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Epiphone Genesis Reissue Review & Demo

brianh

By brianh
in Epiphone Electrics

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brianh

brianh

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Does the neck feel fat, medium, or skinny.?

It feels relatively skinny to me, thickness wise. Not the skinniest I ever played, but then I'm used to big ol' jazzbox necks. I checked all my vintage Genis with digital calipers this afternoon and it's thinner than any of them. I played along to almost every song on the Grammys last night and it felt really comfortable even after a coupla hours. I wish you guys lived around here so you could try it out. The fretboard width is the same as the originals up and down the neck however.

 

PS, did you know that most Taylor Swift songs are three chords? [blink]

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Epi1

Epi1

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OK, on a more serious note and now that I have a few minutes to respond...

What a beaultiful guitar! Very very close to the originals. I like that they didnt make any huge changes to it, like inlays designs, bridge, headstock, etc. Being lighter will be a good thing as well. IIRC that was one of the major complaints about the Genesis.

 

So here are a few questions:

1. Seeing as this has ProBuckers in it, will it go in to production with them or will they switch it to the Alnico Classiscs?

2. Will this be considered another "PRO" model?

3. How did they make it lighter? Woods? Chambering?

4. What type of neck profile?

5. How is the balance? Neck dive like an SG or no?

6. Will this be a limited run?

7. Will there be a student-grade bolt-neck model? (Just kidding)

8. Do you have to send it back when you are done?!?!

 

Brian, I'm sure you probably cant answer some of the questions I've listed, but I had to throw them out there. I'm sure others are curious as well.

For anyone that thinks Epiphone doesnt listen to its customers and forum members, think again. Not only are they listening, they are acting upon our suggestions and feedback. I've been noticing this trend for almost two years now. Kudos to Epiphone and Jim R. for giving us a voice!

 

Hi RTH,

 

Thanks for the post and your participation in the Epiphone forum. I'll jump in here and attempt to answer your questions but before I do, I'd like to personally thank Brianh for helping with this project. His images, insight and direction have been invaluable. Thanks again Brian!

 

1. Our plan is to keep the ProBucker-2 and ProBucker-3 on the new Genesis model.

2. Yes. Given our upgraded pickups and push/pull coil-tapping on each pickup it would technically be a Genesis PRO.

3. The body is solid (unchambered) Mahogany. The neck is also Mahogany and it features a deep-set neck joint with the neck going well into the neck pickup cavity. The top is flame Maple veneer. It's weight and construction are similar to our Les Paul Standard Plustops.

4. The neck profile will be our standard 1960's SlimTaper. I think the first proto that Brian received has a little bit thinner neck but ultimately, the production models will be SlimTaper.

5. As Brian mentioned, it seems to balance very well.

6. Unless something changes, our plan is to make it a limited run. It's hard to gauge the interest in this model so at this time, the total quantity has not yet been determined.

7. We plan on making a bolt-neck, PeeWee version with bullseye graphics. (Just kidding...)

8. No. :-)

 

In closing, it's great to see this level of interest and interaction on the forum. Also - thanks to http://epiphonegenesislovers.blogspot.com/.

 

Regards,

Jim Rosenberg

Epiphone

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eggs

eggs

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Hey Jim,

 

Subject to 'better days' ahead, & as a direct result of your 'foresight' in sending a prototype to Brian (whose on & off-line opinion I have grown to value greatly) & his 'insight' into this classic guitar, you can consider your first pre-sale a done deal Sir [thumbup]

 

Best regards,

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Epi Rocks

Epi Rocks

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Hi all, well after over a year on the drawing boards, Epiphone finally received some samples of the much-anticipated reissue of the 1979 / 1980 Genesis model. Epi1 was kind enough to send me one in Black Cherry finish for evaluation, and it does not disappoint:

 

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Similarities to the '79 / '80 Standard, Custom and Deluxe models:

 

Scale length: 24-3/4"

Body shape: double cutaway archtop, 1.88" thick at horn

Body composition: 3-piece solid mahogany, unchambered

Neck: solid mahogany, set neck with volute and one scarf joint at headstock

Headstock: 3 x 3 elongated Epiphone style

Finish: Gloss poly

Pickup configuration: 2x Humbuckers

Frets: 22, steel (appear to be medium jumbo)

Switch / location: 3-way with black washer / below tailpiece

Control cavity: single rear, same shape and location as vintage

Bridge/tail: Tune-o-matic, fixed tail.

