epi wildkat

[turtle]

hey guys, just want an honest opinion> im thinking of purchasing an epiphone wildkat> saw one at a local music store for 350. the only problem with the guitar are the jack is a little noisey and the master volume on the lower horn is crackely> im experienced with wiring a guitar and been doing so for over 15 years so not an issue> realistically wondering what i should offer> note: there is a store inspection tag that says everything is ok so im thinking the store did not know about these issues> great sounding p90s awsome! action is so low that it literally plays itself> all other aspects are incredible> i was really suprised when picking up to play

[dem00n]

Not to be a ****...but there is an epi forum like a scroll down.

[FennRx]

i'd buy something else. unless it's a MIJ/MIA Epi, pass.

 

oh yeah, and its not a Gibson. Or a Les Paul.

[turtle]

Not to be a ****...but there is an epi forum like a scroll down.

ahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahhaahahahah

[jacknikkels]

Save your money for an LP Special. I've got an Epi AlleyKat (Korea), the precursor to the WildKat (China) only with a mini HB on the neck and a reg HB on the bridge. It's a mediocre guitar overall. Reasonably built and comfortable to play but doesn't have the solid feel of a USA made guitar.

[turtle]

Are they all made in china?? I think its older. How do I find out? It has more of a gibson headstock then an epiphone( no extra curve on the top of the headstock corners). It really plays nice. Believe me I know what u mean about solid. I have a few les pauls and had a studio an sg and a es345. If I'm playing a small venue and its tight I don't necessarily want to bring my expensive guitars to jam. Had an issue with a club roadie I guess you would call him just take my les pauls of the stage after our set and lay them on a couch in the club to get us off for the next gig. Almost blew my top. And this treatment after jamming with little feat johnny winter and and big acts in the past I've never had treatment like that from a club/venue. Thought this would be a good investment. And the studio tributes are to much of a fad to get one right now. Love the p90s

[jacknikkels]

Well, like I've said, it's a fun, comfortable guitar to play. The P90s would make the WildKat a different tone thing from the AlleyKat for sure. I mean, if you've got the $350 to spend and like the guitar go ahead and buy it. I bought the AlleyKat online because I liked the body style but I don't think I would have bought it in a store after a little bit of playing time through an amp. On the other hand, they look better than 75% of the Gibson catalog guitars imo. I'm not positive about whether they're all made in China. I don't think I'd buy one as an investment. You could have a luthier clean up the electronics, do a neck adjustment, level and dress the frets and you might have a boss-*** howler gitter.

[turtle]

Well, like I've said, it's a fun, comfortable guitar to play. The P90s would make the WildKat a different tone thing from the AlleyKat for sure. I mean, if you've got the $350 to spend and like the guitar go ahead and buy it. I bought the AlleyKat online because I liked the body style but I don't think I would have bought it in a store after a little bit of playing time through an amp. On the other hand, they look better than 75% of the Gibson catalog guitars imo. I'm not positive about whether they're all made in China. I don't think I'd buy one as an investment. You could have a luthier clean up the electronics, do a neck adjustment, level and dress the frets and you might have a boss-*** howler gitter.

Thanks. I played for a while. Fat neck and like I said would be a beater-gigging open jam guitar. The action is ridiculous. I play slide so my action is a little on the high side and I like it high but this thing is really something. I wish I could have u play it. I'm not usually this gaga over an epiphone especially and they always felt cheap imho. This guitar is a definate WOW for the money. Neck is pin straight and action literally like a well setup lp custom-low. I'm trading a mex strat towards it . I'm not a strat guy :P

[jacknikkels]

If it plays like an AlleyKat it should be a fun guitar. I'd definitely dump a MIM Strat for it. How hard is it to find a replacement Strat, if you ever wanted to replace it? I say, "Jump!"

[turtle]

Ok here's the deal.........I went yesterday to try out again and get an appraisal for my strat. We agreed on the 60 and the strat for the wildkat. I just needed a day to think about it and went back to the store just now and had to post this.......I got there and the guitar was gone of the high rack behind the counter. The sales guy says its gone, guitars gone. I say shoot somebody bought it? NO! It fell off the rack last night (about 12 feet) onto the ground! Totaled! Binding coming off the hole the size of a tennis ball and the top splitting off the sides.the guy called it "firewood". Now here's the thing.......the sales guy completely acting pissed at me! Like broke in and I dropped it off the shelf last night. Was up in my face and a real ****. So never go to daddys junky in orange ct. I'm really shocked at the attitude I got for something completely not my fault. I said bye when leaving and the guy shook his head pissed. Dude what's meant to be is meant to be. So anybody wanna trade a strat for a wildkat lol

[T Bone]

Ok here's the deal.........I went yesterday to try out again and get an appraisal for my strat. We agreed on the 60 and the strat for the wildkat. I just needed a day to think about it and went back to the store just now and had to post this.......I got there and the guitar was gone of the high rack behind the counter. The sales guy says its gone, guitars gone. I say shoot somebody bought it? NO! It fell off the rack last night (about 12 feet) onto the ground! Totaled! Binding coming off the hole the size of a tennis ball and the top splitting off the sides.the guy called it "firewood". Now here's the thing.......the sales guy completely acting pissed at me! Like broke in and I dropped it off the shelf last night. Was up in my face and a real ****. So never go to daddys junky in orange ct. I'm really shocked at the attitude I got for something completely not my fault. I said bye when leaving and the guy shook his head pissed. Dude what's meant to be is meant to be. So anybody wanna trade a strat for a wildkat lol

 

Did you put it back in on the wall hanger, or did they? (Not that it really matters, their store, their responsibility, besides, who knows if someone else had it down after you?).

