I'm agreeing with Sysco and Gahr: with so much marketing BS and up and down quality control, so many other factors... if the guitar plays well, sounds good, feels good in your hands, is made from quality parts, etc, then the headstock no longer matters. A good Epi is clearly loads better than a bad Gibson, for example:
17. When short of money in 2003, Michael Schenker sold one of his original '70s custom-painted black/white Gibson Flying Vs for $25,600... via eBay. And, yes, he originally got it from brother Rudolph. It was originally all white.
I actually saw this ebay auction when it was running. That guitar had some serious battle scars too.
Sorry IF I were in need of a Lester ---which I am not--- I would take a 399 USA Gibson over an 800.00 Epiphone (and I LOVE Epiphones) but come on.....
HALF off ---thats crazy.
of course you can always get a gorgeous R9 from China for 188.00 buwahahahahahaha
Two years back I had a 1963 Gibson Flying V nickel hardware stock color Black old stock from the 1950'S Gibson's sales rep. checked it out and it was real, one of five 1963 V's known the last of the original's.
Back in 1980 I paid $300.00 USD for it. I sold it to a collector for stupid money it scared me having that much cash on me. I am a 49% stock holder in the Griffin Foundation so I donated it.
The Griffin Foundation gives musical instruments to children in need.