Latest news with #Epiphone
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Meet Mei Semones, the Berklee graduate reimagining New Orleans vibes with an intricate indie flair
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. 'Have you seen Back to the Future?' asks Mei Semones, back in her Brooklyn apartment after a recent sold-out Camden Assembly show. 'That scene where Michael J. Fox is playing the Chuck Berry song? That made me want to play guitar.' Two decades ago, when she was four years old, the thoughtful and intricate indie musician who's rooted in the jazz era began playing an upright given by her grandmother in Yokosuka, Japan. But as Semones reached double digits, she became conscious of a conflict with the instrument. 'I was like, 'I'm not enjoying this,'' she says. 'Guitar felt more like an instrument I could use to play the music that I was listening to.' Her dad – also a musician – gave her a classical nylon acoustic when she was 10. Her parents sent her to Suzuki guitar lessons, but the fit still wasn't right. 'I was learning Mary Had A Little Lamb, which was not what I was looking to do!' When she switched to electric, the pieces began to fall into place. 'I got a new guitar teacher and started open chords and pentatonic scales. 'They were like, 'You should learn this Led Zeppelin song and this Beatles song.'' Presumably not Stairway To Heaven? 'I did learn Stairway to Heaven!' Even the solo? 'When I was probably 12 or 13!' Noting her enthusiasm, Semones' Dad once again stepped in. 'He bought me an Epiphone Les Paul. Whenever I pick it up, I'm like, 'It's so crazy I played this – it's so heavy!'' Growing up in Michigan, she studied music theory at high school ('If I can play guitar at school, why wouldn't I?') before studying jazz guitar at Berklee. That's where her appreciation for the New Orleans-sourced sound grew. 'My teacher showed me Miles Davis' So What? solo, then I was introduced to modes and more theory.' After releasing her EP Kabutomushi last year (with rave reviews from Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist Flea), Semones has now launched debut album Animaru. The record champions theoretical nous but also nods to grungier tones – and such '90s-era noisemakers is where she found her autonomy. 'Nirvana and the Smashing Pumpkins were the first bands that were to my taste. I loved the emotion and rawness. It was like, 'Oh, this is real music!'' The most important thing is that you sound like yourself Animaru flirts with some of that ferocity in the Tubescreamer-fuelled Tora Moyo – a love letter to her cherry mahogany PRS. 'It's extremely comfortable, fitting my body and my hand really well,' she says of the instrument. 'My dad and I went to Sweetwater's Indiana headquarters. I spent eight hours playing guitar. Everything was intriguing, but I had no preconception of a brand that I wanted. 'I wasn't familiar with PRS. If anything, I was like, 'Oh, the birds are too flashy!' But the moment I played one I was like, 'Whoa, I can play faster now!' It's light and semi-hollow too.' Semones' intricate arrangements inform more tender numbers like the bossanova-led Dumb Feeling and recent single I Can Do What I Want, performed on a pristine Guild with delicate pinch-harmonics – a technique she says is all in the light touch and little adjustments: 'Sometimes moving even half a millimeter will make it ring out much better.' While Animaru might sound like a wild ride through genres, its creator argues that making music, like buying guitars, is all about what feels natural. 'The most important thing is that you sound like yourself – from having a thread through the album to not interfering with the natural tone of my guitar.' In the early 1960s, Dukes of Dixieland's Jim Hall shook up the trad band format by replacing piano with guitar in the rhythm section. More than half a century on, Mei Semones is innovating again and adding a Gen Z flair. 'I still feel weird being like, 'I'm a jazz guitarist,' because in the grand scheme of things, I'm at step one,' she admits. 'I've not even scratched the surface of what it means to be a great guitarist.' Animaru is out now via Bayonet Records.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
In praise of the Riviera, Epiphone's semi-hollow superstar
