Epiphone Stratocaster
- Thread starter ericme
- Start date
theboatcandream
dreamonologist
Re: Epiphone Stratocaster
I'd have to play one to tell you. They don't make them anymore.
If it's cheep, then it's a cheep guitar. Whether or not it's a good instrument is another question. Do you have the opportunity to play it before buying it?
I'd have to play one to tell you. They don't make them anymore.
If it's cheep, then it's a cheep guitar. Whether or not it's a good instrument is another question. Do you have the opportunity to play it before buying it?
ErikH
Well-known member
Re: Epiphone Stratocaster
I've played those. They're cheap. Probably not made of solid wood either by laminate plywood. Easy to tell just by popping off the recessed jack plate, or if the paint job is thin enough, you can see the lines of the different layers running across the edges of the body.
I've played those. They're cheap. Probably not made of solid wood either by laminate plywood. Easy to tell just by popping off the recessed jack plate, or if the paint job is thin enough, you can see the lines of the different layers running across the edges of the body.
JacksonMIA
Lemur-buckerologist
Re: Epiphone Stratocaster
I had one that was more like a true strat than that one - vintage style trem, dot enlays. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT plug this guitar into a silver face Fender if it has the stock pickups. People will die.
It really needed a fret dressing to eliminate the buzzing. Luke Duke and I worked on it for at least 6 hours - making adjustments, adding shims - trying to make it playable. We never really succeeded.
A JB Jr in the bridge really helped, but it needed a total electronic replacement. It still wouldn't have been great. I think mine was actually basswood, but I could be wrong.
This guitar has totally turned me off from Epiphones. I know they make better instruments, but I doubt I'll ever buy another.
I had one that was more like a true strat than that one - vintage style trem, dot enlays. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT plug this guitar into a silver face Fender if it has the stock pickups. People will die.
It really needed a fret dressing to eliminate the buzzing. Luke Duke and I worked on it for at least 6 hours - making adjustments, adding shims - trying to make it playable. We never really succeeded.
A JB Jr in the bridge really helped, but it needed a total electronic replacement. It still wouldn't have been great. I think mine was actually basswood, but I could be wrong.
This guitar has totally turned me off from Epiphones. I know they make better instruments, but I doubt I'll ever buy another.
Guitar Toad
Toadily Stratologist
Re: Epiphone Stratocaster
I have an old Gibson brochure from 1983 that has Gibsons version of a stratocaster. Rats, I can't remember what they called it. I'm gonna have to go dig out that brochure now. I want to say that they called it the Vector.
I have an old Gibson brochure from 1983 that has Gibsons version of a stratocaster. Rats, I can't remember what they called it. I'm gonna have to go dig out that brochure now. I want to say that they called it the Vector.
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badco33
New member
Re: Epiphone Stratocaster
I had one that was more of a traditional strat. It was my first electric that I bought in 1988. It was white with a black pickguard and had the traditional 6 point trem. It was a nice guitar. The pickups were crap so I put a Duncan Classic Stack in the bridge (my first SD purchase) and it sounded great with my old GK 250ML. I sold it and bought a Charvel with a full shred in the bridge. Much better for Dio licks!!!
The funny thing is, my friend had the same exact guitar but he retired it when he bought a Les Paul studio about 10 years ago. He pulled it out of the closet a few weeks ago and we added some duncans to it and put CTS pots and a new jack in and it rocks! What I didn't know at the time was it has a shorter neck scale (24 3/4) just like the other Epis and Gibsons.
Mine didn't have a model name, at least on the guitar, but the headstock said, "Epiphone by Gibson"
I had one that was more of a traditional strat. It was my first electric that I bought in 1988. It was white with a black pickguard and had the traditional 6 point trem. It was a nice guitar. The pickups were crap so I put a Duncan Classic Stack in the bridge (my first SD purchase) and it sounded great with my old GK 250ML. I sold it and bought a Charvel with a full shred in the bridge. Much better for Dio licks!!!
