Thoughts on the Epiphone BB King "Lucille" Model

[Bones]

Anyone own one of these or played one? I'm itching for a semi or full hollow body. Been thinking about this or a Sheraton II pro.

Have never seen a Lucille model in person, would have to order one online.

 

[Milspec]

They are very nice looking and decent players. I never cared much for the whole varitone switch thing, but if you have good pickups in there, it is probably a pretty good guitar.

Having a few Epiphone Semi-hollows, I can say honestly that they are pretty and decent players, but not great. I don't know what the Lucille has for pickups, but if you put an upgraded set in there, it might please you.

Outside of that, if you are gassing for a semi-hollow, the Godin Montreal is probably a better choice. I love my Godin guitars and plan on going that route myself. All of my Godin guitars are very well balanced with good build quality, so I feel more comfortable about buying blind if you have to purchase online.

 

[brookdalebill]

I had a real one, long ago, around 96.
Bought it new, I remember because I rarely do it.
It stayed in tune beautifully.
It was great for the schlock rock I was playing at the time.
The Epi's are OK.
They ain't close.
Have you considered a MIJ Yamaha or Ibanez 335 style?
Great guitars, the 80s-90s models, IMO.

 

[FendrGuitPlayr]

I had one but didn't like the sound or feel. I traded it in for an Ibanez Artcore AS-73.

 

[Peckhammer]

Collings I-35. It will make you cry. You'll never go back once you've played one.

 

[stnmtthw]

I don't have the Lucille model, but I do have an Epi Dot that I like a lot, and would recommend (especially for the price). I wouldn't think the Lucille would be too different.

 

[Bones]

Collings I-35. It will make you cry. You'll never go back once you've played one.

Well, at 8 times the price, I'm sure one way or the some tears would be shed. A Collings I-35 isn't exactly "apples to apples".

 

[deytookerjaabs]

I'd you're patient you could score a used Edwards E-SA-138 to E-SA-180 which is basically like a black Gibson ES355 without a big tailpiece, very nice guitar. That, or a used Eastman semi-hollow if you dig the 1 3/4 nut width. Early Epi Sheratons were really fancy too, up until '95 or so.

I had the one Edwards on my "Watch List" until I walked into a '61 Sheraton at Sam Ash, haha.

 

[Henry Mars]

The Epi's ES3XX knock offs are bla ... the hardware and electronic parts on all of them is sub par. They won't stay in tune with the hardware they ship with.If you like the way they play, find one used gut and refit the thing and you should be ok. There is a big difference between the Gibson ES3XX modles and the Epi ES3XX models.
At that price point you would do better with an Ibanez and for a few hundred dollars more you can get a really nice one. There are another alternatives too like Eastman and Washburn.
If you can find a really old Epi you MIGHT be ok. There are better options. There are many guitars at that price point that are flat out better.

 

[BigDaddyLH]

Well, at 8 times the price, I'm sure one way or the some tears would be shed. A Collings I-35 isn't exactly "apples to apples".

The eagle flies on Friday, but never that high

 

[studio1087]

My father in law has a real Lucille and I've played it for hours. Years ago I was taking fingerstyle lessons and I would wait for my lesson with my D15 and a guy waiting next to me had an Epi Lucille. We would talk. I played his Epi and he played my Martin several times.

The Epi copy will set you back $700-ish and I think they mostly a novelty. The one that I played felt like a $299 Epi DOT with a sexy paint job. It was kind of cool but to me it would be like buying one of those $900 EVH Frankenstein guitars. It's a guitar for the avid fan and they're cool but I think you could buy a better musical instrument for $700.

Play a $450 to $550 Ibanez ES335 style guitar. You'll be impressed (I think) when you compare it to an Epi.

The Ibanez AS53 is $299 (I have flatwounds on mine and it's so much fun).
The Ibanez AS73 is $399
I thing either would sound better and play better than the Epi.

My 2 cents.

 

[screamin eagle]

Look for an epi anniversary casino or the Eastman thin line semi's.

 

[deytookerjaabs]

Look for an epi anniversary casino or the Eastman thin line semi's.

A Casino is a very different guitar IMO.

