They each produce distinctive guitars, which rival the heavyweights such as Fender and Gretsch in terms of performance and tone. In my experience, both Gretsch and Epiphone are brilliant producers of affordable instruments. My first bass guitar was a Gretsch Electromatic model, and I’ve also owned an Epiphone 335 in the past. Comparing these two legendary manufacturers is not an easy task – especially due to my personal experience with both.