review gibson les paul indonesia

TheBest Electric Guitars with P90 Pickups. Yamaha PAC611HFM Pacifica - Editor's Pick. Epiphone Les Paul Special I P-90 Limited-Edition - Budget Pick. Epiphone SG Special P-90 - Best Under $500. Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute P-90 - Best Under $1,000. Gibson Les Paul Standard '50s P90 - Premium Pick. Gretsch Guitars G2622T-P90 Cekharga Gibson Les Paul terbaru diantara 5,809 produk. Temukan juga harga gibson les paul original,gibson les paul custom,gibson les paul gold,gibson lespaul updown,gibson les paul hitam. Bandingkan harga dan promo terlengkap hanya di BigGo Indonesia DaftarHarga gitar les paul gibson Terbaru Agustus 2022. Harga Gitar Elektrik Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty Full Gold termurah. Rp2.100.000. Harga Guitar Electric Gibson Les Paul Custom Standart. Rp1.200.000. Harga Gitar Custom Replica Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty. ProductRegistration Customer Service Repair and Restoration Report Counterfeits Serial Number FAQ Gibson Guitar Specs (2015-2019) Dealer Resource Center Locate A Belikoleksi Gibson Indonesia online lengkap edisi & harga terbaru July 2022 di Tokopedia! ∙ Promo Pengguna Baru ∙ Kurir Instan ∙ Bebas Ongkir ∙ Cicilan 0%. Site De Rencontre Gratuit Et Sans Abonnement. MusicRadar Verdict With its added features the 2008 Standard moves into a more boutique area but remains very well priced and quite old-school. Pros +Sharper than usual build and set-up. More vintage-like old LP tones. Price. Cons -The neck profile may divide opinion only because we love the '59 profile so much. Frets still need more profiling. MusicRadar's got your back Our team of expert musicians and producers spends hours testing products to help you choose the best music-making gear for you. Find out more about how we test. Simple, classic. With a few modern twists... Gibson Les Paul 2008 StandardIt's 50 years since Gibson unveiled the sunburst Les Paul Standard, kicking off the journey of an initially far-from-popular instrument. Now, along with Fender's Stratocaster, it's become the world's most popular and recognisable electric Fender, Gibson has various historically accurate reissues available, but has also chosen in 2008 to release a new Standard. The new Standard advertises an enlarged neck tenon plus a properly chambered body to trim weight and add resonance. Time to open the case then…What's new?The new 2008 Standard looks forward with numerous changes that would seem to be aimed to bring it in line with, most obviously, more modern brands like PRS and it's the advertised chambering of this model or simply slightly lighter mahogany, or both, the 2008 is a little lighter and seems a little more alive as you tap your knuckles on its body. Here the body back is one-piece and the maple top subtly figured. Without the pickguard it also looks a little leaner and less fussy."If Gibson keeps up this improved, detailed construction, a few other boutique single-cuts will begin to look rather costly."Although the 'board and inlays seem dry and dirty, set-up is good the guitar arrived with a 'Plek'd' sticker on the bridge pickup including the nut, although we suspect opinion might be split over the tuners - one of the numerous changes to the 'standard' formula that we see are Grover locking types with chromed tulip buttons, not the more classic plastic of the traditional Klusons. The lock is achieved very easily with a large rear thumbwheel, which clamps the string in its post the tuners, the tune-o-matic and stud tailpiece lock to their posts. They are TonePros parts and, while the claim of increased sustain may be hard to confirm, they certainly won't fall off when you take all the strings advertises an 'asymmetrical' neck profile that's quite rare, especially on production electrics - the only other one that sticks in the mind is the profile used on the original Music Man Eddie Van Halen the bass-side is more 'D' shaped and the treble side is more of a 'C' with a shallower shoulder. It's slightly less deep at the first fret, at the 12th than Gibson's '50s rounded profile that, while similar at the first fills out to by the the 2008 has a BurstBucker Pro 1 at neck and a BurstBucker Pro 2 at the bridge and Bourne gold-plated pots visible through a smoked translucent control cover; also new is the Neutrik locking output jack tidily inset into the guitar's the electrics backplate and things all looks rather high tech the four square pots are soldered onto a Gibson logo'd PCB; the pickups connect to the PCB with clearly marked solder-less push-in connects; likewise the outputs to the toggle Guitarist's Dave Durban put the new 2008 Standard through its pacesThe 2008, while offering what seems like a slew of modern updates actually sounds older. What we mean here is that, certainly on the bridge pickup, which sounds a little hotter than a '57 Classic, we have more edge and spark to the sound; it clears up nicely too and you can really get older Les Paul voices - more classic blues Peter Green than modern rock Slash, if you neck pickup is very sweet and tuneful, again though there's a little more definition to the sound but it's lower in output compared to the bridge pickup and seems less balanced as a is a set-up you might prefer, of course, but we found it a little too unbalanced before we started messing with pickup heights. The mix, however, results in increased clarity - pull down both volumes and there's more single-coil like clarity than you might the 2008 feels like a modern production Gibson. Those frets still feel a little intrusive initially, and while the 2008's slightly slimmer neck feel