Epiphone 1966 Century Reissue Review... Good... BUT!

[EpiDemic]

Epiphone 1966 Century Reissue Review...

Note: This review has been revised with the following statement...

=====================

Since starting this relatively unflattering thread, I decided to bring the guitar home to at least give it a test drive before deciding whether or not I really wanted to return it and I have to admit that this thing actually sounds surprisingly good.

I'm one of those rare freaks who will always put tone over just about anything else - including aesthetics - so now I'm on the fence with it (but we'll see).

Pretty much everything else in this review still stands though, so let's hope the "problem" with mine was a fluke!

I plan to play it some more and will update you on the pros and cons when I get a chance.

Anyway, here's my original (albeit somewhat modified) post:

=====================

Some of you may recall a thread I started back in July...

http://www.epiphonetalk.com/threads/damn-you-epiphone-new-century-rant.1670/

When I first discovered this newly reissued model they weren't available from suppliers yet, so I kind of put it on the backburner for a while. Then last tuesday I decided to see if there were any interesting updates on the web and I stumbled on this little deal:



The $459 is for a "blemished" Century (a $140 savings from the $599 retail price)!

I was a little worried about the blemish thing, so I called Zzounds and the guy I talked to reassured me that it was just listed that way because it was returned by a previous customer and that any cosmetic issues would be extremely minor, so I decided to take a chance and ordered it on the spot.

It arrived super fast and, as you might expect, I was fairly excited to see my newest acquisition. Here's the first pict of my new Century before I had a chance to check it over:



Well, I have some good news and some bad news...

I'd like to start off by saying that this guitar is definitely a sturdy and (mostly) well made instrument - with one glaring exception: The top and back of the body (primarily in the upper bout on both) is... how shall I put it?... "deformed"!

Where it's supposed to be "arched" looking, it's more like a wavy mess! I tried to capture it with my camera (I used the glare from the lights to expose the flaws):



Although it may be hard to see clearly, you should be able to make out the dark valleys against the lighter humps, and it looks WAY worse in person (under bright lights - not as bad otherwise). This is my 5th archtop, so I know what a good one is suppose to look like, but I'm pretty sure just about anyone would be saying "WTF?" upon seeing it.

I'm extremely disappointed to say the least - at both Epiphone for allowing this thing to leave the factory and Zzounds for trying to pass it off (at least once) to an unsuspecting customer (me).

OK, to be fair, perhaps this happened AFTER leaving the factory; Maybe the laminated wood had not been given the appropriate amount of time properly set up. But that would still imply that they rushed it through just to meet a deadline or something. Either way, something went drastically wrong!

Since I had it delivered to my work place I haven't had the chance to plug it in, but I don't really care at this point anyway. I called Zzounds and immediately ask for a return authorization. Since it's late in the day (Friday) I might take it home for the weekend and at least hear how it sounds.

Anyway, like I said earlier, other than the crappy archtop thing, the rest of the guitar seems to be well made. The finish is more of a "satin" than an "Aged" Cherry, otherwise it looks nice. The aged binding is a nice touch. I strummed it acoustically a little, sounded like a typical hollow body archtop.

The only other thing that caught my attention was the nut; They didn't even try to disguise the fact that it's made of plastic. In fact it seems like they purposely chose the cheapest looking plastic material they could find:



Also notice the tattered, unfinished edges of the nut.

All I can say is that the quality of my 2015 Epiphone Casino Coupe eclipses the Century at this point, and I paid $200 less than the Century's $599 normal asking price for it! Too bad. I hope Epiphone gets their Schlitz together soon or the Century line is destined to go down in flames...

`

 

[Davis Sharp]

It really sucks to be disappointed on NGD. I bought a blemished Gretsch Streamliner from ZZounds. They gave me the same song and dance about "blemished" meaning the same as "returned." When I played it, I found that the 3-way pickup selector did not stay in the bridge position, it popped back to the middle. When I complained, they sent a return label and gave me a refund in about a week. So, I will avoid any blemished item on Zzounds, but they were quick to accept the return. Anyway, if you see a blemished, red Gretsch Streamliner Centerblock G2622 onZzounds, don't buy it.

