Just to get the record right, I offer the following. First, I live about 25 miles from Kalamazoo, where the Gibson's were made for years. In fact, many of the luthiers from the factory are still in business repairing old instruments. I believe the "Heritage" line of guitars are made by some of them.

The Epiphone brand is not "now" owned by Gibson, it always has been owned by them. It was their "second" line of guitars, built by Gibson, originally. They may have sold it and reaccquired it later; I don't know about that. But the first guitar that I ever bought and paid for myself was an Epiphone FT79 with a cherry subburst finish when they were still in Kalamazoo. It was a wonderful instrument and I wish I had it today.

All the best,

Mick Lane