Epiphone Vintage G-400 Electric Guitar (Used)
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- Product #518669
Return of a classic in a very affordable form.
The Epiphone Vintage G-400 Electric Guitar plays fast and is a super value. Epi has re-created this SG-shaped legend using a worn satin finish and aged fretboard inlays that give it the look of a cherished original. Crafted with chrome hardware, a mahogany body and single-piece set neck with rosewood fretboard, LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece for more sustain and easier string changing, and armed with a pair of Alnico V humbuckers, this guitar is ready to rock right out of the box.
Check the drop-down menu to the right to select colors and/or other options.
Features
- Worn satin finish and aged fretboard inlays
- Chrome hardware
- Mahogany body
- Mahogany single-piece set neck with rosewood fretboard
- LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece for more sustain and easier string changing
- 2 Alnico V humbuckers
- 1.6" nut width
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Review Snapshot®
by PowerReviews(based on 253 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
100%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Fun to play (4)
- Good feel (3)
Cons
Best Uses
Most Liked Positive Review
Not a bad guitar
This is a fun guitar to play and the price is decent.
However I paid for a new guitar and received a used guitar that was in a sloppily taped box. ...Read complete review
This is a fun guitar to play and the price is decent.
However I paid for a new guitar and received a used guitar that was in a sloppily taped box. It did not come with any of the Epiphone paperwork, just the guitar in a box.
I got a good price on it with a coupon and the guitar has no big dents or anything, so I saw no need to return it. However it's obviously a used guitar that's been played before and it was covered in fingerprints. Also the exclusion of any paperwork whatsoever was also a pretty big indicator.
Very disappointed with Musiciansfriend for sending me a used guitar when I bought a new one.
This alone will give me pause when considering any other guitar purchases from Musiciansfriend.
Very bad thing to do to a customer buying a new guitar.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
You get what you pay for
I bought one of these Epiphone G-400s several years ago after comparing it to the more expensive SGs. Even though I played it in the store, I struggled to get it tuned properly ...Read complete review
I bought one of these Epiphone G-400s several years ago after comparing it to the more expensive SGs. Even though I played it in the store, I struggled to get it tuned properly until I took the trouble to remove the strings, removed the adjusting screws and turned the little "tune o matic" bridge elements around on a couple of strings to get more range (longer), and finally got the thing properly voiced. Having slain that dragon, I lowered the bridge to improve the action and found that much less force was required to contact the frets. THAT, of course, also improved the tuning and voicing issue. A happy side effect is that I no longer have to use leverage against the neck to play bar chords, and since the mahogany neck flexes a bit, the tuning and voicing is even better. String height is almost equal at every point on the neck, with no buzzing. I like being able to bend the neck, but I like it even more that I don't have to use that much force when I don't want to (There's a reason why SGs don't come with a vibrato tailpiece and Strats do -- it's called a maple neck. You can bend an SG, but you won't do it with a Strat). Other than the obvious non-bookmatched solid body and tuners that require some care and feeding, this guitar is now just as good as a 1960s Gibson SG and I'm in love with it -- finally. The finish is as flawless as the high-end SGs. The lesson here is to take the cheaper Epiphones to a good luthier unless you can set it up yourself, and consider replacing the tuning keys. After that, it's a great electric guitar and I can reproduce every note and sound of the surf music and classic rock'n'roll of the 60s. It would be nice to spend over $1000 for a Gibson SG, but the feel and playability is identical and there's no good reason to spend the extra money. I usually play this guitar through a Fender 90 amp (nice overdrive features) and a tremolo pedal to get the "surf" sounds. Inna Gadda Da Vida is a snap. (Any Ventures fans still out there?)
