[pauliejay]

How much did you purchase this item for?
Where did you purchase this item?
Is this item new or used?


Features: This is where you explain any specifics about the product like number of frets, pickups, has a tremolo, gold hardware, etc.

Construction: This is where you explain how well-built the product is. Is it shoddy? Is it built to last? Etc.

Sound: This is where you describe how the product sounds. Please tell us any specifics about your setup like the amp you use, effects you use, where you've played it, etc.

Ease of Use: This is where you explain how complicated the product is the use. Is it hard to control? Could a monkey do it? Etc.

Reliability: This is where you tell us how reliable the product is. Would it serve you well in a jam? Do you trust it? Etc.

Overall: This is where you give your overall opinion about the product you're reviewing. Consider things such as if you would buy this product again if it was stolen, if you would recommend the product, what turned you on to the product in the first place, etc.





(just copy and paste what's below)

CODE

[B]How much did you purchase this item for?[/B]
[B]Where did you purchase this item?[/B]
[B]Is this item new or used?[/B]


[B]Features:[/B]

[B]Construction:[/B]

[B]Sound:[/B]

[B]Ease of Use:[/B]  

[B]Reliability:[/B]

[B]Overall:[/B]  

[Tuning Spork]

Note: This is the December 21st, 2004 revision.
How much did you purchase this item for? $315 plus tax
Where did you purchase this item? First Flight Music in NY (low Epi prices, overpriced on many things)
Is this item new or used? New, but a factory 2nd

Features: This thing has standard chrome hardware, two Epi/Gibson humbuckers, a tune-o-matic bridge with a stopbar tailpiece, Grover tuners, a mahogany (And maple? I'm not sure) semi-hollow body (and matching neck), and a 22-fret rosewood fingerboard. It was made in China and is quite nice, especially for the price, and nothing's failed me. The tuners need a better gear ratio, as a minute turn will make a world of difference. There is full access to most of the frets, and I don't really care about the lack of it to the others. The standard two-volume/two-tone/three-way selector electronics setup. A well-sized neck, though not huge. It came strung with .009s or .010s, but I've had it strung with the latter for a while. It will soon be set up again with .012s.

Construction: Despite Epiphone's reputation for half-shoddy construction, this is very well-built. I've knocked it about a little bit, but there's not a ding or a scratch on the transparent red finish. The pickguard has a bit too much give for me to feel totally safe and the "E" logo came off it literally 30 seconds into my first meeting with the guitar, but that's not so important to me. The nut's reliable, and I basically haven't had any problems here.

Sound: Well, my amp isn't so good. I would have upgraded that first, but the only other electric guitar I owned did not stay in tune so I had to buy the guitar first. Anyway, I have played the guitar through some very classy amps and some very bad ones, and the sound is pretty good. It obviously doesn't sound like a custom ES-335, but it's quite nice and sounds much more expensive than it is. The pickups are pretty high output, but the sound is sometimes kind of cheap. The bridge pickup with all the treble on doesn't sound as twangy as I like it and the neck pickup with no treble sounds very muddy, especially when chording (but what would you expect with that setting?). It's not an optimal recording guitar, but I think for gigs or through a very nice setup the sound could be great. The mahogany body is great for both electric and acoustic use, and I can easily get the thing to sustain for about a half-hour.

Ease of Use: It's a guitar. Tuning keys, two sets of volume and tone, a selector switch (much better than Epis are supposed to be; I might have been lucky), a bridge, and strings. How hard can it be? The input jack is next to the controls, which is very convenient. This is slightly harder to play while sitting down, as the body is huge, but no more so than a large acoustic guitar.

Reliability: I trust this to the end of the world. A great, solid guitar. The mediocre factory setup wasn't good at first, but I adjusted the intonation and this has served me well in band jams.

Overall: The reason I bought this was because I loved the semi-hollow sound and was getting a new guitar, but with limited funds. It was basically between a Dot and an Ibanez Artcore, and I was more satisfied with the Dot's neck. If the thing were stolen and I hadn't made any money, I would get one of these in an instant. Or I might buy a used Epiphone Casino. I would recommend the Dot to people with no money who want a semi-hollow guitar.

Experience level: I have been playing guitar since March 2003 and have been playing this one since November 2003.

Edit (a bit late): corrected facts and opinions and added experience level category.

This post has been edited by Tuning Spork: 21 December 2004 - 01:34 PM

[dc197]

How much did you purchase this item for? £220 GBP
Where did you purchase this item? ebay
Is this item new or used? 2nd hand, virtually new


Features: I agree the dot fret markers look a little out of place. I like the machine heads, disagree that they are geared too high.

Construction: Not broken yet but I would not trust the scratch plate.

Sound: Hard to judge through my crappy amp. I disagree with the above, I feel the rhythm PUP is a little too bassy sometimes.

Ease of Use: Quite a large guitar to handle but very well balanced. Quite a wide neck. A pleasure to play.

Reliability: The selector switch gave me a little trouble, but seems to be ok now.

Overall: excellent value.

[Tuning Spork]

DC197, I have changed my mind about the rhythm pickup. I think that at least two of the reviews I have on here need to be changed, so look for that within the next week or so.

Edit: see above for the revised review (a bit late).

This post has been edited by Tuning Spork: 21 December 2004 - 01:34 PM

[el_burton]

How much did you purchase this item for? £329
Where did you purchase this item? www.academyofsound.com
Is this item new or used? New


Features: Gold hardware, "flame-top" finish (a little more yellow than I was expecting, but it does look good), Grover tuners, two Epi/Gibson humbuckers, not sure about the woods.

Construction: The E on the scratchguard is coming off slightly, and the pickup selector toggle switch sometimes doesn't find the bridge pickup when you change, but as I really only use the bridge pickup it doesn't bother me. Other than that, it seems pretty well put together.

Sound: I really like the sound of this guitar. The bridge pickup isn't as treble-y as I like, but I now use a Brian May treble-booster amp, so it isn't a problem. The neck pickup I don't really use, not that it's bad, it's just I never use the neck pickup of any guitar.

Ease of Use: It's not exactly quantum mechanics this. Plug it in and get strumming.

Reliability: It wasn't set-up for my favourite (admittedly very heavy) guage of strings, but I've done it myself and I trust it fully.

Overall: I love this guitar. I have a few other cheaper guitars that I would sell in an instant, but this one will never be sold. It looks fantastic (which is what drew me to it in the first place), it's big and solid but not cumbersome, and it's a great guitar for rock. Highly recommended for anyone who wants a classic guitar shape for good money.