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Jimbass « It's part of me ... »
Published on 09/11/11 at 04:08
Value For Money :
Excellent
Audience:
Anyone
This is an older model that I bought in 1995. Made in South Korea in the Samick factory, it has some differences with the current model: dot markers, pickups without covers, black plexiglass knobs, no decorative inlay on the head, "GIBSON" marking on the truss-rod cover. Other than that, it is as much inspired by a '61 SG as the newer models: all mahogany set neck, 22 frets, small plate, Tune-o-matic + stop bar, two humbuckers served by a volume and tone each and a 3-position selector. And a beautiful finish that varies from maroon to carmine red depending on light.
UTILIZATION
The profile of the neck is quite thin and rounded, and flattens towards the body, which easily accessible high notes, it could even have 2 or 3 more frets.
The ergonomics are excellent, no need for a forearm chamfer like a strat because it falls naturally on the "hip" that is bevelled on both sides. The weight is reasonable, but balance is not perfect: it's head heavy. With a strap that "sticks" well and some habit (neck tilted up), it's a no-brainer.
SOUNDS
Let's say that my style of music is suitable for its sound (rather than the opposite ...). I have completely reworked the wiring, with split humbuckers, series wiring, etc. but I kept the original pick-ups. The sound is very fat, punchy, and not bright at all. This is even more so on the neck pick-up. These pick-ups are loud! In practice I only use the bridge pick-up, dimed. The volume pots are not very progressive, and yet the tone pots muddy the sound by removing all the treble. I discovered fairly recently that a simple wiring modification (50's wiring) makes for a much more usable sound, at the expense of the ability to mix "to zero" the pick-ups in the middle position. I do not know how the current G-400 is wired.
Sounds obtained are excellent for any kind of edgy rock and metal-not-too-symphonic, either rhythm or solo at various levels of saturation. In clean and crunch sounds, the blues is yours. It remains in a register fat or dark, never piercing or bright (unless you splits the pick-ups, you gain in treble what you loose in volume). The mahogany and set neck construction provide an impressive sustain. A tendency to feedback at high volume can be a problem on stage.
Edit 14/07/2013 : I finally decided to switch pick-ups a few months ago, for a Seymour Duncan kit (SH-4 JB bridge and SH-2N Jazz neck), and i'm rediscovering my guitar! The reason for change was mostly microphonics at high volume. The sound of the bridge PU is not fundamentally different, maybe a bit more defined but none more punchy. A bit better, but it was already good. The the other hand, for the neck PU, Wow! There were treble there, just not picked up by the original device! Lots of subtlety with crunch sound, and always fatness with some gain. Character remains mainly the same, but with wider possibilities thanks to a usable neck pick-up, and more subltl volume pots. I recommand to change at least the neck pick-up if it sounds too muddy for you.
OVERALL OPINION
I use it for 16 years, this is my first electric guitar. I had not tried anything else, I wanted the guitar of Angus and Tony.
Over the years, she took the blows, the frets are pretty worn ... but it still sounds! It is still my # 1 guitar. (Edit 2013 : it must now face the competition of its compatriot PRS SE ...)
I love the profile of the neck, not too thin nor too large for my small hands, the general shape which is very ergonomic and the versatility gained by electronic mods I added.
With experience, of course I would do the same choice ... most of my experience is based on that choice. However, the Epiphone productions have evolved, the average value as well, and my wallet too. If it catches fire, I might replace with a Gibson ...
UTILIZATION
The profile of the neck is quite thin and rounded, and flattens towards the body, which easily accessible high notes, it could even have 2 or 3 more frets.
The ergonomics are excellent, no need for a forearm chamfer like a strat because it falls naturally on the "hip" that is bevelled on both sides. The weight is reasonable, but balance is not perfect: it's head heavy. With a strap that "sticks" well and some habit (neck tilted up), it's a no-brainer.
SOUNDS
Let's say that my style of music is suitable for its sound (rather than the opposite ...). I have completely reworked the wiring, with split humbuckers, series wiring, etc. but I kept the original pick-ups. The sound is very fat, punchy, and not bright at all. This is even more so on the neck pick-up. These pick-ups are loud! In practice I only use the bridge pick-up, dimed. The volume pots are not very progressive, and yet the tone pots muddy the sound by removing all the treble. I discovered fairly recently that a simple wiring modification (50's wiring) makes for a much more usable sound, at the expense of the ability to mix "to zero" the pick-ups in the middle position. I do not know how the current G-400 is wired.
Sounds obtained are excellent for any kind of edgy rock and metal-not-too-symphonic, either rhythm or solo at various levels of saturation. In clean and crunch sounds, the blues is yours. It remains in a register fat or dark, never piercing or bright (unless you splits the pick-ups, you gain in treble what you loose in volume). The mahogany and set neck construction provide an impressive sustain. A tendency to feedback at high volume can be a problem on stage.
Edit 14/07/2013 : I finally decided to switch pick-ups a few months ago, for a Seymour Duncan kit (SH-4 JB bridge and SH-2N Jazz neck), and i'm rediscovering my guitar! The reason for change was mostly microphonics at high volume. The sound of the bridge PU is not fundamentally different, maybe a bit more defined but none more punchy. A bit better, but it was already good. The the other hand, for the neck PU, Wow! There were treble there, just not picked up by the original device! Lots of subtlety with crunch sound, and always fatness with some gain. Character remains mainly the same, but with wider possibilities thanks to a usable neck pick-up, and more subltl volume pots. I recommand to change at least the neck pick-up if it sounds too muddy for you.
OVERALL OPINION
I use it for 16 years, this is my first electric guitar. I had not tried anything else, I wanted the guitar of Angus and Tony.
Over the years, she took the blows, the frets are pretty worn ... but it still sounds! It is still my # 1 guitar. (Edit 2013 : it must now face the competition of its compatriot PRS SE ...)
I love the profile of the neck, not too thin nor too large for my small hands, the general shape which is very ergonomic and the versatility gained by electronic mods I added.
With experience, of course I would do the same choice ... most of my experience is based on that choice. However, the Epiphone productions have evolved, the average value as well, and my wallet too. If it catches fire, I might replace with a Gibson ...