Epiphone Futura Prophecy EX Guitar Review

Ever since the debut of harder edged guitars such as the Gibson Explorer and Flying V, instrument companies have been pushing the envelope in trying to create the ultimate metal guitar. It's been an interesting journey, with some huge successes and, to be honest, funny looking flops. Now, Epiphone offers the Futura Prophecy EX electric guitar. Let's take a look at how they did in trying to create an excellent instrument.

Features: The Epiphone Futura is very noticeable at first glance due to its quilted maple top. It has a high gloss finish reminiscent of a Les Paul. The neck of the Futura is set into the body, and is made of hard maple wood. There are twenty four frets on the ebony fretboard, and its inlays are a unique pearloid blade shape. The headstock is in the shape of Jackson made guitars, and the tuning heads are Grover brand. It features a LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge, in an effort to make the instrument stay in tune in even the most extreme playing conditions. The electronics of the Epiphone Futura include 2 volume and one tone knobs with a three way selector switch. But what sets the Futura Prophecy EX from the rest of the crowd is its pickups. On the neck side is an EMG 85 active pickup, and on the bridge side is an EMG 81.

Playability: The Epiphone Futura is in the exact shape of the Gibson made Explorer model guitar. This prevents a few pros and cons. What I don't like about it is that it is a little uncomfortable to play while sitting down. A nice aspect, however, is that the high frets are all very easy to reach. The neck has 24 jumbo frets, which are ideal for a shredder. Also, it has a very fast-playing tapered design. If you are looking to shred, the Epiphone Futura is definitely geared toward you.

Sound: The EMG 81 pickup on the neck side is great with distortion for a thick rhythm style tone, and the EMG 85 pickup on the bridge side provides a screaming treble for solos. It really is an excellent sounding instrument for playing hard rock and metal. The only drawback is noticeable when playing clean. Most musicians, including myself, prefer passive pickups to active ones for playing without distortion.

Overall: If you are a shredder who takes your music seriously, the Epiphone Futura Prophecy EX might just be for you. It's very nice to play, has some very sleek looks, and screams with the best of them. You can find an Epiphone Futura for about $550.