Epi in

It's a brand new week & we begin with the news that the initial batch if Epiphone 2020 models are in.  I'm just gonna do some price comparisons here to get your considerations going.

It is also a reminder that there is now an Epiphone version of the current Gibson range. I have no idea if this is status quo with immediate effect but this is the current commercial strategy till further notice.

There are many more models on offer, I'm sure you are enterprising enough to check them out but I just wanna highlight the LP Studio for this episode. Note that no LP Studios are offered below $2K now. This price here is the latest from the Curleigh management & it pretty much reflects where things are going in terms of prices. Yes, this is lesser than the final Juszkiewicz batch but it's still above the $2K mark. Why is this such a big deal? The LP Studio is the most affordable LP in the family. It's devoid of cosmetic extras yet performing on par with its more exorbitant siblings (no binding, no AAA maple flame top). Based on this consideration, the Studio should not be a deal-breaker for many of us in terms of price but it is definitely not the case as we know it. The Gibson camp is trying to say that their most affordable LP is still worth that much despite being stripped down. More importantly, they will tell you that the real affordable deal is the Tribute range, not the Studio. With the Epiphone 2020 range, we can now re-consider our options with regards to price but an Epi will never go into Gibson territory in terms of material treatment; sounding good & playing well are bonus manifestations.

So folks, for about a quarter of what you would fork out for a Gibson, you now have the Epiphone version to consider & it's worth the trouble keeping in mind that the Epis are now reflecting the Gibsons very closely. You get upgraded pickups, nut & pots for that asking price & selected models are featuring ebony fretboard as well. Things are looking good here but not for the models sporting the older, clipped dove wings design; these are destined for a clear-out in terms of desirability but we know they are not second fiddle in terms of performance & tone. 

So there you have it, hope it'll be a good start for many of us this week & one more time - stay vigilant, stay virus-free. Take care. 😊