 

[ScottMarlowe]

Sometimes archtops get a little weird when going from one humidity to another. Here in Colorado, my Sorrento got a weird hump in the back for a week when it rained like mad. Now it's back to normal. Scared the crap outta when I thought it was permanent but it's back to normal now.

 

[DPaulCustom]

Any change since yesterday?
How does she sound?

 

[EpiDemic]

I plan to play it some more and will update you on the pros and cons when I get a chance.

Well, I've been playing my new Epi Century all weekend and I have to admit I am quite impressed with how good it sounds. In fact I have decided to keep it despite its imperfections.

That said, I am not happy with Zzounds at all (see my follow up post).

But back to what's important right?

In a word the tone is "authentic" and the P-90 pickup on this particular guitar is the best I've heard in a modern instrument. Compared to the pickups on my Casino Coupe, the lone P-90 on my Century is noticeably louder and fatter, with vibrant dimension and a sweet, buttery edge that still retains a crisp, clear attack.

It is fairly easy to label the Epiphone Century as a "one trick pony" though and, especially due to its pickup placement and fully hollow body construction, there's no denying that it certainly does lack the versatility of most (if not all) other electronic guitars ever made, so this should be one of your main considerations if you are thinking about getting one.

In other words; Don't expect to play high powered Heavy Metal with it!

That said, there are ways to help this guitar perform better in a variety of styles. The key is in using the Volume and Tone controls to expand its range. The Tone control in particular makes a huge difference and I have been using it a lot on this guitar (something I rarely do on any of my other electrics).

Here's how I set up my sound for the Century:

First set the amp's volume where you need it for the "maximum" level you will be performing at (plus the tone controls for the best sound obviously).

With the Century's Volume & Tone both at "10", the sound can be a little "boomy", "nasally" with a midrangy "boxiness" and your first instinct may be to fiddle with the amp controls... DO NOT FIDDLE WITH THE AMP CONTROLS! Just simply back off the Century's Volume and suddenly the tone is flatter and more balanced. I found the settings between "6" and "8" hits the spot for me.

This range worked out best for light picking, strumming and arpeggios, but when I need to do some heavier chording, the hollow body boominess started to reappear, along with some trebly spikiness and my next instinct was to back off the Century's volume some more... DO NOT BACK OFF THE CENTURY'S VOLUME SOME MORE!

I found that backing off the Volume further only makes things sound thin, tinny, and shrill. What works better is backing off the Century's Tone control, and I mean WAY off, like around "2" or "3". Not only does this reduce the spikiness, but also decreases the volume levels too, which in turn reduces the boominess. Now I can strum a little harder and get a nice full chording effect. You still have to be careful though, since hitting the strings too heavily can still cause some harshness.

Of course when it's time to play your bitch'n solo you can crank the guitar's Volume & Tone to "10" and let it soar! - but always keep in mind that the louder you play the greater your chances for adverse feedback problems.

So there is a level of finesse required to get the best tone out of the Century (no matter what setting you're on), which makes it either a "not so good" beginner's guitar or I suppose it's conceivable that this could perhaps actually make it a "better" beginner's guitar(?). I'm thinking mostly "not so good" but if you can master it then you'd probably have a significant advantage when moving onto an "easier" instrument.

I think a better way to look at it is to compare it to an acoustic guitar. In fact the Century is pretty much an acoustic guitar with a pickup attached to it, and the sound you get from it has that kind of character. So, in that sense, you could also consider the Century to be a hybrid, a stepping stone of sorts, connecting the acoustic and electric guitar worlds together, and if you are coming from an acoustic guitar background the Century will probably feel and sound very familiar.

So, looking at it that way, instead of considering it to be a somewhat limited electric guitar, you could actually see it more as a very versatile acoustic guitar. Get my drift?

Anyway, for the same reasons I miss my old 1965 Epiphone Century, I am really falling in love with this new Century reissue - not because it does something better than any of my other guitars - but because my other guitars can't do what the Century does! Even my Epiphone Casino Coupe has more in common with my Tele, Strat or even Les Paul than it does with my Century.

There are/were other companies making this style of guitar, most notably the Gibson ES-120/125 (which is way more expensive), but for the price I don't think you'll find anything close to the Century right now.

