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fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
http://forum.theobelisk.net/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1138		 Page 2 of 3
Author:  Ryan Electrocution [ Sun Apr 17, 2011 9:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
dk419 wrote:
All my guitars are kind of cheap, as they are epiphones, but I actually liked the way they played and sounded better than the over priced gibson versions. Go figure...


I agree. Epiphone makes some really awesome gear. The lower end stuff is great (most of them, I believe, have Grover tuners now), but the higher end Epi stuff--the build quality is great. Most of the limited edition stuff is always something to watch out for. There's a bit of fit and finish that isn't quite up to par with the Gibson stuff, but the raw materials and the way the stuff is constructed is spot on.
Author:  Bongzilla [ Mon Apr 18, 2011 4:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
Epis rule. The bottom rung models aren't for pros though IMO ( the 100-ish dollar ones w/ bolt-on necks) and are barely suitable for beginners. They're perfect for you're-not-sure-if-your-kid-will-even-keep-playing gifts though..
The mid-level ones are pretty decent--I like 'em better than, say, the Gibson "faded" series ("the quality has faded" nyuk nyuk) and the high-end Epis are better than the standard Gibsons, and in some cases better than the Custom Shop models.
It pains me to say it, but fuck a bunch of modern-day Gibson.
Author:  Ryan Electrocution [ Mon Apr 18, 2011 5:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
Bongzilla wrote:
Epis rule. The bottom rung models aren't for pros though IMO ( the 100-ish dollar ones w/ bolt-on necks) and are barely suitable for beginners. They're perfect for you're-not-sure-if-your-kid-will-even-keep-playing gifts though..
The mid-level ones are pretty decent--I like 'em better than, say, the Gibson "faded" series ("the quality has faded" nyuk nyuk) and the high-end Epis are better than the standard Gibsons, and in some cases better than the Custom Shop models.
It pains me to say it, but fuck a bunch of modern-day Gibson.


The Epi Custom Shop stuff is unreal. A couple of years back, i'd got an Epi Les Paul Junior Custom Shop sunburst (P-100, though i'd put a Lollar P-90 in there) for $300 bucks new, and I don't think i've laid down a better 300 bucks in my lifetime--gear wise, at least. If one wasn't looking at the headstock, i'm sure most people would agree that it plays like a $1000-$2000 dollar guitar. The fit and finish on it--for a 300 dollar guitar-- has to be one of the best that i've seen. They'd stopped making those a couple of years back, but I don't see why those won't be highly sought after in the future.

I'd got an Epi Hummingbird back about a year ago, and aside from some minor finish issues and maybe the detail only being maybe 90-95 percent there, the tone and playability of it is unbelievable. I'd put in a Tusq nut which improved it a bit, but in stock condition, aside from the nut being a bit high for my liking, it's almost perfect. For $500, with a better nut and lowered action, you're getting something better sounding than Gibsons--i'd rented, I think, a Gibson J-45, and I liked the Hummingbird better....thought it had more body to it's sound and better overall resonance. And for $2000 less!
Author:  dk419 [ Tue Apr 19, 2011 9:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
My cheap guitars. Epi-Sammick-Epi

And I fucking love them. Just like everyone says, a little bit of after-market love, and they are as good as anything else really. Hell, I sell appliances for a living, and we know what cheap clothes washers have the same guts as the expensive ones.


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Author:  Ryan Electrocution [ Tue Apr 19, 2011 5:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
Nice! How do you like the '56 Goldtop?
Author:  dk419 [ Tue Apr 19, 2011 5:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
It's awesome. P90's can be a little noisy, but it wouldn't really matter if it was gibson or epi, it's the same for all P90's. The action was a little high initially, but with a quick trip to the guitar tech, the action is sweet, and it sounds awesome! For the money, you can't go wrong... $449 at the time.
Author:  10string [ Wed May 18, 2011 4:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
Not necessarily in the category of "cheap". The "hair metal" and "gear snob" stigmas gather a bit more snickers than it should but not enough to keep me from playing it out.
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Author:  SunnO))) [ Wed May 18, 2011 11:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
Mocks are fucking solid guitars. I love the full Mock circuit, so many options.

I used Ironbirds, Stealths, Mockingbirds... They're all fucking sick. Everyone else can eat my dick if they wanna snicker at it. Sorry it isn't a Les Paul, or strat. Go be typical... over there... -points-
Author:  SunnO))) [ Wed May 18, 2011 11:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
Author:  Dinger [ Thu May 19, 2011 4:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
My major complaint about Epiphone (and I mean ALL models/price ranges) are the potentiometers. I don't care for them, personally, but it's not very expensive to upgrade them to decent ones.
Author:  10string [ Thu May 19, 2011 3:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
CTS pots are 'da bomb. I would have never thought that a pot could make a difference. I was wrong. Very wrong.
Author:  Ryan Electrocution [ Sat May 21, 2011 12:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
Dinger wrote:
My major complaint about Epiphone (and I mean ALL models/price ranges) are the potentiometers. I don't care for them, personally, but it's not very expensive to upgrade them to decent ones.


True. Although I seem to always get the audio/ linear thing wrong.....the weird thing is that when you buy wiring kits, they always put the audio taper pots in there.
Author:  Kelprunk [ Sat May 21, 2011 1:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
tastelikedirt wrote:
I know in the early years they/he would go to pawn shops and stuff just to buy cheap guitars to smash up.


