Members stretch_333 Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 I'm just wondering what the difference between these two is, spec wise? I assume the Epiphone is made with lesser grade wood. What about pick ups? Neck? I'm just looking for that ACDC tone without the 1000 price tag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members darkcheef Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 This shit again, there has to be a million similar threads Go to the store and play each. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PanaDP Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Play both and see what you think. I bought a used SG standard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve_man Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 No binding on the Epi...if it's just a regular G-400, it also has a smaller pickguard. Pups are obviously different. Here's the biggest problem I had with mine...the neck was way to easy to move...thus bending notes a bit. I was able to get around that, but it was a minor annoyance. Considering that you can pick up a used Gibby for not a ton of cash...I'd go that route personally... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stretch_333 Posted December 24, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 I live in Canada so buying a used Gibson from USA is tough. I would love to buy the Gibson, but if the Epiphone is going to get me that "You shook me all night long" opening sound than that's all I really want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PanaDP Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 I live in Canada so buying a used Gibson from USA is tough. I would love to buy the Gibson, but if the Epiphone is going to get me that "You shook me all night long" opening sound than that's all I really want. Used gibsons don't exist in Canada? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stretch_333 Posted December 24, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Hardly any on Ebay that are from canada, and the local shop doesn't have any used ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bsman Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 The Gibson SG standard is not the appropriate point of comparison for the Epi G400. Rather, in terms of appointments, etc. the SG special is a much more comparable guitar. The SG special goes for around $700-$1k (depending on color). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members darkcheef Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 What amp are you using? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stretch_333 Posted December 24, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Roland Cube 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve_man Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 You're probably not gonna get that exact tone through a Cube 60... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stretch_333 Posted December 24, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Why not? I can get a semi-close tone with my Fender Deluxe American Strat with a Humbucker in the bridge on the Classic Stack setting... but it being a fender and all, obviously it's not going to do ACDC spot on. I know it's a digital modeling amp, and tubes are preferred... but the amp won't hold me back that much. If you think it will, why do you think that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BG76 Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 get the Gibson faded and paint it. They're pretty nice sounding guitars for the price. I bought one for $350.00 on the bay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitar Heel Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 IIRC, the Epi has a smaller neck. The pickups are certainly superior on the Gibson, as well as the electronics. But, how much does that matter? If you're a gigging musician, then a lot. If you're starting out and want to pick up a nice SG for not too much cash, then the Epi is a great buy. I don't think you can go wrong either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members golias Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 So let me get this straight... You've got a USA Strat and playing through a Roland Cube 60. You want an SG, and are torn between a new Epi G-400 or a used Gibson SG Standard. That's the gist? I'd say, get a USED or CLEARANCE Epiphone G-400, and use the remaining money to buy a better amp. The G-400 is a SWEET guitar. Your money will go farther with an amp upgrade than it will moving up from an Epi to a $1200 guitar. Check it out: If you don't mind the cheesy fret marker, you can score a Factory Restock G-400 "Goth" model for $269 right now. (Less, if you use one of the codes from the Deals thread.) http://www.music123.com/Epiphone-Goth-G-400-Electric-Guitar-517232-i1149241.Music123 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stretch_333 Posted December 24, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 What's wrong with the amp I already have? That thing puts out some mean Hendrix clean tones, and some very nice bluesy sounds too. It's not exactly a tube amp, but to me... tube amps can only give you ONE general tone. The clean tone (which in my opinion is inferior to my Cube 60) and the distortion with that lovely tube break up. That's it. That's all the tube amp offers you, unless you got some type of pedals to change your sound. The cube gives me a great clean tone, mean blues tone, and if I want... it can sound like a metal thrashing machine (well, as much as a Strat can sound like a metal machine) to a punk rock type of sound.... not to mention is has an acoustic simulator on it which is nice to my ears. Remember, the amp doesn't make the player! It's 80% your hands and feeling and 20% your gear. I've heard 30 watt solid states give off a decent ACDC replica tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Carbohydrates Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Remember, the amp doesn't make the player! It's 80% your hands and feeling and 20% your gear. I've heard 30 watt solid states give off a decent ACDC replica tone. That depends on the amp, though! There are absolutely some amazing solid state amps out there, and it's probably true that HC is quick to dismiss the solid state option. I personally like tube amps as a rule, but I've played some great solids as well. That aside, if 20% of your sound is your gear, then the breakdown is more like this, by your scale: 80%: hands/feeling15%: amp5%: guitar Fact of the matter is, your amp has a lot more to do with your tone than the guitar. At least consider some other options for dismissing all of this with the assumption that your current amp is all you'll ever need! I know you posted this thread looking for opinions on guitars, but playing an American Deluxe strat through a Roland cube is kind of blowing my mind violently and explosively into little bits and now it's all over the forum and somebody's going to have to clean it up and it's not going to be me because I'm dead because my mind was literally blown out of my head. *ahem* I understand you're defending your amp because you like it, and that's fine, but maybe there's something out there you'll like more? I think, with no offense to the cube, that it's very likely. edit: My first good amp was a Peavey Bravo 112. I thought it had a damn good clean tone relative to other amps I was trying out in stores until I