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NGD Epiphone SG

Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2014 8:33 pm
by HNB
Picked this up used for cheap. I really like it. It is a G310 I believe. I am not a fan of set necks, so the bolt on is something I like. The frets on this one are pretty nice. Pickups are ok. I might change them out for something different. They are a bit muddy.

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Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2014 9:12 pm
by timhulio
Isn't this the same as the Hagstrom you got the other day?

Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2014 9:35 pm
by HNB
Similar. :) They sound a lot different. They both feel ok. I think both could use better pickups.

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Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2014 11:10 pm
by theshadowofseattle
BLACK ON BLACK. I like your style.

Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2014 11:32 pm
by meltedbuzzbox
I used to have the same guitar. How are you getting on with it? Any mods planned?

Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2014 12:30 am
by HNB
Might change pickups. Also might up the pots to 1meg instead of 500k. They seem kind of muffled.

Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 3:07 am
by paul_
I would change the pickups before deciding on a pot change. No Gibson-style guitar with buckers I've ever heard would've benefited from 1meg pots (at least as far as a balanced Gibsony tone is concerned), though every Epiphone I've ever had has benefited from a pickup change, and the older/cheaper "Epi classic" buckers (not the new '57 Classics, which are sweet) are well known to have a muddy sound.

This is what my G400's bridge pickup (which melted) was like under the cover. I picked it apart some more in "oh fuck it" mode and indeed, there was not a bobbin to be found, just bobbin shaped bits of plastic holding the poles/coils in line at the very top. If this was what was in the G400 I shudder to think what's in the much cheaper G310 (although oddly enough they score instant bonus points for being open-coil and therefore presumably more traditionally constructed... might sound just as bad though)

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Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 3:51 am
by HNB
Looks like a soap bar. :)

Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 1:53 am
by paul_
lolz

Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 3:26 am
by ultratwin
Nice stuff, HNB...Switched out pots may be all it takes for you to like it that much more.

I as well was surprised at how well they play out of the box (I love the fat neck on our Emily G310, most of all) though I myself couldn't stand how stuffy the stock humbuckers were to my ears. Of course, the guitar being a keeper for my wife I blew multiple wads of cash on making it a real winner: bone nut, grovers, and crunchy Kent Armstrongs...I even did a vari-tone 5-way for a while, but it proved to be fairly boring sounding except when used with considerable gain, and was removed.

You've probably got a few dozen more single coil pickup guitars strong to warrant another, but since this old video of mine is still up after all these years...

[youtube][/youtube]

Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 5:02 am
by HNB
I love the finish on that one! Very cool. I wish I didn't have so many projects up at the moment. I want to get new pups for this one and maybe the Hagstrom, but I want to get that Tele done first. It is just so sexy and just needs a neck.

Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 11:44 am
by Freddy V-C
I didn't realise that the G-310 had a bolt-on neck... very interesting. I'm a big fan of SGs as of recently, but I much prefer bolt-on necks. Perhaps worth considering when I next have some of dat guitar money!

Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 2:47 pm
by brainfur
i've a g-400 that I love but I'm considering a p-90 pup swap since its a v murky sounding guitar

Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 2:47 am
by HNB
Swapped in the chrome covered pickups that came on my Jaguar HH. Looks much better and I am guessing it will be an improvement to the stock Epiphone pickups. :)

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Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 3:05 am
by ultratwin
Well done, sir! Proper chrome covers alone have brought manland rock to the scene and I'm sure you've got an upgraded deal going on :D


Reminds me of one of our G310's other manifestations (c.2008) that probably sounded the best overall, when it had a Kent Armstrong 6-Shooter PAF and SD Phat Cat (originally a bridge position pickup, hence it being sunk flush with the guard to balance output w/the PAF). Honestly I'm tempted to go back to this configuration sometime, the Phat Cat by itself had them lovely Stratty toanz galore.

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Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 5:27 am
by HNB
Wow! Another really cool finish job.

Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 10:37 pm
by Rayjaysonic
Very nice. Big fan of Epi SGs. Picked up my G400 second hand for no money at all. I swapped the pots for CTS, put in decent wire, Switchcraft jack and switch, set of Tonerider Rebel P90 pickups and added a Bigsby using the Vibromate system. Spent more on the upgrades than the initial price of the guitar but it don't half play well and sound lovely.




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Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 10:42 pm
by Dave
brainfur wrote:i've a g-400 that I love but I'm considering a p-90 pup swap since its a v murky sounding guitar
Having owned an absolutely tits black Gibson SG, and recently having got into P90s, I have no doubt THE most rocking guitar possible is a motherfucking SG with motherfucking P90s.

Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 1:12 am
by YuriK
Does this guitae have a dat neck? If so, I may have to look into it and do pickup swaps. Thin necks really hrt me.

Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 1:40 am
by HNB
I think it is on the thicker side. :)