will have its fans, some players may yearn for the more familiar neck shapes available in other areas of the Fender, Gibson's main business is providing us with umpteen versions of its classic guitars they may be historically accurate or signature versions or look a little to the future, as with the certainly have no problem with that and, barring a few minor quibbles, we have no problem with this guitar - especially with this year's trim price and its palpably sharper the slightly edgier, older sounding 2008 Standard will suit you, is really down to what you want from a 'Paul. What we will say is that if Gibson keeps up this improved, detailed construction, a few more boutique-y other-brand single-cuts will begin to look rather costly. Dave Burrluck is one of the world’s most experienced guitar journalists, who started writing back in the '80s for International Musician and Recording World, co-founded The Guitar Magazine and has been the Gear Reviews Editor of Guitarist magazine for the past two decades. Along the way, Dave has been the sole author of The PRS Guitar Book and The Player's Guide to Guitar Maintenance as well as contributing to numerous other books on the electric guitar. Dave is an active gigging and recording musician and still finds time to make, repair and mod guitars, not least for Guitarist’s The Mod Squad. Most Popular With a history going back all the way to 1955, the Gibson Les Paul Special has been a popular fixture in the lineup ever since. It was originally introduced as a mid tier model to sit between the student grade Les Paul Junior and the high end Les Paul Standard, but thanks to its unique tones and incredible all round performance, it has gained a cult following all of its own. In this KillerGuitarRigs Review we got to spend some extra time with the LP Special, the guitar that we named as our Editor’s Choice in our roundup of the best P90 guitars. In this extended coverage, we’ll be going into detail about the aesthetics, features, build quality, tones, and overall performance of this amazing guitar. If you’re in the market for a guitar with P90 pickups and budget isn’t an issue, we think you’ll really love this Gibson – keep on reading to learn more about it! ContentsGibson Les Paul Special Who Is This For?Appearance / Features / ControlsPerformance / SoundOther Guitars to ConsiderGibson SG SpecialGibson Les Paul JuniorFinal Thoughts on the Gibson Les Paul Special The Gibson Les Paul Special is a premium US made guitar that we think is best suited to intermediate and advanced players. The price point is well above that of a typical beginner guitar, and its chunky 50s style neck is quite prohibitive for less experienced players. Guitarists with more experience, however, will appreciate the huge tonal range, pro quality electronics, and the high end fit and finish. Appearance / Features / Controls Gibson Les Paul Special - TV Yellow - In-Depth Demo! The test guitar we received came in the iconic TV Yellow finish – arguably the best color for a Les Paul Special. It looked fantastic, and it was abundantly clear that incredible care and attention had gone into the fit and finish of this guitar. If you’re not into the TV Yellow, it also comes in a Vintage Cherry finish. As expected from a Les Paul, it was made with all mahogany. Being a Special, it had a slab style body – this means that unlike the Les Paul Standard, there was no maple cap. This kept the weight down by comparison, with the guitar weighing just 7lb 11oz. The neck was also made with mahogany, and of course, had set construction. It had a Vintage 50s profile, which is a notoriously chunky shape. It’s not the most forgiving for newer players or those with smaller hands, but if you like a substantial neck, they don’t get much better than this. Topping the neck was a fantastic rosewood fretboard, which both looked and felt great. It had 22 medium jumbo frets, which like many new Gibsons, had been PLEK treated at the factory. The assortment of hardware was all of the usual high Gibson standard. It had Gibson Deluxe Tuners, a Graphtech TUSQ nut, and a wraparound bridge. Finally, as for the electronics, it came with a pair of incredible Gibson P90 pickups, a 3 way selector switch, hand wired pots, and period correct Orange Drop capacitors. Performance / Sound Gibson Les Paul Special Review Starting with playability, we actually found the Les Paul Special to be a real joy to play. Despite the gargantuan depth, the neck had a real worn in vintage feel that made it a lot more comfortable than you’d think. The nitro finish was also a big contributor to the sublime neck feel. It never felt sticky, and as time goes on and the lacquer starts wearing away, it will only get better. In fact, it wasn’t just the neck that the nitro improved – we felt it gave us a much closer connection to the guitar in general – it’s hard to explain until you actually feel it, but that barely there finish makes a world of difference. Being so much lighter than a traditional Les Paul, we found that it was incredibly comfortable to hold for longer periods of time, especially when standing – something working musicians will love about this guitar. Tonally speaking, the LP Special was an absolute riot. This model hasn’t changed much at all since its first introduction in 1955, and for us, this is one of the best things about it. It had a raw, vintage quality to the tone, albeit with more modern reliability and better resistance to the 60 cycle hum that plagues single coil pickups. The Gibson P90 pickups used in this model are some of the most versatile we’ve ever encountered. They’re able to handle high gain like humbuckers, and yet, they