Dissapointed with an Epi SG

What model were you looking at? The G310 is not the same quality as the G400 models.

This was a G400 . . . that is what perplexed me. :? I am going to a show soon so I'll check out another lot there, but this one at least seemed a bit poor. :(

Part of the problem may have been the pickups. I am not a fan of any Epi pickup I have played. Over the years, I have owned a couple of Epis and the pickups were always pretty dull, muddy, etc. Replacing them with good pickups will vastly improve an Epi.

You probably got to try a bad one. All brands put out a % that just aren't great and should have been caught by quality control at the plant. At guitar stores, if I try 4-5 Epis only 1 or 2 will be nice, the others will have something wrong. But, that happens with most makers. That is why it is best to try several guitars of the same make & model when you want to buy - one of them will stand out from the rest.

My Goldtop G-400 LTD Epi SG plays quite well. I will say that if you have an amp's EQ set for one guitar and then play the Epi, it won't sound good. I will get a good sound for one guitar and then plug in the Epi and have to change everything. I am really starting to like my Goldtop more and more. At first, I was rather hesitant to commit to liking it.

Part of the problem may have been the pickups. I am not a fan of any Epi pickup I have played. Over the years, I have owned a couple of Epis and the pickups were always pretty dull, muddy, etc. Replacing them with good pickups will vastly improve an Epi.
Me too. Currently I'm thinking on change the pickups or buy a new guitar (or both :twisted: ). I went with my guitar to my usual store for a setup last week (it also has a strange buzz in the G string). We was checking it and the feedback with one of those big amps was impressive. It was authentic guitar noise!

When I bought it, I had to make several setups. Quality control problems. Some of them were really silly. For example, one of the pots wasn't in the room reserved for it (it was turned). Thus, the pot axis (the pin) was shorter than the others and the knob was in contact to the top.

We are paying more than 400€ for the instrument, I guess it could be reviewed. Could you imagine if we have to made the same setups when you are buying an electronic device? Or a car?

If I finally buy a new guitar I'll go to another brand, surely Fender. Nevertheless, I've also detected quality control problems in Fender.

A strange buzz in the G string is never a good thing.

On changing outputs with different guitars, adjusting pickup height is an important and often overlooked part of a setup. Different pickups will have different output levels, though.

I've done the g400 and change the p/ups route. Spent too much money when I shoulda just gotten a faded SG. I do have a nice sounding epi now though. Oh, and for my LP, I actually enjoy the pickups....and I think they're about the same ones that the SG had. A couple years and a country of origin apart, but I think they used the same ones. :?:

A strange buzz in the G string is never a good thing.

Never?
:twisted:

A strange buzz in the G string is never a good thing.

When my two Jack Russell terriers bark in the same room where my guitars are racked, the strings on the guitars actually vibrate and produce sounds - it's kinda weird.

A strange buzz in the G string is never a good thing.
We don't know what does it produce. I even thought I can produce it with my fretting hand, a problem with the strength applied to the string or the position in the fret. For this reason I carried the guitar to the store, they are more experienced. They were adjusting the pickup height (also the low E collided against the neck pickup) but we are not able to detect the G string problem. I don't know if it is a problem with the screw or a kind of "spring" (wire) that crosses the Tune-o-matic bridge.

BTW, any idea?

Thanks for the replies. :)

It wasn't actually the pickups that was the issue (maybe I'm used to the pups on my Epi LP?) but more the build quality and finishing. I think I'll have a better snoop around at Music Live. :D

I think you may have gotten a lemon. My Limited Edition G 400 plays awesome, AND doesn't have those horrible Epi pickups :wink: It has a set of active EMG 81/85, exactly the same electronics as the Zakk Wylde LP's. The LP's sound smoother, where the SG has a rougher, growling tone. The SG can be smooth too if you want it to, you just have to dial it in more.

I guess it's a lemon, too. I tried a few 400s and they all were atleast decent, sometimes very nice.

As I've said before, I love my G 400. It is a bit old though, 11 years old and made in Korea. I believe the new ones are now manufactured in China. Don't be chewing on the paint!!! :lol: