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View Full Version : Epi SG - now seriously, I'm getting one!



deeaa
September 27th, 2011, 08:49 AM
Well, I have a few options here.

- Order a new Epi limited in the color I like (white) = 379€. I was getting one w/hardcase for 320 used but that doesn't seem to happen.

- Get a cheaper Epi SG used; there's a few Goths and an Emily the Strange used here for 150;- or so...but, they just don't seem like they're good enough quality to me; I'd have to drop in lots of dough for improvements and still all the cheaper ones aren't proper woods but laminates...and neck heavy too.

- A G400 basic would be OK I suppose, albeit laminated too; 250€, but...I dunno. I just don't want a basic red one. And I'd have to order one :-(

- A gibson lower-end SG...I could get an SG special EB for 750€ but that's a touch too much, and I dunno about black either. There's the 60's special w/P-90's but that would be an entirely different kind of thing - well under 600 but, well, I don't want a faded one and they've skimped on some other stuff as well. I'd really want basic humbucking (with thoughts of upgrading it to actives later on) and the traditional SG looks, preferably white or some special color, not the usual wine, brown or black.

- There's a few interesting Samic etc. older SG copies around for much the same dough---but those have weird headstocks and quite assorted looking hardwares usually.

- The last one is - and I'm gearing towards this - is get an Epi Prophecy SG. I could get one used for 320. They should be properly mahogany thru and thru, but with a really pretty maple cap and a much slimmer fast taper neck. Also they have Gibson USA pickups (DirtyFingers) which I would likely swap for actives BUT I could also sell for some money back, unlike Epi pups which are worthless:

http://images.gibson.com/Files/edb4f61a-63ff-434f-ba48-8bcc3c2fc9d3.jpg

The Prophecy SG is ugly as hell stock, due to the pimp-looking gold hardware, but I figure once I'd swap all the gold parts for black chrome or chrome it'd look WAY better...also flat EMG's would look good on it, and I could put in a small white pickguard to give it some more classic SG feel. It'd look like this:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9jKTNhVxRcE/ToHiKpdTUyI/AAAAAAAAEPk/uvdKgsWCrho/s720/SG_tests1.jpg

Now that'd look like a nice SG to me already...and a bit special too.

marnold
September 27th, 2011, 11:16 AM
I'm normally not big on gold hardware, although I think it works on that guitar. I'd probably rather go with black than the chrome and white, but that's me. Are you going to do this or are you looking for encouragement?

deeaa
September 27th, 2011, 11:48 AM
Both...still considering options, but I have a deal being negotiated on the prophecy...

deeaa
September 27th, 2011, 09:44 PM
Okay...it really looks like the prophecy it is, the seller agreed on the price and now it's just a matter of how to send it (via bus cargo likely) and how do I pay.

So, I'll post a few mod option pics soon, I want to know what kind of mods people would prefer. The black hw would indeed be an option, and if it turns out to be a really good and sturdy enough guitar worth upgrades (I won't drop much more money on it unless the neck is rock solid and rather impervious to temp changes for instance or just quite lax, which seems to be an issue with many a cheaper SG), I might spring for a Schaller roller bridge and fine-tune stop-piece like I have on my Davette. I also wonder whether people think adding a pickguard is stupid but, I dunno, I just think an SG just needs one to look like an SG, it's just like...naked w/o one.

I also came up with an idea for the gold HW and Gibson pickups...I could build me another V with the parts but with the smaller old style body and paint it with metal paint and gold hw, you know, as bling bling as ever possible...that might work...

Tig
September 27th, 2011, 09:50 PM
Okay...it really looks like the prophecy it is,

Good choice! If it is of the same quality as the Prophecy SG and LP that I demo'ed, you are in for a treat.

I know you love active pickups, but give the Dirty Fingers a chance before swapping them out. Oh, the black chromed HW would look great on it.

deeaa
September 27th, 2011, 10:53 PM
I'll definitely test them (and do a test video/recording to see the differences) if I go active, which I do believe I will. Or, even if I liked the pickups fine, I can't stomach those golden pole pieces...yechh...they gotta go.