can still clean up like traditional single coils. In the neck position it was warm, and surprisingly thick sounding. It was clear and articulate, and served up some nice crunch when played with high gain, and when running through a clean channel was exceptionally sweet sounding. The bridge pickup delivered big across the board – epic lead tones with everything from aggressive overdrive through to crystal clear country sounds. It was super responsive, and all it took to completely change up the sound was a slight roll back on the volume pot. With the tone knob down it retained its clarity well, and when we dimed it, it stayed full-sounding, without even a hint of brittleness. Other Guitars to Consider The Gibson Les Paul Special is a team favorite at KGR, but there are still some other great options to consider. If you’d like to take a look at some alternatives before going ahead and buying, check out some of our other favorite P90 models. Gibson SG Special If you’re set on a 2 pickup model, but the Les Paul style body isn’t your thing, then the Gibson SG Special might be a great choice for you. Like the LP it’s all mahogany, but of course, it has the iconic double cutaway SG body, with beveled edges for improved comfort. Another key difference is the SlimTaper neck, which is significantly thinner than the Vintage 50s profile – this makes it a much more forgiving guitar for newer players, or for anybody looking for a faster playing model. Gibson Les Paul Junior For those who don’t need 2 P90 pickups, the Gibson Les Paul Junior is a solid alternative. It’s another slab body Les Paul with a single cutaway, and a Vintage 50s neck, with the main difference being the absence of a neck pickup. It has a single P90 in the bridge position, and delivers a surprisingly wide range of tones. It’s even lighter than the Special, making it a great option for gigging players looking for a comfortable P90 guitar. Final Thoughts on the Gibson Les Paul Special The Gibson Les Paul Special is a unique guitar that offers the vibe of a Les Paul, but with an edgy twist. It’s a raucous guitar with an incredible tonal range – it does everything from country to punk, and sounds amazing in the process. It’s a beautifully made guitar, and aesthetically speaking, is one of the best looking on the market. The feel is absolutely incredible, and the playability is amazing. If you’re looking for the best P90 guitar on the market, we honestly don’t think we could think of anything better than the Gibson Les Paul Special. Epiphone has a long-established brand in their own right, but are best known as the affordable, Eastern-made offshoot of the mighty Gibson, with a substantial quantity of their models directly taken from their parent company’s range. A popular guitar amongst players making the transition from a beginner instrument, well-known Epi Les Paul players include Noel Gallagher in early Oasis, and Frank Iero from My Chemical RomanceNo more than Gibson, Epiphone has a large – probably larger than necessary – range of variants of the Les Paul. Here, in the interest of simplicity, we’ll take a look at the Standard model, to provide you with a baseline for the range. Core Features and Specs of the Epiphone Les PaulThe most core of core features of any Epiphone Les Paul, is the combination of a solid mahogany body with a maple top, and a couple of humbuckers. That is the heart and soul of its parts and the expense of explaining a little bit of semantics, pricier guitars with the mahogany body/maple top combination will have a carved maple top, maybe around an inch thick. On lower-priced instruments -such as this – the “maple top” is more likely to be closer to a fretboardFrets22PickupsAlnico Classic humbuckersSo far, so Les Paul!Image from FlickrThis will work well for… If you’re looking at this guitar, you’re looking pretty much at rock, particularly blues-derived rock. Just think of the list of players associated with Les Paul! Clapton to Slash; Gorham and Robertson to Moore… I could use up the entire word count reeling off Les Paul players!So yes, if that’s the ballpark you’re looking to be in, you’ve got it. Coupled with the right amp, with the right setting dialled in, you’ll get your crunchy rock and blues riffs, with enough room to widdle out licks and it do what it should?Let’s be realistic at this price, Gibson aren’t going to be letting Epiphone have the best quality, highest density mahogany. Still, the Epi weighs in at a tidy Not too shabby – you won’t forget it’s there or of the box, everything smells and shines like it should. On this Standard, everything is.. well… pretty much standard!It’s got its humbuckers and three-way pickup selection, controlled with a volume knob and a tone knob for each of said humbuckers. The machineheads come courtesy of Grover – a well-respected name for the job.. Apart from that, the rest of the hardware is thing that pushes the price of this Les Paul compared to other guitars aimed at intermediate players, is the use of parallelograms for the fingerboard inlays, rather than plain old dots. This is something that requires a little extra craftsmanship, and, to be fair, they look the see how it all comes very rarely that an Epiphone is criticized for the quality of its heel of the neck sits flush and clean with body. It’s pretty much are no blemishes or dings in the finish, or along the binding, anywhere in the review model. The frets are even and perfectly embedded in the rosewood fingerboard, as are the parallelogram inlays. The fingerboard doesn’t seem “as finished” as higher end models, if that makes sense?The hardware and electronics all seem very solidly attached – all sitting flush with the body, and some firm poking doesn’t make anything move that shouldn’t. The Grover machineheads are sitting even and sturdy, looking confidently ready to do their model features tune o matic bridge, which Epiphone proudly declare allows adjustment without the need for tools, but honestly, I don’t know many guitarists who spend much time tinkering with such the price of this electric guitar, there’s actually very little to fault. Sure, the parts used won’t be of the same quality as more expensive models, but, if they were, well, it would be a more expensive model!Les Paul Sound and TonesThe price tag of this instrument is a bit more than a beginners’ guitar, so it’s aimed at buyers who are prepared to go a little more for an amp to do it justice. In that respect, it’s likely that they’d also go a few dollars more for something a little better than a solid state amp, although probably not enough to go for a full valve the likely player of this guitar in mind, the Standard was tested through a 50 watt, hybrid, 2×12 combo before plugging into the amp, a few test strums gave an indication of the thick tones that might be coming – if you don’t believe that you can hear guitars’ varying tones without plugging in, I absolutely invite you to give it a this review, the bass was set to four, with the middle and treble each set to the Standard through a clean channel, that bridge humbucker gives a nice bright, but not piercing tone. If you nudge the pickup selector to the middle or neck position, and crank out a few blues licks, you’ll find yourself in a very comfortable on your amp, if you want to push it a little bit, cranking the volume on the amp, until it breaks just slightly, you should start to hear the beginnings of a nice, Clapton-esque blues crunch. Sweet. You might need to roll the volume off your guitar to balance it on that theme, moving over to the overdrive channel, with a gain of about four dialed in, and getting the volume of the guitar back up, you won’t be quite out of blues territory, but some good rock tones will definitely be in the that gain up to six, and your squarely in classic, blues-based rock, and this is where the functionality of the Les Paul peaks. As a general guide neck pickup for ballsy riffs, both pickups for a steady middle ground rhythm, and down to the bridge pickup should a solo be from FlickrPlayabilityThe aesthetics and construction of this guitar are enough to inspire any beginner to start looking at fingerboard is comfortable, the tones are a perfect introduction to humbuckers, and you’ll look as cool as Slash. Any compromise on the quality of parts, hasn’t compromised the construction, and in turn the players can be picky about parts, and how it’s just not a good old American-made Gibson, but honestly, if you want to look and feel like a rock star, Epiphone’s Les Paul Standard will do the such sturdy construction, an intermediate player won’t be afraid to get stuck in, and play this guitar to within an inch of its life. It’s ideal for providing a basis in understanding guitars equipped with humbuckers, and getting a feel for Great overall instrument for the price● High-quality parts● Nothing to fault on construction● Ideal first guitar for those inspired to play by blues-based rock guitarists● There are cheaper alternatives that may do the job just as wellAlternativesThe Les Paul shape is probably one of the most inspirational read copied guitar body shapes in history, so alternatives are not difficult to round NAMM 2017, Epiphone’s parent company, Gibson, unveiled its S Series, intended to give musicians an affordable route to the revered Gibson family of guitars. It’s something they do every now and Paul Custom Special Studio 2017 Gibson S Series Les Paul M2 Bright Cherry Electric Reverb This was designed around Gibson's standards of quality and innovation for Gibson USA's new S Series. The Gibson S Series is a whole new range of guitars all made in the US, but at a considerably lower price point than ever before. Check price We may receive compensation from the companies whose products we review. We only recommend products that we believe in and the S Series, comes the Les Paul Custom Special Studio, with the same MSRP as the Epiphone Les Paul Standard. Ultimately, it comes down to whether you want a cheap Gibson, or an expensive Epiphone. In terms of build quality, they really are neck and neck, if you’ll pardon the is a no-frills affair, with the embellishment really just the range and brightness of the finishes. It’s very much the quintessential “slab of mahogany with a couple of humbuckers wedged in.” Check out our full custom vs standard Les Paul SE 245 You can’t really write about alternatives to Les Paul models without including a singlecut PRS model, because of that time Gibson sued them over the similarities. The SE range is their affordable option, and the 245 borrows the Epiphone’s slab of mahogany with a maple veneer, albeit with a gorgeous 245 also comes with PRS’s inimitable birds inlays. The lower horn includes some contouring to allow for more comfortable access to the higher frets. Apart from the stylistic differences mentioned, the electronics has an identical approach to the Gibson and Epiphone Les Paul LTD EC-401 ESP LTD EC-401 Electric Guitar Guitar Center Look no further with this as it features versatile, powerful tones, reliable hardware, and tidy, attractive looks. Plus consistent high rating from the people who've purchased this. Check price Buy at We may receive compensation from the companies whose products we review. We only recommend products that we believe in and something a little different, but in the same vein – perhaps leaning a bit more towards metal – the longstanding and very respectable ESP have the EC-401 Eclipse model from their LTD one is probably closer to the Gibson, in that the body is a slab of mahogany. What might lean it towards metal brothers and sisters are the inclusion of EMG active pickups. It has binding around the body and mahogany neck, its hardware is black, and the inlays on the fingerboard are reminiscent of a waving Final NoteThe Epiphone Les Paul Standard is such a go-to guitar for those looking to make the transition from “learner” to “player,” at least just to look at and a guitarist is experienced enough to be considering it, they’ll be experienced enough to that you get what you pay for. No, this won’t have the finery of a Gibson Les Paul but that’s not why these guitars are made. Question Is the Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plustop Pro different than the Gibson Les Paul?Answer Yes, of course. The Epiphone is owned by Gibson, so the guitars are virtually the same same mahogany body, solid maple top, mahogany neck, and rosewood frets, however, they are manufactured in a different place. The Epiphone is manufactured mostly in China and Indonesia, whereas the Gibson is manufactured in Korea and the Does the Epiphone Les Paul come with a professional setup?Answer This depends on the place of purchase. Some stores including online ratailers sell already setup guitars, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you will get one ready to Does the Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plustop Pro come with any additional details?Answer No. If you buy it from a music store you might be able to make a deal with the seller to get an extra accessory for the guitar, otherwise, it does not come with a case or picks. Epiphone Top Picks Epiphone 1960 Tribute Black Cherry Reverb You'll never regret buying this used Epiphone 1960 Tribute Plus in its original cherry sunburst finish, in excellent condition from Reverb. An owner of this guitar rated this as "the best sounding and playing guitar Epiphone has made." Check price We may receive compensation from the companies whose products we review. We only recommend products that we believe in and test. Epiphone G-310 SG Ebony Reverb The Epiphone G-310 solid-body electric guitar gives you all the style and sound of the venerable SG at a down-to-earth tip If an item is currently not available on Reverb, you can select 'Follow this product' to be notified of any new listings. Check price Buy at We may receive compensation from the companies whose products we review. We only recommend products that we believe in and ReadsEpiphone LP Special II Review You’ll LoveEpiphone Les Paul Electric vs Squier Stratocaster Comp [2022]The Full, Epic Epiphone Les Paul Standard ReviewHumbucker Pickups vs Single Coil Which is Best for You?How to find the Best Electric GuitarAboutLatest Posts The Guitar Space team is a crew of dedicated players. Led by Ed Lozano, working musician, teacher, and author for over four decades. Ed is joined by other bonafide classic players, bringing real-life guitar-playing testers, buyers, and writers to the crew. We'll tell you what you really need, what we'd buy & give you real-deal advice from decades of playing. Home Forums The Guitar Epiphone Guitars You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites should upgrade or use an alternative browser. Epi LP,s made in indonesia Thread starter tony2911 Start date Jul 1, 2020 Joined Sep 9, 2019 Messages 13 Reaction score 2 1 Hi Peeps, what do you folks think of the quality of Epi LP,s made in Indonesia Joined Jun 7, 2017 Messages 6 Reaction score 1 2 My only Epi/Indo experience would be with my 2018 Sheraton ll Pro. If the quality of that guitar is any example of what the Indonesian plant is producing, you should be very happy with the LP. Joined Jun 8, 2016 Messages 1,809 Reaction score 2,803 3 Unlike china, Indonesia makes some very nice Guitars. Well that's just a silly thing to say. If you played one from each country side by side, I'd wager a large amount that you wouldn't have the slightest idea which one was made where unless you knew beforehand. Epi has their own dedicated factory in China now and makes some fantastic guitars these days. CNC machines don't know what country they are in. Every factory puts out a lemon every now and then. Have you some of the pieces of shit that have come out of the Gibson Nashville plant the past few years? I have 3 Made in China Epis, 2 Made in Indonesia, and 2 made in Korea. I love all of them. Judge the guitar by the guitar, not by where it was born. Don't say dumb shit. BTW, welcome to Epi-Talk Joined Jan 16, 2015 Messages 7,554 Reaction score 9,281 Location Kraut-Territory 4 Unlike china, Indonesia makes some very nice Guitars. ...... Countries don't make guitars..... companies and their employees make guitars Epiphone has their own two factories in China since ~2003 Samick produces for Epiphone since ~1985 in Korea and for at least two decades in Indonesia. they make 'em as good as they are allowed to do for the $$ if they didn't write 'made in xxx' on the guitar, most of us could not tell where they were made.... It just goes to show that free people being paid a fair wage do a better job than those condemned to labor in a factory prison! you can have a look and a bit of reading about those Epi-factory prisons here.... and Welcome here €piTalk Joined Jul 12, 2016 Messages 3,364 Reaction score 3,902 Location Maryland, USA 5 It just goes to show that free people being paid a fair wage do a better job than those condemned to labor in a factory prison! Yes. Just imagine how productive