bevan Posted February 12, 2009 Posted February 12, 2009 Dudes, who can tell me what model this guitar I have just bought is? Its like an 80's kramer copy, but has emg type pickups that have a tiny 'i' symbol on them, the headstock says gibson on the truss cover and epiphone on the end. From googling I have read about the s-series models but I have looked at images of them and none are quite like this one, they all say epiphone by gibson on the head and the non pickguard ones all have sharkfin fret makings. here are some photos Thanks
IntelligentAl Posted February 12, 2009 Posted February 12, 2009 I can't say for sure, but it looks like an S-Series Epiphone that has possibly been modified. I can't remember the exact model names, I think it was something like S-310 or something similar. Do you know if the guitar is stock or not? Either way, it looks like a nice guitar. How does it sound?
animalfarm Posted February 12, 2009 Posted February 12, 2009 It's a "Frankenstein Mix" of Epiphone parts slapped onto a strat-style body. Go to http://www.epiphone.com click on "Designer Guitars", see your head- stock and weird nut combo on the "Marcus Henderson" guitar? Notice that yours is missing a Trem Bar? probably has hole on knob side of bridge where it used to be... Makes sense why you have 2 strat-style pups, but a third bolted on nest to the bridge.... Have a feeling that there is an oval-shaped hole under square bridge pick-up. Can't ID the fretboard markings, though. Check the other designer gits, some have same headstock.
epinder Posted February 12, 2009 Posted February 12, 2009 I know that we have been down this road before. Your guitar is very similar to the ones built in the USA. I think, don't qoute me on this, that it might be named PRO-1 or something similar to this. Edit: It isn't the PRO series, but that's the ballpark. I'll do more research and get back to you.
bevan Posted February 12, 2009 Author Posted February 12, 2009 Thanks guys for all your input, IntelligentAl: Im not sure that it is an S-310 cos they were more like regular strat clones with s/s/s pickups and white pickguards. It sounds great the pickups are a tad weak but you can get a really good Eddie Van Halen sound with the bridge humbucker. animalfarm: I dont think the parts are mixed, as the finish on the body (a rather unusual black with tiny silver sparkles) is matched on the headstock, I could be wrong though. It did come with the trem bar but I took it off and forgot to put it back on. I think the bridge is a replacement licenced floyd as the routing behind is slightly bigger than the sustain block requires. epinder: That looks similar, same fret markings, I don't think it is a USA model though but thats definatley the right era.
bevan Posted February 12, 2009 Author Posted February 12, 2009 Also It is missing the blocks for the locking nut, they are much smaller than the standard floyd rose size, anyone know where I could try and get some?
RobinTheHood Posted February 12, 2009 Posted February 12, 2009 It is an Epiphone S-600 or 700 It is definately not an Epi parts-caster. Although the pickups may have been replaced at some point. If you look at the bridge area, you can see that the routing was originally for the janky Floyd-type string-through-block bridges that Epi used to put on their asian "shred" guitars. And the bridge posts look like the phillips-head type that came out of my S-500...but I cant quite tell from the pics. Also, if you compare the lock-nut, it is shallower (front to back) than the Floyd type lock-nut. From the looks of the headstock and fret inlays, I'd say your guitar was made in the 90's. If you do a google image search for Epiphone S-900, you'll see a guitar very similar to yours, only with the three knob config, and a little fancier in gereral. It should be the first pic on the page... EDIT: My S-500 body and head are also black sparkle. I have an extra Epi lock-nut assembly I dont need anymore. PM me.
Amino Moore Posted February 12, 2009 Posted February 12, 2009 bevan, That's a nice guitar ya got there. It is NOT an S-310 which is a nearly exact copy of a stratocaster with an Epiphone headstock. It is NOT a "PRO" either although epinder has struck a chord close to my heart with that "PRO" print ad. I stand to be corrected on the following info but if memory serves... Since it is a bolt-on neck it is most likely an S-400 or S-600. Production was approx. 1986 - 1989. (Edit) Regarding the bridge, Epiphone experimented with a few different styles of locking nut/tremolo bridges. There was a bridge that looked like a cross between a FR and a Kahler that may have been the original bridge on yours. However Sometimes the routing was done the way it appears on your guitar in order to allow the locking screws clearance when pulling back on the trem. It could be totally stock. (Edit) The S-800 and S-900 had set necks. Is there a paper sticker serial number on the back of the headstock? And if anyone has an Epi Pro for sale please contact me. I loved those guitars! I wish I had bought one when they were new. Cheers!
RobinTheHood Posted February 12, 2009 Posted February 12, 2009 bevan' date=' That's a nice guitar ya got there. It is NOT an S-310 which is a nearly exact copy of a stratocaster with an Epiphone headstock. It is NOT a "PRO" either although epinder has struck a chord close to my heart with that "PRO" print ad. I stand to be corrected on the following info but if memory serves... Since it is a bolt-on neck it is most likely an S-400 or S-600. Production was approx. 1986 - 1989. The S-800 and S-900 had set necks. Is there a paper sticker serial number on the back of the headstock? And if anyone has an Epi Pro for sale please contact me. I loved those guitars! I wish I had bought one when they were new. Cheers![/quote'] I'm with you on the S-600...or maybe a 700? I doubt it is the S-400. I have an S-500 and it is more strat-like in the body routing/pickguard area. This looks a little higher quality than mine, so I'm saying S-600 or 700. You may be closer on the year though, than me. The oldest Epi with the fret inlays on the top of the board that I have seen is a 1990, but these strats are hard to find so I cant get much info to compare.
bevan Posted February 12, 2009 Author Posted February 12, 2009 No there is no serial number sticker on it, it must have rubbed off
bevan Posted February 12, 2009 Author Posted February 12, 2009 Check it out, I found another on ebay, exactly the same apart from the red finish and the original bridge: http://cgi.ebay.com/Gibson-Epiphone-Heavey-Metal-Guitar-Floyd-Rose-1989-90_W0QQitemZ270341138974QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item270341138974&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A2%7C294%3A50
RobinTheHood Posted February 12, 2009 Posted February 12, 2009 Yeah, except they dont know what it is either! LOL! Check out the bridge, though. It isn't a Floyd Rose. It's the same stock bridge that I was talking about. It looks like a Floyd because of the fine tuners, but that is where the similarity ends. It's a regular two-point floating trem, but f-spaced like a Floyd Rose. Very nice guitar though.
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