Reviews
Reviewed by 253 customers
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Displaying reviews 1-10
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Pros
- Fun To Play
- Good Feel
- Good Pick Up
- Good Tone
- Solid Electronics
Cons
Best Uses
- Jamming
- Practicing
- Recording
- Rock Concerts
- Small Venues
Comments about Epiphone Vintage G-400 Electric Guitar:
I bought an alpine white, limited edition version of this guitar. The SG was played by my guitar heroes; Mick Taylor of the Rolling Stones who played an SG on the 1969 tour that ended at Altamont, and, of course, George Harrison, on "Paperback Writer", and Eric Clapton on "Disraeli Gears" with Cream.
The tone is vintage Gibson, sultry, dark and powerful. The two pickups give two different tones for lead and separate volume and tone controls. Best of all the neck is wide and very flat, which is ideal for soloing. The intonation was perfect and the finish was great. I prefer the SG to the Les Paul; this guitar is a keeper!
Pros
- Fun To Play
- Good Feel
- Good Pick Up
- Good Tone
- Solid Electronics
Cons
Best Uses
- Jamming
- Practicing
- Small Venues
Comments about Epiphone Vintage G-400 Electric Guitar:
I bougt this used for a pretty good deal with a fender g-dec amp. It is very good quality and quite responsive to touch. I like how it has labled vol-tone pots. VERY HELPFUL to someone used to strats. beautiful finish. might just replace my strat. no flaws found taht cant be fixed with an allen wrench and a screwdriveer!
good job epiphone
Pros
- Fun To Play
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Epiphone Vintage G-400 Electric Guitar:
This is a fun guitar to play and the price is decent.
However I paid for a new guitar and received a used guitar that was in a sloppily taped box. It did not come with any of the Epiphone paperwork, just the guitar in a box.
I got a good price on it with a coupon and the guitar has no big dents or anything, so I saw no need to return it. However it's obviously a used guitar that's been played before and it was covered in fingerprints. Also the exclusion of any paperwork whatsoever was also a pretty big indicator.
Very disappointed with Musiciansfriend for sending me a used guitar when I bought a new one.
This alone will give me pause when considering any other guitar purchases from Musiciansfriend.
Very bad thing to do to a customer buying a new guitar.
Pros
- Fun To Play
- Good Feel
- SOLID
Cons
- Neck heavy
Best Uses
- All Uses
Comments about Epiphone Vintage G-400 Electric Guitar:
Ive had this thing forever.... It is the first guitar i bought for myself... I got it for [$] probably close to when they began selling the thing.. it was the only SG with neck bindings that i could afford at the time and ive played many epiphones since and none really compare... This thing is just a touch under gibson quality.. I played the faded series and many many more gibsons since buying the G400 and i can tell the slight difference in the overall tone of the wood and the feel of the fretboard... still very slight but noticeable.. I popped the EMG 81 85 combo in there too to give it that metal beefyness but the pickups were pretty good stock... they just were a little too generic sounding for my taste.. looking back id say putting in some seymour duncans of the SH series woulda been a great idea... anyway... the only problem ive ever noticed and i hear its a common one is that the G string goes out of tune and is difficult to smoothely tune it back... with some fidgiting it goes in.. but eh.. thats it... in 10 years id say its TOTALLY worth it... and for how cheap theyre selling them now Id say get one...
Comments about Epiphone Vintage G-400 Electric Guitar:
The action was great out of the box, the clarity of the pickups is amazing. Absolutely no dead frets and no rough edges. I play out of a Hot Rod Deluxe Fender 40 watt tube amp and I get highs and lows that scream. The quality of the fit and finish is great for the money.Its as good as a Gibson SG, I've played them also and there isn't a nickle's worth of difference.
The seperate volume and tone controls for each pick-up lets you change from one sound to another with a flip of a switch. Quick and easy.
Mine was perfect, no blemishes ,nicks or rough spots
Great value.