Ted Bundy's murder victims would have been, had they lived to work and earn a fair wage. Seriously, WTF is up with your avatar? Joined Jan 16, 2015 Messages 7,554 Reaction score 9,281 Location Kraut-Territory 6 China is an aggressive communist country. With a track record of human rights violations as long as the great wall. Don't kid yourself. My point is simply this, NO guitar company goes to China to build their Top line guitars. Not true with other Asian countries. I believe Epiphone went to Japan to build the Elitist Series for a reason. I don't really care about your political view on China And remember it was the US located CEOs who decided to move the production to China The reason Epi moved production to Japan was back then Japan was what China is today - cheaper than US Ever heard of Eastman guitars ? High end made in China Joined Dec 7, 2015 Messages 3,352 Reaction score 4,038 Location Fort Collins, CO 8 Nice to meet the board bullies right off the bat! There are no "board bullies" here but there are those of us who are willing to step out and correct personal opinions stated as unsubstantiated fact as you did. So allow me to add yet another correction. The current Squire CV line are primarily former Vintage Modified models whose specs and appearance have been modified to replace the former MIC Squier CVs. The VM line has always been built in Indonesia and though good instruments in their own right have always been considered a notch down from the MIC CVs. What it all boils down to as Paruwi posted is cost. US mfgs like Fender who contract with Asian mfgs to build guitars and basses for them ask for an instrument they can buy for $$$ and sell for $$$$ to earn a profit at an established price point. For the CV line Fender's retail price limit appeared to be $400 for the majority of those models. When the cost of manufacture in China began to require pricing higher than $400 to retain the same profit margins for Fender and it's distributors and dealers production was moved Indonesia and VM models with slightly altered specs and finishes replaced most of the former MIC models. This is fact. Unlike Fender, Epiphone owns it's own Chinese manufacturing plant so ultimately they have complete control of cost and quality. And unlike Squiers the MIC Epiphones are also inspected here in the US before being shipped to dealers to assure the best QC they can provide. This is also fact. So......I believe what we're trying to say is that your post is based solely on your own opinions which are not based on substantiated facts. And if workers being paid a fair wage in a free society make far better instruments then why has Gibson struggled so much with their own QC issues on models costing many times more than their import cousins? You are certainly entitled to your own opinions but that doesn't make them true based on fact. Joined Dec 7, 2015 Messages 3,352 Reaction score 4,038 Location Fort Collins, CO 9 China is an aggressive communist country. With a track record of human rights violations as long as the great wall. Don't kid yourself. My point is simply this, NO guitar company goes to China to build their Top line guitars. Not true with other Asian countries. I believe Epiphone went to Japan to build the Elitist Series for a reason. The first statement is quite obviously true. The second may be true to an extent but it's not an absolute when you consider that many US companies have top of the line product built in China and I own some of it. In some cases where the traffic will bear because a much higher price can be charged a US company may elect to have an instrument built in Japan but then those models you mention have always been built in Japan. Some high end models from other US companies are also built in Korea and Indonesia by the very same companies who build their budget priced models. So in reality few if any absolutes actually exist. Joined Dec 7, 2015 Messages 3,352 Reaction score 4,038 Location Fort Collins, CO 10 I changed it just for you! I won't want any snowflakes to be offended. Ah ha, me thinks your politcal persuasion is now showing and we try hard to avoid that here. But if you'd like my opinion it seems to me that based on all the whining and wailing I hear from your side the true snowflakes are you and you're melting fast as this summer is showing. So please do depart. Joined May 2, 2019 Messages 82 Reaction score 105 Location CenTex 11 DavidSG, I think posts 7-11 pretty much earned you the responses you received. It's fairly obvious that you are one of those individuals who has a political bone to pick, especially considering the hyper political "snowflake" comment. If you thought that your politics would be welcomed into this guitar forum, you thought wrong. On that note and without further ado Joined May 4, 2020 Messages 123 Reaction score 194 14 The only reason there may be slight quality differences on guitar made in other parts of the world is... the managing bodies CEO's board of directors, upper management, etc, etc decided to only allow those guitars to be built with wood, hardware and electronics that fit their pricing paradigm. They choose from their management seats to limit the quality of guitars on purpose. As far as the OP's question about Indonesia-made guitars... they have been doing high quality wood working in Indonesia for centuries. Long before there was an Orville Gibson, Leo Fender, or Paul Reed Smith. Wood working is part of their culture. Google has plenty of info on the wood working and furniture making industry in Indonesia The geographical location of a guitar shop has zero to do with what quality of guitars are made in a factory within