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Upgrading from an SG


jammybstard

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Hi

 

I stumbled accross this forum while window shopping for a new Guitar.

After years of faithfull service I've deciced it's time to sell my Epi SG and get an Epi Archtop; I'm in the hunt for a nice Riviera or Sheraton.

In the mean time I have to get rid of the SG, It's going on ebay, problem is I have no Idea what model it is, I've never seen another the same and I've been looking through Google images But I cant find a pic that matches it exactly.

 

Can anyone help?

 

I've had it from nearly new in 1997, It has a dotted fret board, a fitted neck, two humbucker pickups in black plastic surrounds with no covers and a narrow head-stock.

 

The serial number is S5099902

Samick Plant, Korea

September 1995

Production Number: 9902

 

Pics:

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30012010146.jpg

30012010148.jpg

30012010149.jpg

30012010150.jpg

30012010151.jpg

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Another thought - here's the G400 from the '91 catalogue.

 

http://www.everythingsg.com/index.php/1991e.html

 

Note that it has uncovered pickups but the top hat knobs.

 

Maybe it's an older (than you think) G400 with aftermarket knobs. What year does the guitar dater say it is?

 

One last thing - I don't like the look of that block typefaced Epi logo on the headstock.

 

Alan

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Another thought - here's the G400 from the '91 catalogue.

 

http://www.everythingsg.com/index.php/1991e.html

 

Note that it has uncovered pickups but the top hat knobs.

 

Maybe it's an older (than you think) G400 with aftermarket knobs. What year does the guitar dater say it is?

 

One last thing - I don't like the look of that block typefaced Epi logo on the headstock.

 

Alan

 

Thats the one, It looks like it has the right knobs to me. It must be the last of the 1991 G-400s before they changed the design for the 96 catalogue.

 

The Guitar Dater says:

The serial number is S5099902

Samick Plant, Korea

September 1995

Production Number: 9902

 

I did an orange drop upgrade on the caps a couple of years ago and it all looked box standard in there, but I've never had the Pickups out.

 

I'm layed up at home at the moment so I might keep myelf busy and take one out tomorrow and have a look.

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It's the same logo' date=' just stright across, instead of at an angle. I belive that is typical of the early 90's models...

 

[/quote']

 

Yep. My 1994 G-310 logo goes straight across. I think though, that he meant that the logo looks really blocky. The font seems kinda girthy, i guess.

 

Wouldnt mind having a good, clear peek at the serial stamp, though. If there is any question of it's authenticity, that may help to figure it out.

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Thats the one' date=' It looks like it has the right knobs to me. It must be the last of the 1991 G-400s before they changed the design for the 96 catalogue.

 

[/quote']

 

My mistake. The photo of the '91 version doesn't have top hot knobs at all. I must have mixed it up with one of the other catalogue pages I was looking at.

 

Yours look kind of transparent to me though. Maybe it's the flash.

 

Alan

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Yep. My 1994 G-310 logo goes straight across. I think though' date=' that he meant that the logo looks really blocky. The font seems kinda girthy, i guess.

 

[/quote']

 

 

Yes, that's what I was getting at. I don't know enough about older models to tell whether the blockiness was the norm but it doesn't look blocky in the photo in the '91 catalogue. Correct me if I'm wrong but Epis were made in various factories at that time so I'm sure this would explain it.

 

Alan

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The frequensator was introduced around 1937 on Epiphone acoustic archtops, later e.g. 40's on their high-end electrics, and was as Jimmy posted supposed to contribute to proper compensation. Most "experts" agree that it doesn't really do that. Folks have reported on switching the forks, short to treble and long to bass, with no discernable tone difference. They remained on the early Kalamazoo electrics, and are now more of a historical or characteristic Epiphone feature. Bob Bennedetto claims (and claims to demonstrate in his video) that the frequensator contributes harsh overtones, which I can hear on my acoustic archtops, for instance striking a forceful open E chord and then muting the strings, there's a lingering off-key F# overtone coming from behind the bridge. Unlikely to make any difference on an electric, especially a semi-hollow, and they do look great.

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Other than the Pickups which should be top notch, does any one know what the rest of the electronics in the Riviera are like, I'm a great believer in changing out the caps if possible but getting to them to have a look on an arch looks more than a bit tricky[crying]

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It has arrived and it is sweet!

 

Needs a few tweeks tomorrow, I've put some 11's on it today and the intonation's slightly out now, I'm also going to do the caps, I dont know whats in there at the moment but it will at least be getting some treble bleed caps.

It's nice to have a more substantional neck than the SG again!

 

Some Cr4ppy Pics:

DSC_0548.jpg

DSC_0549.jpg

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