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Future/Phil Barker Epaminondos 'Epi' Stathopoulos – a well‑educated, worldly and dapper young man who went by the nickname of 'The Duke' – was 22 years old when his father, Anastasios, died in 1915 and he took charge of the family's musical instrument business, renaming it The House of Stathopoulo. Soon, the US's early 20th century craze for mandolins would morph into a new passion for jazz. The business's early focus was banjos, where it quickly came to rival established makers such as Bacon & Day, Lange/Paramount, and Vega-Fairbanks, becoming the Epiphone Banjo Company in 1928. However, by then Epi had already seen the future and that same year he launched his first range of acoustic guitars, as Jimmie Rodgers, The Carter Family, and New York's Nick Lucas spearheaded a new age of music. While these instruments were too small to compete with jazz-band horn sections, Epiphone persisted, surviving the stock market crash of October 1929 (Gibson resorted to making wooden children's toys to keep afloat) and establishing itself during the 1930s as the pre-eminent maker of professional-quality guitars. This was the era of big guitars: size was an important competitive feature as unamplified archtops had to pump out sound. In 1936, Gibson introduced its first electrified instrument, the ES-150, and Epiphone followed quickly. Les Paul's original prototype solidbody, 'The Log' – rejected for years by Gibson – actually started life at the Epiphone factory back in 1939, being built from a 4x4 plank with its sides taken from an Epiphone body. Credit: Future/Phil Barker In the summer 1943, Epi died at the age of 49, and the inheritance of the company by his brothers Orphie and Frixo heralded change. A decade later, Epiphone had moved production to Philadelphia to avoid New York's powerful labor unions. Product quality remained, but tastes were a-changin' again – and Gibson and upstart Fender were there to clean up as the age of the electric guitar really took off. Come 1957, Orphie was looking to sell and found a buyer in Gibson's owner, CMI, who paid $20,000, largely for its upright basses. By mid-'57, however, it became clear that Gibson would be acquiring more than just the basses – the deal was, in fact, for the whole company, including parts to manufacture Epiphone guitars. Credit: Future/Phil Barker By the July 1958 NAMM Show in Chicago, Gibson was ready to debut the revived Epiphone brand. These guitars were manufactured alongside its own in Kalamazoo, Michigan – fabricated in the same building but assembled a few blocks away. This was another peak period of innovation in guitar-making and, as vintage prices attest, signalled the height of Gibson's powers. The story goes that Gibson president Ted McCarty assigned a crack team of staff under Ward Arbanas to ensure successful integration and output. It made good business sense; with another line to sell, Gibson could increase its coverage without upsetting exclusive territorial dealer arrangements. So the Epiphone range was made and numbered alongside Gibson's. Most Gibsons eventually gained a corresponding Epiphone model; they were similar but not identical, and were emphatically not cheaper alternatives. Several had higher specs and prices than their Gibson siblings. Take Epiphone's top-end Emperor, for example, which listed as $400 in Epiphone's 1936 catalogue – a translation to $9k today. Welcoming The Riviera Credit: Future/Phil Barker Epiphone's Riviera model E360TD (pictured opposite) launched in 1962 as the counterpart to Gibson's ES-335T, which had debuted in 1958 and overcame early design flaws to find its stride by '59, becoming a classic and, of course, remaining in production today. The 335 had Gibson's full-size humbuckers, which designer Seth Lover reportedly considered too large. In contrast, the Riviera carries the mini-humbuckers that he had already designed to replace Epiphone's earlier 'New York' pickups. Their narrower magnetic field yielded a brighter tone that proved popular with Chicago's bluesmen (Fender's cutting single-coil pickup guitars were in vogue by then). Of Chicago's 'big three' at the time, two – Magic Sam and Otis Rush – played Rivieras. So, later, did Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robbie Robertson, and Robben Ford. Credit: Future/Phil Barker Like Gibson's humbuckers, early minis have 'Patent Applied For' labels until 1963, then 'Patent Number' examples that are similarly sought after. (The design got another lease of life on the Les Paul Deluxe models introduced at the close of the 60s, which, too, remain popular today). The Riviera also had a trapeze tailpiece years before Gibson adopted it on (and then dropped it from) the 335. But an Epiphone part, a 'Frequensator' with different length trapezes for top and bottom strings, purportedly enhanced the guitar's range by boosting lows and highs… a claim that many players would not substantiate! Epiphone had never produced thin bodies, so all of its bodies are effectively Gibson. But its first thinline, 1958's Sheraton (an analogue to Gibson's ES-355), had leftover longer-scale Epi necks, influencing feel and tone. The Riviera models actually more closely resemble the 335, both featuring a 24 ¾-inch scale, one-piece mahogany neck, with 22-fret rosewood fretboards. In addition, the