Futura RD

Epiphone just launched its Futura line of guitars & this made the defunct RD design (still available in Gibson's Custom lineup, though) more accessible for us lay people. The mere outline might not sit well with many of us, it looks like a failed high school design project more than anything else. Despite this peculiarity, mind you, there is a cult following.

The implication of this launch is rather obvious. Epiphone wants a bite in the lower midrange price pie & they need to offer instruments that reflect this price range. 

For the record, the original Futura is actually the name of a model (debut 2001) as depicted above. It looked like a deformed Explorer. The Futura re-surfaced in 2008 as part of the Prophecy collection before disappearing for good.

 Pics: Epiphone

Explore

Is there an Epiphone that I won't hesitate buying in the mean time? Yes - it's the Explorer. This model is perhaps the least reworked in terms of outline & features when it comes to differentiating an Epiphone from a Gibson. The latest generation of Epiphone Explorers under the inspired by collection feature some trustworthy electronics (CTS / Switchcraft) as well so in my opinion, these are value for money.

The Explorer you see above is available at City Music for $999. If you are out & about in KL, be informed that Music Bliss has this on sale for MYR2,299 (SGD734). 

Pic: Sweetwater

Tribute Plus

Finally, Epiphone realized it shouldn't treat the SG as a second class citizen in its Tribute line up. I'm saying this because the previous Tribute lineup (affordable bolt-on models) featured an inaccurate manifestation of an SG - two knobs instead of four. Currently, the newer Tribute lineup, called the Tribute Plus, are not in (yet) at City Music.

Pic: Epiphone

Widow

Epiphone is releasing the LP Custom Widow models but this is an exclusive arrangement with one of the American stores, meaning, it won't make it here. 

When the Gibson version debuted in 2009, there was definitely a cult following. However, Custom Shop model access has a limited outreach even today. The Epiphone version looks cool & might provide a some throwback moments for LP fans. 

Pics: GC

Epiphone Tribute... how much?

As predicted, the Epiphone Les Paul Tribute is now listing at City Music for $459 (Initial mention: CLICK). If you are interested, please be informed of its bolt-on construction hence the very pocket-friendly price. The 2-knob SG version is also available for $429.

Pics: Epiphone

Tribute saviours

As guitar prices head toward absurdity, Epiphone is rescuing itself by reminding others who they once were; the champion of affordable alternatives. The new Tribute Series feature a Les Paul & an SG depicted above, listing for USD279. When these eventually get here, expect a sub-$500 price bracket.

A good move but...

• we know how dot inlays don't sit well with LPs but the Tribute feature just that. Maybe - just maybe - this concern limits itself in the Gibson domain & not its sub-brand counterpart. We shall see.
• why is the SG version not reflecting a true SG - 2 knobs only? Goodness. I see this as a commitment compromise, or just plain laziness.

As it is, things are not in full swing yet at the new Epiphone dealer, City Music. We hope CM brings in the lesser models for those of us who are struggling with our gear budget but would not want to compromise too much on quality & performance.

Pics: Epiphone

Personality highlight (3): Bro Ijau

In this episode of giving due highlight to music-oriented individuals, we traverse the South China Sea to Bintulu, Sarawak (Malaysia). This is Mr. Razali but in the virtual domain, he is Mr. Ijau D. Koceng. He is a guitarist in the band Metuk Ulau Project consisting of close buddies & definite gear geeks. He is one of the rare individuals out there who still documents stuff through a blogging platform. Despite being music-oriented, Mr. Ijau is also a boxing devotee. I admire individuals who keep themselves active in sports in their later years as this contributes very much to self-discipline & staying healthy.

