I don't know if it's the new strings but I prefer the tone of the 2016 model Epiphone, VG playing, IMO. I bet you the Gibson with some better with new strings. The Gibson still sounds great the way it is, just not quite the same bell like tone.
Gibson for the strumming is better I think ,clearer separation of notes but the Epiphone picking is a nice sound and it looks nice ,I would buy one if in the market for this sort of guitar.
Love your Bricklin poster behind you. Love Bricklins. Too bad they don't make them anymore. Love the Masterbilt. I am a fan of acoustic archtops and adding a floating DeArmond is very nice. I have a Gretsch G400 cutaway Synchromatic. I have a vintage 1960s floating single coil pickup similar to a floating DeArmond.
Thanks for the comment. The poster was from a musical I played for called "The Bricklin: An Automotive Fantasy." ua-cam.com/video/Ay4OhjTEOSg/v-deo.htmlsi=nRyAcRqJhhq6BAwm
I'm actually impressed with how nice the Epi sounds and compares with the vintage Gibson. I wonder, if it is still around, how the Epi will sound after 70 years of maturation. Both are very nice instruments, especially for their respective cost.
The L-7’s top sounds like it’s vibrating more freely than the Epi’s which sounds stiffer and more damped. The Epi seems to accentuate a certain frequency range giving it a little more of a boxy tone. The L-7 is likely to have a more pleasing harmonic richness for playing solo or small groups. The Epi should be great for ensembles. Either one should sound fine amplified with those pickups. I’m not knocking the Epi though. It’s just got a different voice.
Let the epi age and the sound will be much warmer and rich !! The wood will start to vibrate much more and be much more delicate in how it presents the tones and it will have a wider and much more rich approach to all the fine resonants and frequencies from the strings
We have the Century Standard. It has a solid spruce top with layered maple back and sides (on their web site it says the it's 3 layers of maple). The mother of pearl is all real as well. It has a VM solid Ebony bridge and fret board. Ours sounds great for a budget priced guitar. The a Master Built series, from Epiphone, is made to a very high standard. Most of them even have solid wood back and sides, just like the "Inspired By Gibson" line of guitars. I made a video on our Zenith Master Built too. But I don't know any music in the style this guitar was intended for, so awesome job showing how it sounded.
I've been thinking about getting a good archtop for a while - I've been getting into swing plectrum jazz guitar for just over two years. Before I heard you play, I closed my eyes to determine whether I could hear a difference between the two without knowing which was which. I was pleased to find out that I could. I correctly identified the times when you changed guitars. To my ears, the Gibson has a characteristic sweetness in the tone; the Epihone not so much, more of a drier brittle quality - a typical archtop sound, but there's nevertheless a 'body', a fullness in what I hear - and I like it very much. In view of this, and given the market price difference, the Epiphone impresses me very much, and is the one I would go for. Thank you for doing this comparison, it's been very helpful.
I prefer the sound of the Gibson L - 7 because is very warm , but I think also that the Epiphone masterbilt sound wery well, with a beautiful less warm respect the old Gibson.
The Epiphone sounds quite good, but the Gibson beats it both regarding warmth and a clear seperation of the notes when you play rythm. I bet its price also beats that of the Epophone as well. Thank you for the comparison.
Nice video, Garry. I see what you meant about the jingling watch - oh, well! In my opinion, if you really want to see (and hear) what an acoustic archtop can do, put bronze round-wound strings on it (NOT phosphor bronze) instead of flat-wounds. Then you'll really be able to hear all those rich harmonics and overtones. Love the DeArmond pick-ups as well. I play a DeArmond #1100 "Rhythm-Chief" using nickel roundwounds (13-56). Thanks, Garry!
The L-7 with its aged woods sounds to me much warmer even though it has year old strings....I'm sure the Epiphone will come around after it ages. Thanks!
Good morning! Through your video, I liked this Epiphone MBD and bought one. Would it be possible to make another video with it sounding through this DeArmond pickup? I'm also interested in buying one of these to put on mine.