Strap pins: non-locking

TRC: black 2-layer, 3-hole, engraved Genesis

Neck width: 1.65" at nut 2.0" at 12th fret

Pickguard: none

 

Differences:

Weight: ~8 lbs (originals were +/-10 lbs)

Neck thickness: +/- 0.85" at the first fret, 0.95" at the 12th fret (originals were 0.9" at the 1st, 1.0" at the 12th)

Top: 2-piece matched flame maple veneer (originals were plain top)

Jack: gold, side mounted w/ 4-screw black plastic jackplate (original was top mounted and notorius for breaking the control cavity)

Pickups: Covered Epiphone ProBuckers 2/3 (originals were uncovered no-name)

Controls: V/V/T/T with push/pull coil taps on volume controls (original layout was V/V/T with seperate coil tap switch, neck pickup only)

Tuners: 14:1 Grover (the originals were no-name Schaller style knock offs)

Serial number: silkscreen 11-digit with Epi Custom Shop logo on back of headstock (original was 7-digit stamped)

 

Other: The reissue is a combination of the features of all three of the vintage versions:

 

Single ply front body and neck binding from the Standard.

9 trapezoid inlays from the Deluxe

Gold hardware from the Custom

 

Stuff I learned about the reissue:

 

Epiphone ProBucker pickups are patterned after Gibson Burstbuckers (4-wire, nickel/silver base, Elektrosola wire, etc.)

Fits nicely in a standard LP case (not sure if it will come with a case, but there might be a custom Geni case in the works)

Shipping date to dealers is expected to be September 2012.

Available finishes: Black Cherry, Vintage Sunburst

 

Review / Comments:

 

Firstly, I am not an Epiphone employee or contractor, so I had no idea what was going on with this guitar or that it was so far along in development, and I had not seen any pictures of the prototype until last week. I saw the same rendering you all saw last year, but this guitar has several key differences, including trap inlays, covered pickups, 4 controls, side-mounted jack and flame top veneer. I don't know if it will be available in trans blue or ebony finish like in the preliminary rendering, Epi1 will have to answer that one. I also don't know what the list or street price will be, but I'd guess similar to some of the top-end Epiphone Les Pauls.

 

Anyway, when I took the guitar out of the case, I was pretty much speechless. It's a drop-dead gorgeous instrument, and while on paper I thought the changes and new features would take away from its vintage quirkiness, I am now 100% converted. The gold hardware against the Black Cherry flame top is absolutely stunning. Everything about the guitar just looks right, not too plain and not too gaudy. I was also skeptical that Epiphone could make a reissue with the same level of workmanship as the originals, but other than a tiny bit of red overspray around the binding that's hardly worth mentioning, it's a nearly perfect execution.

 

I've only had one session with it plugged in so far, but the setup was great, medium low action, no dead frets, no string popping at the nut, and dead-on intonation. I think I can get the action a little lower, but I would not touch the nut, it is beautifully cut and shaped, better than ANY of the other Epis I have (even the ones I have shaped myself), and although I don't think it's bone, it compares with the nut work on my Sadowsky Semi Hollow. The neck is thin, fast and very comfortable, more so than the originals.

 

The reduced weight is a big plus, now I could see gigging this guitar all night wihout a back brace and the lack of rear body binding makes it comfortable for standing play without a belly cut. The switch and pots feel smooth and sure, so do the tuners. The ProBucker pickups are clear and articulate. I suppose you could change them out, but you'd have to be ridiculously picky about your tone. The coil taps make the reissue a much more tonaly versatile guitar than the original, and allow you go from jazz to country to funk to hard rock effortlessly.

 

I will be posting some photos of the pickup and control cavities when I get around to changing strings. I'll also post a video and maybe a sound clip ASAP.

 

BTW, huge thanks to Epi1 and the design and manufacturing staffs at Epiphone for bringing this model back with such dedication and attention to detail, it's really nice to know they're listening. Also massive thanks to Jim Walker (wherever you are) for designing the originals. More thanks to Zach Fjestad, editor of the the Blue Book of Electric Guitars for letting me rewrite and correct the entry for Genesis (13th ed.) as well as everyone on this forum that let me rant on for over 3 years about what great guitars these are, and especially those of you who contracted the compulsion and know what I'm talking about. Lastly, thanks to RTH for including the correct descriptions in the Unofficial Epiphone Wiki, and to Fabi for his virtual altar at Epiphone Genesis Lovers.

