother to get up and down the neck) and makes it a winner for me. Maybe the Epiphone Standard 60's with the tapered neck is an alternative?
I got my ‘67 reissue Flying V 20 years ago. Had everything I want in a guitar except a bound neck. The 496R and 500T pickups, the tuneomatic bridge, the green key tuners, etc.
all these years later and the V only has the original Wood, Tuners, and truss rod cover. Replaced the pick guard, pots, switch, strap buttons, frets, replaced the tone knob with a master volume, the nut is now bone, replaced the bridge with a new tune o matic and the stopbar with one that had fine tuners, probably a third of the cherry finish has worn away to the raw mahogany underneath, and I put some Seymour Duncan pearly gates pickups in it. It’s still, of my 25 guitars, my go to.
the original pickups got put into my cheap epi Les Paul special II slab top I picked up at a garage sale for $40. where they’re still cranking away.
If I ever buy another Gibson I’d want it to be a custom shop, all maple, ebony fretboard, bound neck Flying V in that ‘67 look and the white one this time I’ve always regretted not spending the extra $100 back then for the white one that would have antiqued by now.
Going into this, I expected to favor the Epi. But, getting into it, the Gibson had more clarity, openness, and raw grunt, to me...where the Epiphoney sounded restricted, and nasal.
Yea this was pretty clear in the clean tones
I love the idea of the bare bones Tribute Gibson is offering.
On the other hand they have still not given me a reason to let go of my Epiphone 1960 Tribute Plus.
Guitars are meant to be played and not for posing or sniffing them.
It seems the Gibson sounded a little better. A little more definition in the tone. I wonder how the tribute compares in sound with the Les Paul Studio. I would easily go for the Epiphone, despite the name on the neck. The price difference is a huge factor.
The Epi seemed to have a more defined tonality. Worked much better for the clean sound where the notes are really singing. With the Gibson, you pick up a lot more overtones. Much more resonant so the heavy stuff sounds more full.
Reminds me of my Gibson LP and Epi Dot. The LP is great when I want a full, resonant sound and the Dot is great when I want good, clean attack. Great video. 👏
Hard to really nail down a tone difference on the small speakers I'm listening on but to me the Gibson sounded a little better. I've never owned an Epiphone but it sure seems like you're getting a lot of guitar for not much money and I've been very tempted to buy one before. Gibsons can be very expensive so I don't knock anyone for owning an Epiphone.
Take a new Epiphone and throw in Gibson pickups and the difference becomes damn near indistinguishable.
@@SaurianSoul The Epiphone has Gibson pickups in it. Did you mean the same ones lol?
I had the same experience. It had about 10 or 15% more rounded sound to me, but that's obviously not going to matter the same to different ears, wallets, etc.
Wow, Darrell, THANK YOU! This is super helpful!
I just loved how this epiphone sounded.. the tones were so distinct and separated whereas in Gibson I thought the sound was more muddled.. not sure if anyone else felt it.
I also thought the Epiphone tone was nicer. I’m not comparing it to some tone expectation. That is, I’m just considering how it sounds without regard to what it does or does not sound “like”.
I had one of the Gibson tribute exactly the same total waste of money frets were awful I’ve played budget Ibanez guitars which were better to play with better frets
@@Bcb79 I think that on the whole, A Japanese builder will produce a better built guitar, I own a Japanese
Tokai Love Rock which is incredible for the money, and Yamaha are building guitars which will knock Gibson out of thee ball park. I've owned four Gibson's and the Yamaha SG1000 I played a while back beat every one of them as far as play-ability and quality goes. In the past, there was no bigger Gibson fan than myself, now I would not waste my money on a new Gibson.
@@Bcb79 i also used to own the same model of gibson tribute i just recently sold it, when I got it I had been playing for 14 years and it still seemed rough on my fingers and the slides sounded horrible.
I agree. The Epi had more clarity, the Gibson sounded more compressed and muddier, but frankly I like the sound of both. I think this is more Burstbuckers vs 490/498s than it is Epiphone vs Gibson.
I have a 1997 Gibson LP Studio with the 490/498, somewhat similar to a Tribute, and a 2021 Epiphone R9. I just had a setup done on the Gibson, and nothing against the R9, but the Gibson is hands down better. With the current Studio lineup now being $1600-ish vs $850 for the R9, the R9 is clearly the better value. The 490/498 series handles high gain much better than Burst Buckers IMO. BB leads might cut through a mix better though. Good video!
Generally I would expect to get more for the money with Epiphone. Having said that I can't help but note that there was a huge difference in terms of the pickup sounds.
They are really different pickups...
The Epiphone pickups are still imported.
They're built to the same spec as the Gibson ones (wire gauge, pole spacing, wind count, etc), but are not what you'd find in a Gibson equivalent, just very similar. Biggest differences are the quality of metal and coating used in the metal parts and quality of the magnets.
This results in subtle differences in some cases to the tone and in most cases the longevity of the hardware.
@@UnhungHero no they are Gibson Custom Shop Pickups.
Out 59 Epi is heavy but the Pickups growl! Great sound. They looks aren’t great but the sound is second to none.
Huge difference? I don't think so. There were slight differences but not anything worth $450 more. Your paying mostly for the name and paint job.
I bought the Tribute after watching your first review. I also have the Epi Classic 2021 model. Love both for different reasons.
It’d be interesting to know the difference in manufacturing costs between the two.
With Gibson using a nitro satin lacquer and using a single piece mahogany, there is definitely a larger gap between manufacturing. Not even including the fact epiphone is made in China. I’d say the margins on the epiphone are much larger than the tribute. When I got my 59 epiphone, I wanted to do a project to get it close to a gibson. Just getting rid of the satin-y polyurethane finish and replacing with nitro would cost a shop almost $2k just due to labor. I asked what all goes into that and polyurethane has such potent adhesive qualities that removing it would borderline remove the the veneer top just from sanding. Polyurethane and bolt on necks are some of the easiest ways of mass producing guitars just from a turnaround standpoint. Which is why I refuse to pay over $1,500 for any Fender style guitar. Granted the epiphone is not a bolt on, but polyurethane is a very easy finish to apply when compared to nitro. While that may not be bothersome to many players, nitro is where a large portion of cost comes from when considering manufacturing overhead and turnaround times.
I have a tribute just like that one, and I love it. I have owned several of both brands and I have to say the tribute plays and sounds as good as most of the Gibsons I’ve owned.
I have a great fondness for the Tribute in satin Honeyburst. Although the Epiphone is spec'ed out "better" the fact that the Gibson is plek'd, has better hardware and is a Gibson makes it my choice.
I don't care about binding or the flame veneer.... although the hard case is nice with the Epiphone, it doesn't close the gap for me. Especially because the Gibson should have significantly better resale value
Another awesome vid brother you always manage to provide valuable content and are my go to channel...love your work.
I own both of these, the Epi Lazarus, a Gibson Standard 60's, and a PRS S2 McCarty 594 Singlecut.
The Tribute gets 90% of the play. I did upgrade the wiring to orange caps and Bourne 500k pots but kept the 490s.
I played the Tribute, and really liked it! I found the pickups to be fantastic.
I really like 490s!
I had access to various LP's learning guitar in the mid 60's to mid 70's so yeah I've played high end LP's but never owned one. A Strat was all I could afford back then and it needed repair. I bought a Gibson 2013 in gold top LPJ in 2013 and oh yeah I've owned a Melody Maker or 2. Having 2 ESP 401's made in Korea I felt I didn't really need a LP. But my Gold LPJ is all I can ask out of a LP, no frills or binding and it's my number one. Reminds me of Mick Ronson's gold top. I owned and sold an Epi LP that went for $399 a few years back. My LPJ came in perfect factory condition but I lowered the strings. Should I raise them like in your 10 things you can do to a Strat video? BTW I have learned so much from your channel and saved a grip of $$. Thanks to you I went for the Grote ES335 style guitar. I pick the Gibson over the Epi.
I own several Epiphones and one Gibson (LP Standard '60s). I love that Epiphone lets me have a Junior, a P90 Goldtop, a couple of archtops, etc. They're all amazing quality. Can't say I'm crazy about the finish on this series of Epiphones. While my Epis all have gloss polyurethane finishes, somehow I don't mind it so much. But this particular poly satin finish just doesn't work for me against the nitro satin on the Gibson. I thought both of these sounded great, though! I think in this case, I'd probably go for the Gibson.
I've had Epiphone Juniors and they're okay. My Gibson double cut Junior absolutely rips. Even with a pickup swap the Epiphone just kinda lacked something.
Fred Patton My thoughts on these, exactly.
I managed to get a second hand Gibson Les Paul ‘69 Tribute (with P90s instead of ‘buckers) for quite a lot less than a new Epi, and the weight reduction alone makes it a dream to play. Love it.
The Epi is an awesome value and really does sound awesome for what it is, but the Gibson definitely has an edge on the tone for me with a fuller sound that most likely has to do with the build and material quality of the body itself. Most won’t be able to tell the difference though and as a proud owner of an Epi SG ‘66 reissue I don’t judge those who “settle” for Epiphone
Finally, the video that I was waiting for!
Am I the only person who thought the Gibson sounded better? Especially on the first run. It was a smoother less “squeaky “ sound. However, as the test went on, it became difficult to tell the difference. The big question it what guitar feels better to the player.
I thought the Gibson sounded better on the crunch tones but only marginally. Definitely not $450 better. The epiphone has a nicer clean tone. It’s the clear winner IMO.
