I have that exact guitar and it is play's perfect . I think Dave had his mind made up long before he touched this guitar. I am amateur luthier and I had no problem setting mine up to play beautifully.
So what you are saying is that you bought a guitar that needed a setup and now it plays beautifully just like Dave did. Congratulations. Now can you joke around while doing it? And videoing yourself at the same time.
I just want to say thank you Dave. Everything I know about guitar repair and maintenance has come from you and this channel. It has saved me so much time and money by learning this stuff. Thanks.
Dave--Thanks for your channel. I live in China, and I recently bought a cheap strat (made in China, of course), and set it up in no time at all thanks to you and your videos. Love your videos, and thanks for helping out the novices.
Made in China by American luthiers also Qungdoe facility is run and supervised by American Master builder Scott Lewis and his American and Asian luthiers Lewis has been at that facility since 2002 and was Master builder for Gibson so when you say made in China be more specific
Great comment. In this day and age, “Made in China,” does NOT mean it’s poorly made. Or Made in Indonesia for that matter. I have a Squire 60s Classic Vibe Strat that feels and plays better than the Fender Player Series guitars that I’ve tried. Really amazing guitar for $400!
I have the gibson version of this guitar. Mine is a 1963 gibson 330 TDC.. I paid a classmate $50 and my bicycle for this guitar in 1968 when I was 16. I still have the guitar here in February 2021. I have had maybe 60 or 70 guitars over the decades. This one is still the magic one. The fastest playing easiest to play.. this is the guitar I played in the garage bands in high school, in the smoky bars of the 70s and 80s. I have never had this guitar set up. I’ve never tried to change anything on it. I have had Strats, Jazzmasters, Ibanez, Yamaha‘s,epiphones, Brian Moore, Gibson Les Paul standards, schecters, takamine, Taylor, Vox, guitars in a few I can’t remember I’m sure,. i’ve had guitars like my 1959 jazz master that I have had set up by three different guitar gurus. I’ve tried different strings, nothing would make that guitar play even close to my 330.. I have a gibson 335 also.. hi no the 335 is not a completely hollow body guitar and it’s a little bit longer. But I tried to set all of the changeable specs exactly the same as my 330. The 330 is still easier to play.. I have owned the 330 for over 50 years now. And not one of the dozens of guitars I have had ever played better than my 330 that I have never had set up. I wouldn’t dare..There is one little thing that I would like to do on my 330. That is ,lube the tuning machines.. they’re a little tough to turn compared to my other guitars. How about a video on that dave
Dave, Dave ,Dave, you raise the the pole pieces by screwing the poles up and down.. I have a casino I bought 5yrs ago, but I new what I was buying, I have change the pots and switch, polish the freaks, work on the nut, my action is low and I love the way it plays, love the way it looks, I like the p-90’s, and I went down a gage in strings, but I new I was going to have to do all the work to it, so my friend go easy on us poor people, and show some love for the casino......( or throw it out the door,and measure snow with it.LoL.)
Ha! Just got the green one yesterday, and had to make the exact same adjustments. Your previous vids taught me something. Didn't realize how much I've learned!
Ya ever heard Goldfinger - phonecall ? "Abby normal looking for...male/female drummer... is that you? What's this Abby Normal shit?" I couldnt help but remember that (from so long ago its crazy) when I read your name :D
@@dongonzulman6478 Hahaha, that's awesome, never heard it before (thanks Google?). mine is from Young Frankenstein. Something new to point ppl towards, thanks!
I played a couple of those in a guitar store last year and was pleasantly surprised by the quality and how well they played. Maybe you should have clipped those strings in the playing position, or oiled the fret board in the playing position, or lowered the string height in the playing position. All a load of bullshit. Better yet, eat your sandwich in the playing position.
The factory settings are just that factory settings nothing more. Only you know how you like your guitar set up. Until it gets to you they are all "set up" the same way (which is as littlr as possible) leaving the factory. That way one isn't feather touch action and another isn't super high action. There is no standard set up for a guitar it's what you like it's simple as that.
I bought a Dangelico Boardwalk /w p90s ($475 delivered to my door) made in Indonesia and very happy with it. It was packed (or not) like shit. Terrible. Don't know how the thing survived the trip around the world. Had my tech check it out. It did need tweaking, nut was too high, trussrod, setup, etc. I wanted a different sound than my Strat. I'm sure there are horror stories out there but I'm a satisfied customer and I guess I have to give a shout out to Musicians Friend (watch for sales).
And not to be a think tank, but I believe the bigger issue is why a person is unable to afford an American made instrument when most could 70 years ago. A new Gibson es 335 was $267 in 1958 (2400 today), yet salaries have not increased 10 times since. The issue is that under the facade of imported cheap goods, the government has bamboozled its citizens of a livable wage comparable to our grandparents.
