RotcanX Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Just got in a brand spanking new G-400. Was expecting to see an EE serial hopefully, and dreading that it would be a DW, but turns out to be neither. Nope, lo and behold, it's a UC0803xxxx, i.e. from Unsung China. At first glance it looks a lot like an EE example... should be a good one but we'll check that out a little later as the evening winds on. One thing, those guys at Unsung still don't know where the knobs are supposed to go and it looks like nobody at Epiphone is going to help them out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muskank Sally Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 UC's been at it a while as far as I can remember. Mainly in the LP department I think. Daewon. I had an LP last year from there. A Transblack Classic with a Quilt Top. That one had a bad neck. Nicely built but poorly shipped. The truss was out of place Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biff Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 One thing' date=' those guys at Unsung still don't know where the knobs are supposed to go and it looks like nobody at Epiphone is going to help them out.[/quote'] Just when you thought EE was taking charge and things were getting better... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 One thing' date=' those guys at Unsung still don't know where the knobs are supposed to go and it looks like nobody at Epiphone is going to help them out.[/quote'] Yeah, I don't get that. How hard is it, to make a "tracing" of a "Real" SG.. and use it, to position the holes? Amazing! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotcanX Posted May 8, 2008 Author Share Posted May 8, 2008 Well, I'm still thinking that the EE G-400s are the best. The UC comes in a close second, no real problems, and definitely better than the DWs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockin_Dude Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 RotcanX Lets see what you have to say after a week of pickin it apart .. Gee ,ok so they can`t program there CMG yet . so are they really that far out ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amino Moore Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Hey Spud, Can you clear up something for me? I'm a little confused about the China production... If Gibson built the Chinese Epiphone factory (I'm assuming EE??) to have complete control over the new Epi's, why is there a DW China factory or a UC China factory? Doesn't that indicate they have moved back to a sub-contractor business model? What the scoop? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesstringer Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Hey Spud' date=' Can you clear up something for me? I'm a little confused about the China production... If Gibson built the Chinese Epiphone factory (I'm assuming EE??) to have complete control over the new Epi's, why is there a DW China factory or a UC China factory? Doesn't that indicate they have moved back to a sub-contractor business model? What the scoop? [/quote'] It would sure seem that way to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyelcrrt1281733995 Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 I would think all of those would be "Limited Editions" and "Special Runs" and mostly stuff like a sudden surge in demand for Juniors causes a need for some of them, but they don't want to screw up the next 6 months production from the main factory to retool into juniors then retool into whatever else just for 500 guitars, which Marketing assures will bridge the gap between recognition of the need, and satisfactory evaluation of a possible trend. Might mean a shortage of 500 Les Paul Ultra II's on their scheduled first day of sale. And, if they have to go to UC to fill a gap, it might be cheaper to run 5k of something else to get a better piece rate. There's no telling what or when or how long any blip in the markets will appear, so there will always be a need for that kind of production. I'd think that's why the Korean manufacturer's are opening new plants in China. They are opening new markets with their own branding, still doing high quality special runs for anybody who wants it; and now they can take advantage of the cheaper labor rate in China, maybe balance their own trade deficit a little bit. Once I stopped to think about it, this seems to fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 Yep! "Our Babies," to us...but "Business/$$$$$$$$$$$$ to them. They do whatever it takes! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrdhinn Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 One thing confuses me about all the different china plants, it was only a short while ago if you were buying a chinese epi LP everyone here and elsewhere were saying "make sure the serial is DW", now it seems it's "make sure it's not DW". I know I made sure my LP had DW when I bought it from the advice I got from this forum (ok, actually the old forum). What gives? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotcanX Posted May 9, 2008 Author Share Posted May 9, 2008 Hey Spud' date=' Can you clear up something for me? I'm a little confused about the China production... If Gibson built the Chinese Epiphone factory (I'm assuming EE??) to have complete control over the new Epi's, why is there a DW China factory or a UC China factory? Doesn't that indicate they have moved back to a sub-contractor business model? What the scoop? [/quote'] They probably fall back on DW and Unsung whenever they fall behind in production. It would not surprise me that Qingdao is already too small to keep up with demand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotcanX Posted May 9, 2008 Author Share Posted May 9, 2008 One thing confuses me about all the different china plants' date=' it was only a short while ago if you were buying a chinese epi LP everyone here and elsewhere were saying "make sure the serial is DW", now it seems it's "make sure it's not DW". I know I made sure my LP had DW when I bought it from the advice I got from this forum (ok, actually the old forum). What gives?