NGD - MiK Epi SG

[progrmr]

I've been jonesing for an SG for quite a while but the ones I played at GC just didn't do anything for me.

I was wandering around the used music gear store looking for a cheapie gig bag. Came across a couple cool guitars that I decided to try out - BC Rich Trace Warbeast (mmm..pointy), a Squire Showmaster, an Arbor Strat...meh, none of them did anything for me so I was headed to the cash register and low and behold - there's an Epi SG. Pretty rough around the edges - clearly hasn't been cleaned up for some time and has some mojo (read: dings) all over the place.

Didn't look like much but I figured I'd give it a run. From the moment I started playing, it was different. It just "fit" me. Not sure if it's because it's a korean built or if I finally just played enough of them that I found that one that just works. It sounded great and the neck is a bit chunky which fits my hand just right. Weird...but cool!

Place was closing up so I had to crap or get off the pot - you know what happened

Here's some pics - actually cleaned up very nicely!

 

[Spudman]

Sweet! That looks like a nice guitar. For some reason I'm drawn to Korean electrics myself. It even says "Gibson" on it.:AOK

 

[Duffy]

Nice guitar. Great SG score. I like the small pick guard better than the big one. The color and grain look good. Did you restring it yet? I bet it sounds great thru that Vibrochamp, cranked. Nothing like a nice SG.

How does the tone compare to the Gibson V?

I have a '66 Gibson std copy epi sg that I hand picked from about 7 different sg's the same day, side by side, same amp settings and it was sounding way better than the next closest one. It is still stock. I wonder why they can sound so different with the computerized mass production exactness used today? I know it's the sum of the parts. Possibly very small differences can add up to a big difference in the end.

I have an Epi faded sg g400 with the small tear drop guard that sounds just as good but has a shallower neck cross section that gives it a different feel, but I'm totally satisfied with the bigger neck on the '66 high gloss transparent cherry one.

I have an Ibanez natural mahogany Destroyer, explorer type that has way hotter pickups and is great too. Wondering if your V sounds a lot hotter than the sg?

 

[progrmr]

Well the tone of the V blows away anything I have - and it's way smoother in tone with just the right amount of bite. The V is really something special. Comparing the two I'd have to say the V is cleaner and much hotter while the SG is a bit muddy. The SG's tone is good - basically on the right track with the gibson. If I put some nice gibson pickups in the SG (say burstbuckers, which I'm considering ) I think the two would be very close.

What gets me about the SG is how well it plays. The neck feels alot like the Epi Korina Explorer - thick but very smooth. Frets on the SG aren't huge either so sliding is smooth and it's easy to move around. I really can't stand jumbo frets - got rid of the Ibanex RG5EX1 I had because the massive frets made doing slides comical lol!

 

[Tig]

Sweet, sweet, sweet!
I would have done the same. Nice buy!

 

[FrankenFretter]

Nice!

 

[otaypanky]

Enjoy that new SG Progrmr

and Tig, please tell your dog he's not fooling anyone with that toupee`

 

[Eric]

Congrats.

If you're still looking for a gig bag, I have an extra one that I've been trying to sell on CL for about a week. You interested?

 

[progrmr]

Congrats.

If you're still looking for a gig bag, I have an extra one that I've been trying to sell on CL for about a week. You interested?

Nah - I picked up a cheapie while in the store. I'm resorting to sell my guitars on eBay - I only get hits on CL anymore if I take an 80% loss on my costs lol! So I have to buy some cheap bag to ship my peavey predator in.

thanks tho!

 

[Eric]

Nah - I picked up a cheapie while in the store. I'm resorting to sell my guitars on eBay - I only get hits on CL anymore if I take an 80% loss on my costs lol! So I have to buy some cheap bag to ship my peavey predator in.

Hmm...interesting to know people are resorting to eBay. I guess if I decide that I really want to move something, that might be the best option in the future. Right now I'm just trying re-listing for a long period of time.

 

[ZMAN]

I have a 2007 Epi G400 MIC, and it has the solid grover style tuners. I was wondering if the neck felt heavy with those tuners on yours? They are more like the original Gibsons, and my tech said that the Grovers are what makes them neck heavy.
I know it is a small weight difference, but I was wondering what your take on the balance of the guitar was?

 

[progrmr]

I have a 2007 Epi G400 MIC, and it has the solid grover style tuners. I was wondering if the neck felt heavy with those tuners on yours? They are more like the original Gibsons, and my tech said that the Grovers are what makes them neck heavy.
I know it is a small weight difference, but I was wondering what your take on the balance of the guitar was?

I think the tuners do make a difference. I just played it standing up and while the guitar does want to settle with the neck down it takes next to no effort to hold it up. This is one light guitar but has some big tone.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Congrats! Looks cool!

 

[ZMAN]

I think the tuners do make a difference. I just played it standing up and while the guitar does want to settle with the neck down it takes next to no effort to hold it up. This is one light guitar but has some big tone.

Thanks. I had to buy a larger strap for mine bu that seemed to work.
Both of my Gibbies are perfectly balanced.
What I like most about the SG is that the whole fret board is totally accessible without much effort. With the 490/498 pickup set they do have some balls.

 

[Brian Krashpad]

Cool, I used to have a MIK Epi SG too. Congrats.

Sold mine when I got an Agile SG with P-90's.

 

[Jimi G]

Progrmr,

HNGD from a new guy. I know photos don't always show minor imperfections, but yours looks very clean in the pics. Just had my NGD yesterday. An Epi SG Junior (unsure where it was made... no stickers on her) and mine was just like yours, that one guitar that just has that "I was made for you" vibe. Congrats and enjoy. Would post a pic of my Junior, but apparently I don't have that priviledge.

G

 

[Duffy]

Check this SG playing out.

Nice Epi SG! Congrats.

This is some great SG tone:



This version is way better:



This was performed before their first album was released and must have definitely prompted soaring record sales and a trip to superstardom like riding on the spece shuttle.

 

[ZMAN]

Hey Duffy that was an SG Special P90 he was playing just like the one I have. He said that he had taken so much LSD that the guitar neck felt like a snake in his hands. It is hard to believe he could even play.

 

[Duffy]

Interesting. If you look at his face a couple times it looks like he's saying, "Woah, woah", like he is experiencing something that is requireing all his energy to hold together, or roll with or whatever. I like the performance. It is real heavy rock like a lot of people hadn't heard before and I like his leads, for sure, and so do his band mates by the look on their faces. Mike is totally incredible on the drums. I'll never forget the first time I saw that drum solo. I wonder what happened to that guy? I've seen lots of versions of that song and I don't think any of them capture the vibe like that one, with that band line up. That SG sounds really hot and I wonder what amps he was using.