EPIPHONE G 400 DELUXE  FLAMETOP  ELECTRIC GUITAR

           I have always been a fan of Epiphone guitars. Even though I own a number of top brand name guitars, such as Gibson and Fender, I still enjoy playing my Epiphone G-400. When I heard that Epiphone had put out a Deluxe version of the G-400, I was intrigued, and had to check it out. The Epiphone G-400 Deluxe retails for $832.00, but it can be had from most large musical instrument chain stores for a discounted price of $399.97. Read on and see if the Epiphone G-400 Deluxe Electric Guitar sounds like something that you would be interested in auditioning for yourself.

The body style of the Epiphone G-400 Deluxe is a classic. It is modeled after the Gibson SG body style that was introduced as a replacement for the Gibson Les Paul back in 1961. The rest is of course history. Although the traditional Les Paul shaped body was retired for a few years, it was eventually resurrected and it is obviously more popular today than it was in 1960 when it was retired. But the SG body became Gibson’s most popular guitar design ever, and it has existed in some form ever since it was first introduced. Obviously, the SG body design is something that Epiphone fans also love. O.K., enough of the history lesson, I shall resume with my review of the Epiphone G-400 Deluxe.

The Epiphone G-400 Deluxe has a Mahogany body and a Mahogany neck. That is pretty standard for an Epiphone G-400, or for most Gibson SG’s for that matter. However, Epiphone added a premium Flame Maple top to the front of the Mahogany body, and that makes this guitar special, or should I say Deluxe. A Maple top on a Mahogany body is what one would usually find on a Gibson Les Paul Standard or a Gibson SG Supreme. A Maple top makes for a guitar that has an extra brightness and snap to its sound, and Maple is a tonewood that is prized for its ability to add sustain to a guitar. The premium Flame Maple top not only adds to the attractive appearance of this guitar, but it makes it a more tonefully versatile instrument as well.

As I mentioned above, the neck of the Epiphone G-400 Deluxe is made of Mahogany, and it has a Rosewood fingerboard, and it is a set neck design. The Rosewood fingerboard gives a very warm sound to this guitar, and it compliments the bright snap of the Maple top, and the deep rich sound that is attributable to the Mahogany body. The combination of these three tonewoods enhances the overall sonic properties of the Epiphone G-400 Deluxe, and in the hands of the right musician, this guitar can produce complex and intricate overtones that are very pleasing to the ear.

The neck on the Epiphone G-400 Deluxe has 22 frets, and easy access to even the highest notes is not a problem given the generous double cutaway design that is standard on an SG shaped body design. The position markers are pearloid Trapezoid markers, and they add to the impressive look of the Epiphone G-400 Deluxe. The neck is a modern slim taper design, and it is ultra fast.

The hardware is all Chrome, including the Stopbar Tailpiece, Tune-O-Matic Bridge, and tuning pegs. There are three colors that are available for the Epiphone G 400 Deluxe, and they are Vintage Sunburst (my favorite), Transparent Blue, and Transparent Red. The overall appearance of the Vintage Sunburst model I was playing was quite impressive, and by the appearance of it alone, I looked like a more expensive guitar. As regards the electronics of the Epiphone G-400 Deluxe, it has two Volume and two Tone controls, one for each pickup, as well as a 3-way toggle switch. The pickups are an Alnico V Classic Plus Humbucker in the bridge position, and an Alnico V Humbucker in the Neck position.

The electronics of any guitar are an area that is important for a potential buyer to scrutinize carefully, but even more so with regard to an Epiphone. There is great inconsistency from one Epiphone to another with regard to the quality of the wiring and related electronics, and the Epiphone G-400 Deluxe is no exception. It is very important to check the pots or controls to be sure that they are functioning smoothly, and with no noise, clicks, glitches, or dead spots, as these are indications of potential problems that will only get worse with routine use of the guitar. The Epiphone G-400 Deluxe that I was playing was fine in all respects, and it was right off the rack from the guitar store that I was in. I found no problems with the electronics of this guitar. The design of the Epiphone Humbucking Pickups on this guitar are based on Gibson’s 1957 Classic Humbucker with Alnico II Magnets, but these Epiphone Humbuckers have Alnico V Magnets, which gives them a more modern sound.

The combination of these Humbucking pickups, plus the light weight Mahogany body, with a Maple top made this guitar sing with unusual sustain. Because the Epiphone G-400 Deluxe has a Maple top, there was a greater clarity and definition to the individual notes that were being played. The Maple top also gave this guitar a sound that was more crisp and snappy than a standard Epiphone G-400. Chords were also crunchy, more precise sounding, and rich than might otherwise be the case with a standard Epiphone G-400.

In conclusion, I must say that I was impressed with this guitar. The appearance of the Flame Maple Top not only added to the overall attractive appearance of this guitar, but it added to the sonic clarity, overall tone, and excellent sustain of both individual notes as well as chords. When all of the good points of this guitar are considered, it would be hard to find a better guitar in this price range.

Well, I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my review. But now if you will excuse me, I must get back to my practicing.

Recommended: Yes