NGD Epiphone Johnny A

[ArnieZ]

I pre-ordered This guitar in July after selling my Guild Aristocrat. Same old story have money will spend. It is supposedly a limited edition. At the time I ordered the country of manufacture was unknown and the specs not clear. Some of the info stated it was going to have a centerblock. Given the top is laminated maple I was hoping for a smaller sized 335 type guitar. I was also hoping for a Japanese or Korean build. What I got was this.

Made in China... Fully hollow speced just like the Gibson version except for the laminated top. 

25.5" scale Ebony Board Gibson 57 classic pups

I am really shocked at how well made this guitar seems to be, every bit the quality of the Korean Guild

It seems China can produce good stuff (maybe I got lucky)

Very playable out of the box, neck profile similar to my Shishkov = perfect carved top and back

bound top and back   gold hardware

Controls work well, very nice sounding guitar very fairly priced IMO

love/hate with the Bigsby (authentic not licensed) hence the question as far as a keeper

The Shishkov has really ruined me

Not a smaller 335 but does have a little of that honk from the laminated top

One thing I have discovered, but not surprised by.... I do NOT sound anything at all like Johnny A

ArnieZ

[duncans]

I saw where they were coming out and heard they had the center block, so I didn't jump. Wanted a hollow.

 

That looks really nice, I hope it's a keeper for you!

 

[RobB]

That's a beaut, Arnie. Bigsbys have a learning curve, yes, but that is a lot of guitar for the money. The bound, Epi headstock looks really good on this import. 

BTW, no fair comparing it to a Shishkov. That's full retard, right there. 

[Jakeboy]

Shishkovs have spoiled a bunch of us......

 

cool Epi btw....My Newport has made me love a Bigsby vibrato....adding a Reverend Soft Spring has been a game changer for me.

[django49]

Those are so tempting. I have heard good things about them. It tugs at me, as I had a Trini Lopez (thicker body, double cut  archtop) way back when. It also had a Bigsby. Between that, the long scale and the "Fender" type headstock, if was hard to find strings for it, as the high E string was often not long enough. For better or worse, that guitar ended up being 40% of the down payment on my first house in 1973. While that ended up being a good deal, I have always missed that guitar.

Enjoy it!

[LordsoftheJungle]

7 hours ago, ArnieZ said:

I pre-ordered This guitar in July after selling my Guild Aristocrat. Same old story have money will spend. It is supposedly a limited edition. At the time I ordered the country of manufacture was unknown and the specs not clear. Some of the info stated it was going to have a centerblock. Given the top is laminated maple I was hoping for a smaller sized 335 type guitar. I was also hoping for a Japanese or Korean build. What I got was this.

Made in China... Fully hollow speced just like the Gibson version except for the laminated top. 

25.5" scale Ebony Board Gibson 57 classic pups

I am really shocked at how well made this guitar seems to be, every bit the quality of the Korean Guild

It seems China can produce good stuff (maybe I got lucky)

Very playable out of the box, neck profile similar to my Shishkov = perfect carved top and back

bound top and back   gold hardware

Controls work well, very nice sounding guitar very fairly priced IMO

love/hate with the Bigsby (authentic not licensed) hence the question as far as a keeper

The Shishkov has really ruined me

Not a smaller 335 but does have a little of that honk from the laminated top

One thing I have discovered, but not surprised by.... I do NOT sound anything at all like Johnny A

ArnieZ

Nice! I'm interested in your bonding (or not) with the guitar. I used to own a Johnny A Signature and kick myself for selling it whenever I see one,,, not willing to cough up the three to five grand to buy back in though. Not yet anyway! An Epi copy might be fun though.

[zorrow]

It looks awesome. Congratulations!

And was just wondering... what if it had no labeling at all? Would it be taken for a custom build? 

[ArnieZ]

8 hours ago, LordsoftheJungle said:

Nice! I'm interested in your bonding (or not) with the guitar. I used to own a Johnny A Signature and kick myself for selling it whenever I see one,,, not willing to cough up the three to five grand to buy back in though. Not yet anyway! An Epi copy might be fun though.

Have not played a Gibson version but I'd bet this gets you 90% there

arniez