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Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 11:34 pm
by DanHeron
Ankhanu wrote:DanHeron wrote:Oh no, i know they are going to be poor quality. But I mean, I hope its actually a new model and they're not just using the melody maker name for a new 'budget' line or whatever.
Wasn't the Melody Maker a budget instrument from the start?
Yes it was. What im saying is the description does not describe a melody maker, it seems like it could just be a name they're giving to low budget SG/LP/Flying V/ explorer models. But the melody maker, as well as being a budget student guitar, was also a seperate model with unique features - single coils. They should still be like that.
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 11:36 pm
by Fran
DanHeron wrote:But the melody maker, as well as being a budget student guitar, was also a seperate model with unique features - single coils. They should still be like that.
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 11:47 pm
by endsjustifymeans
Fran wrote: Squier fucking rules at the moment.
QFT
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 11:50 pm
by Fran
endsjustifymeans wrote:Fran wrote: Squier fucking rules at the moment.
QFT
SRSLY DUDE.
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 5:26 am
by robroe
CANT BEAT MY MELODY MAKER SG SPECIAL THAT I MADE.
FUCK DEEZE NUTTZ
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 5:53 am
by Lucamo
robroe wrote:CANT BEAT MY MELODY MAKER SG SPECIAL THAT I MADE.
FUCK DEEZE NUTTZ
Do you still own that?
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 7:00 am
by James
£450 is cheap for a Gibson. It's not cheap for the quality will probably be. The fact that it's the bottom of a line that includes mostly things in the thousands doesn't mean it's any good at all.
Here are a few things that will almost certainly destroy it for a similar sort of price (some secondhand)
- Any of the MIJ Squier Vista series guitars
- A quality late 70s/early 80s Les Paul by Burny/Greco etc.
- Baja Telecaster
- Epiphone Casino
- Gordon Smith of your choice
- Squier CV range
- About 300 other guitars
£450 gets you into deep into 'serious guitar' territory, and a low end Gibson doesn't come close to that.
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 3:51 pm
by Sloan
If your spending $500 or less, i don't think you can go wrong with some of the new Epiphone stuff and the Squier classic vibe stuff. They are done with playing fucking games and have completely manned up.
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 4:30 pm
by plaidbeer
What Epis would you guys consider to be the equivalent price-wise and quality-wise to the Classic Vibes? I've rarely read good things about the lower-end Epiphones.
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 4:52 pm
by Fran
Dont know about the V's and stuff but the Les Paul Customs and hollow bodys (Sheraton and Casino especially) are the best i've played. The SG 400 is a good Punker and my friend has a limited edition SG with a flashy finish, Duncans etc which is nice.
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 5:36 pm
by damienblair17
plaidbeer wrote:What Epis would you guys consider to be the equivalent price-wise and quality-wise to the Classic Vibes? I've rarely read good things about the lower-end Epiphones.
The G-400 (SG)
The Firebird if you're into that kinda thing
Thunderbird bass (all of 'em)
If you can find 'em, any of the goth series (SG, LP, t-bird, V, Explorer)
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 5:38 pm
by Billy3000
Fran wrote:Dont know about the V's and stuff but the Les Paul Customs and hollow bodys (Sheraton and Casino especially) are the best i've played. The SG 400 is a good Punker and my friend has a limited edition SG with a flashy finish, Duncans etc which is nice.
Agreed. The only epiphones that I really just don't like are their low end models like the LP jr's, sg 310 or jr, whatever the entry level sg is, and all the guitars in the $99-$200 or $300 range. After that most of the epiphones I've played are really nice. I'd buy an Epi LP standard or a SG 400 before I'd buy any of the low end gibsons in the $500 to $1000 range.
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 5:53 pm
by Fran
Billy3000 wrote:Fran wrote:Dont know about the V's and stuff but the Les Paul Customs and hollow bodys (Sheraton and Casino especially) are the best i've played. The SG 400 is a good Punker and my friend has a limited edition SG with a flashy finish, Duncans etc which is nice.
Agreed. The only epiphones that I really just don't like are their low end models like the LP jr's, sg 310 or jr, whatever the entry level sg is, and all the guitars in the $99-$200 or $300 range. After that most of the epiphones I've played are really nice. I'd buy an Epi LP standard or a SG 400 before I'd buy any of the low end gibsons in the $500 to $1000 range.
I found the SG 400 pups a bit microphonic but other than that i preferred it over an 80s Gibson SG Special i had.
Some people here like the low end stuff but i find it really poor to be honest, talking new i think you've got to be paying around £300+ for a decent Epiphone. Still does'nt make much sense to me though when you can get a second hand 80's Yamaha SG 200 for just under £200 that will give any Gibson SG a run for its money.
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 6:12 pm
by plaidbeer
When I was looking to buy my first guitar last summer, I tried out the G400. It was one of the most comfortable guitars I played and for a while I was really considering it. But every G400 sounded like it was muffled no matter how much I adjusted the tone pot. Are they just always going to sound that dark no matter what? Is that just their general tone?