[/quote'] It's simple. DW makes good Les Pauls, but crappy G-400s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 Well, we feed into that, by purchasing less than optimum quality, for the sake of saving a buck or two. Epiphone or Gibson...or any other commodity, for that matter. We complain about "everything's made in China, anymore!" But, we BUY IT! So, who's fault is that?! LOL! We have such a trade deficit, because other countries simply won't (or can't) buy OUR products, in the same percentages, as we do theirs. And, who can blame them, if our's are in a too expensive/quality ratio, even for our own people! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biff Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 We complain about "everything's made in China' date=' anymore!" But, we BUY IT! So, who's fault is that?! LOL! We have such a trade deficit, because other countries simply won't (or can't) buy OUR products, in the same percentages, as we do theirs.[/quote'] Well, one shouldn't complain. The US economy (and European as well) has had a few good decades now, because most of the world has been dealing oil, gold and everything else in the currency that the US controls and backs up. The ratio of goods versus USD real value has been VERY good, so it seems the US has imported a shitloads of stuff for pieces of toilet paper with numbers printed on the them. Now that the reality is about to hit the markets, it's clear the US trade deficit will only make the coming economic depression even worse.. So let us all enjoy the cheap Asian stuff while our currencies have any value over there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken361 Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 My iommi sg is A U070.... my les paul is a ee.... number Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingfrets Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 It's simple. DW makes good Les Pauls' date=' but crappy G-400s.[/quote'] I beg to differ. It may only be the DW units available in my area, but I've never seen anything they made that wasn't complete $h!t. The stuff I've seen and tried, even Hondo would've called a "second". Everything from runs in the finish to fretwire pulling loose from the fingerboard to the bridge being out of alignment. They left such a foul impression on me that I nearly walked away from my EE LP before I even tried it. Only reason I did try it was it was the only LP in stock with the finish I was looking for. It turned out to be at least as good as my Saein LP so I bought it, but Epi will never get a penny outta me for anything DW throws onto the dock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 Epi will never get a penny outta me for anything DW throws onto the dock. Beginning, of Editorial Statement: Now THIS is the attitude we ALL need to take, when it comes to substandard ANYTHING! But, we've gotten used to this "well, it is what it is," or "that's all that you can get," BS! Gibby or Epi (or any other company) gets enough of this response, and lost revenue, things will change! But, until we decide "enough is enough," NOTHING will change...in fact it may/will, get worse, instead. (End of Editorial Statement) ;>) CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lerxst1281733995 Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 I beg to differ. It may only be the DW units available in my area' date=' but I've never seen [b']anything[/b] they made that wasn't complete $h!t. The stuff I've seen and tried, even Hondo would've called a "second". Everything from runs in the finish to fretwire pulling loose from the fingerboard to the bridge being out of alignment. They left such a foul impression on me that I nearly walked away from my EE LP before I even tried it. Only reason I did try it was it was the only LP in stock with the finish I was looking for. It turned out to be at least as good as my Saein LP so I bought it, but Epi will never get a penny outta me for anything DW throws onto the dock. A lot of the "Used" and "2nd" Epis you see on eBay are DW's... My Dot is a "Used" from, (you guessed it) DW.. It's got a bad paint job (cherry)... Looks like someone wasn't paying attention and let the spray gun linger a little too long in one spot... The pickguard covers most of it, so I could live with it for $200.. The first '57 Junior I got in TV yellow had a horrible paint job.. You could see GREY primer through the paint... (Who uses GREY primer on a light YELLOW guitar?!) There were runs and contaminants in the poly.. Bad sanding.. Including areas where they sanded through the paint.. Sloppy edges... Just awful.. Before I noticed the crack in the neck, I was going to return it to MF just because of the finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingfrets Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 Now ask yourself this: what would you think of Epiphone if the only one of their guitars you'd ever tried was a DW? In fairness, I've never played an Unsung instrument (to my knowlege anyway) and they may indeed be very good. Up until I bought the EE LP, 6 of the 9 Epiphones I've owned came out of the Saein plant, a bolt neck Junior came from Indonesia (Also garbage. Plays REALLY nice after a set up, but only lasts about 6 weeks before the neck starts twisting again. Not worth the trouble), and two other LPs from the late 80's & early 90's. I have no recollection where they were made, but they were pretty average...not bad guitars, but nothing that really jumped out at you either. The Saein and Quindao Les Pauls on the other hand are really outstanding instruments. Excellent price point, gorgeous finishes, well balanced, nice tone and dead-center of my comfort zone. It just seems to me that if Epiphone really wants control of their reputation, they need to stop farming their work out to substandard contractors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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