Epiphone SG bass

[steantval]

I currently play in a Free tribute band and my gear is a Musicman through a Markbass rig 2x10 plus 1x15.

The band is now really started to take off and the guys in the band are now looking at the retro look in terms of stage appearance ie clothing and equipment, the hair is long gone and wigs are totally out of the question.

They suggested I source an old bass amp and cabinet (heavy-hernia inducing) to which I have bluntly refused to do, I am seriously considering an SG bass in Cherry but are not willing to pay Gibson prices.

I have seen Epiphone long scale SG basses advertised for £199 new which I feel will look correct without too much investment, but I'm not sure of the sound quality.

Do any of you folks out there have any experience of these basses?

[Mr. Foxen]

I have an Epi SG guitar with set neck, and its better made than the Gibson one I had, but the hardware totally sucked, now it has Klusons and EMG's and it rules. Would figure the bass will be similar, Dimarzio Model 1 it up real good.

[The_D]

Get the epiphone and drop a Darkstar in it!

Oh wait you are trying to save money on this project right... I'll get ma coat

[Pookus]

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=45698"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=45698[/url]
I've been upgrading my EB-O. Like the man said, replace all the dodgy hardware and you've got yourself something decent.

[jezzaboy]

Agree with previous post`s. Get the bass, which is one of the coolest looking out there and replace the large humbucker pickup, change the pots and the 3 way switch which are s**t, move the strap button where the neck joins the body to counteract the neck dive and viola! it will sound less s**te than they do to start with!

I had one but sold it to a guy in Glasgow who said that he grew up with Jack Bruce and wanted to sound like him. Fat chance with a standard one!

Or look for an older Korean one. They were supposedly better than the modern Chinese ones.

Jez

[markdavid]

I had a shortscale Epiphone SG Bass , it had its flaws , the tuners were pants and the intonation was always a little iffy but it was the most playable bass I have owned , the shortscale narrow neck made it a breeze to play

[steantval]

Thanks for response guys.

F*ck the looks, I'll stick with my tried and trusted Musicman that plays like a dream.

[martthebass]

[quote name='steantval' post='469978' date='Apr 22 2009, 08:24 PM']Thanks for response guys.

F*ck the looks, I'll stick with my tried and trusted Musicman that plays like a dream.[/quote]

Good call,

I 'had' to play a selection of Free and Bad Co at a jam night last night with my trusty Ray4 and it coped just fine. Sounded a damn sight better on Doctor Doctor than an EB0 would too.....

[Pookus]

[quote name='martthebass' post='470073' date='Apr 22 2009, 09:43 PM']Good call,

I 'had' to play a selection of Free and Bad Co at a jam night last night with my trusty Ray4 and it coped just fine. Sounded a damn sight better on Doctor Doctor than an EB0 would too.....[/quote]


surely thats a matter of opinion


[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5iK9rH0Ftc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5iK9rH0Ftc[/url]

[StanRobinson]

I've had a Gibson SG reissue bass for the past couple of years, has needed new nut, bridge p/u and volume pot but it's a great noise and great to play. Those Tokai gibboalikes seem good value but you gotta get a 30" scale, the long scale ones have always looked wrong, even when Gibson tried it in the old days.

[umph]

[quote name='Pookus' post='470546' date='Apr 23 2009, 11:51 AM']surely thats a matter of opinion


[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5iK9rH0Ftc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5iK9rH0Ftc[/url][/quote]
the bass sounds that distorted on its own? thats some pretty special pick ups its got in it if so and i think thats ruined my gas for a eb-0 after hearing that ;p

[Pookus]

[quote name='umph' post='470631' date='Apr 23 2009, 12:54 PM']the bass sounds that distorted on its own? thats some pretty special pick ups its got in it if so and i think thats ruined my gas for a eb-0 after hearing that ;p[/quote]


Trust me - you can get silky smooth bass tones too. Its just the way he has his EB going thru distortion or the input gain is up on the amp.

[markdavid]

[quote name='Pookus' post='470546' date='Apr 23 2009, 11:51 AM']surely thats a matter of opinion


[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5iK9rH0Ftc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5iK9rH0Ftc[/url][/quote]

Oh man , you've just double my gas for a Gibbo EB0

[Pookus]

[quote name='markdavid' post='470668' date='Apr 23 2009, 01:17 PM']Oh man , you've just double my gas for a Gibbo EB0[/quote]


Nice eh?

[Buzz]

[quote name='Pookus' post='470546' date='Apr 23 2009, 11:51 AM']surely thats a matter of opinion
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5iK9rH0Ftc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5iK9rH0Ftc[/url][/quote]
Ooooh, that's quite tasty.

[jezzaboy]

Flippin eck! Love that distorted sound! And I don`t like Epi`s. Might take your word about it and get an Ebo and mod it a bit.

I never thought I would say that.

Jez

[Pookus]

[quote name='jezzaboy' post='471017' date='Apr 23 2009, 07:13 PM']Flippin eck! Love that distorted sound! And I don`t like Epi`s. Might take your word about it and get an Ebo and mod it a bit.

I never thought I would say that.

Jez[/quote]

Just what I've done. If I can be any help PM me.

[henry norton]

[quote name='umph' post='470631' date='Apr 23 2009, 01:54 PM']the bass sounds that distorted on its own? thats some pretty special pick ups its got in it if so and i think thats ruined my gas for a eb-0 after hearing that ;p[/quote]

Hmm, I think the fuzz bss sound has as much to do with the crappy microphone he's using to recrd the bass - the sound had the same distortion when he played an early Precision.

As for MusicMan basses, there was a big long running thread here not so long ago on how alot of people hated the sound of their MusicMan basses. Horses for courses I guess, tey all sound pretty good to me.