Epiphone Alley Kat

Neck: Mini-humbucker, Alnico, wax-potted
Bridge: Humbucker, Alnico, wax-potted
Body: Routed-out three-piece hollow body! Mahogany with matched flame-maple top
Neck: Mahogany with rosewood fretboard, medium jumbo frets with pearloid block fretmarkers
Bridge: Tune-O-Matic
Tailpiece: GIbson/Epi clamshell stop tailpiece.
Tuners: Grover
Finish: Medium-gloss, not a satin finish, but something a little more durable without being thick urethane-looking.
With the above setup, the asking price of $499 is VERY reasonable. Mine was made in 2007 in Korea.
It really is a fine looking guitar. Some folks don't like the original Epiphone nameplate at the headstock. I think it adds to the vibe and authenticity. The only thing I would prefer would be a double mini-humbucker setup, but I can't find the Flamekat anywhere and I wouldn't buy the guitar with that kind of paint job.

The Alley Kat gets a variety of tones. It's really kind of unbelievable. Jazz, R&B, Rock (all varieties), and C/W. Plays everything well; I wouldn't use it for metal, although there's really no reason it couldn't be used for it. I just couldn't bear to see a guitar this beautiful with no pickguard being shredded and beaten.

Honestly, I'm searching for something bad to say about this bad-kat but I really can't find it. Seriously. This is a superb guitar, at Les Paul dimensions, with a wider expanse of sounds.

Okay, the binding is a LITTLE bit uneven in width at a few spots, but you have to really be examining the guitar to see them.

It feels like a tank. Yep, it's mostly mahogany so it's heavier than you might expect a hollowbody to be. STAYS IN TUNE under a variety of weather conditions...thank you, Grover.

Don't know.

Been playing for decades. Jazz mostly, but do enjoy rock bangin' sessions with my ol' buds. If this were stolen I would torture the bastid by making them listen to Celine Dion and Kenny G for a week for 24/7.

The Alley Kat is one of the best guitar values, and could be expected to service the novice through expert/master guitarist for years. If it weren't for the minor binding flaw, this would be a solid ten...but because of it and because of the additional unique setup, it's a weak 10.

My Alley Kat was made in 2003 in China. Mine is the cherry sunburst, which is drop dead gorgeous looking. This is a unique guitar, with 3 different volume controls and one tone. I'm not one who does much tweaking with knobs to begin with, but you can do some interesting stuff, including using the master volume to turn the output down, without messing up the individual pickup volumes.

I got the Epi hardshell case included, the store selling it had priced down the guitar and included the case, they wanted to move it.

The thing that keeps surprising me about the 'Kat is how good it sounds - stock! MANY people on the boards that got these were doing all kinds of mods. I was convinced the electronics were junk, for instance. I installed a new set of volume and tone pots (Stew Mac), and a new selector switch. Know what? It didn't make a darn bit of difference in terms of tone. The thing just sounds GREAT. Ditto for the pickups. For comparison, I have to American Series Strats and a Gibson LP. I think I know good tone when I hear it. The other thing I like is that the two pickups are different enough from each other that you can just flick that selector and get a totally different sound.

For the price paid, how can I complain? There's nothing I would complain about, except the stock selector switch was a little scratchy. The neck feels good, the build quality is really nice, no blemishes or flaws.

I've had this guitar for 2 1/2 years, it shows no signs of wear at all. I don't play it heavily, but it is very solid. I'm not a gigging player, but I think as long as you don't go crazy, this guitar will do just fine. Mine's 7.4lbs, it feels pretty hefty for a semi. I installed Schaller strap locks, btw.

n/a

Been playing 10 years, blues, classic rock, 60s-80s stuff. I would certainly miss the Alley Kat if I lost it...although someday I'd like to replace with a Gibson ES-335. What I like most about it, very simply, is how good it sounds and how versatile it is for being such a relatively cheap guitar. It's also very hot looking, always gets compliments.

Can I give a 8.5 on features? I think everyone knows the features. No big mystery there. The only thing I would say is planning on changing out everything that can be changed out.

