Re: Great Deal On Epi...
ErikH said:
I do too, but not $2000 worth of expectations. I know that there will be some flaws here and there. Back in 1994 I bought my USA Strat brand new for $499, listed for $900 back then. It still had some flaws. The pickups are weak as hell for one, the setup was questionable but otherwise a solid axe.
I've replaced the pickups on just about everything I've ever owned, so that bad setups, and things like a poorly cut nut aren't a big deal to me because they're easy to fix. You can't do anything about the wood & quality of construction...and I'm sort of iffy on replacing hardware. If it's broken or junk on an otherwise good guitar I'll do it but otherwise I'll leave it as-is.
When I went LP hunting, I knew I was going to get an Epi. I couldn't afford a Gibson and didn't find any good used ones around anywhere when I first started looking, except one that sold real fast. I used to sell them so I knew what I was looking for and what to expect. When I picked up the MIC models, I was floored at how well they are made and the sound is there. Mine resonates really well and has killer tone. I don't care of it can kill a $2000 Standard or not. I just want it to play well and sound good for what I paid for it. If I buy a $3000 Custom, that thing better sing like no other and play like butter.
Have you picked up a new $3K Custom? They're so overpriced it's
ludicrious. Most of 'em feel so dead to me that I can understand why someone would pick an Epiphony for 1/5 of the price and put new pickups in it. I'd rather get a Hamer or look for a killer used LP Studio. I found a Gary Moore for that's super light and highly resonant and just destroyed every Standard & Classic I put it against and the best part? It was $1000.
The price is somewhat irrelevent though...a good guitar is a good guitar and piece of poo is a piece of poo. I'll put my $600 Hamer Diablo up against a $2K Anderson or Shur any day of the week and the quality of work, fit, finish, playability are second to none and still kick the crap out of a new $600 imported guitar. Sloppy inlays and binding are one thing, but super thick finished and dead wood are another.
It's a matter of going in with the right frame of mind with the price range that's being looked at. Yes, some are better than others, I agree, but for the price, the MIC's are good guitars.
I guess...but I don't care about "good for the price" when I buy something. I want something that's good
regardless of the price. I wanted & needed an LP...I went through Epi's, Schecter, ESP, Hamer, PRS etc. and I would've spent up to $2K or so on that guitar...getting a good one for $1K was great!
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