Here's Mr. Ijau's gear picks:

• Charvel So-Cal Style 1 HH. As a green enthusiast, this is his preferred guitar. It's also the one for live performances in view of its inherent colour mojo. Pickups on board are DiMarzio Tone Zone (b) / Evolution (n). By the way, this is the guitar depicted above (left).
• Epiphone 1957 Les Paul gold top. His main axe (depicted above, right) before the arrival of the afore-mentioned Charvel. Lately Mr. Ijau is spending more time with singlecut designs as opposed to S-types.
• Ibanez SR300. The tried & tested formula for lasting throughout live performances; if you are performing standing up, the Ibanez Soundgear bass design is a life-saver.

Mr. Ijau's message to the music-inclined: It's never too late to start learning something new as Mr. Ijau himself kicked off this interest in his late 20s. There's much to learn from the sound production / management aspect of music as well as instrument maintenance / up keep which is essential for performing individuals. Mr. Ijau also benefitted from picking up soldering skills & electronics know-how along the way.

Closing notes - this is Mr. Ijau's latest acquisition, a Grassroots Horizon III which looks gorgeous. Good ol' GAS manifesting itself. 

Pics: Ijau D Koceng FB / blogspot

Price watch (88)

The list price for an Ibanez Mikro bass is $299. We can agree that adding branded replacement pickups & selling it for this price is a difficult proposition considering this amount of money can get us a, new bass.

The RG1527 was in the Prestige line up replacing the RG7620 in the early 2000s. It was a respectable guitar but it was listed for $1.7K +/- so the price you see here reflects the custom paint finish + Fishman pickups. Worth the extra $$$? That's your call.

According to the seller, the cracks there is a factory defect. By the looks of it, since it went round the heel, it might be the result of a fall causing stress cracks on that area. It's gonna be a costly repair...

Tak Epi

You won't know Tak Matsumoto unless you're a big J-Pop fan. Regardless, Epiphone has a signature model (top) for him based on his Gibson version (bottom), Why is this important? That Epiphone headstock duplicating the Gibson counterpart. First time? Gibson did it for Hammett & Bonamassa, among others. Strings here wrap over the hardtail, so no tune-o-matic bridge in sight. Please manage expectations with regards to intonation issues.

Pics: Gibson / Epiphone

 

Iridescent

This is an Epiphone Joe Bonamassa Les Paul. Wait. Let me re-phrase that. This is another one of many Joe Bonamassa Les Pauls. I believe he has more than 10 such models with Epiphone, some are non-Les Pauls. It's a very ordinary Epiphone less the iridescent finish which is a flip flop formula in today's guitar-speak. The exact citation for this model is Joe Bonamassa 1955 Les Paul Standard Copper Iridescent & it lists for USD849. Maybe - just maybe - it will be available here in time to come.

 

Pic: Epiphone

Epi @ CM

City Music has the following Epiphone guitars for pre-order:

• LP Standard '50s: $1,069
• LP Standard '60s: $1,069
• Dave Grohl DG-335: $1,999
• LP Custom: $1,219
• ES-335: $899

We hope to see more Epiphone selections in time to come, especially the more utilitarian models: LP Studio, SG, Designer Series, etc.

 

Pics: Epiphone

Gibson / Epiphone @ SG

This is a major announcement for us gear geeks here - Gibson & Epiphone guitars will return to Singapore & will be distributed by the above-depicted dealers. This should put a stop to the unreasonable Gibson & Epiphone prices in the after-market. I had delayed this announcement in the hope that the Kramer distributor would be made public as well but there were no such revelations to be had prior to this posting. In any case, it's good to have these brands back here because these are the formidable names in guitar-dom that should not be overlooked. 

Viva olympia

Managed to re-string my colleague's Epiphone acoustic a couple of days ago. Strings of choice: Olympia CTA-1152, corrosion resistant version. These are less than $8 & they sound good. OK, maybe they are fresh strings, devoid of grime & tarnish for optimum performance. My colleague gave his thumbs up; darn good value for money. 

Folks, sometimes the lesser brand names have more in store for us, above expectations so to speak. What's preventing us from buying them? Pride & ego. We tend to judge a product by the brand name. No doubt, some brand names have proven their worth over time; Tupperware & Energizer are easy examples. We also tend to follow the popular choice, not wanting to try something less popular for the fear of not getting the money's worth. 

