instantcoffee

Alright, cool, I'll go on assuming it's legit. The Alnico Classic pickups are really blowing my expectations from Epiphone Humbuckers out of the water.

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I bought this BB3 used from GC. The serial suggests it's a 2017 from QuingDaoChina, but it's got some idiosyncrasies from normal BB3s. 1. the fretboard is definitely ebony and I can't find any record of BB3 being run with ebony fretboards, the advertising is all rosewood. Two, the Grover tuning heads are not the normal D shape, and the screws come loose when de-tuning. This could easily be an aftermarket mod. Three, the serial number is stamped into it like a Gibson instead of printed on it like I see on most modern Epi's. Sorry I don't have pictures of that off hand right now.

My first Gibson was an SG standard. I was bored in GC one day and had never tried an SG, so I picked up the Epiphone SG400. I really liked the neck shape and fret access, it felt perfect in my hand. Then I pulled down the SG Faded. It was even better, the satin finish meant I could blaze around the neck, but I didn't really like the thin fretwire as much, and I'm not big on the "bare bones" look. I don't like dot inlays, I want binding, and covered pickups. I decided if I was gonna get one, I'd pony up and get the SG standard, so I saved, worked OT, and when I was ready I found an SG standard, used, in mint condition at my local GC for $999. I ran out as soon as I had the money and took it home. But there were some issues. One, it didn't have the same neck profile as the faded or epiphone. I thought I would learn to love it, but I didn't. Two, there was an electronics issue and it was really weak sounding with no top end. The whole point of an SG is to have a spikey mid and top end and growl. This one sounded like a jazz guitar! It was soft, fluffy and muted. I popped the back and found a PCB, meaning what would normally be a $15 tone pot swap would be a $80 or so full replacement to see if it's a pot, and if not the pot I'd have to pony up for a pickup swap. GC wouldn't give me free service on it, or return, so I traded it in for a DBZ guitar. I still want an SG and I'm now torn betwern an Epiphone SG400 Pro for the binding and a Gibson SG Special for the satin finish. Maybe a different year of standard might have a neck more to my liking? It just felt very wide compared to the epiphone. I like thick, narrow necks. As far as les pauls go, I love and respect how beautiful the fit and finish on the Gibson is, but not enough to poney up the cash for one. I don't really like the bare-bones les pauls like the Studio, for me it would have to be a Standard or Traditional. I have my epiphone black beauty 3 and it does the trick for me. Unless I see a dramatic change in my income relative to cost of living, I don't see owning a Gibson Les Paul. I just think of all the other things I could buy with that $1500 difference to get a better finished guitar that essentially sounds the same.