Note clarity and definition sounds superior on the Epiphone. I own a 1948 Epi Broadway which has similar characteristics. The L7 has a more blended, softer tone, but attractive in that GIbson way. Both interesting and equal in their unique qualities.
The Epiphone is nice and all, but wow, that L-7 sings. I think if all you played was the Epiphone, you'd be reasonably satisfied, but stack it up agains the L-7 and it's game over. For some reason, I prefer the L-7 over the L-5. Maybe it's the "stripped-down" nature of it, but I really like the simplicity of the L-7.
definitely the L7, but given the vintage between the two, I think it would be a better case study to include a n epiphone of the same vintage. hands down, Gibson wins, but I'm not entirely sure it would beat a pre-war epiphone
Nice comparison and VERY nice playing! I have that Epipone as well (and also a demo video of it :-) ). The L7 sounds a bit rounder and warmer, especially when playing rhythm.Then again, the Epiphone might cut better through a mix, because of its somewhat pointier sound, so to speak. Playing lead the Epiphone sounds a bit more transparent, but then its strings were much newer you said.
I felt the Epiphone was slightly more mellow……I may be biased as I have a 2016 Masterbilt Zenith……but my to ears, they were a comparable pair……encouraging as someone has said, that, notwithstanding the price difference, the Epiphone equitted itself well in the Gibson’s company!
I thought the current Epiphone archtops were all laminates. This one certainly sounds that way. Not bad at all but I don't hear a lot of potential for it to develop into a nice acoustic solo instrument. I also don't think they come stock with a bone-insert saddle (which must give it a more open sound, IMHO).
This series does indeed have a solid spruce top, though I'm sure it's pressed. You are correct that it doesn't come with a bone insert, which was an addition of the previous owner. I should have mentioned that. Thanks for your comment!
I basically said that very same thing....the aged solid woods make all the difference even with year old strings. I'm sure the Epiphone will warm up with time even though it has laminate sides and back...👍
Did you consider any other pickup for the Epiphone like a Benedetto or Kent Armstrong before choosing the DeArmond? Or was the DeArmond the only one that would fit? Great Idea.
I doubt if a pressed top could ever sound the same as a carved top, no matter how long it’s aged. Carving cuts the fibers, which I imagine reduces stiffness. That’s not to say a pressed top can’t sound good. Laminated tops can also sound good, but they each have their own nature.
Thanks. Both guitars had Thomastik-Infeld Swing Jazz Flatwounds .012-.050, but the Epiphone strings were new and the Gibson strings were at least a year old.
@@Kilgore40 yes, more or less. While the Epi sounds like it's coming from the back, the L7 is totally in the front row. I would try the Epi for comping and the L7 for soloing. I like both sounds though.
I think a guitar that one can afford sounds infinitely better than a guitar one can never hope to buy. I have the Epiphone and it sounds beautiful.
Fair enough. The Epiphone is great bargain for the money. The L7 is also a great bargain for the money -- just more money. I like them both.
@@Kilgore40 Your playing is beautiful! I’m beginning to do some chord melodies. The Epiphone has been inspiration to me.
@@Kilgore40 I should mention that I found mine in excellent condition for $300!
@@hallett0707 Wow -- that really is a bargain.
So very true
I don't know if it's the new strings but I prefer the tone of the 2016 model Epiphone, VG playing, IMO. I bet you the Gibson with some better with new strings. The Gibson still sounds great the way it is, just not quite the same bell like tone.
I have the Epiphone and you simply can’t beat it for the price.
Gibson for the strumming is better I think ,clearer separation of notes but the Epiphone picking is a nice sound and it looks nice ,I would buy one if in the market for this sort of guitar.
Love your Bricklin poster behind you. Love Bricklins. Too bad they don't make them anymore.
Love the Masterbilt. I am a fan of acoustic archtops and adding a floating DeArmond is very nice. I have a Gretsch G400 cutaway Synchromatic. I have a vintage 1960s floating single coil pickup similar to a floating DeArmond.