Here is the thing. My sound is not stock! I have modded this guitar alot. I bought the guitar knowing that I would do alot of mods. IT was my project guitar. With all of my mods I would take it on any stage and it would lack a thing. The mods are; Seymour Duncan SM-1 neck, Gibson Burstbucker Pro bridge, tone Pro bridge and tailpeice, bonenut, tuners, switch, and knobs. The pots on mine are 500k, so you dont need to change them out. The sound now is great. The stock sound is probably 6 or 7. It is great for classic rock, hard rock, country, and blues. It sounds great what can I say. I'm sure there are other combinations of pickups that would sound great too.

This is a well made guitar. You will need to get it setup by a professional. No major flaws at all. I had a small flaw on my fretboard, but nothing that affected playability or tone. I have definentely seen guitars in this price range that is just poorly put together, but that is not the case with the Alley Kat.

This guitar is built solid, and would be able to take a beating from the road I'm sure. I've already beat it around some. I try to take great care of my guitars, but at the same time I dont freak if it gets a scratch. A guitar needs to be beat up a little bit.

ugh!?

I bought this guitar because I wanted a project guitar, and I loved the way it looked (a great vibe). I took a guitar from a mediocre to one that would rock any stage. If you plan on medding this guitar you will love your final product. It will keep up with any other guitar out there. Even one that someone paid $2,000 or more for. You wont be disappointed.

I just wanted to comment on the confusion about the unusual 3-volume/1-tone control configuration. It took me awhile to grok it, but it actually gives you a lot of tonal flexibility. Because the two pickups have very different and distinctive tones, one can approach tone-shaping via a technique of starting with one pickup and gradually adding in some amount of the other one. For instance, I find that the neck pickup has a wonderful, full-throated blues tone by itself, but I can dial in a little more bite by putting the bridge pickup volume on about 4. Then when it comes time to take a break, I can mute the instrument with the master volume knob yet still retain the special pickup configuration I've dialed in.

I love the sound of this guitar's pickups! They don't seem to have a particularly high output, but I'm comparing them to the Seymour Duncan-design HBs in my Schecter Omen 6, which are some of the loudest pickups I've ever heard. I agree with many previous reviewers that an .011 string on top really brings out the resonance of the body. Initially I did not like this guitar, which originally belonged to a friend. I borrowed it, and started making adjustments like setting up the action and intonation, pickup height, and correcting a tendency for the stop tailpiece to fall off. Suddenly it seemed to bloom, and I couldn't put it down...eventually I had to trade another guitar to my friend for it, so I could keep it forever. This guitar just seems to have such an amazingly rich, complex tone, both when played clean or with distortion. I'm sure the routed-out body cavities contribute to its unique sound. If you've ever been interested in an electric guitar with a piezo-equipped bridge, the Alleykat somehow manages to achieve that kind of airiness/woodiness but without the piezo bridge. To repeat: tone for days, the kind of tone that any guitarist who wants an axe with character could rely on for years to come. It's great for rock n roll, blues, r & b, jazz, and country.

The finish (vintage sunburst) is simply gorgeous. The dyed rosewood fingerboard is supremely easy to play. The frets were perfectly installed and polished. As I mentioned above, the stop tailpiece anchor bolts did not fit tightly in their holes, so the tailpiece had a tendency to work its way out of the guitar. I always adjust action and intonation myself, and I got this 3rd-hand, so I don't know how it came from the factory. My Alleykat also had the issue of the cheap pickup selector switch, which can easily be fixed by removing the switch and bending in the outer metal tabs that make and break contact with the center conductor. The solder joints are good, but couldn't they have used just an inch more wire? It's tricky repairing this switch when one can barely get it out of the access hole. The tuning machines seem to be of good quality (Gotohs), but I've had some problems with the guitar staying in tune. But these problems have lessened as it "settled in".

I've used this guitar on many gigs. Unfortunately, at one of them, it fell off a stage onto a concrete floor, and the neck cracked. But since it was a clean break, my luthier was able to easily repair it and I've had no problems with intonation or anything else since then. I feel I got off lucky, and I'd rate this guitar as "very durable"!

