Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Epiphone G-400 Review - A Worthy SG Replacement?

If you ambition an bargain apparatus that can awning a lot of sonic ground, you can't go amiss with the G-400.
Although it may not accept as abundant weight (figuratively speaking) as the iconic Fender Stratocaster or the Gibson Les Paul, the Gibson SG is still a apparent allotment of bedrock and cycle history, as Angus Young can attest.
Everyone from Eric Clapton to Tony Iommi has adopted the Gibson SG for its acute sound. Since not anybody can allow the $1,200 artery amount for a Gibson, however, their sister aggregation Epiphone makes an affordable SG model, the G-400.
Since the Epiphone G-400 is audibly added inexpensive, we accept to ascertain how able-bodied it "stacks up" to its big brother, the Gibson SG.
Features
The Epiphone G-400 is congenital with a amber physique and set amber neck. It appearance two Alnico V humbuckers, a rosewood fretboard with trapezoid inlays, chrome hardware, and a tune-o-matic arch and stop tailpiece.
Performance
We accept aught niggles with account to the blooming finish, which is just apparent admirable and looks absurd on the instrument's amber body. The SG appearance itself is perfect. If it weren't for the name on the headstock, the apparatus would be a asleep ringer for a Gibson SG.
The mother-of-pearl inlays are affably done, admitting we did ascertain some baby traces of cement balance abreast the edges. Similarly, we noticed some minute traces of cement captivation the close collective in place, but these squabbles aside, we bent the architecture superior to be absolutely able-bodied done.
The instrument's accentuation was simple to set and was actual good, admitting we ambition the arch saddles weren't as acid as they are. The apparatus captivated its affability actual well, even afterwards some appealing abolitionist bending.
The apparatus plays well, acceptable for appealing abundant any appearance of music. We did apprehension a a brace of buzzes and rattles actuality and there, but we did set the activity adequately low, and we didn't beam any of these sounds through an amplifier.
I'm of the acceptance that a acceptable electric guitar has to complete superb unplugged, and the G-400 doesn't let down in this area either. It's vibrant, resonant, and offers abundant sustain, beauteous accustomed the guitar's low weight.
The guitar's acoustic tones were, absolution the pun, "amplified" if we acquainted into our analysis amplifier, a Dr. Z MAZ-18 NR. The pickups of the G-400 offered actual counterbalanced tones, advantageous for abundant audible styles.
We auditioned the pickups in all three toggle settings and begin the tones advantageous in all settings application both apple-pie and adulterated amp/pedal sounds. If we absolutely went for a metal complete (using a Visual Complete Jekyll and Hyde pedal), we anticipation the apparatus was a bit addled sounding, but's not absolutely a criticism, because how toppingly balmy this guitar is overall.
So, if you ambition to play this apparatus in a Judas Priest accolade band, you'll apparently ambition to put in some hotter pickups with a bit added acute bite.
The Bottom Line
There's not abundant added to say. The Epiphone G-400 is a baroque guitar at a superb price. If you ambition an bargain apparatus that can awning a lot of sonic ground, you can't go amiss with the G-400.
Name of Gear: Epiphone G-400
List Price: $606.00
Manufacturer Info: The Epiphone Company; epiphone.com
Pros: Solid value; acceptable playability; candied bedrock and dejection sounds
Cons: Arch saddles charge work; a little cement residue

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