that country or location on the globe. The managing body that owns and operates the factory dictates the quality control and materials used inside the factory. So, if we send folks to Mars, then send them luthiers, and now we say "Martian guitars suck" only because they are maqde on Mars, what sense does that make? It has much more to do with the supply chain and decisions upper management makes that makes the overall end product. Globalization is a big 40 dollar word that means in part somebody knocked down the trade door to places like China and many other third world countries. There is something of value in these countries that appeals to businesses. Profits. The savings is, among other things, because the price of human resources in a third world country is way lower than trying to convince American workers to work for those levels of pay. I don't know exact labor statistics but I get the general idea that... a trained luthier in the USA might make I'm guessing $25-30 dollars an hours, plus demands benefits like health insurance, paid time off and vacations, etc, etc. Labor in America is very high compared to third world countries. So, with the trade door wide open with China, and BILLION people to employ, China becomes a target for saving a BUNCH of money on human resources labor costs. As does the price and cost of labor in many other countries in the world. Which may be why less guitars are Made in Japan now, because Japan's labor price has went up. I'm just gonna throw out a figure, but it is something like this... In the USA you have to pay a skilled craftsman $30 + benefits... I don't know the exact wage savings, but let's say in China or Indonesia people will work for $ an hour. Plus they will work 14 hour days, 7 days a week, never take vacations, and don't get a huge benefits package. In that scenario the company that owns the factory and sells the guitars back in the USA or world wide has way more hours of production per week, and is getting the products for pennies of the cost of labor. I think a more important question is how could a company like Gibson charge a ridiculous amount like $4, for a Les Paul Custom, and allow products to hit the sales floor with even ONE TIME having some kind of quality issue?? A guitar at that price should have been built by the hands of God and angels. It should be perfect... every one in that price range should be perfect. But instead they are simply a man made product and since man is not perfect, neither will the things he makes with his hands be perfect. I have this for an idea... let's take off the gloves and allow Indonesia and any other third world country that makes guitars the same exact quality of wood, hardware and electronics the USA Gibsons are allowed to use. I think the work ethic in these countries is much higher than what we typically see in the US worker. I think their love to HAVE a job drives their job satisfaction level. They live in very poor countries and don't have many of the things we take for granted in the US. As an observer, the typical US resident is full of "entertainment-itis" I call it. Whereas if you had tonsillitis or appendicitis a part of the flesh would need to be cut out to save the body. Americans tend to worry more about what sports team or what level they got in their newest X-Box game more than what type of work they placed over the counter at the factory. Entertainment is something Americans seem to hold more dear than any other aspect of life. What movie to entertain themselves with next, what new phone to buy so they can entertain themselves with a new phone, what big screen TV they can buy so they can watch their favorite entertaining sports team in vivid color. Not everyone, but this is the culture of people making guitars in America. Folks who come in late on Mondays and want to leave early on Fridays. I worked in the production/factory trades for a better part of my life and that is my observation of the typical American worker. Plus its my opinion from my perspective. I didn't work in the auto factories, but I grew up in Michigan and just about every family member I have worked in the auto factories. Places where you can go off in the corner and sleep and can't get fired because the Union UAW will protect you. One of my best friend's husbands would have somebody punch his time card for him at the factory, and be at home all day doing nothing, and getting paid for nothing. Meanwhile the cost of labor at the unionized auto plants has sky-rocketed as has the price of automobiles. Ten times the ridiculous price Gibson charges for a Les Paul Custom. As far as Asian-made guitars I have a bunch of them and I love them all. I have USA-made stuff, too, but I am more in awe of the Asian-made stuff because the price makes it a lot of fun to have several guitars rather than one guitar you're afraid to play because it might get scratched. I'm not really thrilled with the sound of the electronics from the Epiphone brand. But what I am thrilled with is the price I can find them on the used market, then I take that guitar and make it into something I am very proud to have changed. For example... I gave $150 for this Epiphone Les Paul Traditional Pro with an Epiphone hard LP case... It had lots of issues. No pickguard, no strap buttons, the Alnico Classic and Alnico Classic Plus pickups sounded like trebly, ice pick bee poop. One of the knobs was broken, and one of the push/pull pots didn't work. Plus, when engaging the push/pull for coil split on the pickup that did work, the pickups were so much ice picks there was little difference in tone, LOL. So, I drove down there as fast as I could before someone else saw