I assume you checked the nut string slots and they were okay and that's why we didn't see it. I bought one of those shiny orange ones they came out with a couple of years ago and the nut slots were hardly cut deep enough and it was playing all out of tune with the cowboy chords. I was going to replace the nut but I slowly worked on the stock one for a couple of days until I got it perfect and then along with the other setup steps that you show us, thank you, it plays like a dream now. I know what you mean about the fretboard. They don't use rosewood anymore because of the import rules and use pao ferro instead. It is so much lighter even after oiling. I've bought some stain to darken it when I get brave enough. Maybe you've done that before and it would make a good video? There were also little ugly tooling marks on my fretboard behind some frets on the low E side but not too extreme. People complain that the pickups are so much hotter than in vintage Casinos but all you can do is lower the 6 string screws in each pickup.
I know this might be kind of a dumb question but, does anyone know what the name of the type of "string holder" on these older guitars(ie ,the thing that hooks onto the bottom of the guitar and holds the strings before it gets to the bridge)?
Been watching this show for a couple years, still waiting for a guitar that doesn't have a 2 way truss rod. LIGHTEN UP, DAVE, THEY'RE ALL MADE IN CHINA NOW :D
The microwave meal of guitars; cost effective, looks good on the packaging, follow the instructions ensuring it’s prepared correctly, don’t expect too much, it won’t be great but it’ll keep you going. Though you could have skipped it and saved up the same cash for steak at a later time. (Disclaimer; I do like the odd microwave meal)
I need a set of top hat knobs for my Les Paul Burst, but I need them to grip easier than stock which for me isn't easy as a Strat. Are there knobs that look like vintage but have a grip around it?
@@thegoodguy44 I get that. Especially in a guitar like this. Hard to work through F holes. But after doing 3 or 4 of em you get the hang of gutting it and putting in the good stuff.
There's a lot of great functioning guitars for less money these days. It's a great time to be starting out. Now I just need to control my recent Alvarez lust.
I bought a red Grote from China. It's amazing. Only 220 delivered to Alaska.Wow. solid made guitar. .it looks just like that. I bet the shops are close together, share parts.
I love Dave's grumpy demeanour ... but the truth is whilst moaning about someone buying a guitar when attracted by its appearance and saying "all it needs is a setup" he just proved that this was indeed a very nice guitar that just needed a setup!!
Good stuff as usual Dave. When I was a kid I had a gibson 335dot neck that was constantly in and out of the shop it never played right and I spent a fortune on the thing. Many years later I bought myself an Epipphone dot which was essentially the same guitar without the binding and a different neck construction. Although I had to cut a new nut and do some fret for work on it for the money I spent it was a steal. Dropped some pick ups into it and it sounds like 1 million bucks. Wouldn’t buy when you though! Thanks for your videos
Guitars have been sold and not setup correctly for so long now. My local guitar shop techs don't set them up correctly either -- and on the seventh day - God created Dave.
There is no standard set up. My idea of a set up guitar is probably not your idea of a properly set up guitar. The factory standards? Your personal set up preferences? Or my set up preferences? Why waste time getting a guitar to the Gibson or fender factory standards? We all like our guitars set up the way we like them not what a book or company says it should be.
I musta got lucky with my 2014 epi Casino. Plays pretty good and the pickups are awesome. I asked the music store to give it a quick setup though...they threw that in.
I don’t know about the modern Chinese ones as I’ve never played one. But a few years ago most Epiphones were made in Korea and the guitar itself was just great … new electrics and get the frets polished/nut tweaked and it was a 100 percent great gigging guitar. I imagine these aren’t too too far off
I bought a Chinese casino back in 2011,never had a set up,apart from the nut breaking off at the low e string,it’s been great,few years back it got a big upgrade,with Gibson wiring ,4 500k pots & a pair of Lindy frailin p90’s,kluson tuners.even after the all the work,it was put back together with new strings,&it never even had a truss rod adjustment,best of all ,it’s now a killer guitar,& total cost was £700, £450 for the guitar, &£250 for the pick ups wiring ,pots,a real bargain
this is the most interesting video you've ever done dave. if you can make that thing play well, i already know it's gonna sound awesome and your customer is going to be very happy.
What is wrong with a Epiphone guitar? Looks and sounds nice from where I was sitting. Maybe the owner will be just as happy with his Epi after Dave did a proper set up as you are with all your High end Gibson's and Custom Shop Fender guitars. :)
@@IYF_Productions_SL I think you're replying to the wrong guy or something? lol. I think Epi's are great and Gibson's are out of my reach, by a LOT. Couldn't/Wouldn't waste my money on a Fender either I'd get a Squier and upgrade the electronics.
