NGD - 50th Anniversary SG Special

[Tobacco Worm]

Biddlin, I've thinned my herd down to the SG Spl, the Dot Dlx., Epi LP Custom, and a Strat. That's it. I figure if I can't play what I want on any of those then I don't need to try. So when I start to thinking about another guitar or amp I do this...

It's the Worm Jedi Mind Trick....
Thus far it's worked....

Wade

 

[Barcham]

She's a real beauty, but yeah, that's a veneer.

Some have some rather decent wood in them as well. Though there's some odd reflections at the bottom and a poor cellphone pic, you can still see the great wood that this model has. And it's all one piece too. That amazed me....But this is my baby and it's breathtaking. Plays good too!:)

Wade

 

[Alex_SG]

I found a local place that still stocks them, and the missus asked me about it again as a birthday present! May be a NGD for me soon!!!
Mega Music Online - Guitars, Drums Keyboards, P.A., Music Lessons : Epiphone SG Special 1961 P90 Cherry [EG61CHNH3] - $506.00

 

[Tobacco Worm]

Ok Alex, here's what ya do. Tell your bride that even old crippled up Wade with his diabetes messed up legs walks better after playing his '61 Epi Spl! That the combination of P90's emitting secret waves of energy and the slim fast neck have worked wonders on his legs and his hand as well. Yeah, it will even cure a stroke too! Yeah, that's it! The guitar has good juju in it and they're all blessed by a witch doctor from Bora Bora or some place weird like that. Give her that sad look and drag your bum leg worse than it is and she'll feel sorry for ya and you can get one before they're all gone!

Wade

 

[peskypesky]

I found a local place that still stocks them, and the missus asked me about it again as a birthday present! May be a NGD for me soon!!!
Mega Music Online - Guitars, Drums Keyboards, P.A., Music Lessons : Epiphone SG Special 1961 P90 Cherry [EG61CHNH3] - $506.00

why would you pay $506 for one when you can get it from Guitar Center for $399??

 

[Alex_SG]

why would you pay $506 for one when you can get it from Guitar Center for $399??

I'm in Australia. I could get it for $399 at GC, but then it would probably be the best part of $200 for postage, which already makes $600. On top of that, I'd have to pay insurance, and probably be waiting for a month for customs to clear it... The normal RRP for one here is $699.00.

Unfortunately here in Australia, guitar prices are extremely high. I looked at getting a Gibson, but since I'm on workers compensation at the moment, I can't really afford any more than about $800 at the moment. I could get a Gibson SG Special with P90s in the US for that, but then adding postage, insurance etc I'd be better off buying one here for $1100...

Seems importing these guitars from the US adds at least 30 - 40% on top of the RRP. Dunno why, considering our dollar is stronger than the USD at the moment?

Anyway, I went to Mega Music and played one today... Damn! I'm in love!!!

 

[Alex_SG]

Ok Alex, here's what ya do. Tell your bride that even old crippled up Wade with his diabetes messed up legs walks better after playing his '61 Epi Spl! That the combination of P90's emitting secret waves of energy and the slim fast neck have worked wonders on his legs and his hand as well. Yeah, it will even cure a stroke too! Yeah, that's it! The guitar has good juju in it and they're all blessed by a witch doctor from Bora Bora or some place weird like that. Give her that sad look and drag your bum leg worse than it is and she'll feel sorry for ya and you can get one before they're all gone!

Wade

Well, I didn't even have to convince her... She's ordered me one! Unfortunately they are now out of production and the only colors left were black and TV yellow. I quite like the yellow (the same as the OP's), so that's what's coming. Can't wait to get it in my hot little hands!

 

[Tobacco Worm]

Well alrighty then! Ok, you can save that routine for a new amp or something eh?

Glad to hear you got one on the way. You of all people here deserve a break and this should make you day a bit brighter. Hope you enjoy it as much as the rest of us Epi' '61 Spl nuts do!!

Wade

 

[Biddlin]

Now, what're you gonna do for her birthday ? Better make it good, mate .
Biddlin ;>)/

 

[Alex_SG]

Now, what're you gonna do for her birthday ? Better make it good, mate .
Biddlin ;>)/

That's gonna be a hard one... She plays clarinet, a Buffet R13 Prestige... Her old R13 has got a crack in the bore of the barrel, which needs to be pinned, so she doesn't play it much. A new one is the best part of $3000 over here! Don't know if I'm gonna be able to save that much before November!

 

[Alex_SG]

BTW, I went to Mega Music yesterday to check out the 61 Specials but they had none in stock. So I picked up a Gibson Faded Special with P90s, and plugged it into a Marshall Half-Stack... (Marshall 1959 100 Watt Plexi Reissue head with Marshall 1960A 4x12 Cab) P90s are definitely my favourite pickups! I played the intro to "Break On Through To The Other Side" and they screamed! Didn't even have to hit the dirty channel!!!
I was chatting with the salesman, and he said the P90s in the Epi are probably just as good as the Gibson ones, and for $600 more all you really get is better quality wood and electronics with the Gibson. He has both, and likes the Epi just as much as the Gibbo!
I have already done the electronics in my G400, and that made a huge difference. I will probably leave the 61 special stock for a while, then do the electronics later.

 

[Tobacco Worm]

Alex, I think you'll like the way this model is wired. There's no PC junk in the cavity. It's wired like real guitars were meant to be. With wires, pots, a jack and a switch with solder and no little PC boards looking silly in there!

And I agree the P90's they have are good solid big boy single coils that have some serious honk. :)

Wade

 

[Alex_SG]

I'm just wondering about the quality of the electronic hardware. I know the pots, jack and switch in my G400 were a bit iffy... They hadn't failed yet, but one of the pots was intermittently failing, that's why I replaced all the electronics.
How is the hardware in the '61 Special? Is it any better than in the G400?

 

[Tobacco Worm]

Basic Epi stuff but hand wired like real guitars are. Mine's just fine. The '05 LP Custom is the same way and it's just dandy! I got no complaints and I'm not gonna "fix" what ain't broke, until it is...

 

[happy_tom]

I changed electronics and did a 50s wiring on both, but itdidn't make as much difference on the special as it did on the g400.
also the 50s wiring might be a bit bright on the P90s.

You may wanna leave this one stock for a while and get reallly familiar with it.
The rest of hardware - well, the wilkinson tuners, that is :) - are as good, or IMO even better than on g400.

The only thing that did need changing on my special was the nut. I put on a graph tech becouse the original one had somewhat tight slots and the strings were making a pinging sound when tuning.

 

[Alex_SG]

OK cool. Sounds like everything should be OK then. Another 3 weeks... Dunno if I can hold out that long!!!

 

[Tobacco Worm]

Oie! Alex, are ya pacin'..er, ahhhh, hobbling around in circles waiting for Thursday mate? I gotta admit, I am a little.

Tu Amigo,
Wade

 

[Alex_SG]

Yep, certainly am Wade... Why is it that when you're looking forward to something, it always feels like its 10 times longer than it really is???
I can't wait to get that beast plugged in and screamin'!!!
T minus 4 days and counting...

 

[Mr. Happy]

Hey Alex, so you're getting that P-90's SG, uh? Niiiiceee... I'll be counting the days too!

 

[Alex_SG]

T Minus 3 Days and counting...