Gothic...

[BastardCthulhu]

On the surface, an Epi gothic SG is a G400 with a bitchin satin finish....but is it the same as a G400?  Who has 'em, what are the pros/cons.  the price intrigues me.

[VOLVO)))]

The inlays make me wish it came with this in the case so I didn't have to stop for it on the way home:

[Jor el]

LOL

[Ranbat]

I had the Goth V, but never liked the Goth SG much. The ones I played never seemed quite as good as the regular G400. They seemed to fall somewhere between the G310 and the G400. I'd buy another Valkyrie before I'd buy another Epi honestly.

[clockwork green]

I have had a original Gibson Gothic V since they came out. At first I thought it was more than a little cheesy but I changed the pickguard and a few other things and its not quite as bad but the damn guitar plays and sounds amazing. I got a good deal on it and have probably put $700+ in parts and labor into it but its a lifelong keeper now.

[fallen]

I just waited for a really good deal on a slightly messed up SG to come along and then fixed it up.

New pickguard, new wiring, replace the stock humbuckers with some GFS P90s and used a ton of GooGone to get all the stickers off it. The paint chips are just "distressing".

Having one Gibson sitting there that I rarely play cured me of any intrest in them.

Epiphones are great for filling in for Explorers, Vs and Thunderbirds. The build quality is fine and I don't see myself spending $1000 so I can have a Thunderbird to play slide on once in a while. I have a Epiphone Explorer that plays awesome.

[Instant Dan]

I've played the Epiphone Goth SG, it's not bad for the money. The finish wasn't as nice compared to the Gibson one and it has a rosewood fretboard.

I have an original Gibson SG Gothic they released from 2000-2002. It was good when I first got it but after the upgrades (new nut, better electronics, p'ups to taste) this guitar is a tone monster and a keeper. Been playing my LP more but i'll never sell that SG.

[Hemisaurus]

Don't know if the same applies on the geetars, I was waiting for someone more knowledgable (sp?) to chime in.

On the basses, the woods used were different, the Goth was actually a better deal than the regular Epi T'Bird as it was made from Agathis (a mahogany relative I believe) and had upgraded Gibson pickups, however this only applied to the earlier models, they started making the later ones out of balsawood, or whatever the heck they normally use.

I think that's the story

[Mr. Foxen]

They made G400s in Korea and China, I've side by sided them, and they aren't even the same shape, the bevel round the edge is smaller on the Chinese (later) one and the neck heel is different. I've not had a gothic to look at.

Agathis is a softwood, and not associated with being decent wood, the soft pale balsa like wood is probably basswood, which is also cheap, but used in some fairly fancy instruments (like Musicman Bongo and some Ibanez stuff, Steve Vai jobs I think). Both dent too easily for my liking. The G400 were 'Phillipine mahogany' which is to say, not mahogany, just brown wood.

[fallen]

That's a good point. The Epi I have is Korean and the build quality is very good. The wiring wasn't great but I changed the pickups anyway. I haven't owned a Chinese one.

[Hemisaurus]

Hmm, yep they call it mahogany, but it isn't

AGATHIS Agathis is more commonly called KAURI in New Zealand and Australia, with the New Zealand species being the most famous. It is grown only in the southern hemisphere and has many uses. Some guitar manufacturers use agathis for the bodies of their budget priced guitars, Squier Telecasters and Stratocasters are made from agathis. Other names for agathis are (apparently) Commercial Grade Mahogany or Poor Man's Mahogany. It is a wood that resonates well and in the modern world where many traditional woods have been used up, it is quite adequate as a timber to build guitars with.

Commercial Grade Mahogany was what I had heard it referred to as, when talking about BC Rich bodies one time.

[RAGER]

Ya mean Malaysian mahogany like what they make door skins and thin ply material out of?

[Jor el]

Would you like your door skins loaded, with a side of ranch?

[RAGER]

Unpotted t tops and bleu cheese plz

[Hemisaurus]

Dammit, wasn't hungry 'til I read that