That first run was all Gibson...and the Gibson looked so much better
I don’t care what guitar is it, I just want one so I can play sweet child on me 🥲👍
The Gibsons I really want are the 58 and 68 reissues, but when I saw that Epiphone made the 59 in the dark burst I love, I'd lie if I said my eyes didn't turn to satellite dishes. The flame is a bit much for me as I like the more smooth look in the R8, but it's an Epiphone so it's definitely on my radar due to the value for money. I was simply watching this video to see how it compares (which is favourably)
Thank you for the quick and informative video
Dude, I gotta say, I have the Epiphone, and I was interested in getting the Gibson 60's. I went to GC and tried one, and was totally unimpressed. Certainly didn't seem any better than the Epiphone. I have an early 90's Orville with a long tenon neck that looks like a '58 plain top, I threw Burstbucker Pro's in. Blows both of the aforementioned guitars away...
Happen'ed to me. I had a Korean SG knockoff I went to the store and i was really excited to try an acrual Gibson. Turns out it sounded flat and boring and my korean basswood version sound much better to me.
I was blown away to find out the Gibson 50's Standard *doesn't* have the long tenon, and the Epiphone Standard 50's *does*! That doesn't even make sense!
I have the 1959 Epiphone, it's a stunning guitar, I can't really justify Gibson prices, although I would love to own a Gibson one day.
Sold both of my Gibson LPs back in the 90’s. Kids bought me an Epi in 94 and it plays WAY better than the gibsons. Put Duncan PAFs and nos 59 caps in it and set it up. It’s been in several studios and a few countries. It’s my go-to.
I’d rather hear a good player on a ‘cheap’ guitar than a bad player on an expensive one.
I own the Epi 1959 and it's an awesome guitar. I also own a Gibson LP Custom with the 490 pickups. Soundwise they are different, with the Gibson pickups sounding hotter. I imagine if you put 490's into the Epi, it would sound really close to the Gibson.
I own the 59' as well and swapped out the pickups for some Kent Armstrong bluesbuster humbuckers , for a $350 upgrade I'd put my epi up against any Gibson Les Paul out there , well for the exception of guitars like greeny or billy gibbons pearly gates. But no doubt it's one awesome guitar and delivers the goods.
Both look like good guitars, but at that price difference is go for the Epi. The bit of extra mids I hear from the Gibson can be gotten elsewhere on the signal chain, and the name on the headstock really doesn't warrant an 30% plus price hike. I think Gibsons are overpriced these days in general.
Every guitar on the market is overpriced these days.What are you gonna do though? I still buy way to many.
I bought the cheapest guitar Gibson made slightly used a few years back and now it's selling for almost double what I paid on Reverb. Don't buy an expensive Epi unless you're going to keep it forever.
I'm not sure about that. The Probuckers leave me wanting more so they would most likely be changed. That's $200 plus installation. putting Gibson pickups in there would be closer to $300+ I like the Gibson pickups and probably wouldn't change them. If you don't really like either one then go find any used LP copy and mod that and save even more money.
@@ahoneyman you do realize the model reviewed has gibson burstbuckers not epiphone probuckers
the name on the headstock and shape SURE DOES MATTER ...Gibson quality is better, period.
No headstock angle flaw in the Epi. Superior design. The difference in sound can be addressed with a pickup exchange
One comment, I believe the Epi has a laurel fretboard.
I have both, each one is a great value but they definitely have their own feel. The Tribute is lighter, faster and brighter. Mostly because the neck is maple and slimmer plus the 490s. The Epi has a vintage feel, heavier and warmer. The neck is mahogany and chunkier.
Is there an appreciable difference in sustain between the two?
I have the cherry finish 59 epi, was a toss between the tobacco one though. Just learning to play and when I saw the 59 I put a deposit, waited for the plague delay and then finally got it in the summer.
I play through a small fender lt25 practise amp. Once i get more efficient with the guitar and figure out the exact sound I'm looking for, I'll start the search for an upgrade amp cab combo. But for now, in Canada, an $1100 guitar and a $200 amp with a ton of preset sounds isn't a bad place to start.
Listening to this on my surround sound at home and I have to say that the Gibson sounds way better in this particular comparison. The Epiphone almost sounds like something is off with it, intonation or wiring or something wrong, and then the Gibson comes on and sounds damn near perfect.
Gibson has that nice warm resonance that only original Gibsons do
@@fragglerocker1421 agreed
Did the same with studio headphones and came to the same conclusion. The Epi sounds like someone is trying to talk while pinching their nose closed..... that type of sound like not all frequencies get to ring out.
I do think that Epi has potential, throw a pair of 490's in there and an aluminium bridge and tailpiece and you'll get pretty darn close in terms of the sound.
And maybe playability too if you polish those frets and slightly sand the back of the neck.
i think you all are just gibson fanboys hearing what you want to hear.
