Posted: 3/21/2026 10:15:16 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Czechers][Edited]
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I think this comparo will appeal to middle aged metalhead dads (unite?) in the forum... Epi Explorer $899 shipped Made in China EMG 81/60 Graphtech Nut Standard fret material (not in specs) Rosewood fretboard Mahogany neck/body Nickel hardware (looks like chrome but whatever) Classic White Unbranded sealed non-locking tuners Gibson mojo? HB EX-84 EMG Modern $465 shipped Made in Indonesia EMG 81/60 Graphtech nut Stainless Steel frets (nicely dressed/polished on mine) Ebony fretboard Mahogany neck/body Vintage White (mine has some paint imperfections) Shitty tuners (replaced for $30 with locking Guykers) ESP/LTD Snakebyte mojo? Epi Attached File HB Attached File Attached File Thoughts: I've never seen the Epi in stock anywhere to inspect. I imagine the paintwork is superior to the HB and the fretwork is worse from my experiences at handling other models of Epiphones. The fretwork was insanely good on the HB. I noticed they have a rosewood board in the pics HB has but it's specd as rosewood and mine is definitely RW (2nd HB pic). Even with locking tuners you are at $400 less that's the Epi with really nice fretwork and EMGs. The neck on the HB is baseball bat fat, I don't even have to look at the Epi to know it's thinner lol. The electronics in the HB work fine but they did not use the EMG wiring harness just generic Asian 25k mini pots. The switch HB used feels surprisingly solid. Personally, for Epi money I would opt for Schecter E1 used or on sale like they have now for $1050 with some Apocalypse model. The LTD Snakebyte is $1500, the Gibson Explorer is $2500 FFS. I got my HB pre-tariff for $419 shipped so it was a no brainer but HB closed their US inventoried Reverb shop post-tariff and it hasn't re-opened. |
Crap Magnet Extraordinaire
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All of my guitars are super strat shaped except for my V. I was in Guitar Center not long ago oogling an Epiphone Les Paul shape that had a gorgeous blue quilt on it. I think you get some good value for money with an Epiphone. You can get lemons with any brand of anything, but I've heard of a lot of QC complaints with HB. I only ever owned 1 Indonesian made guitar, an Ibanez and I hated it. Wouldn't stay in tune or intonation and there were numerous finish flaws in it. I changed the bridge, nut and put on locking tuners and it was still a dog. For me, it was a sample size of 1. But I traded it for a Chinese made mid level Jackson that's freaking amazing. That guitar is as good as my Japanese made Jackon, Korean made LTD or American made Hamer. |