[torndownunit]

I find some of the new Epi's are nice, but a lot of them are trash. Just when the Koreans were getting good at making these copies Gibson moved all the manufacturing to China, and it shows. My 2000 Korean G-400 plays better than any of the new Chinese units I've tried. I'm sure they'll get the hang of it though. One thing the Chinese are great at is cloning products.

I find the necks are an issue with a lot of Epi's I try. COnstruction and finish wise a lot of them look just as good as more expensive guitars. But a lot of times the necks don't feel 'right'.

I just bought one of the Epi ES hollow body Les Pauls. It's pretty cool, but the stock pickups are horrible. It will also need a new nut and new electronics. Unfortunately these are requirments on most Epi's, which is why I will not buy one new. Better to buy one already upgraded, or pay used prices to leave some money for upgrades.