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 7:34 pm
by Billy3000
Fran wrote:Billy3000 wrote:Fran wrote:Dont know about the V's and stuff but the Les Paul Customs and hollow bodys (Sheraton and Casino especially) are the best i've played. The SG 400 is a good Punker and my friend has a limited edition SG with a flashy finish, Duncans etc which is nice.
Agreed. The only epiphones that I really just don't like are their low end models like the LP jr's, sg 310 or jr, whatever the entry level sg is, and all the guitars in the $99-$200 or $300 range. After that most of the epiphones I've played are really nice. I'd buy an Epi LP standard or a SG 400 before I'd buy any of the low end gibsons in the $500 to $1000 range.
I found the SG 400 pups a bit microphonic but other than that i preferred it over an 80s Gibson SG Special i had.
Some people here like the low end stuff but i find it really poor to be honest, talking new i think you've got to be paying around £300+ for a decent Epiphone. Still does'nt make much sense to me though when you can get a second hand 80's Yamaha SG 200 for just under £200 that will give any Gibson SG a run for its money.
Yea the only thing I don't like about them is the pickups. But I've played a bunch of epiphones that my friends have swapped the pickups to gibson pickups and they sound every bit as good as the real deal! The singer in my old band had an Epi LP standard with burstbucker 2's in it, and I actually thought it sounded better than his Gibson standard LP double cut with the same pickups.
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 11:58 pm
by damienblair17
plaidbeer wrote:When I was looking to buy my first guitar last summer, I tried out the G400. It was one of the most comfortable guitars I played and for a while I was really considering it. But every G400 sounded like it was muffled no matter how much I adjusted the tone pot. Are they just always going to sound that dark no matter what? Is that just their general tone?
Yeah, they're pretty dark sounding. A cheap pickup swap does wonders, but that is an extra step plus extra cash.
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 1:50 am
by Billy3000
damienblair17 wrote:plaidbeer wrote:When I was looking to buy my first guitar last summer, I tried out the G400. It was one of the most comfortable guitars I played and for a while I was really considering it. But every G400 sounded like it was muffled no matter how much I adjusted the tone pot. Are they just always going to sound that dark no matter what? Is that just their general tone?
Yeah, they're pretty dark sounding. A cheap pickup swap does wonders, but that is an extra step plus extra cash.
You still come out way ahead of the low end Gibson SG fadeds though! An Epi SG400 with new pickups will sound and look better than the crappy faded series.
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 2:27 am
by othomas2
The faded aint crappy, and cut above anything with Epiphone on the headstock guaranteed, with or without new pickups !!!
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 5:15 am
by SGJarrod
plaidbeer wrote:When I was looking to buy my first guitar last summer, I tried out the G400. It was one of the most comfortable guitars I played and for a while I was really considering it. But every G400 sounded like it was muffled no matter how much I adjusted the tone pot. Are they just always going to sound that dark no matter what? Is that just their general tone?
Dude get a G400 and gut it, redo the Electronics and get a professional set up.... These go for $225 used all day.... I have a G400 LE and a Gibson SG and the both play very nice, I love them, obviously.... the Epi is not as good and here is why..
-The wood is not as heavy, the Gibson feels more substantial...
-the hardware is cheaper, the bridge has some tiny vibration/rattle...
-frets have no where near the quality work of the Gibson
-and obviously electronics are in a different league
With alittle work thou and $350 bux u can have a very nice SG.... I would not hesitate to buy the G400... very good axe for the money.... They are way better than the Gibby Faded SG after the electronic swap....
They do sound darker as that is a Gibson Style guitar made out of mahogany with more middy pick ups, but u can buy what ever pick-ups u like to change that a bit...
Check out what I did....
http://www.shortscale.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=39110
Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 12:20 am
by plaidbeer
SGJarrod wrote:plaidbeer wrote:When I was looking to buy my first guitar last summer, I tried out the G400. It was one of the most comfortable guitars I played and for a while I was really considering it. But every G400 sounded like it was muffled no matter how much I adjusted the tone pot. Are they just always going to sound that dark no matter what? Is that just their general tone?
Dude get a G400 and gut it, redo the Electronics and get a professional set up.... These go for $225 used all day.... I have a G400 LE and a Gibson SG and the both play very nice, I love them, obviously.... the Epi is not as good and here is why..
-The wood is not as heavy, the Gibson feels more substantial...
-the hardware is cheaper, the bridge has some tiny vibration/rattle...
-frets have no where near the quality work of the Gibson
-and obviously electronics are in a different league
With alittle work thou and $350 bux u can have a very nice SG.... I would not hesitate to buy the G400... very good axe for the money.... They are way better than the Gibby Faded SG after the electronic swap....
They do sound darker as that is a Gibson Style guitar made out of mahogany with more middy pick ups, but u can buy what ever pick-ups u like to change that a bit...
Check out what I did....
http://www.shortscale.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=39110
Thanks for the low-down on the G400. I might get one down the road, but I've been eying a Gretsch G5122DC for a while. Want a hollowbody.