 

More info about the originals can be found here: http://en.wikipedia....piphone_Genesis

 

Cheers, Brian

 

 

Hiya Brian.

All I can say is, if it sounds as good as it looks, which BTW is gorgeous, can't wait to try one out when they get to my local dealer. I hope that's sooner than later.

 

Looks like a whole new generation of Epiphone geets are on the horizon. Can't wait to see some more of what Epi 1 has in store for us.

2012 is shaping up to be a great year. [woot][thumbup]

 

 

Cheers

Paul

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RobinTheHood

RobinTheHood

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Hi RTH,

 

Thanks for the post and your participation in the Epiphone forum. I'll jump in here and attempt to answer your questions but before I do, I'd like to personally thank Brianh for helping with this project. His images, insight and direction have been invaluable. Thanks again Brian!

 

1. Our plan is to keep the ProBucker-2 and ProBucker-3 on the new Genesis model.

2. Yes. Given our upgraded pickups and push/pull coil-tapping on each pickup it would technically be a Genesis PRO.

3. The body is solid (unchambered) Mahogany. The neck is also Mahogany and it features a deep-set neck joint with the neck going well into the neck pickup cavity. The top is flame Maple veneer. It's weight and construction are similar to our Les Paul Standard Plustops.

4. The neck profile will be our standard 1960's SlimTaper. I think the first proto that Brian received has a little bit thinner neck but ultimately, the production models will be SlimTaper.

5. As Brian mentioned, it seems to balance very well.

6. Unless something changes, our plan is to make it a limited run. It's hard to gauge the interest in this model so at this time, the total quantity has not yet been determined.

7. We plan on making a bolt-neck, PeeWee version with bullseye graphics. (Just kidding...)

8. No. :-)

 

In closing, it's great to see this level of interest and interaction on the forum. Also - thanks to http://epiphonegenes....blogspot.com/.

 

Regards,

Jim Rosenberg

Epiphone

 

Excellent! Thank you for responding to my questions, Jim. The new Genesis sounds like a fantastic guitar. Its great that Epiphone is taking a chance on this model. Its also great to see another Epiphone original design make a comeback and I hope it goes over well. One thing I forgot to ask was, what will the price of this guitar be? I'll hazard a guess and say somewhere in the $400 range?

 

Keep up the good work, Jim! You guys are doing some great stuff these days. [thumbup]

 

Oh, and excellent answers for 7 & 8!

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brianh

brianh

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Very interesting guitar. I had to check the Wiki site to get a feel for the history of the model. To the inexperienced (like myself) consumer, how would this differ from my G400 SG?

It's a CARVED TOP, thicker, no bevels, and heavier. The orignals were 10 lbs or more, the reissue is about 8 lbs. It has ProBucker pickups, not Alnico Classics on the G-400 plus push/pull coil taps on both pickups.

 

And gold hardware, top binding, flame veneer, side-mounted jack, neck binding, and a different headstock.

 

But other than that they're identical. [biggrin]

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Clanky44

Clanky44

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It's an archtop, thicker, no bevels, and heavier. The orignals were 10 lbs or more, the reissue is about 8 lbs. It has ProBucker pickups, not Alnico Classics on the G-400 plus push/pull coil taps on both pickups.

 

And gold hardware, top binding, flame veneer, side-mounted jack, neck binding, and a different headstock.

 

But other than that they're identical. [biggrin]

 

thanks Brian.... I think I might hold off on the LP purchase until I see and play this one. Any release date?

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intruder79

intruder79

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De nada Fabi, te lo mereces!

 

 

in spanish!!!! haha

muchas gracias Brian!!

 

here is a video of my lovely lady,

the recording is very bad, but the intention is good...

here in my country is very very dificult have access to a studio or something like that.

maybe impossible.

 

i make this record with a very old laptop. (of a friend)

with a mega-chip plastic microphone of my Aiwa nsx-v30.

 

I use my Marshall Reverb 75 (jcm800 solid state combo)

 

generic interface.

 

cubase 4

 

let me say.. i dont know nothing about cubase , nothing, very dificult for me, i learn on the way...

 

this is the first version (1st mix) nice pics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cve8GjehX6s

 

this is the 2nd version (2nd mix) better sound

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN9lyhf1Umk

 

i hope like us.

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