Members MichaelSaulnier Posted September 6, 2009 Members Share Posted September 6, 2009 I bought a Epi G400... nice white one... with a little blem... from GC yesterday. On the back of the headstock, it says: Limited Edition Custom Shop in a ring around the word Epiphone. Does Epi in fact have a custom shop? Is this just a "marketing" thing... or what? Thanks in advance Epi "experts"! M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted September 6, 2009 Members Share Posted September 6, 2009 I have a 2003 Epi LP Studio in transparent wine red and gold that says the same thing. I assume they apply that if it's not a full production guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hellion_213 Posted September 6, 2009 Members Share Posted September 6, 2009 I did find this- might help- couldn't really find anything definitivehttp://forums.epiphone.com/Default.aspx?g=posts&t=845&p=2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MichaelSaulnier Posted September 6, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 6, 2009 Hmmm... maybe it's a special order just for GC, since the factory doesn't seem to make white G400's or any other white SG's except the Custom. (Which is one of the key reasons I wanted it!) Also weird... it has 11 numbers and no letters in the serial number. Well, the dating info I've found so far doesn't list ANY Epi models having 11 numbers and no letters... But it wouldn't be a "fake" if I got it at GC... I don't BELIEVE it was used? M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted September 6, 2009 Members Share Posted September 6, 2009 Custom shop is generally used for things that are not regular production models if I recall correctly. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hellion_213 Posted September 6, 2009 Members Share Posted September 6, 2009 This it?http://www.epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=27&CollectionID=16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MichaelSaulnier Posted September 6, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 6, 2009 No, it's not the custom... it appears in every way to be a G400... only two chrome pickups TOM tail piece... It's just white... and with the wacky 11 digit serial number. M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crisco Posted September 6, 2009 Members Share Posted September 6, 2009 It gets um..lots of 'hands on luthier attention'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MichaelSaulnier Posted September 6, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 6, 2009 Here's a couple quick pics... Anyone have or know anything about these? M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MichaelSaulnier Posted September 6, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 6, 2009 It gets um..lots of 'hands on luthier attention'. My headstock looks like the one in your avatar Crisco... it also had the "Made in China" sticker on it... so I know it's not a "US made". Still, it's a little strange that it doesn't conform to the standard serial number model... Crisco, what does your serial number look like? M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted September 6, 2009 Moderators Share Posted September 6, 2009 Here's a couple quick pics... That is particularly gorgeous, and a different serial format than they've used in the past Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MichaelSaulnier Posted September 6, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 6, 2009 Yeah... to all the "why buy cheap guitars" people, I have only one thing to say... $250 M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hellion_213 Posted September 6, 2009 Members Share Posted September 6, 2009 Looks Really good man! Having trouble finding out a lot about it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crisco Posted September 6, 2009 Members Share Posted September 6, 2009 My headstock looks like the one in your avatar Crisco... it also had the "Made in China" sticker on it... so I know it's not a "US made". Still, it's a little strange that it doesn't conform to the standard serial number model... Crisco, what does your serial number look like? M 11 digit current Qingdao model. They only put the prefix letters on until late last year.. In 2009 no Epi's had the letter prefix's as far as I know. If it makes sense, Qingdao Epi's usually have these exact stickers.. 'Hand Crafted In China' and a blank 'Inspection QC' 2008 EE serial Qingdao China: While other factories such as Daewon and Unsung China have much similar looking stickers with slight variations.. Daewon: (Unsung China has a Number scribbled in the QC sticker, Daewon has a letter scribbled there.) Daewon is also notorious for crooked tuners. (see Pic) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted September 6, 2009 Members Share Posted September 6, 2009 So then what's a UC serial number? The Epi dater didn't have it. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crisco Posted September 6, 2009 Members Share Posted September 6, 2009 So then what's a UC serial number? The Epi dater didn't have it.EG Unsung China Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted September 6, 2009 Members Share Posted September 6, 2009 Unsung China Thanks. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Slave2TheAudio Posted September 6, 2009 Members Share Posted September 6, 2009 The only thing I have against Epiphone is that they usually weigh like 135 lbs. and the headstock looks like a penis. I like their pickups and overall build though, for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crisco Posted September 7, 2009 Members Share Posted September 7, 2009 Thanks. EG Sure. if it was just a U it would be Unsung Korea, like on my Firebird: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MichaelSaulnier Posted September 7, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 7, 2009 So far I'm digging the pickups on this... and it plays very smoothly! Never had an SG before, but it's really growing on me!!! It's a little neck heavy, but not a real problem so far. Here's a quick clip of the bridge pickup and a bit 'o overdrive tone... FunkyG.mp3 Please forgive the sloppy playing... but I think it's a pretty cool tone! M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted September 7, 2009 Members Share Posted September 7, 2009 I played a guitar that looked very similar to yours... not 100% on the serial number, but I'm pretty sure it did NOT have a letter prefix. The same guy had traded that and one of the Vintage 400s in on a Gibson SG Faded. They were both perfectly set up and to be honest, both sounded pretty darn great. And I'm a pickup swapper. I played them both through an AC15 and a NOS Blues Jr and was very impressed. Sounds like you got a decent deal too. I think they were asking $225 used for the one I played and I was tempted, but I ended up getting an SG Faded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members NashSG Posted September 7, 2009 Members Share Posted September 7, 2009 I think some of the custom shop Epiphones are made in Korea. I know the Casino's they did with the bigsby were still made in Korea, while the regular Casinos were made in China. That white SG looks pretty nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hecticone Posted September 7, 2009 Members Share Posted September 7, 2009 Nice score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members epi56ebony Posted September 7, 2009 Members Share Posted September 7, 2009 Custom shop Epiphones are just limited runs of colors that are not stock for that particular instrument. There is no "custom shop" where there is more quality control. It's a marketing gimmick. I have the G-400 SG Epi in Honey Burst and a White Epi LP Studio. Both have the logo. These are both not stock colors for these models. My Slash Epi Goldtop also has the logo. Probably because it is a non-stock Epiphone and a limited number were made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MichaelSaulnier Posted September 7, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 7, 2009 Sounds like it's a great thing to mention when you're putting it on Craigslist! M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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