I've been playing guitar for 41 years. I also have a Schecter Omen 6, a '65 Strat reissue (whose fingerboard I played to death and which needs a refret), a Stephan Sobel acoustic archtop guitar, and a Jerry Jones Coral Sitar replica. I also play bass (Ernie Ball MusicMan Stingray 5-string; Jay Turser P-bass copy) and mandocello (1907 Gibson K-1). For amplification, I have a Fender Blues DeVille 60W 4X10, a Boss GT-8, and a Vox 30W Valvetronix. With bass I play through a bass POD and a JBL powered EON 15", or a Gallien-Krueger 112.

I feel really lucky to have acquired this guitar...it's definitely a classic, versatile with a deep well of good tones.

bone stock with the beautiful flamed maple.

I can get sounds from calm jazz to crazy metal. If you run the right pedal you can get insane lead tones that'll sustain for days. obviously it will howl but with a good noise gate it isn't bad. Kicks my RR1 w/ a dimebucker and my US Strat loaded w/ active emg's on high gain tone.

The previous owner was a slide player so the action was cranked up high. now I have it super low (like 3mm low..lol) with 8gauge strings and can shred it for hours.

The tuning drifts like crazy but I may just upgrade the tuners. I foreard straplock ripped out but was easily fixed with a dowel rod.

I've been playing about 5 years. I play blues personally, im in a local jazz group and have been in several metal bands and though it sticks out like a sorethumb for metal it covers all the styles tonally (though I personally prefer a crisp strat tone for blues ut that beside the point)

Ok, the finish is the flamed maple, clear black, came with a nice pluch Epi case, typical LP neck although it's supposedly maple.
Interesting but stupid gretsch master volume. I'm a simple man, don't try to confuse me!
Passive pickups, minibucker on the neck can almost do the Slash alnico pro 2 sound, jazz, and flirts with the fender blues sound as well.
The US 57 Bridge pickup sounds a lot like the T-498 which is interesting for a hollowbody. I expected a more woody sound. It must be the maple neck.
Nice and light, can still wango tango with any less paul.

Classic rock, Peavey triple xxx stright in, no bs footswitches, don't need em.
It would probably be a good idea to change the Pots since foreign made pots suck on big ones.
The sound is fairly bright with nice bottom, ya better use 10-46's for that tho.
Tuners are mediocre.

Whoever set it up ought to have his arse kicked. Don't you idiots now what intonation is?
The binding looks good, around the body, neck and F-holes. The top is matched pretty good but whoever said it was tiger's eye like Gibson Les Pauls is an idiot. There are reasons why Gibsons cost so much and Epi's don't.
I like the fact that there is no full center block (only part ways). This allows for a nice unique sound for a slide and yet no unwanted feedback.

The hardware is chrome plated, kinda cheap. Better bring a backup.

This is a fine guitar to buy for your teenage son. It won't break his back, and it won't break your bank.

2006 Epiphone AlleyKat, made in Korea, 2 humbuckers (Epi clones of NY Mini at neck, '57 Classic at bridge), master volume and tone controls + individual volumes for each pickup. Semi-hollowbody with laminated maple top and body routed out from mahogany slab. Grover tuners, tune-o-matic bridge with stop tailpiece. Polyurethane, trans black finish, ebonized rosewood fretboard. Loses points because of crappy Epiphone electronics and the fact that it didn't come with even a gig bag, much less a case.

As mentioned by others, the unique pickup array gives a wide variety of sounds -- anything from mellow jazz through nasty rockabilly. You won't get metal from the AlleyKat but if that's what you like, you probably wouldn't even look at this axe to begin with. I particularly like playing blues on it. The sound is improved drastically by replacing the cheap, Epi pickups. I put a Seymour Duncan SM-1 at the neck and a SD '59 at the bridge to keep it close to what it's advertised to be. I really like the sound of the mini in the rhythm position. Points off due to the crappy original pickups and because it could use just a tad more low end.