Thanks for the comment. The poster was from a musical I played for called "The Bricklin: An Automotive Fantasy." ua-cam.com/video/Ay4OhjTEOSg/v-deo.htmlsi=nRyAcRqJhhq6BAwm
I'm actually impressed with how nice the Epi sounds and compares with the vintage Gibson. I wonder, if it is still around, how the Epi will sound after 70 years of maturation. Both are very nice instruments, especially for their respective cost.
Epiphone has definitely upped its game.
The L-7’s top sounds like it’s vibrating more freely than the Epi’s which sounds stiffer and more damped. The Epi seems to accentuate a certain frequency range giving it a little more of a boxy tone. The L-7 is likely to have a more pleasing harmonic richness for playing solo or small groups. The Epi should be great for ensembles. Either one should sound fine amplified with those pickups. I’m not knocking the Epi though. It’s just got a different voice.
Let the epi age and the sound will be much warmer and rich !! The wood will start to vibrate much more and be much more delicate in how it presents the tones and it will have a wider and much more rich approach to all the fine resonants and frequencies from the strings
Both are great, I've got the Epi 175 P but! That Gibson's got that mystical "Tung" sound. Nice playing and thank you!
Thanks!
We have the Century Standard. It has a solid spruce top with layered maple back and sides (on their web site it says the it's 3 layers of maple). The mother of pearl is all real as well. It has a VM solid Ebony bridge and fret board. Ours sounds great for a budget priced guitar.
The a Master Built series, from Epiphone, is made to a very high standard. Most of them even have solid wood back and sides, just like the "Inspired By Gibson" line of guitars. I made a video on our Zenith Master Built too. But I don't know any music in the style this guitar was intended for, so awesome job showing how it sounded.
I've been thinking about getting a good archtop for a while - I've been getting into swing plectrum jazz guitar for just over two years.
Before I heard you play, I closed my eyes to determine whether I could hear a difference between the two without knowing which was which. I was pleased to find out that I could. I correctly identified the times when you changed guitars.
To my ears, the Gibson has a characteristic sweetness in the tone; the Epihone not so much, more of a drier brittle quality - a typical archtop sound, but there's nevertheless a 'body', a fullness in what I hear - and I like it very much.
In view of this, and given the market price difference, the Epiphone impresses me very much, and is the one I would go for.
Thank you for doing this comparison, it's been very helpful.
Glad I could be of help. I played the Epi at a gig last night for the first time and I was happy with the sound and feel.
I prefer the sound of the Gibson L - 7 because is very warm , but I think also that the Epiphone masterbilt sound wery well, with a beautiful less warm respect the old Gibson.
Gib's got that Gib magic mystical stuff going on, I'd take the Epi on excursions, we'd be friends
How nice sounding is that L7… Even acoustic it’s warm and mellow
The Epiphone sounds quite good, but the Gibson beats it both regarding warmth and a clear seperation of the notes when you play rythm. I bet its price also beats that of the Epophone as well. Thank you for the comparison.
I like the Gibson better. A little warmer. However, the Epiphone sounded surprisingly good.
Nice video, Garry. I see what you meant about the jingling watch - oh, well! In my opinion, if you really want to see (and hear) what an acoustic archtop can do, put bronze round-wound strings on it (NOT phosphor bronze) instead of flat-wounds. Then you'll really be able to hear all those rich harmonics and overtones. Love the DeArmond pick-ups as well. I play a DeArmond #1100 "Rhythm-Chief" using nickel roundwounds (13-56). Thanks, Garry!
Agreed. Thanks for the comment, Fred.
The L-7 with its aged woods sounds to me much warmer even though it has year old strings....I'm sure the Epiphone will come around after it ages. Thanks!
I agree. Thanks for your comment.
Good morning! Through your video, I liked this Epiphone MBD and bought one.
Would it be possible to make another video with it sounding through this DeArmond pickup?
I'm also interested in buying one of these to put on mine.
I'll try to do that soon. Thanks.
Note clarity and definition sounds superior on the Epiphone. I own a 1948 Epi Broadway which has similar characteristics. The L7 has a more blended, softer tone, but attractive in that GIbson way. Both interesting and equal in their unique qualities.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment.