The rosewood they use in Asia always looks grayish to me; might be an Asian rosewood cousin or something like that. Even my ‘96 Korean made by Peerless was like that but with use and oiling throughout the years it has browned.
Dave here's a little educational facts about Epiphone China facility....its State of the art it is American owned and operated American luthiers and supervisors at the China facility Scott Lewis is plant manager and Master builder and Mr. Lewis was also Master builder for Gibson some years back so this whole china made crap with you dave in this case is Voided Also Epiphone Les Paul's and Sgs are 70% hand crafted just like the Gibson's and the have CTS Electronics and ABR bridges
Dave good show, about the P90 pickups not being height adjustable, I think they have screw cut pole pieces, I have known guitar players that adjust the height of these.
Hi, I bought a Epiphone Reviera P93wr around 2 years ago it looks the part played amazing when I bought it six months later issues issues issues, Bigby isn't working right bridge was buzzing so I bought a new bridge for it to also start buzzing middle pickup no longer works 60 percent of the time its a shame cause its a beautiful and played great but honestly I'd say do research before buying into these epiphone semi hollowbodies rather than having the trouble that I had with might. I now need to spend hundreds on getting the guitar right and it's just a shame.
Davy will never do that it would make a perfectly good Birdhouse outback. lol plus saw blades cost money and old guitar stings are free and double as tree hangers for crap guitars. lol :)
I just got a new casino when these new worn ones released (though I just got the natural fully finished one) and honestly it’s a really great guitar. I had to flip it since I play left handed but after very minor adjustments it plays insanely well.
This Worn Green Epiphone SG P90 Classic I got last year was also setup like total crap out of the box. Needless to say I was quite underwhelmed when it was delivered. The vintage style tuners were just awful, so I swapped them out for some chromed out Kluson Revolution 19:1 ratio machines, and did my best to set up the relief/nut/action needed to play "Stoner Rock/Doom Metal" in C standard with a set of 12-54 Dunlop Heavy Core strings. Obviously the action has to be higher to compensate for that amount of string mass/travel vibration, but I got it to a pretty comfortable playing level. Still not 100% gelling with it though, and now the damn switch is starting to crap out on me with just minimal play time. Pondering over installing a "String Butler" to help improve the tuning stability, but if I honestly cared such things? I wouldn't of got an SG in the first place! Hahaha! I must admit, it's a sweet looking axe overall. I was (still am) a sucker for that open pore green finish obviously. A luthier buddy of mine offered me a new Switchcraft toggle and a good trained professional once over ASAP. Hopefully that'll sort right out. Otherwise it'll continue being a $430 wall decoration. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Venting is best done, in the playing position ;-} I've worked on Mex & Indo guitars that needed more work than that Casino (spot leveling & fret finishing). If the price point is right & the overall construction is good, then one shouldn't mind add'l setup.
I have the worn ebony and love it...all these guitars need a setup ..I had a bone nut put on mine and had it intonated...plays like a dream. These are great value for the price. I bought a 335 and guess what...it needed a setup too..I think the switch is too close to the pickup so ..got rid of the pickguard. Great unplugged guitars too.
I like Epiphone guitars. I think too, that in a lot of ways, it all depends on a good set up. With a little patience and basic knowledge, you can turn those China made guitars can be made very nice
Hey Dave! I am taking advantage of the COLD weather to rewatcha bunch of your old videos, liking each one, commenting on many ;) I did FINALLY sign up to be a Patreon as well ;)
I got an Epiphone Worn Ebony Casino back in Dec. Was setup alright. The only complaint was the intonation on the ‘G’ and ‘B’ string were a bit flat. No biggie small flathead screwdriver and adjusted the saddles.
Dave I'm with ya 100% man. I always setup intonation with the guitar laying on my bench just like this. I know so many people grip about that but I have yet to hear a difference. Love you're videos. I have been doing lots of repairs and setups out of my house for a ton of musicians in my area for the past few years and I have learning a lot of tricks watching your vids. Cheers.
Every Epiphone I have ever purchased (save one) has had the backbow on the neck. I have had two second-hand ones at bargain prices because they were "unplayable". Easily fixed.
Man, I just want a decent guitar that isn't going to impoverish me. This seemed like a contender but it sounds like you're not too keen on these. If these and most other new cheap guitars are bad, I'd love a list, even a very short list, of a few reasonable guitars for someone without much cash to burn. I mean, you want to talk about ghastly string action, I should show you my only guitar, a Hondo H-18. A setup on it costs about as much as it's worth so it makes very little sense to do.
Thanks again Dave. Hope you're well. I was wondering what leads you to check the 1st fret action? When you check for fret buzz near the neck joint and something doesn't seem right or the string height?