No wonder they sounded like ass then.
Author:  Mr Neutron [ Sun May 22, 2011 10:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
Bongzilla wrote:
Epis rule.



Image

My '98 Korina G400.
Purchased in early '10 on Ebay for $285, barely a scratch on her.

Put a Tone Pros T.O.M. on her, and swapped the pickups out.
Duncan '59 in the neck, Duncan Pearly Gates neck pickup in the bridge (all parts from Ebay as well)
Had the new parts installed, and a setup. Total expenditure.... $475

Sounds and plays better than a good friends SG standard that cost more than twice what mine did.
He hates that.
Author:  Omlet [ Sat Jul 02, 2011 4:55 am ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
All my gear is both cheap and uncool - what else can you say about made in Vietnam Vintage VS6 guitar (it cost me about 220 bucks) and boss FZ-5 clone by Behringer?
In addition, sometimes I play on my friend's Aria Pro II semi-accoustic guitar - it was cheap, but cool, except for pickups - they suck more than my stock Wilkinson humbuckers.
Author:  DaveG [ Mon Sep 12, 2011 2:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
I never spend more than I have to on gear, A $3000 dollar amp or guitar doesn't sound any better than a $5-600 dollar one if you know what to buy, let alone 6 times better.

Agile/Epiphone LP's into Peavey VTM 120's have always sounded great to me.
Author:  HORNS [ Sat Feb 08, 2014 9:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
dk419 wrote:
My cheap guitars. Epi-Sammick-Epi

And I fucking love them. Just like everyone says, a little bit of after-market love, and they are as good as anything else really. Hell, I sell appliances for a living, and we know what cheap clothes washers have the same guts as the expensive ones.


Image



How did I miss this thread? Please tell me about that Epiphone SG! Did it come with three pickups or did you customize it?

Shit, you guys are self conscious about some nice gear. I buy Hondo guitars. I have three right now but I'm always shopping for the early eighties Hondos. Apparently their factory back then also made Sammicks. I have two strat types and a Les Paul single cut type.
Image

The pickups on this thing have balls, and with all of them, they are durable as hell. Guitars get knocked over in my house. Its always been like that.
Author:  Son of Ghidorah [ Sun Feb 09, 2014 3:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
the prole wrote:
Sovtek Mig 50 head


so great, had one for a minute in the 90's. miss it much.
HAILZ!
Author:  Andrew [ Sat Jul 19, 2014 11:24 am ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
I got a BaCh Gold Top Lp that probably costs a third of what a Epi Lp costs.

Acctually a great guitar. Not totally well built but a great work horse so to speak!
Author:  duhthebigmissourian [ Mon Aug 11, 2014 1:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
I like "LTD" (cheapo ESP) LP style guitars -- the Eclipse line. Cheap as hell but totally solid and I like the skinny "shredder" necks they have. Obvious upgrades are tuners and pickups. I put Gibson "Dirty Fingers" in mine and it sounds great.

Even the higher-end models will still get you mocked by gear snobs, the headstocks are kinda pointy after all.
Author:  spookstrickland [ Sun Jan 18, 2015 3:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
My Fave piece of uncool gear is my "Polaris" flying V copy not sure when it was made or who Polaris really is but it plays great, set neck solid body and nice pickups too really no complaints I'd love to have another one but have never seen one again. Picked it up at Briz for 200 bucks back in about 96
Author:  Graves [ Sat Jan 24, 2015 5:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
Vintage 80's Arion pedals. I use a few of them along with an old Arion power supply that I mounted to a super heavy homemade pedal board. If someone actually wanted to steal the pedals or board they're gonna hurt themselves and I wouldn't be out much $$$. The younger guys in the local scene are all about over-priced boutique or at the very least "big name" products. I'll take the SAD-1 over any of their delay pedals any day of the week. The stereo chorus is nice too and the stereo phaser, forget about it. Much better than my russian small stone. Sure they're made with plastic cases but treat them with respect and they'll do the same. Not quite "true bypass" either but I welcome buffers when you're running about 40 feet of cable.
Author:  Submarine [ Sat Mar 07, 2015 8:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
MCA-SP1 large diaphragm mic. Its never going to be as good as a Neumann but for $60 you are getting the performance of $350 mic.
Author:  Ala [ Fri Mar 27, 2015 8:14 am ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
I really dig my amp. An Ashdown MAG-300 combo. It's basically an MAG-300 EVO-head and a 4x10 cabinet, but in combo-mode. It cost me around SEK7000:- and I think it sounds really good and it's easy to deal with. Never had any problem with it and I've used it with Pike ever since I bought it in 2008.
Author:  Bullio [ Wed Jun 10, 2015 11:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: fave cheap or "uncool" gear?
I just picked up this G400 yesterday for $145.

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Came customized with an unknown DiMarzio in the neck, Grover tuners, and the white pickguard. Individually the cost of the custom parts would be almost as much as what I paid for the guitar! Absolutely beautiful cherry red finish. I've always wanted an SG, and this thing delivers on every reason behind my desire for one (lightweight and the SG "bite"). I could put a different humbucker in the bridge (probably going to do this) and finish it with some gold colored hardware (definitely going to do this) and still come in under the price of a brand new Epi SG.
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