The Epiphone is nice and all, but wow, that L-7 sings. I think if all you played was the Epiphone, you'd be reasonably satisfied, but stack it up agains the L-7 and it's game over. For some reason, I prefer the L-7 over the L-5. Maybe it's the "stripped-down" nature of it, but I really like the simplicity of the L-7.
definitely the L7, but given the vintage between the two, I think it would be a better case study to include a
n epiphone of the same vintage. hands down, Gibson wins, but I'm not entirely sure it would beat a pre-war epiphone
I agree. Wish I had a pre-war Epi to compare with.
Very interesting, Garry. I definitely preferred the Gibson - much warmer
Nice comparison and VERY nice playing! I have that Epipone as well (and also a demo video of it :-) ). The L7 sounds a bit rounder and warmer, especially when playing rhythm.Then again, the Epiphone might cut better through a mix, because of its somewhat pointier sound, so to speak. Playing lead the Epiphone sounds a bit more transparent, but then its strings were much newer you said.
Right. Thanks for your comment.
I felt the Epiphone was slightly more mellow……I may be biased as I have a 2016 Masterbilt Zenith……but my to ears, they were a comparable pair……encouraging as someone has said, that, notwithstanding the price difference, the Epiphone equitted itself well in the Gibson’s company!
I thought the current Epiphone archtops were all laminates. This one certainly sounds that way. Not bad at all but I don't hear a lot of potential for it to develop into a nice acoustic solo instrument. I also don't think they come stock with a bone-insert saddle (which must give it a more open sound, IMHO).
This series does indeed have a solid spruce top, though I'm sure it's pressed. You are correct that it doesn't come with a bone insert, which was an addition of the previous owner. I should have mentioned that. Thanks for your comment!
L7 for sure
Did you replace the original saddle on the Epiphone ?
The previous owner did.
The Gibson has a seasoned sound. The Asian epiphone sounds dull. My 47 epiphone Blackstone sounds quite a bit like that 47Gibson.
The Epi needs to age a bit and we will be able to juge better. The top is solid so the potential is there. 😉
Agreed.
I basically said that very same thing....the aged solid woods make all the difference even with year old strings. I'm sure the Epiphone will warm up with time even though it has laminate sides and back...👍
Both sound good, but for me, the Gibson was far superior in articulation, depth and subtlety.
Agreed. Thanks for the comment.
Did you consider any other pickup for the Epiphone like a Benedetto or Kent Armstrong before choosing the DeArmond? Or was the DeArmond the only one that would fit? Great Idea.
The previous owner installed the DeArmond. Thanks for the comment.
Would the age of the instrument have effect? the epi sounds less good.
Many people believe as a guitar ages the wood becomes more resonant.
I doubt if a pressed top could ever sound the same as a carved top, no matter how long it’s aged. Carving cuts the fibers, which I imagine reduces stiffness. That’s not to say a pressed top can’t sound good. Laminated tops can also sound good, but they each have their own nature.
The Epiphone sounds better but not a great deal in it. Suspect if you put humbuckers on them they would sound even better.
Your watch clicking annoyed the hell out of me :)))
This being said, I liked both guitars sound, can't really say which one I prefer!
Yeah, sorry about that.
L-7 !!👍👍👍👍👍
What strings are you using on the each guitar? Nice playing.
Thanks. Both guitars had Thomastik-Infeld Swing Jazz Flatwounds .012-.050, but the Epiphone strings were new and the Gibson strings were at least a year old.
Sorry, I didn't thank you for your important demonstration.
Thanks!
You're very welcome. Thanks.
The Gibson is more ¨in your face¨. A lot more.
Less boxy, you mean?
@@Kilgore40 yes, more or less. While the Epi sounds like it's coming from the back, the L7 is totally in the front row. I would try the Epi for comping and the L7 for soloing. I like both sounds though.
the older guitar sounded better
I'm surprised you didn't take off your watch for this- very distracting rattle.
Yeah, sorry about that.
Different pickups... It's not worth it.
Not sure what you mean. This is a comparison of the acoustic sound. The pickups don't come into play.
I didn't realize the comparasion was just acoustic...