Angusthegod Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 My idol is Angus Young, and his amazing Gibson SG '61 re-issue..... But I do not have the money to buy such an expensive guitar..... But I want to get closest to the same thing, with the least amount of money..... So I currently own a black Epiphone SG G-310, that I am trying to sell..... With that money and a little extra, I am going to buy a cherry red Epiphone vintage G-400. Since the G-400 has a set-in neck, half pick-guard, Gibson-style dials, trapezoid inlays, mahogany body, wood grain, (all things my G-310 did not have)..... The only modification I'd have to do is the pickups...... And for that, I'd put a 57 classic in the neck, and a 57 classic plus in the bridge..... AND KABOOM!!! Basically identical to an Gibson SG, except for the headstock, and the tiny details like nitro paint and bla bla bla. So basically the exact same thing. 1st option: Gibson SG '61 re-issue - $2,000 or 2nd option: Epiphone SG vintage G-400 - $300 57 classic - $100 57 classic plus - $120 I'll save: 2000 - 520 _____ 1,480 dollars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spyke1 Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 For what it's worth, assuming you can't afford the 'real thing' I think it's great to customise a guitar to match your idol's specs, rather than simply buy a 'signature model' for example. Good luck with the project. Bet it'll sound pretty good when done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rpach10115 Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Good luck. I have customized many Epi's. I think it is the next best thing to owning a real gibson. Epi's now are pretty well made instruments. The electronics suck, but the overall craftmanship has improved greatly over the years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsson Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 i plan on doing this with a les paul soon... let us know how it goes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSDx Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 If you need any inspiration how to place the strapbutton... Good luck with your project! Peter [laugh][laugh] [laugh] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwalin Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 look for a used Vintage G-400 with the binding on the neck......if you ask me, that is key...... doesn't his also have a Maestro vibrola? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad1 Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 So basically the exact same thing. No, basically not the EXACT same thing. The mahogany used for the G400 is different (or so I've been told), the electronics (including pup switch) are inferior, the bevels, the knob placement, the angle of the headstock......all different. I could go on but I'm not. Although it may be the next best thing, it's not basically, exactly, the same. And IMO the pickups sound just fine. That was about the only thing I didn't mod on my G400. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angusthegod Posted December 7, 2009 Author Share Posted December 7, 2009 look for a used Vintage G-400 with the binding on the neck......if you ask me' date=' that is key......[/quote'] Yes, I like those versions.... But why is that the key? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxHart85231281734137 Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Yes' date=' I like those versions.... But why is that the key?[/quote'] because the real Gibbys SG has the bindings my friend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midiman56 Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Peter ROFLMAO!!! THAT oughta cure the old "neck dive"! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freak show Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 because the real Gibbys SG has the bindings my friend! That may be true' date=' but as far as I know, the binding has no effect on tone. It's basically just "bling". For example: You can buy some very expensive acoustic guitars, which don't have bound fret boards, and people don't seem to miss them. I personally like the look without all of the white everywhere, but that's just me... Sounds like it's going to be a great project. Take the 1,500 you save, and buy yourself a killer amp! That's much more important than the name on the headstock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender 4 Life Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 You'll also need to go to someplace online such as WD Music, possibly Sam Ash, or contact our old forum buddy Twang, and get the volume/tone pots, capacitors,and wiring kit. IF you want to make an Epi the closest possible thing to Angus' Gibby........these things are practically a MUST ! Best of luck to you........let us know how it goes, and ROCK ON !!!!!!!! Heres MY G-400..........I march to a slightly different drummer..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hungrycat Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 If Angus is your god, The why don't you use this: http://store.gibson.com/Products/Pickups/Humbucker/Angus-Young-Signature-Humbucker.aspx insteadof the '57 Clasic Plus? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest icantbuyafender Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 because the real Gibbys SG has the bindings my friend! yepper. And' date=' the bragging rights of owning the Vintage G400 with binding is cool to. All of us epi-geeks know that only a few 1st off the line guitars were lucky enough to get the binding. Same goes for the White Wilshire reissues. Mine doesnt have binding yet my buddy's does. Drives me friggin insane. Id have to stock it back up and swap them when he isnt looking. Fat chance thats gonna happen. Aw, poop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeluck Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 No, its not the same, wood not the same denisity (Mahoganys are different, they vary a lot in density with imports, which is why the Epiphone variances in tone exist) and the electronics have to be completly altered, not just pickups. By the way, the new Angus Young is now at close to 4k. I prefer the old one with the trem.