Epiphone, Les Paul, Gibson

[fishfingers]

Hi guys, being new to guitar, ive just been researching the above. Sorry to sound abit thick, but whats the difference between Epiphone, Les Paul and Gibson. Are they differenct shapes of guitar of brands? I know what an epiphone and les paul look like so maybe they are types of guitars and Gibson is a Brand? Cheers

[i-watermelon john]

Not sure if this is true where you live, but here all Epiphones that are sold at most stores are made in China. I've owned a Gibson Les Paul and played the Les Paul Chinese made Epiphones, basically you are paying about 75% for the name only and the guitars that I have played cost about 550 bucks. My feelings were they were worth $125. Most Les Pauls copies made in china cost about 12 to 34 dollars to make. Of course, you have to buy these in lots of 100 , but here you can easily buy your strats, teles , Les Paul copies for under $150, most go for around 75 bucks to 120 bucks in the kids music magazines (song magazines).

[jamesd74]

I read somewhere that Epiphones are made in the same factory in china as Ibanez. Also that Epiphone started out coping Les Paul, but Les Paul licensed them to try to make money, rather then going through a lengthy court battle oversees which they would probably lose. And i have read the same about Squire in regards to Fender.

The US would never win a copy right case in china.

[i-watermelon john]

I haven't seen it yet, but I wonder if the "Gibson" name made in China will soon be on the market

I had/have a picture of the Gibson plant in Shanghai that makes acoustics, but it show'd the boxes only with "made in China" so I still don't know if the Gibson name is still on the guitar



anyone know

[Redno5]

Not sure if this counts but I was told that Fender Squire and Farida gits (which felt like a nice) are made in the same factory!!