Once upon a time, you bought an Epiphone guitar simply because you couldn’t afford a Gibson. That’s fact. As of 2022 however, a revamp of the Epiphone lineup means that these affordable heroes can no longer be dismissed as the poor cousins of “the real thing” and the Gibson vs Epiphone debate got a little more interesting. Vintage spec, pimped pickups and eyeball-seducing aesthetics mean that even the most modest budget can bag a guitar with serious tone, feel, and curb appeal.
It’s all good news over at parent company Gibson USA too. After bouncing back following a period of uncertainty and poor management, the brand is putting out some of its best ever instruments. The message? No matter how much you have to splash out, there’s a Gibson or Epiphone with your name on it. Let’s help you find out which one that is…
THE HISTORY
These days we regard Epiphone electric guitars as the entry point into the Gibson catalogue. What you might not know is that Epiphone and Gibson were once arch-rivals. Actually, make that ‘archtop’ rivals. In the ‘30s, ‘40s and ‘50s, both brands produced big hollowbody archtop guitars for the numerous jazz players of the era. That rivalry came to an end in 1957 when Gibson purchased Epiphone.
In the late ‘50s, and throughout the ‘60s, Gibson produced a series of Epiphone-branded electrics that are now considered some of the greatest guitars of all time. Model names like Casino, Riviera, Coronet, Wilshire and Crestwood
