How good are the epi elititists?

[Imiss85]

HI all, newbie to this board, but been playing forever (20+ years). I'm looking at maybe buying a new guitar soon, I've heard the epi elitists sound / feel just like a nice gibson les paul, so what's the scoop?
are they as good as a top notch Gibby? I'm thinking about driving to check them out ( I have to drive 75 miles to get to a decent music store). What's the opinion here?

 

[Lex Luthier]

I personally don't think they are as good as a real LP, but they are fairly decent guitars. At that price point there are better options IMO. I would try to find one used if I were jonesing for one.

 

[morgan]

If you can, get out and play a few and compare to the gibsons in that price range. I bet the quality in that price range easily overlaps between the two brands.

 

[yanquii]

I live about 15 min from the Gibson showcase, here is Nashville. Of course, they have about 5 Les Pauls to every 1 elitist, but from what I have seen so far, the elitists hold their own against the standard production Gibsons, and some.

I would put my money on an elitist before a Gibson any day. If you could see the fretwork on the guitars that are in their own freaking showcase, you would feel sick.

It really is ridiculous.

 

[rorschah]

In the "same pricerange", speaking only from having played one epi elitist LP custom for about half an hour in a store -

it was significantly better than the regular epiphones - SIGNIFICANTLY - and distinctly not as good as the high-end 80's Japanese copies I've played, both Burny and Greco. In the same price range - $600-$800 guitars, used.

-thi

 

[rorschah]

Wait, what am I saying? Must not drive up prices of MIJ's on ebay any more! Bad Thi! Letting loose the good secrets!

I mean... uh... Gibson's the only way to go... if it don't say Gibson it ain't worth nothin'... uh.... those dirty Japanese never made... a good guitar... ever.... uh... terrible craftsmanship... uh... sounds like a pickup on a clod of dirt...

Yeah.

-thi

 

[Imiss85]

Thanks for the input so far, keep it coming, if anyone owns or owned both please chime in. I'm also looking at the orvilles, Those are hard to find in the states, but I've heard nice things about them. I'm planning on making the jaunt into the city in the next week or so to see what's out there. Every place I've called so far doesn't carry the elitist so it's even hard to get out to find one.

 

[ABKB]

Dont own an Elitist, but I have owned a couple Epi's over the years (Dot and Special) and the problem has always been the same, necks that I can bend and twist by just looking at em. Got one (in a closet somewhere) that I dont even need a trem with, just push the neck a little bit and down the pitch goes. The pickups and tuners on most of too need swapping out too. Since buying a Paul I have rarely played my 2 Epis. But if the Elitist works for you, go for it.

 

[yanquii]

Originally posted by ABKB
Dont own an Elitist, but I have owned a couple Epi's over the years (Dot and Special) and the problem has always been the same, necks that I can bend and twist by just looking at em. Got one (in a closet somewhere) that I dont even need a trem with, just push the neck a little bit and down the pitch goes. The pickups and tuners on most of too need swapping out too. Since buying a Paul I have rarely played my 2 Epis. But if the Elitist works for you, go for it.

You could say the same for some Gibsons, especially sgs.

 

[ABKB]

Originally posted by yanquii
You could say the same for some Gibsons, especially sgs.

Very true yanquii, very true. It's one of the reasons I have never been a big SG fan.

 

[yanquii]

Originally posted by ABKB
Very true yanquii, very true. It's one of the reasons I have never been a big SG fan.

Yeah man. I was real set on getting a 61 reissue, and then I played one. It was ridiculous how easy it was to make it sharp just by playing too hard.

 

[ABKB]

Originally posted by yanquii
Yeah man. I was real set on getting a 61 reissue, and then I played one. It was ridiculous how easy it was to make it sharp just by playing too hard.

Read an interview with Les Paul once, and (according to him, the story has always been disputed by Les's X wife) when Gibson stopped making the Paul as we know it and started making SG's and calling them Les Pauls for a couple years, he pulled his name off of them for that very reason. Les's X wife says he did it so he didnt have to pay her more alimony lol. The truth is probably both.

 

[yanquii]

Originally posted by ABKB
Read an interview with Les Paul once, and (according to him, the story has always been disputed by Les's X wife) when Gibson stopped making the Paul as we know it and started making SG's and calling them Les Pauls for a couple years, he pulled his name off of them for that very reason. Les's X wife says he did it so he didnt have to pay her more alimony lol. The truth is probably both.

Yeah, I have read that he hated the SG. I thought the SG model was the first guitar that they built for Les as his sig, but he turned it down.

 

[ABKB]

Originally posted by yanquii
Yeah, I have read that he hated the SG. I thought the SG model was the first guitar that they built for Les as his sig, but he turned it down.

Yep, or some sorta this that and the other thing version of that story lol. But we all agree, SG necks (and Epis for me) make great rubber bands, but lousy guitar necks