===============================================================

Rather than listing a bunch of "pros" and "cons" I decided to do this instead...

Reasons to get an Epi Century:
A) There's probably nothing else you have that sounds quite like it.
B) Sounds great! (When properly dialed in and played with finesse).
C) Super easy to get feedback, if that's what you want.
D) It does have a certain degree of "cool" factor.
E) Seems to be solidly constructed with (mostly) decent quality hardware.
F) I really appreciate some of the modern updates and changes; especially the jumbo frets and shorter scale length.
G) Much cheaper than a vintage model.

Reasons NOT to get an Epi Century:
A) Fairly limited tonal range, which therefore places it relatively low on the versatility scale.
B) Boominess and feedback issues while performing at high volumes or higher gain.
C) There can be a tonal "learning curve" that can be difficult to master.
D) With its huge body, you WILL be knocking it into things (walls, doorways, tables, the wife, the kids, the dog...), plus it can be more difficult to play while sitting down.
E) Mine has some aesthetic issues (regarding a less than attractive arched top look), which I'm hoping is a fluke.
F) Not true to original specs.
G) Cheap-ass looking nut.
H) Resale value (if this is important to you) will most likely be low.

===============================================================

So, who should get one?

Well, I'm sorry to be the one who has to say this, but, I'm pretty sure most people could live a wondrously fulfilling life without owning an Epiphone Century. While there are no doubt rare exceptions, I can't see having this as a "main" guitar. The same goes for having it as a "first" guitar. Not that there's anything terribly wrong with either of these scenerios, but I just think there are much better, more practical choices out there.

So, who should get one?!?

Well, if you already own several guitars (like me) and just want something that's a little different, then it will most certainly fit that niche.

I personally love the Century design; Extolling both simplicity and sophistication, it has the ability to inspire its own unique creative direction. In fact I once wrote a song while playing my old 1965 Century which I'm sure I would never have imagined otherwise. Of course I can say the same about my Strat, Tele or LP. My point is that every one of these guitars has their own vibe and that's why I like having them.

As far as playing live, in my opinion it works best for very intimate jamm sessions or smaller club type venues and would add a classy touch to your performance. Anything louder and you would be wrestling to get a decent sound all night, which would surely diminish the entire experience in my opinion.

Final words:

Although the Century I got is less than perfect, the "defects" I originally reported aren't nearly as "glaring" as I once thought, and most people probably wouldn't notice them in a normally lit room. Once you know it's there it's hard not to stare at it but, sort of like a pimple, after a while you stop paying attention to it and move on with your life...

What made it easier for me is the excellent tone I'm hearing and, because I get a stupid grin every time I play it (plus the $140 savings I must admit), that's enough to make it worth keeping and I'm glad to say that I am already very happy with it and absolutely sure that I made the right decision.

So, barring any further cosmetic or structural issues, I can highly recommend trying the Epiphone Century reissue if you are in the market for this type of guitar...

Good Luck!


`

 

[EpiDemic]

That said, I am not happy with Zzounds at all (see my follow up post).

Ok, here's my "Zzounds rant"...

This is my first experience buying anything from Zzounds and, to say the least, I am fairly disappointed in their service from start to finish.

I specifically asked them what the "blemish" was on the Epiphone Century before I purchased it and they told me there was no blemish and that it was just returned because the customer didn't want it.

Well, it's obvious now why he/she didn't want it, so that means that when the Zzounds people checked it back in, they either didn't notice a problem (incompetence) or didn't care (piss poor attitude) and I'm not entirely sure which is worse. Whatever the case, I am convinced that they knew about the problem, why else would they have dropped the price $140 just for a returned item?

Anyway, they expected me to pay for the return shipping on the product (a product that was promised to be blemish-free but wasn't btw). I can certainly understand having to pay for a return if I simply didn't want a product but in this case the product was defective AND (most likely) returned at least once before BECAUSE of that defect.

Worse of all, I talked to no fewer than four Zzounds customer service reps and they were all clueless tools with no intentions of helping me at all now that the sale was done.

In stark contrast, I once bought a defective Fender guitar case from Musician's Friend and not only did they immediately send me a prepaid return label, I also got the new case two day's later! In other words they sent out the replacement case before even getting the defective case back! And I've had similar positive experiences with other vendors.