Grohl-piphone

I am both happy & unhappy that this happened.

• Happy: Dave Grohl is indeed a prominent name in guitar-driven music today & this more 'attainable' version is a deserving appointment. I even like that non-reverse Firebird headstock here. 
• Unhappy: It's another costly-phone in the lineup, one that rides on the endorser's reputation like Dave Mustaine, Adam Jones & Joe Bonamassa, among others. It shouldn't be this way; Epiphone is supposed to champion affordability. Hmph.

Pic: Epiphone

Costly-phone

Epiphone has once again collaborated with the Gibson Custom Shop to produce these very enticing Firebirds. This single pickup edition is the 1963 Firebird I.

 The 2-pickups + whammy version is the 1963 Firebird V.

Each purchase includes a hardcase. Prices: Firebird I - USD1,299 / Firebird V - USD1,699.

We don't have an Epiphone dealer here so in a way, there are no real interests in these instruments but just because this is the situation, should the players here mirror the business politics in their purchase considerations? That's a firm NO. People would continue to be enticed by new products regardless of domestic availability. There is this thing called online purchase these days so not having a store distributing the instruments you want is not a real hindrance. However, it makes life a little more difficult for us; waiting time, mishandling of items, defects mitigation, etc. 

Is this Epiphone - Gibson thing good? Is guitardom anticipating this collaboration? My take: Good & bad.

• GOOD: Epiphone will strive to meet the Gibson standard which means we don't get a shoddy Epiphone. Also, we get a close interpretation of a Gibson through the Epiphone name which is fair; there's no compulsion for Epiphone to re-interpret / redesign anything to please the masses. The guitar geeks out there has a full understanding that Epiphone is a subsidiary of the Gibson name so they are commissioned to do Gibson things, to put it bluntly. Fine.
• BAD: Darn obvious - it's driving prices up. If the guitar community endorses this, prices would border on the unattainable. It moves away from the Epiphone philosophy; a subsidiary brand name that caters to newbies / budget-minded individuals. If Epiphone does not champion this cause, then we question its existence / relevance. 

Pics: Epiphone

Unaffordable affordables

We know the big names in the guitar industry has subsidiary brands to capture the market segment with affordability in mind. The ones you see above are some of the well known sub-brands with arguably a strong presence. However, we do realize the instruments manufactured by these brands are becoming downright unaffordable lately. If you are a beginner or a fledging player & hope for something decent with an equally decent price tag, these brands are currently letting you down.

Yes, we are aware of how the EBMM range of instruments exude that boutique sensation & the Sterling sub-brand was conceived to subtract the exquisite price factor from the equation. However a $2.4k model in the range, albeit half of the EBMM version, is telling buyers that the sub-brand version simply cannot shake off the extravagant price tag. 

PRS SEs are also inching slowly, but surely, towards the costly price brackets. Notice how these instruments are being decorated with fancy tops (yes, majority of them are veneer... heck some could even be photo tops) so dear prices could be accounted for accordingly. 

Epiphone - the affordable 'Gibson', remember? It's quickly becoming the stuff of memory; we would one day reminisce its affordability. Trending - Gibson signature models trickling into the Epiphone turf with questionable affordability. Culprits - Hammett, Mustaine, Slash et al. The one you see above: Kirk Hammett's Greeny LP with the open book Gibson headstock outline.

LTDs surpassing the $1.5k mark is a very daunting prospect. We can definitely acquire a used Japanese guitar in this price bracket & be happier. Again, LTD is among the brand names that are slowly opiating the masses into accepting the fact that higher prices are deserving by virtue of looks & endorser affiliations. 

