Last year, we saw Gibson make a commitment to getting "back to basics" with its product lines, releasing a variety of classic instruments and body shape favorites that call back to what gave the company its elite status in the guitar world. This year, Gibson's sister brand, Epiphone, has been doing much the same with its "Inspired by Gibson" collection, first unveiled at NAMM 2020.
The first wave of the Inspired by Gibson lineup included many of Gibson's stalwart solidbodies—Standard Les Pauls, SGs, Flying Vs, Firebirds, and more live in the Original Collection while the Les Paul Studio, Modern, and SG Classic Worn live in the Modern Collection—so it's only fitting that this second wave zeroes in on semi-hollowbodies and acoustics.
Part one of Epiphone's bifurcated Inspired by Gibson release features a new line of classic acoustics that sees some of Gibson's most iconic body shapes recreated at more affordable price points. The collection features a Inspired by Gibson Hummingbird, J-45, and J-200—all featuring solid wood construction, rounded C-shape necks for ultimate playing comfort, and '60s-style Kalamazoo headstocks.
Epiphone also unveiled a couple of variations on the above models, including a 12-string version of the Hummingbird and an alternate J-45 EC body style that features a cutaway.
The second part of Epiphone's Inspired by Gibson release is the ES Originals Collection, which features three semi-hollowbody guitars in the spirit of Gibson's ES body shape classics. Players can now pick up a new Epiphone ES-335 (or its more dramatic-looking counterpart, the ES-335 Figured which features a figured maple top) or a smaller-bodied ES-339.
All three of these models feature the '60s-style Kalamazoo headstock seen on the rest of the Inspired by Gibson series and a maple center block for increased sustain and feedback resistance. The bodies are outfitted with two Alnico Classic Pro pickups, giving players that humbucker tone without the noise, and are married to glued-in mahogany necks.
Both new collections, the ES Originals Collection and new acoustics, are available now on Reverb. Click any of the pictures above to learn more about the guitars and to pick up your own right here on Reverb.