It needed a setup right at the getgo. Then, my luthier had to tweak the neck twice before he got it where I wanted it. All the electronics had to be replaced, especially the pickup switch and the do-nothing cheap pots for volume and tone. Points off for all that stuff but, on the plus side, the finish is pretty much flawless and it's a very pretty guitar.

This thing is built like a tank. I've had no problems the times I've played live with it and would use it without a backup if I had to do so. The finish is that bulletproof polyurethane stuff which will last forever but which might have some adverse effect on the tone as opposed to nitrocellulose. And it doesn't have one of those g.d. whammy bars to put it out of tune!

Haven't dealt with the company and, with the mods I've had done, the warranty is doubtlessly just a memory at this point.

I've been playing about 21 years and also own a '72 Gibson SG Pro (my baby), an '85 MIJ Squier Tele modded with Seymour Duncans and an '06 Fender Deluxe Player's Strat. I play all these through a crappy Line 6 Flextone II (but will soon be upgrading to either a Fender or Vox tube amp). This isn't my favorite axe in my collection but I do really like it a lot. Its biggest plus is the tonal versatility from the pickup setup. I don't usually like the pickup switch in the position here and on Les Pauls but have found that I can essentially use the individual pickup volume pots to emphasize each pickup and thus usually just leave the switch in the middle position and "switch" with the volume pots. The biggest minuses are: no case, no pickguard and crappy Epiphone electronics. I was just about to buy an Ibanez Artcore when the salesperson asked if I wanted to try anything else out first. I saw the AlleyKat hanging on the wall, said "what the heck," and the minute I picked it up, forgot all about the Ibanez. If it were lost or stolen, I'd replace it unless I had the $4,000 or so to get a Gibson CS-336 (incidentally, the closest analog to the AlleyKat in the Gibson line).

All been said below - would imagine your gonna love or hate this guitar due to its features. You have to approach it with an open mind. Personally I love mt Alley Kat very very much :-)
Simply cant give top marks for features since it isn't a custom shop gibson with 3 grands worth of harware on it but for what you pay it's unbeatable (and for not much extra you can mod this into a top quality axe)

The natural sound of this guitar is so good. The stock pickps are fine and i gigged them for almost a year with no worries and loved my sound but after putting in a seymor mini bucker in the neck and a pearly gates in the bridge i was in tone heaven.
It is seriously gibson inspired (duuuh!) and it amazes me that i can make this think sound, with the right setup, like a les paul, a 335 or an SG - or better still a cross between all 3 that sounds like nothing anyone else plays. If you want to hear what this guitar sounds like in a rock band check out our bands mp3s - i used the alleykat solely on all the tracks (pre seymours!). The website is www.myspace.com/absinthians It isn't the style of the tracks but can assure you the kat kicks ass for blues, jazz, folk - its just got a lovely tone whatever style you play (as long as you dont expect a strat or tele)

I paid 300 euros for this guitar on ebay. For that i expect garbage - this guitar is far from garbage. It feel like it cost 3 times the price. it has astounding workmanship for a midprice korean guitar. It is quality throughout and i think epiphone were simply having a laugh - were they doing this as a pop at big brother gibson? I've played a long time and played many guitars and this is a better quality guitar than a standard les paul. For 30% of the price??

Unfortunately the one bad thing that epiphone have done is use their own hardware! Dont worry though - for very little money change the toggle switch, tail, pots, strap buttons etc for gibson gear and it tops it all off. The actual guitar is a dream, beautiful finish, great build quality, great neck.

Dunno - second hand on ebay and am who honestly takes guitars back to the manufacturer? U take em to your local guitr tech not send them off to the factory 2000 miles away.

If it were stolen I would cry then kill.
If you are reading this cos you want to know more before you buy - you will get a great guitar players guitar that can cover any style you want a gibson type guitar to cover. It has character and soul and is one of those guitars which you get attached too - feels like a part of you when you play - i have never never never known a guitar to give me that for anywhere near that price - not by a long way. But one, modify it, love it!!!!