I have two Casinos and no problems. Ok. Both are 10 years old from this review date. Maybe better China quality back then. But not a problem. One I put round wounds on it and another flat wound. They sound great today. BTW based on humidity, you may have to adjust the kneck occasionally. I think Epi makes a Gibson quality guitar. I have Gibson LP and 335. I had to replace parts on the Gibsons because they broke. Not once did I have to replace an Epi part.
![Epiphone Factory Tour in China [English Subtitles] - presented by Digimart](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LRczd_ZEf4E/mqdefault.jpg)
I have that exact guitar and it is play's perfect . I think Dave had his mind made up long before he touched this guitar. I am amateur luthier and I had no problem setting mine up to play beautifully.
I love that about Dave's Chanel to be honest.
It's mostly humorous dialogue.
Even a junk guitar can sound okay in a good amp.
So what you are saying is that you bought a guitar that needed a setup and now it plays beautifully just like Dave did. Congratulations. Now can you joke around while doing it? And videoing yourself at the same time.
It's luck of the draw with Epiphone. You got a good one. This apparently isn't a good one.
Maybe you had your mind made up to support a bad buy.
Guitars have feelings too Dave. That Blue Beast was thinking, “why does he hate me so much”?
Dave is projecting his hostility because he is still learning to love himself.
Can you blame him?
Just kidding Dave! 😎
He hates it because it's Chinese lol. Just joking I've had a few Chinese guitars that play great.
@@mma1st105 Yup ... he just demonstrated this is a great guitar that "just needed a setup"!!
@@mma1st105 I wouldn't hesitate to buy that guitar. What was done on it was no big drama or big deal.
I just want to say thank you Dave. Everything I know about guitar repair and maintenance has come from you and this channel. It has saved me so much time and money by learning this stuff. Thanks.
I feel like Dave had a couple of beers before this one.
I think its a requirement whilst working on an Epiphone
Dave was driven to it by the Positionistas!
Same!!
@@Xaion6 It's a requirement in Canada, certainly.
Probably not a bad thing.
Looks to me that the guitar was built pretty well and just needed a basic setup. Can't ask for much more out of a fairly inexpensive guitar.
Dave--Thanks for your channel. I live in China, and I recently bought a cheap strat (made in China, of course), and set it up in no time at all thanks to you and your videos. Love your videos, and thanks for helping out the novices.
Thanks for sharing!
Made in China by American luthiers also Qungdoe facility is run and supervised by American Master builder Scott Lewis and his American and Asian luthiers Lewis has been at that facility since 2002 and was Master builder for Gibson so when you say made in China be more specific
Great comment. In this day and age, “Made in China,” does NOT mean it’s poorly made. Or Made in Indonesia for that matter. I have a Squire 60s Classic Vibe Strat that feels and plays better than the Fender Player Series guitars that I’ve tried. Really amazing guitar for $400!
The new casinos made in the states cost 3grand. I have 3 casino epiphones made overseas and they are work horses and sound and play great 👍
I have the gibson version of this guitar. Mine is a 1963 gibson 330 TDC.. I paid a classmate $50 and my bicycle for this guitar in 1968 when I was 16. I still have the guitar here in February 2021. I have had maybe 60 or 70 guitars over the decades. This one is still the magic one. The fastest playing easiest to play.. this is the guitar I played in the garage bands in high school, in the smoky bars of the 70s and 80s. I have never had this guitar set up. I’ve never tried to change anything on it. I have had Strats, Jazzmasters, Ibanez, Yamaha‘s,epiphones, Brian Moore, Gibson Les Paul standards, schecters, takamine, Taylor, Vox, guitars in a few I can’t remember I’m sure,. i’ve had guitars like my 1959 jazz master that I have had set up by three different guitar gurus. I’ve tried different strings, nothing would make that guitar play even close to my 330.. I have a gibson 335 also.. hi no the 335 is not a completely hollow body guitar and it’s a little bit longer. But I tried to set all of the changeable specs exactly the same as my 330. The 330 is still easier to play.. I have owned the 330 for over 50 years now. And not one of the dozens of guitars I have had ever played better than my 330 that I have never had set up. I wouldn’t dare..There is one little thing that I would like to do on my 330. That is ,lube the tuning machines.. they’re a little tough to turn compared to my other guitars. How about a video on that dave
Dave, Dave ,Dave, you raise the the pole pieces by screwing the poles up and down.. I have a casino I bought 5yrs ago, but I new what I was buying, I have change the pots and switch, polish the freaks, work on the nut, my action is low and I love the way it plays, love the way it looks, I like the p-90’s, and I went down a gage in strings, but I new I was going to have to do all the work to it, so my friend go easy on us poor people, and show some love for the casino......( or throw it out the door,and measure snow with it.LoL.)
