Epiphone Del Ray?

[Ricochet]

Following up on the "What guitar would you like to see Epiphone develop next ?" thread.

 

From the '95 Performance series http://www.gibson.com/products/epiphone/archive/oblperformance/oblperformance.html

 

The Del Ray

 

 

 

Any one actually played/have one? What is the quality like? How's the OBL-pickups?

[jcwillow777]

I don't know how it plays, but I would really like to get a double cutaway, and I just can't afford a Gibson right now. So, Epiphone, please bring it back.

[RotcanX]

I really liked the Del Rey. All I remember about it was that it was pricey, something like $700 at the time (around 2000). Never got to see or play one though.

 

[bluesstringer]

I remember them, never have seen or played one. I would love to get my hands on one though, particularly with the coil taps.

[bluesstringer]

There's a cherry? Del Ray on the Columus Ga CL for $350. Went up 4/28.

[hybrid77]

There's one on eBay now starting at $350.00.

 

[PJ]

That question "What guitar would you like to see Epiphone develop next?" might have been mine.

Interesting that you've posted the Del Rey. What a great guitar. Played one....went back to buy it,

and somebody beat me to it. Terrific guitar. Very nice. Why do these nice guitars come and go, so

quickly? C'mon Epiphone. Keep some of this good stuff going!

[rafaelh]

Got a new one just like the one in Ricochet and Spuds pictures around the late '90s for 525 and sold it 2 years later. One of those impluse shopping days....liked the way it looked, kind of reminded me of a Santana PRS.

 

Anyhow can't remember much about the guitar though, much less the P/Us. The little I remember was the neck feeling like it was made out of plastic due to the coating. Had a hard time reaching beyond the 17th fret. I did like it in the single coil mode, which by the way was wired wrong from the factory...my guitar tech fixed that though.

 

The two happiest day I had with that guitar was when I first bought it and when I sold it. For me I'd take a G-400 over that anyday.

[rknrollo]

I own one exactly like pictured, I have 22 guitars at the moment and 6 are epiphones, I have gibsons, fenders, prs,ibanez,dale fortune,hofner etc... and I can say the del rey is one of my fav guitars, the action is perfect, it looks beautiful even for a cheap guitar, I paid about 500.00 back in 1999, this is one of two guitars I own that I didn't touch, the obl pick ups are perfect,I dont think it woudl sound better with duncans or dimarzios and they are super quiet. I can nail a Billy Gibbons les pual sound perfectly, a Carlos Santana sound,a heavy metal sound, a sweet blues sound,a beautiful jazz sound and pull the split coil pot and you can get almost a strat but even better a p90 old les paul sound, I dont think there is a better more versatle guitar ever made for the price, Guitar player gave it great reviews way back when, I looked all over an finally found one. I'm looking for another one. This is one of the best guitars Epiphone has ever made at any price, I have an ace frehley les paul, a gold top w/ p90's a 335 and the double neck sg and it sounds better, the only guitar that sounds/plays similar is my old 73 les paul deluxe and in many ways the del rey sounds better.

 

Epiphone needs to make these again, in Korea again not Malaysa..........it is an excellent guitar, if you find one buy it you will love it.

[Ricochet]

That's quite a recommendation RK...

 

Made in Malaysia? How can you tell? Does it have it have a factory indication(first character of the serial)?

[rknrollo]

I guess I meant china, I looked at some epi's at GC, I'm just not a fan of stuff from china, but once again the del rey is a great buy.