Epiphone SG Prophecy GX Guitar Review

The Gibson SG model guitar has been through decades of improvements and remakes. Some have been unsuccessful while others shine above the rest. And, it's probably safe to say that more have been in the latter category. Epiphone, a daughter company of Gibson, offers one of the late remakes geared in a more metal direction called the Epiphone SG prophecy GX. Let's see if it belongs in that latter category.

Features: At first glance, it's easy to see that this is no ordinary Gibson remake. It has a different look and a different feel than other remakes that go for the more vintage style. The body of the SG Prophecy GX has a deeply rich quilted maple top, with a very hard edged feel. The neck of the Prophecy GX is made of maple with a satin finish, and is set into the body. The fretboard is made of high quality ebony wood, and has twenty four jumbo frets with unique pearloid blade shaped inlays. The bridge is a LockTone Tune-O-Matic, helping the guitar stay in tune in any and all conditions. On the headstock of the SG Prophecy GX are Grover tuners. Electronically, it has two volume and one tone control knobs, with a three way selector switch. The pickups are Gibson brand "dirty fingers".

Playability: The SG style guitar is probably my favorite make. It is comfortable to play both standing up and sitting down, and has excellent high fret access. Given that there are 24 frets on the neck, the access will of course be an important factor. The neck of the Epiphone SG Prophecy GX is also excellent in the playability department in that it has a Hard Maple SpeedTaper profile. Playing a neck with this design, the first word that comes to mind is fast. For a shredder looking for something that will play to their skills well, the SG Prophecy GX should not be looked over.

Sound: The Gibson Dirty Fingers pickups one this instrument are just plain phenomenal. They are designed to eliminate unwanted feedback, and you can split the coils of both humbuckers, making for an unbelievably wide range of tone options. Believe it or not, it's widely held among many players that the Epiphone SG Prophecy GX sounds better than its many times more expensive Gibson relatives.

Overall: This guitar is among the best that the Epiphone company has to offer. It has beautiful looks with a stunning finish, excellent playability, and sound that rivals guitars upwards of a thousand dollars. If you are honing your chops to play professionally, or just want a versatile guitar with a mean looking style, this guitar will do more than satisfy you. You can find the Epiphone SG Prophecy GX at most music stores for about $650.