Epiphone SG 400 Worth the cash??

Rayjaysonic · Post by **Rayjaysonic** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 3:26 pm

A mate of mine has just stumbled across a Left Handed Epiphone SG 400 for Â£165 (I am left handed, he isn't) in a local shop. Anyone have any opinions on these guitars?? Seems inexpensive but only Â£270 odd new. My Epiphone Les Paul has turned out to be a great purchase, wondering if this SG is worth a punt??

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 3:38 pm

what color is it? set neck? headstock been broken off? is it what you're looking for?

go play it and see if she sings for you. that seems like a decent price. not great, but just above what i'd pay for a white one with the little pickguard.

TheBurbz · Post by **TheBurbz** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 4:08 pm

Seems a fair price, I prefer the Vintage (brand) VS6 to the Epiphones just because I've heard the quality on Epiphone guitars is a bit sketchy.

Rayjaysonic · Post by **Rayjaysonic** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 5:51 pm

From what I have been told, as new condition, set neck, cherry finish. Second hand left handed stuff doesn't appear in local shops very often so I always get tempted. It just struck me as not very much money.

crazydave911 · Post by **crazydave911** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 6:31 pm

Rayjaysonic wrote:From what I have been told, as new condition, set neck, cherry finish. Second hand left handed stuff doesn't appear in local shops very often so I always get tempted. It just struck me as not very much money.

It isn't much money, if the neck is straight, grab it!

astro · Post by **astro** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 6:56 pm

I played a friend's Epiphone SG not too long ago. Not sure which model, but it had a set neck. Very nice guitar. I've been thinking of getting one myself.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 7:01 pm

Reasonable price, they are quite nice guitars, i actually preferred mine over a Gibson model i had. The pickups can be a bit microphonic but thats my only criticism.

damienblair17 · Post by **damienblair17** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 7:23 pm

I personally love my G-400. If you like gibson necks (it seems pretty "clubby") and it's in good condition, I'd say go for it. I would agree that the pickups are not great, but as far as playability goes, It's a nice guitar. Be sure to play it first of course, as quality can be spotty.

Rayjaysonic · Post by **Rayjaysonic** » Mon Feb 22, 2010 11:26 pm

Popped up to the shop today in my lunch break, had a good look, no marks, all in perfect order. Played it, loved it, handed over Â£150 and took it back to work with me. The strings are as dead as a Dodo but they threw in a new set (as any decent shop should). I can't quite believe how inexpensive this guitar was! Even if I had paid list price on a brand new one, I reckon I would be a happy bunny. Set neck and mahogany body, lovely translucent rich cherry red finish showing a wonderful striped wood grain through it, Alnico V pick-ups, good quality control knobs, Grover tuners, nice action, great sustain, just love it.

A true Gibson SG has to be an insane guitar to play to warrant the extra Â£800 it costs.

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 4:34 am

nice score. do post pics, won't you?

lorez · Post by **lorez** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 12:54 pm

Nice one Ray. Where abouts in Bristol was it?

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 1:05 pm

I second this question. And nice purchase; I love my SG to bits.

lorez · Post by **lorez** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 1:42 pm

benecol wrote:I second this question. And nice purchase; I love my SG to bits.

The reason I ask is I just spent the morning lookin for guitar shops in Bristol and was very dissappointed. Jam is now only open part time. DV has 3 guitars in there and you have to order a guitar to be delivered before you can try. Reverb had around 6 fenders in the shop and apparently are having financial troubles again so god knows how long they will last. I then drove south of Bristol to Absolute Guitars which was not a bad little shop with some nice guitars (I think I know how my Tele GAS will be satisfied now) other than that I was at a lose. So any clues to any good guitar shops would be greatly received

Post by **Mike** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 1:47 pm

One of these?

I thought you meant a different type that an old bandmate of mine had, definitely not that great. It was just block red, no grain, with EMG lookalike black pickups in it. Pretty weird.

Can't find the model name or picture online. Congrats on the new guitar, I could never get on with the body-neck balance and thinness personally.

Thom · Post by **Thom** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 1:48 pm

Nice score

Always good to see someone get a good lefty guitar.
And you can always upgrade the pickups if they turn out to be microphonic like Fran suggested they could be.

omari · Post by **omari** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 3:02 pm

i bought a cherry red Epiphone sg jr. about ten years ago for $150. she was my #1 guitar until i got a Hagstrom viking. about a year ago i upgraded the pots and it now sounds better than my buddy's legit Gibson les paul jr. they're not all great but sometimes you can find an epi that's as good as anything else out there.

Kestrel · Post by **Kestrel** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 4:11 pm

Congrats on getting the lefty G-400. I have a 2005 Korean-made Epi G-400 Deluxe that's one of my absolute favorite guitars to play.

I've thought of buying another and I've looked at some of the current MIC G-400's (unfortunately Guitar Center is the only Epiphone dealer in my neck of the woods) but their QC is inconsistent. Some are pretty decent out of the box, but some are really bad so you definitely need to try them out individually before you buy a new Chinese-made G-400.

Rayjaysonic · Post by **Rayjaysonic** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 10:48 pm

Cheers everyone, I am chuffed to find a good one at a decent pice.

lorez, benecol, If you walk down the hill from DV in Clifton, past the bank to the end of the road, turn right, walk 5 seconds (if that) and on your left is Treble Rock.

Treble Rock

Tiny shop but he has got some cool stuff for most price ranges. Very nice guy in there, his name is Steve. He has been selling guitars in Bristol for years, proper old school guitar shop. He sold me this!

Have to admit, I bloody love it. The stock pick-ups are better than I was expecting, kind of have a moody, dark edge. The bridge is a little thin but the neck makes up for it.

Kestrel, that's a lovely looking guitar you have there. Yep, you have to try before you buy. Getting harder with so many shops going under. Even worse if you are a lefty.

Rayjaysonic · Post by **Rayjaysonic** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 9:21 am

Mike wrote:One of these?
Congrats on the new guitar, I could never get on with the body-neck balance and thinness personally.

I see what you are on about with the balance. Played with a strap for the first time last night, blimey the neck likes to head southwards on these!!! Good job I'm a bit of a lanky git or the head stock would have bounced off the floor!!!!!
Have to say though, not an issue whilst playing, I quite like the way it sits in your hand...just have to remember not to let go!

lorez · Post by **lorez** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 10:52 am

Rayjaysonic wrote:lorez, benecol, If you walk down the hill from DV in Clifton, past the bank to the end of the road, turn right, walk 5 seconds (if that) and on your left is Treble Rock.

Treble Rock

Tiny shop but he has got some cool stuff for most price ranges. Very nice guy in there, his name is Steve. He has been selling guitars in Bristol for years, proper old school guitar shop. He sold me this!

Cheers for that I will take a wander down there. Parking is a bugger around there though.

Just visited the site and I like his little intro video. its amazing that his surmane is Treble. Genius