got to the Voxes, Fender silverfaces, Riveras, etc. Similarly, I thought its distortion was awesome until I plugged into a dual rec. It's still a good amp, but it's not the be-all end-all. Explore the amp world! It'll give you much more of a fresh tone than a new guitar will. This turned into one of those sleep-deprived rants. Sorry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stretch_333 Posted December 24, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Why is your head explosing? I don't understand how my Strat can sound too much better than it already does though the cube for what I use it for - clean tone and bluesy slightly overdriven tone. I know that the distortion on a tube amp is going to be awesome, much better than a solid state, but I'm not willing to buy an amp worth 600 dollars just to get 100% great tube overdrive. I'd rather use that money to get an opposite spectrum guitar like the SG so I have a guitar that's meant for the Hendrix/clean tones and one guitar meant for the ACDC, distortion tone. Ya know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Carbohydrates Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Why is your head explosing?I don't understand how my Strat can sound too much better than it already does though the cube for what I use it for - clean tone and bluesy slightly overdriven tone. I know that the distortion on a tube amp is going to be awesome, much better than a solid state, but I'm not willing to buy an amp worth 600 dollars just to get 100% great tube overdrive. I'd rather use that money to get an opposite spectrum guitar like the SG so I have a guitar that's meant for the Hendrix/clean tones and one guitar meant for the ACDC, distortion tone.Ya know? I s'pose I understand where you're coming from as far as what you're after right now, but seriously, if you think tube amps have just one tone... I mean, I can't get a 100% great tube overdrive tone from my Vibrolux, which is a tube amp. They don't all do the same thing. I'm not even sure where on earth you picked up that assumption. Anyway! The big difference for me between Epi and Gibson is feel, because you can upgrade the electric tone (perhaps not the acoustic) however you like on an Epi and end up spending less than a Gibson would cost you. This is probably the most common advice on the forum, but: you'd have to try them for yourself and see which one you get along with. You did mention that the general tone was your main concern, so to that end, I'd recommend the Epi. It will definitely get you in the zone you're looking for, especially if you pop some nice pickups in there while you're at it. Like I said, you'll still be in it for less than a Gibson, and Epiphones have no problem getting dirty if you want 'em to! Hope that helped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve_man Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Why not? I can get a semi-close tone with my Fender Deluxe American Strat with a Humbucker in the bridge on the Classic Stack setting... but it being a fender and all, obviously it's not going to do ACDC spot on. I know it's a digital modeling amp, and tubes are preferred... but the amp won't hold me back that much. If you think it will, why do you think that? I used to own a Cube 60...and you might get a "close enough" tone that you're talking about...but I kinda doubt it. If you're playing a US made Strat, and you don't like the tones...it's probably not the guitar...it's the amp. The Cubes do clean very well, but lose their luster when distorted. Go to the local shop with your Strat, and plug into several different amps to see if you can get the tone you're looking for. But hey, you do what you do...with what you own...I just gave my opinion... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve_man Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Why is your head explosing? I don't understand how my Strat can sound too much better than it already does though the cube for what I use it for - clean tone and bluesy slightly overdriven tone. I know that the distortion on a tube amp is going to be awesome, much better than a solid state, but I'm not willing to buy an amp worth 600 dollars just to get 100% great tube overdrive. I'd rather use that money to get an opposite spectrum guitar like the SG so I have a guitar that's meant for the Hendrix/clean tones and one guitar meant for the ACDC, distortion tone. Ya know? I used to think that way...until I bought a tube amp. It will change the way you think about tone forever. SS amps are fine...but seriously, go try out a good used tube amp...you'll thank us for it in the end... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GAS Man Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 My thoughts- Yeah, the wood will probably be better on average with the Gibsons, but it won't make a huge sonic difference. I've bought 7 Gibson SGs and 3 Epiphone SGs The pickups are okay but a bit muddy compared to Gibson. But definitely fine if you play with a lot of gain, overdrive or some distortion. Upgrading pickups is not a bad idea with an Epi if you want more vintage sweet out of the tone. But one disadvantage not easy to remove is that the Epi's tend to be a bit neck heavy whereas the Gibsons are better balanced. But suede straps usually seem like an adequate remedy of that for me. Here's one of the G-400s I bought for my stepson (in his hands). I had a hard time giving this one away to him, it was sweet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stretch_333 Posted December 24, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Well, I just thought the semi-close tone was what was to be expected with a Strat. If you could get any tone nailed with one guitar, why would they make all different shapes and sized with different pick ups? I never said I didn't like the tones either. My thought process is that perhaps with the appropriate guitar, I could get an even better ACDC tone. By all accounts if you think that's wrong, please let me know. I'm not a noob in the guitar business but I'm not expert either. If I can nail more of an ACDC tone with my strat and a tube amp/better amp vs. buying an SG and running that through my cube... I'd certainly look into it, but I thought for sure that the Strats just don't have the balls and certain tonal characteristics to nail such a tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Carbohydrates Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 No, I think humbuckers are absolutely the pickup of choice for the AC/DC sound. I just think myself and others found the Cube thing very strange and latched onto that rather than the intended topic of the thread. I would like to beat this dead horse into the ground one more time, though: If you could get any tone nailed with one guitar, why would they make all different shapes and sized with different pick ups? If you could get any tone nailed with one amp, why would they make all different wiring and speakers with different tubes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PanaDP Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 How close is "close enough" for you on this ACDC tone thing? When I think of ACDC tone, I think of power amp overdrive and that's the biggest thing that solid state amps don't do well, at least not yet. They do a lot of things passably but not that, in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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