I've been sitting here for 20 minutes listening to both.
the difference is so subtle it doesn't even matter.
literally you're paying $400 in the name alone... and minus everything else.
@@penoyer79 I own 5 epiphone guitars and zero gibson guitars. I hear what I hear, dunno what else to say.
Hi Darrel. What kind of strings did you use in this video?
Answering your question, I would choose the cheaper one, here in Brazil all musical instruments are very expensive, although both both eletric guitars are great.
I have always loved Gibson and have plenty of them on wall hangers, along with a few US made Fenders. I have one Epi Jumbo acoustic that I love to play. That being said, these are both great sounding guitars. One thing I did notice on the clean sound....don't know if it was the way you tapped it, but....the Epi at the end had a much better harmonic ring to it than the Gibson. Again, may have just been they way it was tapped, but I noticed it.
Perfect review/comparison, thank you so much.
As always, to my ears, Gibsons always have "that sound" that Epiphones just do not quite match exactly even with great pickups. But, that Epi is really close. Well done.
Both guitars are awesome and really a great value overall. I shelled out for the Tribute last year and truly love the guitar, it plays great. Beyond being a just a branding exercise, I really feel good about the fact that like my strat, it's a USA made product 👍 that matters to me.
Bruh what.
Why just US? What’s wrong with MIM or MIJ, or MII?
@@Sleepy_Moon84 Nothing at all, they’re generally a great value! Well, MIJ are generally pretty pricey. I guess it’s mostly just supporting those classic made in USA brands. I also have a Godin hollow body, that’s Canadian made.
@@mathewbrown9371 No matter where the guitar is made though, they're such a beautiful instrument.
Even at school I can't stop admiring Les Pauls, but they're way too expensive. I'm perfectly content with my 611 Pacifica though.
Though I guess it doesn't hurt to want to buy another guitar...maybe just another? It won't be a big deal...right?
I went through this choice last year. To choose between a Tribute and an Epiphone. I ended up with a gold top Epiphone. It looks and sounds great.
I would definitely prefer to get the Epiphone for a variety of reasons actually.
I'm waiting delivery of Amazon Epiohone LP Special 2. Have you ever looked into the quality that I am anticipating.
Hey Darrell, I'm so happy you made this shootout! I've been waiting a while to hear these guitars back to back, especially the classic crunch tones on a Marshall. And you didn't disappoint, everything in your usual quality package! Based on other individual demos, I was quite surprised the guitars were very close tonally, seems it mainly comes down to the pickup preference... And the aesthetics, brand thing and resale as you said. Did you notice any differences in playability, resonance etc.?
I have a 2017 Les Paul Tribute with Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates pickups, a mahogany neck and Grover tuners. Probably my favorite guitar of my small collection.
I bought the Epi 59 out of curiosity, I have 2 Gibson 50's Standards and a couple of other Epipones, after a good setup the Epi 59 is a pretty neat guitar considering what they put into it eletronics wise. I've never been a fan of the Studio model, I like the binding so for the $400 difference the Epi is definitely the better purchase.
Just the comparison I was looking for. Both are on my short list!
The crunch and clean tones were different but both were quite nice. The tonal difference showed up in the high gain tone for me. I far preferred the Tribute there, it just sounded more aggressive.
Same here. I preferred the tribute. Sounded a bit grittier and clearer that would easily cut through a mix. The gibson sounded too warm and a bit muddy for me. Both sounded good though, but i just prefer the epi.
@@jheresuello1195 The "Tribute" is the Gibson.
@@TheChristafershawn my bad. I was pertaining the epi. Lol
Really enjoyed your comparison video, unbiased and straightforward. I'm at 6's and 7's about the whole Gibson / Epiphone debate, I own a Epiphone '59 LP and a SG Pro, maybe not fair to say, but my '73 Gibson 335 TD is better than both of them, but then that's my biased opinion , I've had it since new, and it's a bit of apples and oranges..There is something that seems a bit flat on the Epiphones, tone wise, hard to put my finger on it, and it shows on your sound comparison, the Gibson has that bit of snap and sparkle missing from the Epiphone. Playability, build quality and all that of the Epis are there, but I feel your vid exposed the shortcomings of the Epiphones... Thanks, Mate!
Never much cared for LPs (too heavy, for one thing, too expensive for another), but I briefly had an Epi Blueshawk Deluxe a couple years ago, and it left a pleasant enough memory that I recently bought another Epi - a Nighthawk. The LPs Darrell is demo-ing here are close enough in tone that I wouldn't spend the extra cash for the Gibson name on the headstock.
What it says on the headstock does influence which one someone will buy regardless of tone/sound and playability. I have the Epi 60’ Tribute which has the Gibson 57 pickups and the same electronics. It sounds and plays beautifully but what people notice is the headstock and that’s a shame!
Chris