Ha! Just got the green one yesterday, and had to make the exact same adjustments. Your previous vids taught me something. Didn't realize how much I've learned!
Ya ever heard Goldfinger - phonecall ?
"Abby normal looking for...male/female drummer... is that you? What's this Abby Normal shit?"
I couldnt help but remember that (from so long ago its crazy) when I read your name :D
@@dongonzulman6478 Hahaha, that's awesome, never heard it before (thanks Google?). mine is from Young Frankenstein. Something new to point ppl towards, thanks!
@@Abbynorml1979 ;D
@@Abbynorml1979 what did you inherit from the monster? :-)
dave's world of not so fun guitar setups
I played a couple of those in a guitar store last year and was pleasantly surprised by the quality and how well they played. Maybe you should have clipped those strings in the playing position, or oiled the fret board in the playing position, or lowered the string height in the playing position. All a load of bullshit. Better yet, eat your sandwich in the playing position.
Oiling the fretboard in the playing position, best ever!
Oh gee haw haw haw...
A lot of trash talk, for, “ this is pretty good”
They are great guitars
@@sneifert1968 I thought the same exact thing.
Finally someone who is completely 100% honest about checking the intonation in the "playing position".
Why not raise/lower the screws in the pickups? Would this help if you thought they were too low/high?
Just found this channel and I am binging soooo much of your guitar work now. You're awesome Dave, thanks for showing us all of the process
They dont setup guitars in america either..lol
The factory settings are just that factory settings nothing more. Only you know how you like your guitar set up. Until it gets to you they are all "set up" the same way (which is as littlr as possible) leaving the factory. That way one isn't feather touch action and another isn't super high action. There is no standard set up for a guitar it's what you like it's simple as that.
@@spiderfan1974 That was rhetorical brotha!! Lol.
Is there any difference in adjusting a two-way truss rod vs single? 4:23
oh yes..lefty tight and righty tight
So if I want a semi-hollow like this what brand do I buy that isn't made in China and doesn't cost $4000.
I bought a Dangelico Boardwalk /w p90s ($475 delivered to my door) made in Indonesia and very happy with it. It was packed (or not) like shit. Terrible. Don't know how the thing survived the trip around the world. Had my tech check it out. It did need tweaking, nut was too high, trussrod, setup, etc. I wanted a different sound than my Strat. I'm sure there are horror stories out there but I'm a satisfied customer and I guess I have to give a shout out to Musicians Friend (watch for sales).
And not to be a think tank, but I believe the bigger issue is why a person is unable to afford an American made instrument when most could 70 years ago. A new Gibson es 335 was $267 in 1958 (2400 today), yet salaries have not increased 10 times since. The issue is that under the facade of imported cheap goods, the government has bamboozled its citizens of a livable wage comparable to our grandparents.
@@sacredsteeler Well that got way off topic...Peace
@@sacredsteeler Well that got way off topic...Peace
@@jimcaptcut1976 Guess I'm too woke... ☮️
I assume you checked the nut string slots and they were okay and that's why we didn't see it. I bought one of those shiny orange ones they came out with a couple of years ago and the nut slots were hardly cut deep enough and it was playing all out of tune with the cowboy chords. I was going to replace the nut but I slowly worked on the stock one for a couple of days until I got it perfect and then along with the other setup steps that you show us, thank you, it plays like a dream now. I know what you mean about the fretboard. They don't use rosewood anymore because of the import rules and use pao ferro instead. It is so much lighter even after oiling. I've bought some stain to darken it when I get brave enough. Maybe you've done that before and it would make a good video? There were also little ugly tooling marks on my fretboard behind some frets on the low E side but not too extreme. People complain that the pickups are so much hotter than in vintage Casinos but all you can do is lower the 6 string screws in each pickup.
I know this might be kind of a dumb question but, does anyone know what the name of the type of "string holder" on these older guitars(ie ,the thing that hooks onto the bottom of the guitar and holds the strings before it gets to the bridge)?
Trapeze tailpiece.
@@mikehurley5052 thank you very much :)
Screwing the pole pieces up/down on a p90 is a way to adjust pickup height?
Not necessarily. It's like fine tuners. They are good for minor adjustments. These pickups need risers.
I agree. I did this with my riviera p90 3 and bam it sounds worlds better.
Really the proper way to adjust the height of a dogear P90 is to use shims.
“That’s 5 dicks slapping you in the face”. Dave is a gem. Got a belly laugh outta me. Cheers
Been watching this show for a couple years, still waiting for a guitar that doesn't have a 2 way truss rod. LIGHTEN UP, DAVE, THEY'RE ALL MADE IN CHINA NOW :D
The microwave meal of guitars; cost effective, looks good on the packaging, follow the instructions ensuring it’s prepared correctly, don’t expect too much, it won’t be great but it’ll keep you going.
