SeriesEpiphone EM

(Originally written by Hirako/translated from Audiofanzine FR) Where was it made? (USA, Japan, Mexico, France...) I guess it was made in Korea, China or Indonesia. I don't know... - How many frets, what kind of pickups and what pickups configuration? Very fast and pleasant maple neck with 24-fret rosewood fingerboard. Two Epiphone humbuckers that provide a fat sound. They sound good for blues and are not very versatile. - What kind of bridge (Floyd Rose, Wilkinson....)? Chrome tune-o-matic bridge, all hardware has a chrome finish. Plastic nut (I will change it later), very reliable sealed lubricated machine heads. - What about controls (volume, tone, pickup selector...)? Volume and tone knobs, 3-way toggle switch. The typical Les Paul knobs look good. - What kind of neck? Bolt-on neck. UTILIZATION - Does the neck feel pleasant? This neck is not so good as an Ibanez neck but it's still quite good and very fast. - Is the access to upper frets easy? The original shape of the body doesn't look nice but it allows a good access to the upper frets. - Is the instrument ergonomic (body shaping, weight...)? It weights 13 lb. - Is it easy to get the right sound?... Yes. It sounds good for AC/DC, blues stuff, heavy metal and other music styles. You'll also get a good sound for vintage rock with the adequate amp settings. SOUNDS - Do they fit your music style? Yes. I play heavy metal, AC/DC, blues, punk, rock and the guitar sounds alright, but I'd say it's best for heavy metal, hard rock (AC/DC) and punk. - Which amp(s) or effect(s) do you use with it? I play with a VOX DA5. - What kind of sounds do you get and which settings do you use ("crystal-clear", "fat", ...)? - Which sounds do you prefer / hate? I try every possible sound. OVERALL OPINION - How long have you been using it? Two weeks . It's my first electric guitar. I also play acoustic guitar and I'm taking lessons since September 2008. - Which feature do you like the most / the least? I like the neck and the chrome hardware. The guitar doesn't look that nice but it has a strong personality! - Did you try any other models before buying it? Yes, a Squier Bullet Strat, a Kramer Focus, an Ibanez GRG170DX (bad!!) and a GSA-60 (very bad!!). - How would you rate its value for money? Excellent value money. It's a guitar made out of real wood at a very low price. Unlike more expensive agathis Ibanez GSA and plywood Squiers models. - Based on your experience, would you buy this product again? Yes, of course! It's not expensive and it is made out of real wood. I give it a good mark because of the excellent value for money.