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpfan Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 yepper. And' date=' the bragging rights of owning the Vintage G400 with binding is cool to. All of us epi-geeks know that only a few 1st off the line guitars were lucky enough to get the binding. Same goes for the White Wilshire reissues. Mine doesnt have binding yet my buddy's does. Drives me friggin insane. Id have to stock it back up and swap them when he isnt looking. Fat chance thats gonna happen. Aw, poop. Ah yes one like mine. I'm not bragging either, ok maybe a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest icantbuyafender Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 You'll also need to go to someplace online such as WD Music' date=' possibly Sam Ash, or contact our old forum buddy Twang, and get the volume/tone pots, capacitors,and wiring kit. IF you want to make an Epi the closest possible thing to Angus' Gibby........these things are practically a MUST ! Best of luck to you........let us know how it goes, and ROCK ON !!!!!!!! Heres MY G-400..........I march to a slightly different drummer..... [img'][/img] Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan Bender... I shoulda grabbed one of those flamed top G400 customs when i had the chance. hot stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwalin Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan Bender... I shoulda grabbed one of those flamed top G400 customs when i had the chance. hot stuff. Saw one the other day at the local GC with a nice finish and gold hardware, they wanted $180usd. It, of course was used... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest icantbuyafender Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Saw one the other day at the local GC with a nice finish and gold hardware' date=' they wanted $180usd. It, of course was used...[/quote'] wtf!? $180!? dskfrjalsdkfjsladkfjsl;adifjasdlkjfsdl;fj my local shops never have GOOD used gear for a modder's allowance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwalin Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 One I used to have.... and one I still have Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwalin Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 wtf!? $180!? dskfrjalsdkfjsladkfjsl;adifjasdlkjfsdl;fj my local shops never have GOOD used gear for a modder's allowance. Guitar Center in Evansville, IN. It was there last Saturday.....give them a call, tell them it was used! It plays nice.....I thought about getting it myself.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wedgeSG Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Having done something similar to this on a '66 styled cherry version I'll throw in my two cents here. To do an Epi Angus (in my opinion), THE place to start would be with one like jwalin pictured with the vibrola: but those can be hard to come by.... I liked the '66 and they had just came out at the time: so that's what I used. I basically refered to the spec sheet for the Angus signature edition on the Gibson site and tried to incorporate as many traits as I could afford and came out pretty happy. I did use the Angus sig pickup in the bridge and like others have said in other threads the Angus pup is probably not the best choice when searching for Angus tone. In mine I paired it with a Burstbucker II in the neck. I have a '62 style that has a BBII/BBIII combo in it that really hits the AC/DC tones better to my ears than the Angus pup. According to the Gibson text Burstbuckers sound similar to the '57's with a bit more bite. Since most of us don't have vintage Marshalls that extra edge might get us closer with what we play through on a more budgeted level. The Angus pickup is one aspect I'd probably not do again. What pups are specified in the new Angus sig, I've forgotten... I think Bender mentioned an electronics upgrade. I agree that this should be a mandatory addition to your project to take full advantage of your new Gibson pickups; whichever pair you decide on. I highly recommend a complete kit from RS Guitarworks and have this professionally installed along with a set-up done if you are not experieced with this type of work. Give them a call and they'll make sure you recieve the proper components for your G-400. My current G-400 project has a RS kit waiting for installation, two of my other G-400's are already equipped with them. Money well spent. Some other things my Epi Angus got which weren't have-to's but I included since I kinda went all out on this one.... I had a b/w/b/w/b '66 styled pickguard and TRC made by Terrapin Guitars to replace the cheap stocker pieces. This alone made a world of difference in the overall appearance. I had a GraphTech nut installed along with a TonePros bridge and tailpiece kit. I bought a set of repop Witch Hats from somebody and shortly swapped them for real Gibson Top Hats since the witch hats looked soooo cheap. All in all, it turned out pretty well. Nobody has said "wow it's just like an Angus Young", but it's recieved a lot of compliments for both tone and appearance. Quite frankly I've never understood why there isn't a REAL Epiphone Angus Young Signature Edition. With all the Zakks, JJs, Slashes, Iommis, and everybody elses seems like it oughta be a given by now. Good luck with the build of your tribute........ Wedgie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwalin Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Quite frankly I've never understood why there isn't a REAL Epiphone Angus Young Signature Edition. With all the Zakks' date=' JJs, Slashes, Iommis, and everybody elses seems like it oughta be a given by now. Wedgie [/quote'] I completely agree......I think the first time I actually saw anyone play an SG was Angus.....then I later saw Santana at woodstock, and Robby of the Doors and thought....'thats like Angus' guitar!' Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angusthegod Posted December 13, 2009 Author Share Posted December 13, 2009 I completely agree......I think the first time I actually saw anyone play an SG was Angus.....then I later saw Santana at woodstock' date=' and Robby of the Doors and thought....'thats like Angus' guitar!'[/quote'] Whaaaaaaaaaa???? The Doors ended 3 years before AC/DC ever released an album....... And woodstock was 5 years before that also............ But Angus sure does make the SG look damn good, with those horns on him, and the axe. hahaha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwalin Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Whaaaaaaaaaa???? The Doors ended 3 years before AC/DC ever released an album....... And woodstock was 5 years before that also............ But Angus sure does make the SG look damn good' date=' with those horns on him, and the axe. hahaha.[/quote'] Yeah, but what I am saying is that I was into AC/DC before I got into the Doors and Santana! Therefore...... Jeff p.s. thought you might like to see this!! [YOUTUBE] [/YOUTUBE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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