Though you could have skipped it and saved up the same cash for steak at a later time.
(Disclaimer; I do like the odd microwave meal)
With all the adjustments done . Wouldn’t it be just as sensible to finish the upgrades with pick ups and controls ?
I need a set of top hat knobs for my Les Paul Burst, but I need them to grip easier than stock which for me isn't easy as a Strat. Are there knobs that look like vintage but have a grip around it?
I bought a 60 th anniversary fender custom shop Stratocaster that needed two set ups before it played well
I have found that Epiphone makes some damn good guitars, and straight necks too. Just as good as a Gibson IMO
Electronics suck compared to gibson. Wood is just as good. QC is probably a little better. Price point is bang on. Love my Epi's
@@MEDiumInc Electronics being shitty is a dealbreaker.
@@thegoodguy44 I get that. Especially in a guitar like this. Hard to work through F holes. But after doing 3 or 4 of em you get the hang of gutting it and putting in the good stuff.
@@thegoodguy44
You can mod them pretty easily.
The Trogly's Guitar Show did some new Epi demos and almost all had some high frets.
It's comforting knowing you're still there, my friend.
just not all there!
There's a lot of great functioning guitars for less money these days. It's a great time to be starting out.
Now I just need to control my recent Alvarez lust.
I bought a red Grote from China. It's amazing. Only 220 delivered to Alaska.Wow. solid made guitar. .it looks just like that. I bet the shops are close together, share parts.
I own a Chinese made Squier Custom Vibe Stratocaster and you'd be amazed how incredibly good it is.
Hey Dave, what size strings would you recommend for a Epephone sg ( newer model made ie china) ??
Dave, how much does it cost to take you with me next time I buy a guitar?
beer
@@DavesWorldofFunStuff Ive got a furniture dolly, we can bring a keg with us.
I love Dave's grumpy demeanour ... but the truth is whilst moaning about someone buying a guitar when attracted by its appearance and saying "all it needs is a setup" he just proved that this was indeed a very nice guitar that just needed a setup!!
Epiphones may not be Gibsons, but I have four and they were fine.
Epiphones are made far better than Gibsons.
William what do you think for the Sheraton 2 mikorea?
Those pole pieces dont go up and down on the pickups? If they do you can adjust a little bit but not very much. 👋
Good stuff as usual Dave. When I was a kid I had a gibson 335dot neck that was constantly in and out of the shop it never played right and I spent a fortune on the thing. Many years later I bought myself an Epipphone dot which was essentially the same guitar without the binding and a different neck construction. Although I had to cut a new nut and do some fret for work on it for the money I spent it was a steal. Dropped some pick ups into it and it sounds like 1 million bucks. Wouldn’t buy when you though! Thanks for your videos
Dave, you know you can't foam-bat someone if he ain't in the foam-bat-receiving position! Everyone knows that. Lol! ;)
Not that there's anything wrong with foam-batters...
Guitars have been sold and not setup correctly for so long now. My local guitar shop techs don't set them up correctly either -- and on the seventh day - God created Dave.
There is no standard set up. My idea of a set up guitar is probably not your idea of a properly set up guitar. The factory standards? Your personal set up preferences? Or my set up preferences? Why waste time getting a guitar to the Gibson or fender factory standards? We all like our guitars set up the way we like them not what a book or company says it should be.
Hey dave - there are shims you can adjust a dog ear up with, but to your point, there isn't much you can do for a dog ear that is too high.
I musta got lucky with my 2014 epi Casino. Plays pretty good and the pickups are awesome. I asked the music store to give it a quick setup though...they threw that in.
I don’t know about the modern Chinese ones as I’ve never played one. But a few years ago most Epiphones were made in Korea and the guitar itself was just great … new electrics and get the frets polished/nut tweaked and it was a 100 percent great gigging guitar. I imagine these aren’t too too far off
Good point about “being blinded by the bling.” I’ve also heard auto mechanics complain about how poorly (stupid) certain cars are designed.
Many many guitar players listen with their eyes.
High billable hours for repairs increase dealership profits. It isn't poorly done, it is optimized for profit.
I bought a Chinese casino back in 2011,never had a set up,apart from the nut breaking off at the low e string,it’s been great,few years back it got a big upgrade,with Gibson wiring ,4 500k pots & a pair of Lindy frailin p90’s,kluson tuners.even after the all the work,it was put back together with new strings,&it never even had a truss rod adjustment,best of all ,it’s now a killer guitar,& total cost was £700, £450 for the guitar, &£250 for the pick ups wiring ,pots,a real bargain
A question Dave. In your opinion ...best place to buy luthier tools..??