Zzounds, on the other hand, recommended I email their "Return Department", describe the problem, along with sending pictures, wait for a reply and maybe they might cover the return shipping. I certainly do understand that they have to worry about their bottom line and obviously can't afford to cover the cost of every return, but it was more their insulting demeanor and blatant indifference that was the most telling to me.

I was tempted to jump through their hoops and return this guitar based solely on principle (and admittedly pure spite), and if it wasn't for the fact that it just sounds so damn good I most certainly would have.

Now I feel like I am rewarding bad behavior, but every time I play it I am positive I'm making the right decision in keeping it.

Anyway, instead of bashing Zzounds for the rest of eternity, I decided to take a different approach...

I've had nothing but good experiences with the following music supply companies:

1) Musicians Friend
2) American Musical Supply
3) Sweetwater
4) Music123

They, along with Zzounds, all pretty much sell the same products at about the same prices and, while I'm not doubting that each has had their own issues, all I can say is Zzounds is the only one that has totally screwed things up at every level and I can only suggest that you avoid them at all costs.

Rant over...


`

 

[EpiDemic]

Where it's supposed to be "arched" looking, it's more like a wavy mess!

Well, I think I figured out why my Century's archtop looks so funny...



I could be wrong but, if you ask me, I'd say that it looks like they used the same mold that they use to form their double cutaway models. Let me rephrase that; I believe that is exactly what they did.

Just look at this vintage Century picture I found online:



You be the judge, but this is my theory and I'm sticking to it!



`

 

[EpiDemic]

I wanted to pass on a tip regarding Epiphone's "new" 1966 Century reissue...

I just got this case for my Century:



When I purchased the Century through Zzounds I noticed that they were also selling a case supposedly made specifically to fit it for $119. Meanwhile they also sell a case for the Epiphone Casino for $109.

Well, I knew from past experience that the Century will fit in a Casino case, so I looked around and found the same case new for $99 on eBay. It is Epiphone's E519 case made to fit the following guitars:

- ES 335
- Dot
- Sheraton
- Casino
- B.B. King Lucille

I think the Century's body is slightly wider than the models listed above - and it is a snug fit to be sure - but I'm here to officially verify that the Century does in fact fit the E519 case as well!



...So don't spend the extra money for a "special" case...



`

 

[MarkB]

Fits just like my Casino, suggesting your mould theory might be right... Anyway, that looks gorgeous, you're really not helping!


Nice rug too!

 

[EpiDemic]

Nice rug too!

Yeah, my amazing wife got it for me...‍‍

 

[EpiDemic]

I just wanted to add a couple last thoughts to this thread...

First of all, I have since started a separate thread further reviewing this guitar after a month of playing it, which can be seen at this link:

http://www.epiphonetalk.com/threads/epiphone-century-review-2-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly.1827/

Secondly, it now seems obvious (albiet pure speculation) that the unusual formations on the upper bouts of both the front and back of my new Epiphone Century came from the Epiphone factory using molds that were originally designed for their double cutaway models and that this was done on purpose to either expedite production and/or save the cost of retooling (or both?).

So, I certainly can't blame Zzounds for something that's not considered to be a flaw - although I still think their customer service needs improvement, to say the least. (P.S. I recently ordered 3 sets of strings from Musician's Friend and they forgot to put them in the package. That's right; I got an empty package! Well, I called their customer service and they immediately sent me the strings I ordered... No long form explanations or jumping through hoops. Listening Zzounds?)

Anyway, long story short, I went from being super disappointed to being super thrilled in the last month of playing this guitar - despite some quirks - and I am confident that I'll be able to find many uses for my "new" 1966 Century in very special ways that only it can do...

Later!


`

 

[blackspider57]

Great review! Still enjoying it on December 5, 2019.
Thanks

 

[blackspider57]

Just got mine.

 

[Imerkat]

I've never seen a more thorough review on a single pickup guitar.

I just got this case for my Century

wow they can arch the case but not the guitar huh?

Yeah, I bought an archtop from the Epiphone China Factory. Having 3 each from Indonesia, Japan, and Korea it didn't seem like the quality is on par... yet. The wood source seems young and porous. YMMV