What is EPIPHONE Inspired by Gibson Custom?
Have you seen the new Epiphone models recently? The ones that look exquisite, and even sometimes feature the famous Gibson ‘open book’ headstock?
Maybe you’ve come across the term ‘Inspired by Gibson Custom’, and are wondering what the deal is? Today, I’ll briefly explain it, and show you some wonderful examples from this new range. Why not take 5 and check these guitars out with me?
Contents
What is Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom?
Selected Epiphone Inspired By Gibson Custom Guitars
Epiphone Guitars
Epiphone are a brand with a rich heritage that spans back around 150 years. Their initial heyday was in the jazz age of the 1920s, where they provided Gibson with their biggest rival. In the end, Gibson bought the brand, and the Epiphone you know today mainly creates official replicas of Gibson models. Some original Epiphone designs remain (the Wilshire and the Casino are obvious examples), but their main success lies in creating good quality, affordable Les Pauls, SGs and 335s that are built in China.
Gibson Custom
Gibson Custom is a special section of the Gibson premises in Nashville that is dedicated to building the highest possible quality Gibson guitars. These have more time and more sweat put into them than standard Gibson instruments, which are already hand-made to a high degree.
Gibson Custom guitars often focus on celebrated historical Gibson guitars, with an obvious example being the 1959 Les Paul ‘Sunburst’ Standard. Gibson Custom create special processes for the finishing, they hand wind specific pickups and they even create the plastic parts such as pickup surrounds from scratch! It’s all based on direct reference to vintage Gibsons, and the goal is to provide as accurate a replica as is possible. You pay for exclusive, and you get exclusive!
What is Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom?
So, what then is this new line of Epiphone guitars? How do they come to bear this ‘Inspired by Gibson’ tag?
You know what? Before I even get there, I should add that there’s also an ‘Inspired by Gibson’ subtitle to some Epiphones too! It’s a little confusing, to be honest, so let me help out…
- Inspired By Gibson: affordable Epiphone models that are closer to Gibson designs than before. A great example of this is the Epiphone Inspired By Gibson ES-335. This guitar replaced the popular Epiphone Dot, but was an upgrade at the same time: a nicer feel, more binding, and a look that was closer to the inspiration.
- Inspired by Gibson Custom: these ones get much closer to the original GIbson blueprints, featuring higher specs, an upgrade in build quality & parts, and more vintage-correct aesthetics. These are indeed a collaborative effort between the team at Gibson Custom and the Epiphone designers. They are Epiphone’s top-price brand (excluding American-made Epiphones) and are extremely impressive instruments, with lots of effort made towards vintage authenticity.
So, that’s the difference. These are Epiphone guitars whose design has been put together in collaboration with not only Gibson’s Custom builders but also vintage guitar blueprints. They’ll routinely include top-grade pots and capacitors within the electronics, and many models contain Gibson USA pickups. Control knobs will be historically accurate, and finishes - though still polyester rather than nitrocellulose - are noticeably different. I personally see it most in the red colours: have a look at, say, the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1959 ES-355 (try saying that three times fast) to the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson ES-335 and you’ll see exactly what I mean. Both look very nice, but there’s a difference even there.
That’s just a small visual example. The real difference is in the playing, because then you’ll acknowledge the excellent vintage neck carves (remember, based on Gibson Custom stuff and real vintage blueprints) and upmarket pickups.
Selected Epiphone Inspired By Gibson Custom Guitars
To round things off, I’ll briefly show you a couple of my own favourite guitars from this collection. I’ve had hands-on experience with the following instruments, and left impressed each time. I’m a fussy guy, so they had to be good!
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom Les Paul Custom
I love a good Les Paul custom, and this Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom Les Paul Custom (they really need to think up easier names!) is a fine example. It’s the correct thickness, it has the open book headstock (larger size too, as a Custom should have) and it generally gives off a very good first impression. The real reason I love this guitar is because it’s a cracking thing to play, and has a beefy sound that immediately sends the correct ‘Les Paul Custom signals’ to my brain. At three times less money than the new 70s USA LP Custom reissue (which is MEGA), this displays considerable bang for buck.
The only problem? Which colour! Ebony or Alpine White?
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1959 ES-355
I mentioned this one earlier in the colour comparison. I find the ES-355 to be a very ‘charismatic’ guitar, if I’m allowed to apply personification here. They have a very nice swagger about them, and are, to my eyes at least, considerably beautiful. This particular model is the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1959 ES-355, and in a very cool move, you can have it in Cherry Red (see above) or Classic White.
Now, Epiphone do make a lovely Inspired by Gibson 1962 ES-335, but I’m definitely of the persuasion that the extra hundred quid required to get all of the binding, fancy headstock and ebony fingerboard of this one is worth it. That special ‘scooped resonance’ that great Gibson semis have is absolutely here, and the 50s-era neck carve is an immediate favourite.
Great Guitars at Great Prices
So, these are lovely guitars, built with a degree of care and attention. In the end, it comes down to a simple decision of whether it matters to you that the (correctly shaped) headstock says ‘Gibson’ on it or not. I totally get it. We’re buying dreams here! But the fact is, these are objectively excellent, and are being taken onto the world’s stages by an increasing number of top players.
At the end of the day, a great guitar is a great guitar.
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