Rivieras and 335s have a maple center block that runs the length of the 16-inch-wide body, anchoring pickups and bridge, and leaves resonant spaces either side. But whether Epiphone leftovers or Gibson-made, Epis always had their own headstock shapes. And apart from rare early crossover dot-neck examples (mentioned in this author's piece on Gibson ES-330s in issue 515), they had their own neck inlays, too. Earlier Riviera models had rectangular ovals, which soon became the single parallelograms that were popularised on Epi's Casino model. Many Epis and Gibsons share hardware – bridges, saddles (nylon or steel), tuners, control knobs, and strap buttons – but pickguards and truss rod covers typically carried Epiphone's epsilon logo. The inherited metal-plate 'bikini' headstock logo was succeeded by a Gibson-style pearloid inlay by late '61. Epi finishes were similar but not identical. The '64 Riviera pictured here is a rare three-color sunburst (though with a narrower dark edge than Gibson's) and a dark-stained back. The standard finish was Royal Tan, a lighter yellow to brownish red, also called standard on Casinos with a paler tan back like this '66 E360TD-12. An optional Cherry finish was soon offered, too; it was often slightly deeper and matured to a beautiful dusky raspberry. Walnut came much later, and only one blonde example from '66 is known. Might other colors of the day such as Argentine Gray, Silver Fox, or Pelham Blue also conceivably exist? Sunburst models had gold Gibson reflector knobs, while Royal Tan examples sported black units. Epiphone cases mirror Gibson's, too, though they're grey with blue interiors and purple ribbon covering the hinges. As time passed, colors and specs (apart from pickups, pickguards, and headstocks) converged with Gibson's. Through '65, necks were getting narrower in the misguided belief that it aided faster playing and easier chording. By the mid-60s, most of the major manufacturers were acknowledging the trend towards a folkier influence that preceded the summer of love's psychedelic boom, and 12-string guitars were now everywhere, including electrics following The Byrds' success. Sadly, Gibsons with 41mm nut widths were almost unplayable unless you had fingers like chopsticks. Credit: Future/Phil Barker It's worth noting that while vintage ES-335s command strong prices (albeit diminishing across the 60s as features changed for the worse), the 12-string ES-335-12 was never popular. It's often found either in ES completists' collections or converted to six strings, which are at least somewhat playable. The craftspeople on the Epiphone benches seemed to resist this unfortunate trend, however, and mid-60s Riviera 12s with wider, more playable necks such as this Royal Tan example above can be found; its original case is extended to accommodate the longer headstock. The mini-humbuckers here also respond better to the complex overtones of the paired strings. Many 12s sound great with both pickups engaged, and Rivieras are no exception. Okay, Tune-O-Matic bridges weren't designed for 12-strings, but hardly any (except, characteristically, Fender's) had adjustable intonation per string. By the late 60s, Epiphone sales had dwindled. Then-owners CMI discontinued production in 1969 and in 1970 put the name on imported Japanese Matsumoto-made budget acoustics and electrics. Still manufactured in Eastern Asia but to higher standards, the current crop is very good indeed as you'll have seen in recent reviews in these page Many collectors and Epi enthusiasts were not impressed with instruments from this era, citing cheap woods and laminates as well as bolt-on necks as areas of concern. The 12-string dreadnought acoustic, however, was an exception – one of the most playable 12-strings ever until Taylor came along years later with acoustic guitars for electric players' hands. Production moved to Korea and Taiwan in the early 80s, and in '86 Gibson's new owner – led by Henry Juszkiewicz et al – repositioned Epiphone as its affordable, mid-priced line. Still manufactured in Eastern Asia but to higher standards, the current crop is very good indeed as you'll have seen in recent reviews in these pages. While some consider them less attractive, vintage Epiphones do hold their own against their Gibson equivalents. With the exception of the Casino model (counterpart to Gibson's fully hollow ES-330 thinline made famous by The Beatles), Epiphones trade for less than Gibsons. The rising tide has lifted all boats, but there are some good deals to be had.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Epiphone expands its high-end Inspired by Gibson Custom Collection
