The first impression made by this guitar when picked up and strummed is of a high end Epiphone. It has a 'proper' neck - a nice handful without being too much. It is balanced, comfortably worn high or low, and feels like a more expensive guitar. The binding is cracked and nicotine stained, but not falling off, or showing signs of falling off. There is a small crack on the rear of the headstock, but this has not been decapitated and sewn back together again. It feels solid, and that ply gives it a nice acoustic snap before you plug it in.
The pots had been replaced a long while ago with terrible Alpha minis, and I decided to rip it all out and give it a new loom and controls. The switch is original and is missing its tip - why do we like it like that? I don't know, but if this is a dealbreaker, give us a day's notice and I'll pop a Switchcraft in there. It now has 3 premium CTS 500k pots and a premium CTS push pull to throw the bridge pick-up out of phase. Great for that Jimmy Page / Peter Green number. New Witch's Hat knobs and a set of strings complete the refurbishment of this guitar.
You don't have one of these instead of a Gibson, you have one on the way up to one, or next to one in the rack. Gig it without worrying, no need to worry at all about it - it was made to be played - all the issues that plague vintage guitars for reliability are fixed and this will serve you well.
Epiphones may be new, freshly built in China, click-bought and delivered the next day, but they won't feel like this - all of the luthiers here have had this on their benches and it is now what you'd call stage-ready.
1975 Gallan Custom
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For more photos, please click 1975 Gallan (Tokai) Custom.