What is the difference between these 2 guitars?

[fireglo67]

Not much actually, apart from about £2000!

One, as you know is a Gibson 335, which will cost you about £2500 here in the UK.
The other is made by a local luthier who sells them for £140!

The only modification that it probably needs is a better quality bridge, which he is happy to source and install.
The electronics are fine, similar in quality to the Kent Armstrongs, and in terms of tone, I couldn't tell the difference between the Gibson and this.
The body is constructed the same way as a Gibson with 3 layers of veneer.

He meticulously checks every guitar he sells, making sure that every fret is perfect and that the guitar plays like an absolute dream.

These guitars stomp all over Epiphones with big boots on, and they're so close to to Gibsons that I see no reason to pay the extra £2000+ for the badge.

Thoughts?

[antipodean]

Umm... would 140 quid cover the cost of the parts, let alone labour? That's an amazing price, even if it played and sounded like a Chinese Epi!

EDIT: I'm not trying to write down Chinese Epis - just using them as an example of an instrument with similar features at an entry-level pricing point.

[admin]

Notwithstanding the quality and tone as described, I cannot imagine the luthier's business model outside of "independently wealthy" or "retired." I quite agree that the cost is in the materials. There aren't many guitar makers who can donate their labour. Upgrading the electronics and machine heads alone would likely increase the price of the guitar by half as much again.

[scotty]

PM me with the link Robby!

[electrofaro]

The other is made by a local luthier who sells them for £140!

You sure he makes them himself, and not just gets them from China or anything?

For 140 quid I can just about get a fretjob done right these days!

[jingle_jangle]

140, howyousayit, queed?

I don' believe it!

[fireglo67]

I've got one on order.

I'm upgrading the bridge to the Gibson Nashville(£37) and the machine heads to a Modern Gibson Nickel set (£47).

I'll play with it for a bit and may then upgrade the pots and pick-ups to Genuine Gibsons(£160)

Even after all these mods you are only looking at an outlay of under £400. You can't even get an Epiphone casino for that here in the UK.

Hell, I might even stick a bigsby B3 or B6(£100) on there!

I'll let you know how I get on.