the ad for this guitar for $150 on Craigslist... got a pickguard, installed Dunlop strap buttons, gutted all the electronics toggle, jack, caps, pots, wires as well as the ice pick pickups. Replaced the pups with Dimarzio John Petrucci Dreamcatcher bridge and Rainmaker neck. Wired the new pots 50's style... Now this is one helluva guitar, its dinged up plenty already so I don't fear playing it, and it has IMHO better tone than a $4,700 Les Paul Custom... I call this one "The Holy Trinity" as the pickguard I found at GreasyGroove has the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. Then there is the Epiphone Les Paul Custom I found at the pawn shop for $285. It had rusty crusty strings and was in need of a new home. Brought it home, discovered it needed a new output jack which is why nobody had bought it, soldered that in, now I have another project waiting to happen. Thinking maybe this time Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAFs, we'll see. As if I don't have enough black/ebony guitars, just got this Epiphone Dot from the pawn shop. $200. The strings were corroded and looked like it had been sitting somewhere not played for years. It needed a new home... Thinking either a Seymour Duncan JB bridge/Jazz neck set, or maybe a Seymour Pearly Gates set have Alnico 2 magnets like the Gibson '57 Classics for a lot less money... '57s with 4-conductor wires are $200 EACH on the Gibson page... NOT... But this one, made in Indonesia just takes the cake... a 2011 Epiphone Nighthawk Custom Reissue... spotless and mint as they come, still had the little washer thing on the tone knob... $200... absolutely gorgeous made-in Indonesia quality... 5-way switch and tons of tones, wouldn't change a thing on this one... this one among others has made me an Epiphone convert out of a previously American-only snob... Last edited Jul 11, 2020 15 I'm am leaving this board. It seems piling on and trolling rule here. I have no desire to be part of a board where honest discussion is not tolerated, and "don't say stupid shit, is." Tell Karen we said she should stay home too! Why do people trolls feel the need to announce that they're leaving? At the risk of repeating myself Joined Dec 7, 2015 Messages 3,352 Reaction score 4,038 Location Fort Collins, CO 16 Well said Jam Handy. I'll just add one more thought relative to labor costs. We live in a capitalist free market nation and our basic cost of living is much higher here than it is in many Asian nations where some basic human needs such as health care are not provided by a consortium of for profit corporations selling insurances, drugs, hospitalization, surgeries, etc. which make our basic health care costs outrageous and increasing at a far greater rate than we can easily cope with. To that you can add many other basic human needs being provided completely or via heavily subsidized government intervention and control of availability and cost. Asian nations more like our own also have higher labor costs so much guitar manufacture has often been moved away from those nations to those with lower labor costs like Indonesia or India. But they still build what we pay them to build. Throw in currency valuations as yet another major variable and you have yet another element why US designed guitars are often built in Asia where they can be produced far cheaper and a strong dollar buys more quantity and quality than it can buy here. Like it or not our capitalist world can't compete with theirs in terms of building something like a guitar far cheaper than we can and we will never again "catch up" or compete with this unless we somehow design and build robot guitar builders who don't eat. sleep, or require health care and retirement/pension plan benefits, cars to drive, or houses to live in. This isn't meant to be a political lecture it's simply an "it is what it is" statement of facts. Last edited Jul 13, 2020 Joined Mar 14, 2020 Messages 2 Reaction score 2 17 Well said Jam Handy. I'll just add one more thought relative to labor costs. We live in a capitalist free market nation and our basic cost of living is much higher here than it is in many Asian nations where some basic human needs such as health care are not provided by a consortium of for profit corporations selling insurances, drugs, hospitalization, surgeries, etc. which make our basic health care costs outrageous and increasing at a far greater rate than we can easily cope with. To that you can add many other basic human needs being provided completely or via heavily subsidized government intervention and control of availability and cost. Asian nations more like our own also have higher labor costs so much guitar manufacture has often been moved away from those nations to those with lower labor costs like Indonesia or India. But they still build what we pay them to build. Throw in currency valuations as yet another major variable and you have yet another element why US designed guitars are often built in Asia where they can be produced far cheaper and a strong dollar buys more quantity and quality than it can buy here. Like it or not our capitalist world can't compete with theirs in terms of building something like a guitar far cheaper than we can and we will never again "catch up" or compete with this unless we somehow design and build robot guitar builders who don't eat. sleep, or require health care and retirement/pension plan benefits, cars to drive, or houses to live in. This isn't meant to be a political lecture it's simply an "it is what it is" statement of facts. Very much agree. Just the facts. Home Forums The Guitar Epiphone Guitars

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