Eric
September 28th, 2011, 01:18 AM
I'll definitely test them (and do a test video/recording to see the differences) if I go active, which I do believe I will. Or, even if I liked the pickups fine, I can't stomach those golden pole pieces...yechh...they gotta go.
Yeah, I rarely see a guitar with gold hardware where I think the gold makes it look better. I think the chrome or black chrome would look better. I actually like the upgraded picture you put up, with the exception of the pickguard. I'd leave it off, but if you have to put one on, I'd try black or something.

BTW, congrats on the new axe. In advance I suppose, since I don't think you have it yet.

deeaa
September 28th, 2011, 02:01 AM
All black version:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-C5-r3PfNG3A/ToLTBuzWhkI/AAAAAAAAEPo/wxqsL4jFSXY/SG_tests2.JPG

I really do think I want a pickguard. It's funny, in LP's I think it's not good, but conversely I just think an SG looks stupid without one.
I was also considering buying an all black SG - in that case I'd definitely have swapped the (large style) pickguard to white. Hmm. Black looks good, but...hm, it just looks a bit too modern, almost like an ESP or something in all black, I'd like to retain some classic SG looks.

I'm thinking of buying a second, some cheap G400 for instance as a donor guitar from which I'd rip the chrome parts and the white picguard from...I could get one for 130€....then I could put in the gold stuff and sell it off for a hundred or something, and I'd get the chrome parts cheap.

Then again, Schallers would be nice...but they cost over a hundred already, and then I'd also need the picguard etc...costly!

Duffy
September 28th, 2011, 02:34 AM
I played one just like that a few times and liked the feel but was not fond of the pickups. I thought I'd like the pickups but didn't. Maybe I should have played around with the tone controls on the guitar and amp more and tried a high gain amp.

Switching out the hardware would look good and maybe you would even consider locking tuners. I put some Grover Mini Locking Tuners on my PRS SE Singlecut Tremolo guitar that look like normal tuning machines.

I prefer the picture with the pickguard actually. I personally am not excited about plain white pickguards, but it looks good on there and gives it some classic vibes.

I think your all black hardware with the black pickguard idea looks perfect. I can dig that color scheme for sure.

Tig
September 28th, 2011, 02:56 AM
Too bad you didn't find an EX version. Black, active EMG 81/85 pickups, and ready to rule.
http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/9/1/2/544912.jpg

deeaa
September 28th, 2011, 03:22 AM
Yeah the Ex would be cool, too, but that'd be even harder to make look a touch traditional. Looking at the Ex I'm even more partial to chrome rather than black hw though. Black is just too modern. If I did go chrome and white pickguard, it'd be just like a normal SG but with flame top, pretty much...that I'd like. If I could get the prophecy without the flame top, I would. I actually already planned painting it all white too to make it look exactly like a white normal SG, apart from the neck that is ;-)

Anyway, just paid the guy and he promised he'll try his best to ship it to me sometime this week...he lives somewhere higher north. He's got no suitable box for packing right now.

deeaa
September 28th, 2011, 05:04 AM
Yehaa, the seller just called from the bus depot, he's sending it already today so I should have it tomorrow! Also nice to get confirmation that it's coming, it's kinda worrying to just send 350e to someone you only know the phone number and email of from an ad, and trust him to send the actual merchandise...but, people round here usually are very good in that respect, never been burned yet. Once I was getting quite anxious after sending the money and not hearing from the seller since for four days, but turned out he'd fallen sick and the merch arrived the next week with apologies.

Now bidding 130€ for a black G400 with the intent of scavencing it for parts...

deeaa
September 28th, 2011, 08:03 AM
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xfoDd_UfOko/ToMpBszBhGI/AAAAAAAAEPs/jiKUp67Jf84/s720/SG_nopicg.jpg

Chrome no pickguard

deeaa
September 28th, 2011, 08:12 AM
Actually transferring this to a new thread so I can make a poll...