The funny thing is, my friend had the same exact guitar but he retired it when he bought a Les Paul studio about 10 years ago. He pulled it out of the closet a few weeks ago and we added some duncans to it and put CTS pots and a new jack in and it rocks! What I didn't know at the time was it has a shorter neck scale (24 3/4) just like the other Epis and Gibsons.
Mine didn't have a model name, at least on the guitar, but the headstock said, "Epiphone by Gibson"
theboatcandream
dreamonologist
Re: Epiphone Stratocaster
I have a epiphone special, the cheepest of the cheep. New tuners, new pickup, gave it a setup and touched up the frets, sanded off the original finish and finished the neck in tung oil, and now it's a pretty good guitar. I've put it in the hands of some serious musicians and they really like it, except for the heavy strings I have on it.
Epiphones aren't bad as much as they're universally overpriced for what you get.
Pecan said:
I have a epiphone special, the cheepest of the cheep. New tuners, new pickup, gave it a setup and touched up the frets, sanded off the original finish and finished the neck in tung oil, and now it's a pretty good guitar. I've put it in the hands of some serious musicians and they really like it, except for the heavy strings I have on it.
Epiphones aren't bad as much as they're universally overpriced for what you get.
Pecan
New member
Re: Epiphone Stratocaster
Its more the fact so much has to be done to it before its that good. I can pick up a cheap cort, ibanez, godin etc. And even before I change the pickups or set it up properly they still play good enough for the price, and when you finally make the adjustments they are even better. For someone who has never played guitar before, epiphone are ok, but someone who knows whats in a good guitar, they are harder to live with in my opinion, I do like epiphone les paul customs though, they are nice. The G 400 vintage is good value as well.
Its more the fact so much has to be done to it before its that good. I can pick up a cheap cort, ibanez, godin etc. And even before I change the pickups or set it up properly they still play good enough for the price, and when you finally make the adjustments they are even better. For someone who has never played guitar before, epiphone are ok, but someone who knows whats in a good guitar, they are harder to live with in my opinion, I do like epiphone les paul customs though, they are nice. The G 400 vintage is good value as well.
strat_master
New member
Re: Epiphone Stratocaster
i want a fender les paul! lol
i want a fender les paul! lol
T
theodie
Guest
Re: Epiphone Stratocaster
I played one, it is made of plywood and is pretty much garbage!!!
I played one, it is made of plywood and is pretty much garbage!!!
theboatcandream
dreamonologist
Re: Epiphone Stratocaster
$110 Canadian for the pickup which I installed myself, $40 for the tuners and $20 for the installation. The tuners were American so the holes needed to be drilled bigger. The fretwork didn't cost me much because I already had the materials minus a roll of painter's tape.
If it's a cheep guitar, I'm willing to do as much as I can myself. I'm not a professional by any stretch of the imagination, but I did do a good job of it, the frets are level and there's no buzzing even with the low action I have it set at. Before, the guitar was unplayable with the low action I prefer.
Zerberus said:But when you consider that the value of the extra work (done by a pro) is almost as much as the guitar cost....
$110 Canadian for the pickup which I installed myself, $40 for the tuners and $20 for the installation. The tuners were American so the holes needed to be drilled bigger. The fretwork didn't cost me much because I already had the materials minus a roll of painter's tape.
If it's a cheep guitar, I'm willing to do as much as I can myself. I'm not a professional by any stretch of the imagination, but I did do a good job of it, the frets are level and there's no buzzing even with the low action I have it set at. Before, the guitar was unplayable with the low action I prefer.
JacksonMIA
Lemur-buckerologist
Re: Epiphone Stratocaster
You're saving money, but to someone who makes money (in some cases, their entire living) doing that kind of work time is a much more important factor than it is to you or I.
I think what he's saying is that you should account for what your time is worth. I do everything I can on my guitars to save money and get practice. I wouldn't do it if I didn't enjoy it, either. But, honestly, I could be doing something else with that time, so it is costing me time. I wouldn't do it for free for anyone else (in most cases).theboatcandream said:
You're saving money, but to someone who makes money (in some cases, their entire living) doing that kind of work time is a much more important factor than it is to you or I.