[AlanH]

Ok here's the deal.........I went yesterday to try out again and get an appraisal for my strat. We agreed on the 60 and the strat for the wildkat. I just needed a day to think about it and went back to the store just now and had to post this.......I got there and the guitar was gone of the high rack behind the counter. The sales guy says its gone, guitars gone. I say shoot somebody bought it? NO! It fell off the rack last night (about 12 feet) onto the ground! Totaled! Binding coming off the hole the size of a tennis ball and the top splitting off the sides.the guy called it "firewood". Now here's the thing.......the sales guy completely acting pissed at me! Like broke in and I dropped it off the shelf last night. Was up in my face and a real ****. So never go to daddys junky in orange ct. I'm really shocked at the attitude I got for something completely not my fault. I said bye when leaving and the guy shook his head pissed. Dude what's meant to be is meant to be. So anybody wanna trade a strat for a wildkat lol

 

Sorry to hear about this, Turtle. However, don't rule out your search for a Wildkat. I don't necessarily agreed with some of the above posts - There are a number of happy owners on this forum and many other Wildkat GASers.

 

I have a Korean model (pictured below.) This too has a fantastic feel to the neck with a low action. In terms of sounds, I find it very versatile. The neck pickup can give you beautiful bluesy or twangy tones and the bridge really has some grit and growl. The separate pup volume pots can be adjusted to give you exactly the tone you like. I often like the middle selector position with the neck at three and the bridge at 10 for a really great rock/punky tone which has a thicker sound to it than bridge alone. Also, this guitar is made like a chambered LP with a retained centre 'block' and with the laminated top glued on. As such, there's less feedback potential. The master volume also gives you total overall control so it's great for gigging. To top it all off this is a fine looking instrument which, refreshingly for an Epi, has its own unique look as opposed to being another Gibson copy. It has those archtop qualities but doesn't feel so big on you.

 

As a gigging musician, who may want something versatile but with a unique look, I'm sure you'd be very satisfied.

 

Alan

 

 

 

 

[turtle]

Did you put it back in on the wall hanger, or did they? (Not that it really matters, their store, their responsibility, besides, who knows if someone else had it down after you?).

Not me at all. I handed to the clerk and that's that. It was way to high for my reach and behind the counter. I needed a day to think about it. He took the guitar back hung it probably after I left and feels for some demented reason that me not taking the guitar that day caused it to fall because I would have taken it home. But a decissions a decission. I didn't want to jump into it that day. Wasn't feeling it. So I said I'll think tonight and I'll swing in tomarrow. I was treated awful. For nothing at all. I'll never go back ever! It was like someone crashing their car you were going to buy and when you showwed up to buy it the guy called you an a-hole for not buying it yesterday.

[turtle]

Sorry to hear about this, Turtle. However, don't rule out your search for a Wildkat. I don't necessarily agreed with some of the above posts - There are a number of happy owners on this forum and many other Wildkat GASers.

 

I have a Korean model (pictured below.) This too has a fantastic feel to the neck with a low action. In terms of sounds, I find it very versatile. The neck pickup can give you beautiful bluesy or twangy tones and the bridge really has some grit and growl. The separate pup volume pots can be adjusted to give you exactly the tone you like. I often like the middle selector position with the neck at three and the bridge at 10 for a really great rock/punky tone which has a thicker sound to it than bridge alone. Also, this guitar is made like a chambered LP with a retained centre 'block' and with the laminated top glued on. As such, there's less feedback potential. The master volume also gives you total overall control so it's great for gigging. To top it all off this is a fine looking instrument which, refreshingly for an Epi, has its own unique look as opposed to being another Gibson copy. It has those archtop qualities but doesn't feel so big on you.

 

As a gigging musician, who may want something versatile but with a unique look, I'm sure you'd be very satisfied.

 

Alan

 

 

 

 

Love it! I still want one. The hunt is on. You have a great lookin guitar there btw. :)

[jacknikkels]

Forget the shop. Only a fool businessman would treat a customer in a way that he wouldn't return (for something else). Amazing.

 

Save up and buy one online. There are generally two or three (plus the new ones) on Ebay all the time. Or maybe you could do a trade at GC or Sam Ash. I think these guitars are still in production, at least they're still featured on the Gibson website.

[turtle]

Forget the shop. Only a fool businessman would treat a customer in a way that he wouldn't return (for something else). Amazing.

 

Save up and buy one online. There are generally two or three (plus the new ones) on Ebay all the time. Or maybe you could do a trade at GC or Sam Ash. I think these guitars are still in production, at least they're still featured on the Gibson website.

Thanks. I'll check ebay and the stores around my area.

[Pennyman]

 

 

 

 

Man, that's what Gibson / Epi should use in their promo material, instead of:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks. I played for a while. Fat neck and like I said would be a beater-gigging open jam guitar.

 

 

As a happy Wildkat owner, I hope you find one, I really do. But after you bond with it, I wonder if you'll still consider it a "beater"...

[turtle]

No I meant it as a gigging less expensive guitar that I would use instead of my more expensive guitars. Bad choice of words on my part. :P

[jacknikkels]

Well, one expired on Ebay without being bid on. $350 start price. There's a turquoise one on Ebay that was around $150 top bid today. Two or three days left. You've got opportunities, turtle. Good luck.