Comments about Epiphone Vintage G-400 Electric Guitar:
As soon as I plugged this bad boy in, I was playing everything in my arsenal, from Slash to Joe Satriani. I was so amazed by the sound that I nearly shouted. whether you are a newbie or seasoned vet, you will love this guitar
Beautiful looks, sound and built to last
Solid mahogany! the rest of the hardware is great quaility, Gibsons little brother
Price can't be beat, worth every penny
Comments about Epiphone Vintage G-400 Electric Guitar:
I bought this guitar online, after I played the different Epi SGs and decided on the Vintage one. (I think the brown finish looks better than the red by the way) After I bought it, I took it to my friend at the local music store and he set it up and put new strings on it for me. (Ernie Ball 9 guage) I play it through a Vox AC4, and love it!
The features on this guitar are great. You get two humbucker pickups with a tone and volume for both and a three way switch, for the neck, bridge and in the middle you get both. It has grover tuners and a stop bar tailpiece. Very nice features for the SG, I especially like the tuners, and the fret makers, not only do they look cool, but it makes finding your location on the fretboard easier.
The quality is good. I like the finish and the electronics and tuners work great. The frets all feel fine, no sharp edges, and the neck is smooth and feels nice. The screws and hardware were good too. Everything was there and in good order when I got it in the mail.
First, let me say that I want a Gibson SG, but I can't afford one, nor do I play well enough to appreciate owning a Gibson, in my opinion. One day I will get a Gibson SG! Anyway, I bought this guitar on sale, and I love it. I played the G-400 with the gloss finish, and the vintage Epi SGs. I choose the vintage one in brown. I like the feel of the vintage better than the glossy regular one. The pictures on this site don't do it justice, go to Epiphone.com or search for some online. The value is great in my opinion!
Comments about Epiphone Vintage G-400 Electric Guitar:
I bought this guitar locally so I knew exactly what I was getting before I bought it. This is a guitar that should cost more than it does. As soon as I picked it up I could tell it was solid as a rock. The faded finish looks a lot better in person than it does in the pictures. The vintage tinted inlays really give it the look of a carefully cared for vintage guitar. The sound is amazing even from the stock pickups, so I doubt I will even mess with changing them out, it's got a great blues sound. The set up was awesome and have not had to had it messed with at all, and I've owned it six months now. I have 12 guitars counting this one and the second I brought it home it became one of my favorite. This truly is a workhorse guitar at a dirt cheap price. Buy this baby and you won't be disappointed.
The pickups sound great, the tuners hold fast and solid, and the hardware looks nice.
Amazing quality
great price
Comments about Epiphone Vintage G-400 Electric Guitar:
I have owned many many guitars since I started playing close to a decade ago and I have never had a guitar impress me as much as this one. The pick ups sound remarkable for stock pups. They are Alnico V's. 57ch in the neck and a Hot-Ch in the bridge. Not so great in their Les Pauls but awesome in this guitar. The frets have no sharp edges and because of the body's shape you can get way up on that neck easily. The neck thickness is medium and fits my hand really well. I installed a strap button higher up on the backside of the guitar to counter the fact that the guitar is neck heavy, and I also had to file the nut slots out a bit to stop snagging and tuning issues. Not a big deal as many guitars have this issue. Over all this is my new favorite. A guitar I will never get rid of. If you can get your hands on one play it. If you like SG's and getting the most for your money maybe it will suite you. Happy playing!
Comments about Epiphone Vintage G-400 Electric Guitar:
This was my first guitar,I got it 8 years ago for my 15th birthday.It was my main guitar for 3 years,and I developed a lot of the foundations of my style and technique on it.That being said,time is cruel,and after a few years of heavy use the electronics and frets on this guitar were pretty much shot,so I got a new guitar and retired my G-400 to its case.Now,about a month ago I was cleaning out a storage room and stumbled upon the case.I opened it,and all my fond memories came back to me.I decided I'd do this guitar justice and mod the hell out of it.I replaced all the cheap internal components,shielded the cavities,replaced the stock pups with some BKP Black Dog humbuckers,replaced the bridge with the new graph tech resomax system,and had the board refretted with stainless steel jumbo wire.Now the guitar plays and sounds amazing,and has taken its spot back in my regular rotation.All in all this is a great guitar,and an amazing platform for modification.The vintage brown finish is also amazing looking in person.
