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Best value SG? Going to replace pickups, like larger pickguard, so Epiphone G-310?

hangwire

By hangwire
in Electric Guitars

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hangwire Newbie

hangwire

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I am looking to pick up an SG to have at my brother's house where I spend the night 1 day a week due to an out of town work opportunity.

 

Historically, I don't tend to like the Gibson feel. I had an Epiphone Les Paul that I won as a door prize that I soon sold because it just didn't feel or play the way I like [which has been the case while playing Gibsons of my friend's or at stores when it is the demo guitar for the stompbox display].

 

But, I have always liked the SG shape, and think that it would be a nice change of pace. My brother plays bass and is into more aggressive music, so the SG fits in my head for this role.

 

I visually like the larger black pickguard, and I plan to change pickups to humbucker sized chrome p-90s, and would be looking used. Body color would probably be dark BLUE #1, but that is not standard color, Black next, then White

 

 

So I am posting this to get feedback on the G310, or other makes/models that also fit this.

 

Thanks!

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Edward Newbie

Edward

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Was the G310 not bolt-on? not that that automatically makes it bad guitar (I'm a Fender player ;) ), but the bolt on versions of the Epis always felt a bit compromised overall, in my experience. The G400 is a really nice guitar if you get a good one, ideal for a pup swap (I like the ideal of one with two mean 90s and a Bigsby.... ). I would also recommend the equivalent Tokais.

 

The best budget SG copy I have ever encountered is the Vintage branded one with the Wilkinson pups and hardware. Great guitar - truly, in my opinion, the SG equivalent of the Pacifica 112. I don't think it's available in the US, though.

 

Oh.... if you can find one, and you like the wider neck and the slightly different body shape, the short-lived Squier version of the Dearmond take on the Guild SGalike sells for very little used. With a pup swap, one of those would be a pretty good SG-style guitar, IMO.

 

ETA: It seems to me that most of the copies I've seen run with the smaller pick guard, but a flat-fronted SG copy should take the full sized guard no problem, AFAIK.

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hangwire Newbie

hangwire

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someone just PM'd me this:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-CRESCENT-BLUE-DOUBLE-CUTAWAY-ELECTRIC-GUITAR-SG_W0QQitemZ330282898289QQihZ014QQcategoryZ2384QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

 

aside from the horrible description... anyone have anything to say about them? the horns look a little offset, which would be not desirable... but it might just be the angle?

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hangwire Newbie

hangwire

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Was the G310 not bolt-on? not that that automatically makes it bad guitar (I'm a Fender player
;)
), but the bolt on versions of the Epis always felt a bit compromised overall, in my experience. The G400 is a really nice guitar if you get a good one, ideal for a pup swap (I like the ideal of one with two mean 90s and a Bigsby.... ). I would also recommend the equivalent Tokais.


The best budget SG copy I have ever encountered is the Vintage branded one with the Wilkinson pups and hardware. Great guitar - truly, in my opinion, the SG equivalent of the Pacifica 112. I don't think it's available in the US, though.


Oh.... if you can find one, and you like the wider neck and the slightly different body shape, the short-lived Squier version of the Dearmond take on the Guild SGalike sells for very little used. With a pup swap, one of those would be a pretty good SG-style guitar, IMO.


ETA: It seems to me that most of the copies I've seen run with the smaller pick guard, but a flat-fronted SG copy should take the full sized guard no problem, AFAIK.

 

bolt on might be better anyway. Over the years I have owned 3 setneck guitars and they all felt a bit odd.

 

I actually had a DeArmond Jetstar a few years ago that I added a bigby to :D I got it in the VH1 charity auction years ago. It was ok, but one of the set necks that was sold I mentioned above.

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golias Newbie

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I got a "rummage sale" G-310 a few weeks ago. After flipping the amp they sold with it, the thing ended up costing me $30. Right about what I like to pay for my "turd polishing" projects.

 

I was STUNNED at how good the cheap ceramic pups in that thing sounded. I don't know what sweatshop Epiphone gets their budget pickups from, but Agile ought to track them down.

 

Other than cleaning it up a bit, giving it some new strings, and replacing a couple of missing screws, I ended up doing NOTHING to it. It's a sweet guitar exactly as it is.

 

I might eventually re-finish it, Bigsby it, whatever. Depends on my mood. But then again, I'm pretty sure I can flip it exactly as it is for $100 - $150, and the person who buys it will find themselves very happy with it.

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chevette Newbie

chevette

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someone just PM'd me this:





aside from the horrible description... anyone have anything to say about them? the horns look a little offset, which would be not desirable... but it might just be the angle?

 

 

the horns are not even on regular SG shape bodies

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BoredGuitarist7 Newbie

BoredGuitarist7

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Epiphone G-400 1966 Edition. Comes with higher quality grover tuners, nicer quality pots, full size pickguard, and a true heritage cherry finish. This finish is very, very, nice. Only thing separating it from the Classics are the pickups. I was going to get a SG Deluxe, settled on the Epiphone. Its a Custom Shop run too, so they might stop soon.

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BoredGuitarist7 Newbie

BoredGuitarist7

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someone just PM'd me this:



 

They said it has...

* 4 single coil pickups

* 5 way distortion switch

* Adjustable tremolo bridge for custom intonation.

 

Don't buy it. It probably is horrible quality.

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Railfanespee Newbie

Railfanespee

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someone just PM'd me this:





aside from the horrible description... anyone have anything to say about them? the horns look a little offset, which would be not desirable... but it might just be the angle?

 

 

That thing has some REALLY odd features.

 

 

* 4 single coil pickups

* 5 way distortion switch

* 1 volume control and 2 tone control knobs

* Beautiful finish.

* Solid Harwood body

* Maple neck

* Rosewood fingerboard.

* Precision tuners.

* Adjustable tremolo bridge for custom intonation.

* Adjustable truss rod reinforced bolt-on neck

* 22 frets.

* Cutaway body design for easy access to upper frets.

* 39" overall guitar length

* 25.5" scale length

* 1 and 11/16" width of neck at nut

* 12.75" body at widest point

 

EDIT:

 

Someone beat me too it. And I didn't see the part about the "trem"

But yeah, I'd stay away.

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hangwire Newbie

hangwire

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Epiphone G-400 1966 Edition. Comes with higher quality grover tuners, nicer quality pots, full size pickguard, and a true heritage cherry finish. This finish is very, very, nice. Only thing separating it from the Classics are the pickups. I was going to get a SG Deluxe, settled on the Epiphone. Its a Custom Shop run too, so they might stop soon.

 

 

link?

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BoredGuitarist7 Newbie

BoredGuitarist7

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This would be my suggestion too. pretty much an Epi without the name. They have some cool color choices other cheapies don't offer.

 

 

Eh... I had a Jay Turser for a bit. Sold it for $80, then went out and got my Yamaha Strat with it. You really can't say it is an Epi without the name... It is a very obvious difference quality and build wise.

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DonK Newbie

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I have an Epi G-400 Custom (the ivory one with gold hardware, 3 pup's) and highly recommend it, with a couple of caveats. First, it has honkin' thick neck that isn't for everyone (significantly thicker than my LP Studio w/ 50's neck, thicker than my EJ Strat, though a tad thinner than the Warmoth boatneck on my project Strat). Second, it's not very versatile tonally, despite the three pup's (I probably ought to rewire them with a couple of push-pull pots to split the coils, get some out of phase sounds, etc, a bit like Page's LP). For straight-ahead hard rock and overdriven leads it's killer: playability, looks and build-quality are all spot-on.

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