Dave, long time watcher here. Just wanted to say I love your videos (autocorrect changed “videos” to “wives” and I almost left it! Haha!)
this is the most interesting video you've ever done dave. if you can make that thing play well, i already know it's gonna sound awesome and your customer is going to be very happy.
What is wrong with a Epiphone guitar? Looks and sounds nice from where I was sitting. Maybe the owner will be just as happy with his Epi after Dave did a proper set up as you are with all your High end Gibson's and Custom Shop Fender guitars. :)
@@IYF_Productions_SL I think you're replying to the wrong guy or something? lol. I think Epi's are great and Gibson's are out of my reach, by a LOT. Couldn't/Wouldn't waste my money on a Fender either I'd get a Squier and upgrade the electronics.
Is that a Pau Ferro fretboard? Looks a little gray to me.
The rosewood they use in Asia always looks grayish to me; might be an Asian rosewood cousin or something like that. Even my ‘96 Korean made by Peerless was like that but with use and oiling throughout the years it has browned.
Dave here's a little educational facts about Epiphone China facility....its State of the art it is American owned and operated American luthiers and supervisors at the China facility Scott Lewis is plant manager and Master builder and Mr. Lewis was also Master builder for Gibson some years back so this whole china made crap with you dave in this case is Voided Also Epiphone Les Paul's and Sgs are 70% hand crafted just like the Gibson's and the have CTS Electronics and ABR bridges
To be fair, I bought a brand new Gibson Les Paul 1950s re-issue and the set-up was no better!
Hi Dave - do you ever adjust the pole piece screws to compensate on P90s - or even on Humbuckers?
Good question
Dave is spot on about setting the intonation in the "playing position"
@ 12:54, Dave what song is that??? The chords are to what song? Tony
Hey Dave, Is that a .010 or a .012 feeler gauge? Thank you!
.012,see 5mins 40
What is the double truss Rod he’s talking about
Dave good show, about the P90 pickups not being height adjustable, I think they have screw cut pole pieces, I have known guitar players that adjust the height of these.
What did you use to bring the colour back on the neck?
linseed oil
@@DavesWorldofFunStuff thank you bud! Your channel is the best! 💯
My favorite part of the video was when he was talking about playing position for checking Intonation. 😂😂
Hi, I bought a Epiphone Reviera P93wr around 2 years ago it looks the part played amazing when I bought it six months later issues issues issues, Bigby isn't working right bridge was buzzing so I bought a new bridge for it to also start buzzing middle pickup no longer works 60 percent of the time its a shame cause its a beautiful and played great but honestly I'd say do research before buying into these epiphone semi hollowbodies rather than having the trouble that I had with might. I now need to spend hundreds on getting the guitar right and it's just a shame.
I'm waiting for the day when Dave finds a guitar so bad that he puts it out of its misery with a power saw!
And miss the opportunity to give it the full Pete Townshend send off?
Davy will never do that it would make a perfectly good Birdhouse outback. lol plus saw blades cost money and old guitar stings are free and double as tree hangers for crap guitars. lol :)
I just had mine delivered and the parts were rattling around inside like a spray can so I sent it back to them for repair.
I have a es 339 epi. I fretted it and changed the nut and now it's a fabulous guitar.
But not everybody can refret.
I just got a new casino when these new worn ones released (though I just got the natural fully finished one) and honestly it’s a really great guitar. I had to flip it since I play left handed but after very minor adjustments it plays insanely well.
Hey, you and Paul McCartney flipped your Casinos!!
Dang thats fine 🔥 butternasty. Epiphone makes all your sounds epic
This Worn Green Epiphone SG P90 Classic I got last year was also setup like total crap out of the box.
Needless to say I was quite underwhelmed when it was delivered.
The vintage style tuners were just awful, so I swapped them out for some chromed out Kluson Revolution 19:1 ratio machines, and did my best to set up the relief/nut/action needed to play "Stoner Rock/Doom Metal" in C standard with a set of 12-54 Dunlop Heavy Core strings. Obviously the action has to be higher to compensate for that amount of string mass/travel vibration, but I got it to a pretty comfortable playing level.
Still not 100% gelling with it though, and now the damn switch is starting to crap out on me with just minimal play time. Pondering over installing a "String Butler" to help improve the tuning stability, but if I honestly cared such things? I wouldn't of got an SG in the first place! Hahaha!
I must admit, it's a sweet looking axe overall.
I was (still am) a sucker for that open pore green finish obviously.
A luthier buddy of mine offered me a new Switchcraft toggle and a good trained professional once over ASAP. Hopefully that'll sort right out.