There are other examples & the brand names documented are not exclusive in this discussion. I see players with limited purchasing power reverting to the lesser brand names in search of good instruments that won't petrify their bank accounts; Bacchus, Aria, Grass Roots, Yamaha, Stagg, etc. Back in my time, we had to resort to names like Vester, Vantage, Samick ... it's like going full circle. I see the sub-brands riding on their greater counterparts' reputation & they are not about to stop this deceit any time soon. These so called affordable labels are no longer stand alone considerations when it comes to affordability; no manufacturer today wants to offer bona fide affordable instruments to the masses. It's still about the money.

Pics: ESP / EBMM / Gibson / PRS

Muse - Olympia

Playing guitar on a weekday is a little difficult as I try to overcome the work fatigue. But nothing beats the urge to play, to manifest that tune that's been ringing in the head for the entire day. So this guitar was brought out to fulfil that urge. When I play this Epiphone Muse SG, I know I am playing an instrument with great playability & tone. Yes, those default Epiphone pickups appeal to me more than some Gibson pickups; great PAF character with lots of clarity. More importantly, the sound awesome with loads of drive dialled in.

Today's playing agenda was also about putting a set of Olympia 10s in there. After this round of playing time, I will give these strings their due appraisal.

Paranormal presence

This was the buzz just days ago; an Epiphone bridge being used in a Paranormal Series Squier Strat-O-Sonic. The Squier spokesperson said it was unintentional which is hard to believe. How can you not realize it's an Epiphone part; the name was there & plain to see. There's no ruling out the fact that the factory handling the Squiers are also doing Epiphones & convenience was it. The other possibility - there is a need for a non-F Spaced bridge which is what the Epiphone bridge is. Why non-F Spacing was required? The P90 does not come in an F-Spaced version so a Fender fixed bridge would misalign the strings against the pickup pole pieces.

Pic: Guitar

The other Mustaines

The Epiphone version of Daove Mustaine's V is finally released. Would be a hit with the fanboys, definitely as this costs way lesser than the Gibson counterpart. Good thing - Seymour Duncans are retianed.

If you wish for a sharper set of body horns, then the Kramer version might be your thing. Seymour Duncans also retained here. To me, the Kramer version is unnecessary, Mustaine did it for Gibson, Kramer is virtually riding the hype. Then again, they are all in the same brand family. 

Pics: Epiphone / Kramer

Price watch (50)

More listings in the after-market, year-end clearance most probably. Take a look at the above listings, both are American Strats. Judging by the specs, the red one is an American Special & it's listing for nearly $1.6K. The brown one had the seller correctly identify the guitar & the listing price is more reasonable. 

After reading the listing description, we now understand why the price is a little excessive; it has DiMarzios in there plus an upgraded bridge. I find the sale condition here a little disrespectful, the Texas Specials were default pickups to begin with, the fact that it will only be included if the deal goes through implies that you don't deserve them to begin with. Also, please be mindful of 'upgrade' in your listing descriptions. Names like Gibson & Fender, among others, sell better with original parts in the instruments. Upgrade is subjective; it might be a value-add for you, others see it as devaluing the instrument by removing original parts. It's fair to disclose the brand of the replacement parts, if buyers are in the know, they will readily acknowledge the 'upgrade'. In any case, we should NOT compel others that some stuff are upgrades. In any case, between these two, the brown American Special is a more worthy consideration.

Moving on, can you get a value-for-money American Fender with $1.5K in hand? Definitely. This American Pro with Shawbuckers is really a good deal.

Ditto this American Standard.

This is the way not to get your stuff sold. 1) List it with fuzzy photos & not letting others see the brand name on the headstock.

2) Associate it with a more iconic guitar despite the fact that the instrument has zero resemblance with the actual thing that it's supposed to emulate.  3) Lastly, over-price it to give a semblance of value when in reality, it's a novelty item with a you-should-know-better value. 

This episode's recommended item - Epiphone SG Modern (FYI, it's the new headstock design). Do keep a lookout for the newer Epiphone models as these are relatively new in the market so the chances of you buying a used, worn, neglected instrument is rather slim. Unless it's trashed for some reason.