[Robert1950]

There's a whole cult around modifying these amps in the US. Change a few caps and reisisters. Better tubes. Mercury Magnetics even sells mod kits ( transformers, etc,) that cost almost 3x as much as the amp. Losts of threads on the epiphone forum.

http://www.gibson.com/products/epiphone/forum/toast.asp?sub=show&action=topics&fid=4