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How time flies. back in 2003, I reviewed the Gibson Custom Shop’s Johnny A Signature model, and it was a beauty.
How time flies. back in 2003, I reviewed the Gibson Custom Shop’s Johnny A Signature model, and it was a beauty. The Custom Shop was also nice enough to leave the guitar with us for years before requesting its return, so I had countless opportunities to noodle around on it while editing Guitar Player articles, and it was a real pleasure to play every time I picked it up. But it should have been an awesome guitar, because, quite frankly, it was made by the equivalent of a fine-art studio, and a recent check at sweetwater.com[1] had its street price at $5,669 (a “$630 price drop!” said the banner). Now, Johnny A’s prize has made it over to the Epiphone team, and I bet you’re wondering how a $5k+ instrument translates to a $999 revamp?
As it turns out—quite nicely.
With no disrespect to the fabulous luthiers at the Gibson Custom Shop, the Epiphone models we’ve reviewed the past few years have been, for the most part, beautifully rendered. With excellent craftsmanship, fantastic playability, and impressive tones, these Epiphones have proven they could hang tough with guitars costing a lot more. In the case of the “Benign Battle of the Johnny As,” here are a few quick hits for those too impatient (or too eager) to mess about:
• Cosmetics: The Gibson had a slightly snug nut slot and a paint smudge or two. The Epiphone betrays no cosmetic or hardware issues. I’m sure the Gibson had luxury-level woods and finishing that the Epi—owing to price point considerations—does not, but the Epiphone looks pretty lush, as well, and, from a stage