The other day I took time out in a guitar shop… Nothing weird there you might think – but actually, there was…
I love my old guitar (can’t play it like) and while it’s travelled the globe with me, it has bad pickups and the neck/frets are wearing out. My guitar is a beastie I’ve often been told does not exist as Epiphone apparently never made a ‘Strat-copy’! Well, they did and it’s called the Epiphone S310, they also made a T310, and I’ll leave you to work out what that baby was. I have a particular problem and that is with picking out or playing a lower string without the noise of the chord just played drowning it.
Everyone I know has directed me toward the Gibson Les Paul and for those of your who know 
– they’re not cheap! They can be anywhere from £1200 to prices in excess of £3000!!
Oddly. There is little difference between the models, so the prices are crazy.
Now, Gibson also make/own Epiphone. Epiphone are apparently made in Qingdao, China and from left over timber stock from Gibson’s Nashville factory. But they’re also made to the same exacting standards.
Any way, I’m in this guitar shop and there is a Gibson Les Paul and the exact same version of guitar with the Epiphone 
name on it. With identical amplifier settings I tried out both guitars extensively.
And you know what I’m gonna say don’t you – there was ZERO noticeable difference in the playability, quality and more importantly the tone!!! I even think the Epiphone was slightly better quality overall than the Gibson!
So, as with all things in life, it all comes down to the prices. £257 vs £2300… After all, I can have 4 guitars for the price of one and there just has to be a good one in there somewhere! lol
I think there maybe a new guitar around here soon!
