Ultra 3

[Bret_B]

So recently I watched a you tube video from Epiphone detailing the Ultra 3 and I was blown away. It looked killer and sounded great on that clip. Then I looked on this forum and read allot of negative responses about the U-3. So today I went to a local shop and I could not locate a U-3 on the display wall. I asked the clerk if they had any in stock and he went to the back and brought out a new unit still sealed in the box. We opened the box and adjusted the tuning prior to plugging it in a amp. I was more interested in hearing the nanomag pick up so we plugged it into a Fishman loudbox mini. The first strum sounded terrible. The buzzing was over whelming on the E and A strings. The clerk agreed and had thier tech adjust the neck somewhat. When we plugged it in for the 2nd time the buzzing wasnt nearly as bad but was still present. Needless to say he said he would continue to adjust the neck in the next couple days and I agreed I would stop back and give it another look. Seems like the only topics I can find on this Epiphone forum are negative so I think I will stay away from the U-3. Anyone have any positive experinces with thier U-3 ?......anyone ?

[Blueman335]

Why not get a regular Epi LP Std? Put in a good pair of PAF's, like Duncan's Seths, and you'll be blown away from that.

[Blueman335]

The deeper sense of the Ultra III and II is the added NanoMag

and the body shape

and the chambering

it is a different guitar....

 

you won't find it in a Standard

 

And according to the OP, apparently the nanomag isn't always that impressive. He's wanting to avoid nanomags. So, the question still stands, why not get a regular Epi Lp Std.

[Bret_B]

Sorry Pete R.,you misunderstood what I was saying. The nanomag is what draws me to the U3. The U2 is ok but it requires a foot switch to change P/u which was what I was trying to avoid.Still up in the air about this. I also am liking the Fender/Roland G5 which does more than the U3 but I am more of a LP man than a strater....... any thoughts on the G5 ? Its due out in a couple weeks.

[Aethyr]

Anyone have any positive experinces with thier U-3 ?......anyone ?

 

Yes. It's a fairly funny story, I bought a B-Stock labeled one, and apparently I'm one of the very few people in the forums who have gotten an almost issue-free model. Out of the box, the guitar was really low action (I tried doing slide guitar with the nanomag and I couldn't), and yet there was only buzzing in a couple of frets on the low E. Normally I play with higher action than that (I haven't even set it up yet, it still plays great), so I'm not very worried. But I wouldn't send it back anyway, the guitar sounds absolutely stunning.

[Barcham]

I picked up a Crate CA30DG acoustic amp and I can tell you that the nanomag sounds absolutely fantastic though a real acoustic amp. Very full and melodic sound and very acoustic sounding. It's a world of difference compared to my Vypyr on a clean setting or even my Microcube on the acoustic simulator setting. If you pick up an Ultra II or III, pick up an acoustic amp to really get the most out of it. I wish I had an acoustic to compare it with. I guess I'll have to pick one up soon now that I have a valid reason.

 

And it really isn't difficult to dial the volume down on either the nanomag or the humbucker to switch between the two. Takes a bit of practice to get it down, but it becomes second nature after a while.