Slash Signature Epiphone

[EagleOnyx]

I let a friend of mine borrow my Mockingbird ST because he wanted to try one out. In return he let me borrow his Epiphone Slash signature tobacco burst Les Paul.

I can't believe people pay $1000 for these! I haven't played it yet because I'm repairing the stripped neck strap hole. Just observing the build quality makes me say WTF?

The top Veneer figuring looks great. It's too perfect for my tastes but its exactly what most people want to see. the part that really gets me is that the body is multiple pieces but they applied a mahogany veneer to the back. This makes the back look to be a one piece. I guess it's not any different than putting a veneer on the top but for some reason it screams extra cheap to me.
The knobs are typical cheap-o knobs and it also has all the same cheap-o Epiphone hardware they slap on there. I haven't verified the electronics yet.

What a scam these signature models are. It should have been a $400 guitar at most.

It's gratifying that I can build a 1000X better guitar than a factory can after only building a few. I'll post again after playing it.

 

[EagleOnyx]

Ok, I've played the guitar for half an hour and I'm very glad (for my friend that owns it) that it plays and sounds really good! Definitely sounds better than it looks up close.

I was actually very happy with the tone from this guitar. It has a big fat neck on it too, I guess it's probably '58 style? I'm not sure, it's a lot fatter than all my other guitars. The frets are smooth and the inlays are well done.

I was disappointed by the controls. It sounded like it was using those crappy asian style B500k linear pots for the Volumes. There was no usable adjustment on them, no change until down to 3 and then volume cut out at 1.5 on the knobs. I opened up the control cavity and checked. Yup, B500k Alpha pots. Cheap chiclet mylar capacitors too. I will never understand why China or Asian manufacturers in general use Linear pots for the Volumes.

after thinking about it. this thread doesn't actually belong in Luthier. my bad.

 

[SiriusAbbott]

actually,it Does belong here as you are disecting it from a builders perspective.....also,if you posted this in the epiphone forum you'ld get scorched

 

[kfowler8]

I doubt I'd read it if it wasn't here so keep it. I'm finding it interesting.

 

[EagleOnyx]

haha, I did post it there afterward. someone told me that the reason it cost more is because it's a signature model...

I just played it again and it really does sound great. The setup on it is better than the hack job I did on my LeSG. It's got heavier strings than I normally use and the action is also lower. it just pisses me off knowing that there is so much veneer on this guitar covering up who knows what and there are a few glaring finish screwups. I also don't like the color. lol

 

[Vistoluk]

Sup man, yea ive done quite a bit of comparing on these compared to a typical epigone. Im a repair tech at a guitar store so I see alot of the problems that often arise with epiphone. only really difference besides it having the slash visuals Is that they put ACTUAL seymour duncan alnico II pros in there. So the pickups are the same as your standard slash gibson less patio but with all the crappy pots still.

Still not worth 1000 to me but considering the retail on those pups is around 160 you atent too bad off. It still has a typical epiphone fingerboard with your typical epiphone fretwork.
cheers

 

[EagleOnyx]

I don't own it and won't own it. i'm just borrowing it while he borrows my guitar.

 

[djrussell]

ahem... I tend to like Alpha pots

Oh man how I feel like a black sheep right now but thanks for the review man - its good to hear about these things from a builders perspective. Cheers

 

[EagleOnyx]

Alpha pots are fine. I just don't agree with Asia's use of Linear pots, the B500k pots in this case. A500k audio taper logarithmic Alpha pots are a better choice. I use Bourns pots in my builds because I like the low turning torque and they have a very usable adjustment range.

 

[garweft]

That's odd that it has all B pots. Every epi I remember looking inside always had A's for the volume and B's for tone. I'm wondering if that's stock? Maybe an ebay buy??

I do agree with the back veneer being kinda pointless. It just makes it look like they are trying to hide something.

 

[EagleOnyx]

All Asian les pauls I've seen have B500k volume and A500k tone pots. That's what this one has, my agile has.

 

[maxxi]

All Asian les pauls I've seen have B500k volume and A500k tone pots. That's what this one has, my agile has.

thats because import pots are the other way round of US made pots.

A= linear
B= audio

or so ive read

 

[EagleOnyx]

Nah, the A pots are the audio ones. CTS pots don't even use the A or B designation. So its usually the alpha and cheaper pots that use it.

 

[renzo_lao]

This was my first "real" Les Paul. I've modded it a lot since I've gotten it. But to me it's the best Epi I've played yet. I had the Snakepit model which I sold. I also have the AFD model which I am not too happy with right now. But this model is really nice in my opinion. Mine right now has a Gibson 490R, coil taps, Fender TBX, an Allparts toggle switch, Bigsby B7 and the stock bridge PUP. Really great Epi!

 

[EagleOnyx]

I wish I bought both the snakepit epi and the slash jubilee head they released when I found them back in the day.

 

[renzo_lao]

I wish I bought both the snakepit epi and the slash jubilee head they released when I found them back in the day.

The snake pit epi didn't really go up in value though.

 

[emoney]

Where'd you notice the multi-piece back, btw? In the sides/edge?

 

[garweft]

That's odd that it has all B pots. Every epi I remember looking inside always had A's for the volume and B's for tone. I'm wondering if that's stock? Maybe an ebay buy??

I do agree with the back veneer being kinda pointless. It just makes it look like they are trying to hide something.

Guess my memory is a little dyslexic.....

 

[EagleOnyx]

emoney, you can see the glue line on the sides and when your eyes follow along to the back they disappear. It wasn't just that I saw different grain patterns intersecting. I actually saw a couple lighter tan-ish lines that looked like join lines. I couldn't get a good shot of it. it's subtle because the rootbeer brown back coloring hides it pretty well. I know what to look for so that's the only reason I saw it.

I just really liked the look of the snakepit graphics on that signature guitar. I think it was well done. I didn't like the snake inlays on the neck for the Gibson version. The Epiphone had very cheap nearly solid white trapezoid inlays on it didn't it? I think that was the main reason I didn't get it, the inlays would have pissed me off. I didn't know how to change them back then.

 

[88moneypit]

I have one of the Snakepit Epi's for sale if you happen to be looking. I put it in the Classifieds here and on craigslist.http://albuquerque.craigslist.org/msg/3081775639.html