Hi,Some of you may remember that I did a NGD thread less than a month ago:
http://www.gretsch-talk.com/threads/ngd-g3140-historic-series-from-2000.185210/
Well, when it rains, it pours - I just got another guitar a couple of days ago - the
Epiphone Limited Edition John Lee Hooker 100th Anniversary Outfit (quite a mouthful, huh?)
http://www.epiphone.com/News/Features/2018/Ltd-Ed-John-Lee-Hooker-100th-Anniversary-Zephyr.aspx
This model was announced in June or July 2018 - and while I do like JLH, I'm not like a huge fan - but some of the specs on this models made it really interesting to me (a thinbodied "real" hollowbody - no center block - that doesn't look too upscale "jazzy"); limited to 1000 worldwide (mine is #781, if I interpret the serial number correctly). Looked around for shops that might get them, and pre-ordered some time in Aug. or Sept. - they said they'd start shipping in early Oct. - well, Oct. became Nov., then Dec., still no official date; that's when I ran across the G3140, and bought it, because it was from a local guy and had a great proce. Of course, 2 weeks later I get a mail from the store I pre-ordered the Epi from that it has arrived, and they's ship if right after Christmas...
Well, it's here now, have been playing it for a few days - here are some observations:
- Really nicely made, no finish flaws (well, maybe a teeny tiny one at the end of the neck, but really not noticeable unless you are looking from a very close distance).
- On the Epi page they call the neck profile a "Vintage C" - but it is more of a soft V, that slowly starts morphing into a C somewhere above the 7th fret; BTW, the neck has a comfortable chunky thickness, 22 mm (.866") at the first fret - not as fat as my favorite Tele (1" thickness all the way), but not as thin as that G3140 (20 mm - .787"); and unlike JLH's vintage 1961 Zephyr, it has a 24.75" scale, not a 25.5". It is 1-11/16" wide at the nut - I personally like 1-3/4" best, but that's rare, and I can manage the slightly narrower width if the thickness is there...
BTW, as you can see, the headstock is not glued on (as it usually is with Epiphones and other guitars in this price range) - it is made from two solid strips of mahogany, and a thin maple one. As a Tele player who tends to make fun of Les Pauls for their common headstock breaks, I hope the maple strip will make the transitions somewhat more solid...
- Rather lightweight - 3.1 kg / 6.8 lbs.
- For some weird reason, it came set up with a really low shredder-like action, that made the strings buzz with my heavy-handed style - raised it, and it works now; I still have to change those thin strings (9 or 10s, not sure) to 11s at least; also, the bridge is compensated for a wound G, but it came with a string set with a plain G...
- Hardware has a matte-rough nickel finish; makes it look "vintage" but not in an overly cheesy "relic" way, like it!
- Both E strings run outside of the poles of the bridge pickup (the high E more so than the low E) - probably because the string spread at the bridge is 54 mm instead of the typical 52 mm of a TOM; didn't notice any fall-off in volume, though.
- The case is covered in a really cheap looking medium grey faux leather - I guess that's period-correct, as I have seen speaker cabs, car seats, furniture, etc. from the 50/60s with similar covering.
- It came with a COA with a pic of JLH, and the cheesiest/flimsiest guitar strap I have ever seen - I hope that this is a nod to tradition, because otherwise it's a joke... The strap is made from a really thin and stretchy plastic, I'd be afraid to use it on stage, because it might tear any minute. It had a shoelace attached at one end, like you're supposed to mount it at the headstock, acoustic style - but the guitar has two strap buttons... Also, the strap is really long - even at its shortest setting, the guitar hangs below my waist (and I'm onl 6 ft tall...)
