Hi Jeff,
And then they're pretty nice guitars for the money, for
sure. So, decent ones are out there, like you said.
Yeah. But I'm reminded of the words of guitarist, Jim O'leary, who years ago said of the Univox Les Paul copy which housed his "guitorgan", "The guitar ain't half-bad either." Which half?
If you get a good one, know that at least all of the hardware is going to need upgrading to something, preferably made of a real metal. Probably the pups and electronics as well. So the things to check are the wood and the neck. The overall sound should be ok, too, but how to check that without first changing the other stuff can be very deceptive. An Epi Les Paul, ES-335, or ES-175 copy will never sound like the corresponding Gibson Les Paul, ES-335, or ES-175, no matter what you do.
For a semi-pro, amateur, or student, if you get a good one, you've got a good one. I just can't see them in professional use. A few other guitars, which are probably a better value (again, assuming you've got a good one), are those by Samik and Turser. I really don't know how they do it for the price they ask. Again, I'd be reluctant to show up at a session with one, but I've got to admit, my nephew has a Turser Strat copy with gold plated parts, and in a pinch I might consider it - it's pretty nice. Unless things changed when I blinked (as they often do in the world of Oriental guitars) the hardware is definitely higher grade than that used on an Epi.
It's always good hearing from you,
Bobby