Otherwise it'll continue being a $430 wall decoration.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
What did you charge?
Venting is best done, in the playing position ;-} I've worked on Mex & Indo guitars that needed more work than that Casino (spot leveling & fret finishing). If the price point is right & the overall construction is good, then one shouldn't mind add'l setup.
You didn't clip those stings in the playing position Dave,lol......
I have the worn ebony and love it...all these guitars need a setup ..I had a bone nut put on mine and had it intonated...plays like a dream. These are great value for the price. I bought a 335 and guess what...it needed a setup too..I think the switch is too close to the pickup so ..got rid of the pickguard. Great unplugged guitars too.
when you measure string height....aka...6/64"s.. Measurement is the top of the string..or the bottom..??
Bottom
ie measuring the gap.
I like Epiphone guitars. I think too, that in a lot of ways, it all depends on a good set up. With a little patience and basic knowledge, you can turn those China made guitars can be made very nice
Ahh Dave! I've not watched one of your vids in a while and straight off the bat you have me laughing. I won't leave it so long again 👍
When George Carlin reviews guitars. 🤣😂😂
Hey Dave! I am taking advantage of the COLD weather to rewatcha bunch of your old videos, liking each one, commenting on many ;) I did FINALLY sign up to be a Patreon as well ;)
So... sandwich, or fired rice and bbq pork? What's it going to be today?
Hey, You do great work for some of the guitars coming to you to be fixed. Thumbs up!!
Your curmudgeonly ways warm my ancient, arthritic heart. Remember, it's not a rant if you're right.
Pricepoint?
I got an Epiphone Worn Ebony Casino back in Dec. Was setup alright. The only complaint was the intonation on the ‘G’ and ‘B’ string were a bit flat. No biggie small flathead screwdriver and adjusted the saddles.
Dave I'm with ya 100% man. I always setup intonation with the guitar laying on my bench just like this. I know so many people grip about that but I have yet to hear a difference. Love you're videos. I have been doing lots of repairs and setups out of my house for a ton of musicians in my area for the past few years and I have learning a lot of tricks watching your vids. Cheers.
You're just miserable, sarcastic and angry enough for me. New subscriber!😀
Dave why don’t you set the the screws on the pick ups to match the radius of strings. I do this on all my guitars , great show Dave
A small glimmer of sanity on a cold winter night. Thanks Dave. Cheers.
no matter gidson or epiphone,brand new guitar fret board always little bit dry , dont know why.
Upgrading the bridge to a ProTune with nylon saddles is a MASSIVE upgrade for a Casino.
Intonation must always be checked with the guitar behind your neck Hendrix style, come on Dave that’s day one at setup school
I’m glad I watched the whole video. Some gems in there! Thanks Dave.
Every Epiphone I have ever purchased (save one) has had the backbow on the neck. I have had two second-hand ones at bargain prices because they were "unplayable". Easily fixed.
Yeh but yeh but what if the neck isn't properly attached to the guitar's body, you know then it might like bend sideways like you know?
I buy my linseed oil at the local Farts and Craps store. :-)
Man, I just want a decent guitar that isn't going to impoverish me. This seemed like a contender but it sounds like you're not too keen on these. If these and most other new cheap guitars are bad, I'd love a list, even a very short list, of a few reasonable guitars for someone without much cash to burn. I mean, you want to talk about ghastly string action, I should show you my only guitar, a Hondo H-18. A setup on it costs about as much as it's worth so it makes very little sense to do.
That a blue strat plus deluxe on the floor?
funny guy dave. i think i’m gonna get the green one next week, can’t afford a tele.
also what was that oil you put on the fretboard, worked wonders
That was just good old linseed oil
Thanks again Dave. Hope you're well. I was wondering what leads you to check the 1st fret action? When you check for fret buzz near the neck joint and something doesn't seem right or the string height?
Dave - how do you REALLY feel about checking intonation in the playing position? .... just sayin' ...... ;-p
Always learning from you Dave. Thanks,
I have two Casinos and no problems. Ok. Both are 10 years old from this review date. Maybe better China quality back then. But not a problem. One I put round wounds on it and another flat wound. They sound great today. BTW based on humidity, you may have to adjust the kneck occasionally. I think Epi makes a Gibson quality guitar. I have Gibson LP and 335. I had to replace parts on the Gibsons because they broke. Not once did I have to replace an Epi part.
It's an Epic-phone. Nice guitar. Nice work! As always! Go Canada!
lol - you're always a bit more spicy when working on either a Chinese guitar or from Gibson/Epiphone, and this was both...
You can't educate an old dog with a new value paradigm.
While the dogear p90s cannot be height adjusted, the individual pickup strings screws can be.