 

[Henry Mars]

Years ago you could buy Epi Elitist guitars which were the same models as there ES3XX lines but much better in terms of quality ... tuners, controls and even build. I almost bought one of their Dot series elitists years ago but I had an emergency that took that cash away. All in all I thought they we great guitars and a great value. They compared favorably to the Gibson ES335 at less than half the price ... which is why I think they were discontinued because Gibson was taking a hit, Find one of these and you will be happy ... I don't know if they had an ES345 version back then. The Casino still has an elitist version I think. One of my students has one and it seems to be decent. Basically a poor mans ES330 ... I Love the P90's BTW.

 

[screamin eagle]

A Casino is a very different guitar IMO.

Well the OP did ask say he's looking for a semi hollow or full hollow body. Casinos can sound very BB King--especially his early stuff

 

[Anode100]

Well the OP did ask say he's looking for a semi hollow or full hollow body. Casinos can sound very BB King--especially his early stuff

Bit of a gamble though...

 

[musicalmartin]

I agree the hardware on the Epiphone semis is pretty poor and is well worth a Gotoh upgrade plus some tuners like Grover .It makes a lot difference to the feel and playability and the guitar is much more alive .Better pickups,electrics and a fret job sorted out my Dot SE.In other words chuck out anything not made of wood .Its all cheap crap believe me .It then feels and sounds like a Gibson at less than cost .it may also be worth looking for any Midtown Standards at a bargain price .I love mine.

 

[Bones]

My father in law has a real Lucille and I've played it for hours. Years ago I was taking fingerstyle lessons and I would wait for my lesson with my D15 and a guy waiting next to me had an Epi Lucille. We would talk. I played his Epi and he played my Martin several times.

The Epi copy will set you back $700-ish and I think they mostly a novelty. The one that I played felt like a $299 Epi DOT with a sexy paint job. It was kind of cool but to me it would be like buying one of those $900 EVH Frankenstein guitars. It's a guitar for the avid fan and they're cool but I think you could buy a better musical instrument for $700.

Play a $450 to $550 Ibanez ES335 style guitar. You'll be impressed (I think) when you compare it to an Epi.

The Ibanez AS53 is $299 (I have flatwounds on mine and it's so much fun).
The Ibanez AS73 is $399
I thing either would sound better and play better than the Epi.

My 2 cents.

Thanks for this reply, I did try a couple Ibanez models from 499 to 799 , didn't like the necks on any of them and the action wadba mile high on each. I do appreciate the comments on the BB, that's sort if whatvi was afraid of.

 

[Henry Mars]

I agree the hardware on the Epiphone semis is pretty poor and is well worth a Gotoh upgrade plus some tuners like Grover .It makes a lot difference to the feel and playability and the guitar is much more alive .Better pickups,electrics and a fret job sorted out my Dot SE.In other words chuck out anything not made of wood .Its all cheap crap believe me .It then feels and sounds like a Gibson at less than cost .it may also be worth looking for any Midtown Standards at a bargain price .I love mine.

I have a Midtown Custom. It is a great player and sounds equally great. I am playing it in my avatar picture. I dislike the stock tuners though and probably with will replace them. Other than that it is a great axe.

 

[cabra velha]

The Epi's ES3XX knock offs are bla ... the hardware and electronic parts on all of them is sub par. They won't stay in tune with the hardware they ship with.If you like the way they play, find one used gut and refit the thing and you should be ok. There is a big difference between the Gibson ES3XX modles and the Epi ES3XX models.
At that price point you would do better with an Ibanez and for a few hundred dollars more you can get a really nice one. There are another alternatives too like Eastman and Washburn.
If you can find a really old Epi you MIGHT be ok. There are better options. There are many guitars at that price point that are flat out better.

I rarely out and out disagree with someone here but I'll make an exception this time. the current Epi's are screaming deals, I've been playing Epiphones since the 70s and the current lineup is so much better its another planet. They do generally require some tweaking, but I haven't found anything fundamentally wrong with the hardware, the knobs are cheap and don't come off without cracking and I have found bad solder connections internally, but I have had both the Gibson and Epi versions of a couple models and in terms of tone and playability it was a toss-up.

I haven't tried the BB King model, but the 339, 175 and Sheraton I can highly recommend.