31plymouth Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 i've read a lot of good and bad reviews about the g310 so i'm hoping to learn about my next purchase. i've decided to get an alder body as the jackson axe is just too heavy these days to my shoulder to take (broken blade, collor and shoulder joint). was going with the jagmaster but found the sg and it seams light enough, but i hear the pickups need replacing, the jack is finnicky and that the one i'm looking at goes out of tune a lot. any thoughts? thnx. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReneBoedker Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 As far as I've heard the tuners on the G-310 aren't very good. The pickups are 700T/650R humbuckers, but I don't know exactly how good they are, but I'm pretty sure they aren't _______ (fill the gap with your dream pickup). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearhead Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I've seen a lot of people that are very happy with the G-310. But for a little more money (IF you have it) you could get the G-400 with set neck, a bit better quality. IMO. But I have to admit that at home I play my bolt on neck Junior more than the others........................ As far as the tuning problem, a little pencil lead on the nut and new strings might fix that easily, and if it has Grovers on it, the screws that hold the bottons on there also adjust the tension on the tuner to keep it from slipping. Those pickups shouldn't be any worse than the one on my Jr, and it actually kicks butt! Overall the G-310 isn't a bad axe for a low budget unit! But there's always room for an upgrade........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 It sounds like you are considerng buying this G-310 used? If so, and the pickups really do need need to be replaced, and the tuners are bad as well as the input jack, it sounds like an awful lot of extra money to throw at a 310. Any other info on this git? Like the year it was made and the condition it is in? You may be better off buying a new one. As far as I've heard the tuners on the G-310 aren't very good. The tuners are ok. Just your run of the mill die-cast tuners. Sometimes you get some bad ones, but they beat the pants off the tuners on the Specials. I had some particularily bad die-cast tuners on a Johnson strat. They wouldnt hold tune unless I strung them upside down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKitten Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I have an Emily G310, the tuners are okay. Certainly not brilliant but better than the cheap crap they throw on the Squiers and many other guitars at around the same price point. The pickups are the same 700T/650R humbuckers that are in all the budget Epis and frankly they're a decent pickup that does the job - my band just recorded an EP with the Emily and we got the sound we were looking for easily enough, we never thought once "gee, we could sure use some better pickups in that there guitar". All we did was run it through a valve amp and a Big Muff and we got that "wall of guitar" we were looking for. You can pick up Emilys cheap sometimes as it's not a massively popular item, I see them discounted a lot where I live, and sometimes other G310s go cheap too. Mind you for a bit more outlay you could get a G400, so I guess it's down to your wallet really. Sounds to me though like you've already got a specific G310 in mind. I would say you're probably better off buying a new one if you can. They're not exactly expensive new, and with a used one you're inheriting someone else's problems and possibly poor treatment. Also try before you buy because a G310 feels pretty damn different to a Jackson in terms of the feel of the neck, frets and so forth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReneBoedker Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 Mind you for a bit more outlay you could get a G400' date=' so I guess it's down to your wallet really.[/quote']Keep in mind that 31plymouth wanted an alder body, because of the light weight, and mahogany (in the G400) is normally heavier than alder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpplayer Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I have played a g310 and liked it very much. With regard to the pickups, I have the same combo in my Les Paul 100. I was very surprised at how much I like them. Definitely grittier and louder than the alnico classics in my G400, but they can be tamed easy enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
31plymouth Posted March 15, 2010 Author Share Posted March 15, 2010 no, i'm not shopping used, GC as these for about 250. and yeah, i love the sound of mahogany but it's just too heavy for the strap side these days. i mostly play old punk, some white zombie stuff and a wide range that include concrete blonde and mike ness so tone is important but i think hevier strings and dropping the mids out on the amp will do, at least until i can stand up and play again. yeah, i was hoping to get to the shop and noodle around for a bit longer on the sg as you're right, and i didn't think about the neck. good point, thnx! what about the input jack? are they crap? I don't want to drop change and have to upgrade it out of the box; lookin' for more of a plug-n-play type deal for a while. thnx all for the help, anything else to consider? I do like the jag's necks neck but i'm not a bit fan of tems other then the floyd rose as on them, i can take off the bar, add an extra spring etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Ok, then. New is good. I havent heard of the input jacks being bad. Only that they may be a little loose or come loose after a few days. No biggie. Its quite common and an easy fix. As for the tuners and staying in tune, give them a few spins and make sure they move smoothly and hold tune. Listen for any popping or creaking noises from the strings so that you know if you have a well-cut nut or not. Just make sure that you give a really good test run on the one you buy. Check everything thoroughly. Dont assume that they are all the same in terms of construction and quality. And dont buy the floor model or the one with super dead strings. Thats the one that everybody beats the crap out of. I recently bought a new bass from GC. They only had two left of the model I wanted...the floor model and the one that sat way, way up on the top of the rack. The floor model was a lame duck. Dead strings, mars and blems everywhere and it played terribly. The shelf model had lots of pop and zing, felt great in my hands and was in perfect condition. I probably played with it for a hour before I bought it. I think the sales guys gave up on me at some point So, just take your time and dont be hasty when examining it. I know its not a 'top shelf' guitar, but it will be your guitar, and you want the best one that you can find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
31plymouth Posted March 18, 2010 Author Share Posted March 18, 2010 went to gc and tried both the g400 and th eg310 and there isn't much as for weight, and both are about half a ton lighter then the jackson i've hung up so what are the pro/cons for each out of the box? thnx again for the input, more then gc could offer, lmao...:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swoop Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 I had a G-310, and currently own a G400, so I can give you a fairly comprehensive run down of both. The G-310 is a good guitar. The one I had was well made, and the tuners were fine. They're not the really rubbish ones you get on Specials etc, but not as good as the Grovers on the G400 either. I didn't really know a lot about guitars when I had the G-310, it was my first electric guitar, and suited me well for that purpose. It was affordable, easy to play, and looked good. The G400 though is definitely a better guitar. There's nothing wrong with a bolt neck, but I prefer the set neck. I guess I'm somehwat of a purist, and Gibson SGs had a set neck, so that's what an SG should have. A G400 is not at all a heavy guitar and is made of mahogany (lets not get into the debate about woods) as a Gibson SG is, so once again it is true to the guitar it is modelled after. This means that the G400 sustains excellently too. As I said, the tuners are Grovers, with a precise 18:1 ratio, or at least they are on mine. Some come with 14:1s but those are excellent too. The stock pickups in the G400 are excellent. Lovely and crunchy and thick, but can be mellowed out by rolling back the volume. Thus, the G400 is excellent value for money, in my opinion, especially on the used market. Aesthetically, the G400 has trapezoid inlays, which not only look great but, again, are homage to the guitars they modelled after. And of course you can get the G400 in a lot of very nice finishes, like Cherry, or you could go for a Deluxe model with a sunburst flame maple, or the latest offering which is a Vintage Burst if I remember correctly, which looks great. And of course there are the faded models which you might like. Or there's black. Or you could find a '66 G400 with a large pickguard. Or one of the walnut coloured ones. The list goes on, but of course the prices increase slightly for the Deluxe etc over the standard G400. The G-310 however is only available in boring opague white, red, or black. Or the Emily one, which is a bit more niche specific really. I personally think that, if you're already fairly apt at playing and have already been playing quality instruments, then you're best to spend a little more and go for the G400. Again, the G-310 is a good guitar, but I feel it's a bit more entry level. It's also my opinion that the current chinese made Epiphones are of excellent quality, superior to the much hailed old Korean ones in fact. My own G400 is a 2006 chinese build example, and beautifully made. My Les Paul and Casino are more recent, the Casino is an '09, and even better. So I definitely wouldn't hesitate to buy a G400. Just to balance out that wall of text, here's my G400. I had the large pickguard custom made. I don't really have a preference as to small or large pickguards on the SG, but got a bit sick of the small one so decided it was time for a change. If you've played both, then you really need to decide for yourself which sounds and feels best to you and is worthy of you parting with your hard earned cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
31plymouth Posted March 18, 2010 Author Share Posted March 18, 2010 no, it was worth it, i appreciate the time you took to write it. what's the difference between the epi vintage g400 and the g-400 sg? and i tried the old les paul model tonight, freakin' heavier then my jackson almost...or the same...must be like 15lb! ouch. i do wish the neck was a bit wider though as some cords were just a bit harder to make...on the sg/g. the less, i did't even play it, just picked it up. sorry rambling tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