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Epiphone has expanded its Inspired by Gibson Custom Collection, adding all-new models, fresh finishes and choice upgrades to its lineup of premium, Gibson-inspired electric guitars, which promise to deliver 'vintage looks and performance at an accessible price'. First given its extensive overhaul almost a year ago to the day, the modern-era Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom Collection was seen as one of the firm's most notable releases of recent years – and for good reason. With prices for regular Epis on the rise and the boundary between high-end Epiphones and entry level Gibsons blurring, the Inspired by Gibson Custom range sought to make the divide even smaller, bringing a bevy of Gibson-approved appointments to an impressively-spec'd lineup of SGs, Les Pauls, ES models and more, that was dubbed 'more authentic than ever'. Chief among these was the open book headstock – a key feature of the Gibson aesthetic that, after making its way onto a select number of Epiphone artist models (Kirk Hammett's Greeny leading the way), was rolled out for a standard run production line for the first time. Image 1 of 3 Image 2 of 3 Image 3 of 3 The flagship drop comprised a 1959 Les Paul Standard, 1959 ES-355 , Les Paul Custom, and 1963 Les Paul SG Custom. Now, Epiphone has added some more workhorse builds to the mix, unveiling a 1962 ES-335 reissue, 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut, 1964 SG Standard with Maestro Vibrola, and a 1963 Firebird V and Firebird I. There are also three new Les Pauls: the 1957 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue, 1960 Les Paul Standard, and another 1959 Les Paul Standard, which now arrives with an improved rosewood (rather than laurel) fingerboard. Of the new drop, Epiphone's Product Manager Aljon Go says, 'Each iconic guitar is a tribute to Epiphone's rich history and dedication to quality. Our 'Inspired by Gibson' collection is all about bringing high-quality guitars based on classic Gibson designs, but at a price that won't break the bank. Image 1 of 3 Image 2 of 3 Image 3 of 3 'For those looking for something truly special, our newest 'Inspired by Gibson Custom' range offers premium models crafted in collaboration with the Gibson Custom Shop. These guitars are part of our ongoing mission to make the exceptional craftsmanship and elevated appointments of the Custom Shop more accessible to players and fans everywhere.' To hit that brief, Epiphone has elected to reissue some of the most influential Gibson models there are. The 1959 Les Paul – a recreation of the Holy Grail LP – needs no introduction, nor does the 1957 Goldtop, which first cemented the Les Paul blueprint. Then there is the none-more-Angus Young '64 SG (the added Maestro Vibrola is a nice touch), as well as the ES-335, which is available in Sixties Cherry and Vintage Burst. Image 1 of 2 Image 2 of 2 Owing to the 'Inspired by Gibson Custom' lineage, there are a number of specs that set these out from the rest of the Epi crowd. Across the board, there are rosewood fingerboards, Gibson USA pickups, one-piece necks, vintage gloss finishes, either 60s SlimTaper or chunkier 50s rounded neck profiles and, of course, that open book headstock, which is what really sells the line. How successful have these tweaks been? Well, Guitar World's Daryl Robertson recently got hands-on with the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1957 Les Paul Goldtop – and noted it was one of the best Les Pauls he'd ever played. Image 1 of 3 Image 2 of 3 Image 3 of 3 'I must've played hundreds of Les Pauls, and I can safely say this is up there with the best sounding of them,' he notes. 'It even gives my own Gibson Les Paul Standard a run for its money.' As was the case with the first launch last year, it goes without saying that these are arguably the best-looking and (unsurprisingly) the most Gibson-looking Epiphones you'll be able to get your hands on, but that comes at a cost: on average, prices sit at $1,299, with the LP Special weighing in at $999 and the Firebird V sitting at $1,699. Head over to Epiphone to find out more.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bring Me the Horizon's Lee Malia is no stranger to signature offsets – but he wasn't too fond of his first
