First Look
Epiphone unveils five ‘Inspired by Gibson’ acoustics, and you’ll probably recognise them...
When many of us think ‘Gibson’, we think of a sunburst Les Paul channelling weepy classic rock licks, but of course, long before it set out on the PAF of rock righteousness, Gibson made more than a couple of big dents in the acoustic guitar world too.
Now, Epiphone has set about recreating those iconic strummers with a total of five new acoustics. The Inspired By Gibson range features a J-45 (£649), J-45EC (electrocutaway, £699), Hummingbird (£749), Hummingbird 12-string (£749) and the big-bodied J-200 (£799).
Common features include solid construction throughout, with solid Sitka spruce tops and solid mahogany back and sides on all models except the J-200 (solid spruce top/solid figured maple back and sides). Likewise, all five guitars feature a rounded C-shape neck made from mahogany, apart from the J-200 – which is maple with a mahogany centre – and Indian laurel fingerboards. As well as this, each model features an under-saddle piezo and Fishman Sonitone preamp.
Meanwhile, the individual details and ‘aged’ (satin rather than worn) finish options have been recreated to give each model its authentic identity: the Hummingbird scratchplate and split inlays; the J-200’s distinctive ‘moustache’ bridge and detailing, and that unmistakable profile and burst on the J-45.