31plymouth Posted March 21, 2010 Author Share Posted March 21, 2010 so i got the sg, worn chery with grovers and it's nice and light but sits weird. has anyone ever relocated teh strap lock to the upper end? it feels like i have play sideways and i've got my strap as long as i can and i still find that i'm playing with the guitar way up near my navel; i'm used to playing a bit lower near my belt.good tone though with some 11's and i rased the neck pu about an 1.8. thnx all for the help on this. i'm very pleased overall. 300 out the door with a set of strings and bag of pics. i'm stoked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcwillow777 Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 Good choice. I use a leather strap with a suede back on my G-400, with strap locks. My guitar doesn't move once it's in place, unless I move the strap. I don't have any problems with the neck diving. You can always get an extra long strap, I know Levy makes them. Sweetwater sells them, free shipping. They are one of my favorite online stores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olds_cool63 Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 Well, I've had my SG-310 for about 3 weeks now. Played every single day except for one. Feels good, sounds good. I'm reallly impressed. It's a MUCH better guitar than the Squier Standard Strat I had. I played the 400...the neck didn't feel as wide at the nut as the 310...to me, anyway. All in all, I think the 310 is a great guitar for the bucks you lay out. Oh, yeah...I see no reason to change the pups. They really do sound very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
31plymouth Posted March 22, 2010 Author Share Posted March 22, 2010 i'm still going to change the location of the neck side lock to the tip of the cut out. i'd like the pups to me more in the middle of my body rather then the bridge. over all the 400 is great. light and i was able to stand and play for half an hour with out getting cramped, big improvement so thanks on the suggestion. if i had to buy it again, i would. for the money, it's pretty good. not sure about a gig but at home, i'm pleased. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanH Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 i'm still going to change the location of the neck side lock to the tip of the cut out. i'd like the pups to me more in the middle of my body rather then the bridge.over all the 400 is great. light and i was able to stand and play for half an hour with out getting cramped' date=' big improvement so thanks on the suggestion. if i had to buy it again, i would. for the money, it's pretty good. not sure about a gig but at home, i'm pleased.[/quote'] Think long and hard before you go drilling for extra strap buttons in that area. At best, you could end up a devalued guitar; and, at worst, without a top horn. To me, part of the appeal of the SG is the way it sits, particularly when you set up a higher playing position. Get the strap suggested above and give it a chance. If your collection grows you'll begin to appreciate the differences between the way different guitars sit and feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swoop Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 I think the reason that so many people complain that the G400 doesn't sit right, or suffers from neck dive, is not really due to poor positioning of the stap button, or a heavy neck. It's where the neck is joined to the body. On the G400, it's roughly the 21st fret, so it makes the guitar feel quite 'long'. And of course, the neck being set further outside the body moves the centre of gravity away from the body. It's not that the neck is heavy at all. However, a Les Paul or similar has the neck joined at roughly the 16 or 18th fret, so the centre of gravity is closer to the body, so it's better balanced. Still, congrats on the guitar, be sure to post some pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
31plymouth Posted April 1, 2010 Author Share Posted April 1, 2010 i disagree. the neck is light imo. it's about balance, and yes, due to the stap locks. i've been rocking mine for a week now and love it but if i'd find a strap that is longer, i'd be happier. it is off center from my jackson and the palm mutting i'm used to is hard to get both due to the placement of the SL which brings the body more left and leaves the strings above the belt line. but...the sg i got is nice. i like it. i'd certianly suggest it to anyone wanting a lighter axe with less then 400 to spend. i'm going to get the LP soon as i'm really impressed with Epi's sg; tone, weight and action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StreakyPete Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 but...the sg i got is nice. i like it. i'd certianly suggest it to anyone wanting a lighter axe with less then 400 to spend. i'm going to get the LP soon as i'm really impressed with Epi's sg; tone' date=' weight and action.[/quote'] Good recommendation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StreakyPete Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 Thanks Swoop for a well thought out guide to buying a SG. (love the piccie too!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swoop Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 ^No worries, sir! Glad someone appreciates my essay writing! I like the picture too. Might not be a fancy background, but I think the guitar looks great. Long overdue for some attention I think, I really don't play it enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.