NGD: Gibson Epiphone Strat Copy

[Commodore 64***]

Just nabbed for $45 on CL. Now I need to figure out what it is. It's made in Korea, and I'm hoping it's the version with a mahogany body like the one being discussed here: Linky.. Anyone know anything about these?

[ZMAN]

What you have is an Epiphone S-310. I think they came in two styles, there was an S-210 as well. I think the 210 came with 2 singles and a hummbucker.
The 210 was mad as late as 2004. I don't know the year range on yours.
They are selling in the 50 to100 dollar range in most cases. I am not sure about the body. Could be a laminated body.
Update: Did some research and the S series were made in various levels from 1986 to 1999. There were several configurations of pickups and neck finishes/inlays.
SSS, and HH, and SSH pickups combos. Nothing on body material but being Made in Korea in that era they should be pretty good material.
The earliest Epi. catalogue I have is a 2004 has the S210 in it with SSH pickups.
Hope that helps.

[Commodore 64***]

Thanks Zman, it does help.

This being Thanksgiving weekend for us, things are crazy, I haven't had much time to play around with it, other than Wednesday night when I got home. It's significantly lighter than my AXL or Michael Kelly, and I kind of like that. I didn't want to put it down, in fact I sat on the couch with it while we watched a movie and did finger exercises and stuff.

The volume pot is very noisy, and causes the pickups to cut out. So, as a budding, but neophyte tinkerer, I have ordered a Strat Rebuild kit from Guitar Fetish. Since I'm going to have to rewire everything then, I also went ahead and ordered a Lipstick Pick Up from there as well, the "neck" version. I have a SD SH-4 humbucker that I was considering putting in the bridge position. I'm pretty excited about this.

[SuperSwede]

I think that the epi strat copys are pretty good.. at least the older ones were, I havent played a recent one.

[ZMAN]

Yes this would be a pretty good platform for upgrades. The neck is said to be very nice on them. You will be able to tell what the body wood is when you pull the PG, to do your upgrades.
You may want to look into a new set of tuners. I have heard the tuners are marginal on them. But if it stays in tune, I wouldn't bother.
I really like the headstock on them. The S 210 from 2004 does not look near as nice.