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. This week, Bring Me The Horizon's Lee Malia and Jackson unveiled the LM-87 – a gorgeous, Surfcaster-inspired electric guitar that continued to champion the rising popularity of offset instruments in the metal world. The highly anticipated six-string has been a long time coming – it was first teased in a rig breakdown from Jackson a year ago – but those familiar with Malia's work will be aware that, although this is his first signature Jackson guitar, it is not his first signature guitar outright – nor is it his first signature offset. Rather, Malia previously partnered with Epiphone back in 2014 for a fully fledged signature line that was rolled out over a few years, comprising a Les Paul Artisan, Explorer Custom Artisan, and, most intriguingly, an RD Custom Artisan. However, Malia's memories of the quirky Gibson design aren't especially warm, as he reveals in a new interview with Guitar World. 'After I made the RD with Epiphone I found it wasn't actually that comfortable to play live, and I didn't know until I toured it,' he says. 'They didn't sit right.' Malia's comments come off the back of discussing the rising prevalence of offset guitars permeating across the heavy and metal worlds, which, he says, probably has something to do with their practicality and playability in comparison to conventional models. 'I find them really comfortable to play,' he says of offsets and his signature Surfcaster in particular. 'With this, the cut for the arm and everything, it just works straight away.' Malia's Surfcaster is deliberately lighter than most other guitars he plays, too – a design aspect that was drilled down during the development phase. 'It's lighter than the first prototypes,' Malia explains. 'Now we're headlining festivals, we're often playing for nearly two hours so lighter guitars are so relieving. 'I used to have this thing about, when I had guitars, I'd weigh them and I'd use the heaviest one, because, for some reason, I thought I played better because it felt heavier; like I could lay into it more or whatever. As I've got a bit older and my back's got worse, the lighter guitars are definitely better.' Guitar World's full interview with Lee Malia will be available soon. Head over to Jackson to find out more about the LM-87. Metal offsets are becoming more and more common, having been championed by the likes of Misha Mansoor, Alex Wade and Mike Stringer. The RD, meanwhile, has recently been reissued by Gibson.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Epiphone brings one of Gibson's most desirable one-off finishes to the masses with the Widow Les Paul
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Guitar Center has announced its latest store-exclusive electric guitar – an Epiphone Les Paul Custom Widow, which resurrects one of Gibson's most sought-after limited-edition designs in a more affordable format. Notably, it also brings back Gibson's rare breed purple burst colorway, which got a limited-run release last year. Now the guitar store has brought it back – and given it some eye-popping color-matched binding – to a more affordable price point of $799 for a build it's calling 'a bold reinterpretation of a classic design'. The mid-priced guitar, part of Epiphone's Inspired by Gibson range, marries 'premium craftsmanship and striking aesthetics', with a mahogany body bestowed with a flame maple top. Mahogany has also been chosen for its modern medium C-profile neck, while ebony is used for its 22-fret fingerboard, which is completed with Pearloid block inlays. Its Probucker Custom humbuckers have been modeled after Gibson Custom's well-loved pickups, with quintessential Les Paul versatility unlocked with its quartet of controls – a Volume and Tone for each 'bucker – and a three-way selector. Expect 'smooth, creamy tones' from the neck pickup, and 'tight, focused clarity' from the bridge, which has been crafted with guitar solos in mind for 'warm lows and sparkling highs' across its tonal spectrum. The instrument's seven-ply binding has been color-matched for a sleek look. Chrome hardware, including a LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge with a Stop Bar tailpiece and Grover Rotomatic tuners, punctuate its styling. 'Initially released as a limited-edition Les Paul Custom Black Widow in 2009, Gibson soon realized the sleek and striking colored binding and headstock was turning lots of heads,' says Guitar Center. 'More colors were introduced, and the original run of Gibson Les Paul Widows now bring hefty, collector-level prices on the used market. 'The Epiphone Les Paul Custom Widow limited-edition electric guitar offers a distinctive look and high-end features suited for players who demand both style and performance. From its flame maple top to its Probucker pickups and color-matched binding, this guitar delivers a premium playing experience.' The guitar, priced at $799, is available exclusively from Guitar Center stores and online and is ready to help players unlock a purple patch in their playing. Head to Guitar Center for more. The release comes shortly after the dealer announced an exclusive Gretsch Streamliner with standout 'cat-eye' f-holes. In related Guitar Center news, CEO Gabe Dalporto recently discussed how the retailer can beat Amazon and other digital competition as the threat of online retailers looms over the guitar market. Meanwhile, Guitar World readers have had their say on how the dealer can improve its store.