We all know the features of this axe so I won't repeat them again. Suffice it to say, This is a pretty unique set-up. I love that this is an original Epiphone design. It seems to have a pride of workmanship and design that the Gibson copies lack.

I'm just getting back into playing so it will be awhile before I discover just what this guitar can do. The blues is what speaks to me most strongly and it "feels" perfect. I play it through a little 15w Crate that I got used/mint for $35. I feel like I've got a perfect set-up for very little money.

I bought it also used/mint from some one who knew what they were doing as far as set up. It might be a little low and buzzy but we'll see. I have the vintage sunburst and it's gorgeous. I can't find any problems in finish, construction or electrics. It feels very solid without being heavy

Time will tell, but as it will probably not venture out of my little apartment I don't anticipate any issues.

Bought it second hand.

I have 2 other guitars; a stunning Martin HD-28 'nuff said and a Harmony Stella 12 string that won't stay in tune through a long tune, but oh the sound!
I feel like I bought the perfect guitar for me. I like a Gibson/Gretch
type guitar but I ain't got that kinda dough. I played an Epi Special II
Les Paul knock off (hated it) and an Epi Dot Studio (ok but didn't love it)and then this Alley Kat showed up for the same price as the Dot. I picked it up and it was a no-brainer. I love it.

Probably a 2003 model, but I'm not sure. Made in Korea, yadda yadda yadda. You've heard all the specs and such before.

I have, however, done a couple of simple modifications, so I'll be submitting my review based on how it sounds post-alteration. The mods I've done are to remove the tone and individual pickup pots. The signal goes from the pickups to the switch, to the master volume, and out. I've also replaced the bridge humbucker with a Seymour Duncan Phat Cat.

I play a lot of arty/indie/pop/weirdness with this thing. It suits this style perfectly, as I have a love for vintage-esque tone through modern equipment. My current setup is as follows:
Alleykat > Korg tuner > Boss BF-2 > Line 6 Echo Park > Boss DM-2 > Barber Electronics Launch Pad (used for A/B function/boost) > Mesa Boogie Blue Angel. I use the Launch Pad to switch between the high and low gain inputs on the amp. It gets a really nice, natural overdrive that way.

The neck position gets a really rich, almost single coil tone. The middle is very full-sounding. In my opinion, this is how a guitar ought to sound. The bridge position is really hot and brash-sounding. I highly recommend the SD Phat Cat for this guitar. It's very vintage-sounding, and if you're into treble like me, this is the combo for you. I've also found that removing most of the controls has let far more of the original signal through. All those options were pretty useless to me anyhow, since I normally run the thing wide open anyhow. I just use the volume knob to kill the signal, or for the occasional swell.

Since it was used when I got it, I have no idea how well it was originally set up. I do know that there are a couple of flaws in the binding and such, but in all honesty I didn't buy this guitar for the looks in the first place. The sunburst is fine, but I really dislike flamed maple. I merely tolerate its appearance. The main complaint I have is that the remaining pot is a little scratchy, the jack feels kind of dodgy, and the pickup selector isn't all that great either. It's no big deal, really. I work around it. I'll probably replace all that stuff sometime, but it's not doing much harm as of now.

The action is also a bit high, but I use heavy strings, and it doesn't really bother me. It's not like I take any real solos or anything.

This sucker is built to last, it seems. The body is carved out of one solid, thick piece of wood, so it's a lot more durable-feeling than most hollow guitars I've picked up. It's currently my main guitar since my Gretsch was stolen. I really should get a hard case for it, but the thing is a tank considering it's a hollow guitar. I'm not worried about it breaking.

Never dealt with them. It's probably very, very out of warranty anyhow.

I've only been playing for about four years, but I've taken to gear and good tone pretty intensely during that period, and I feel like I know what I'm talking about. My other guitar is a Fender Highway-1 Telecaster which I hardly play anymore since getting my AlleyKat. I think I'm pretty done with solid guitars at this point. The tone of this guitar is simply amazing, not even considering its price. It stood up to my Gretsch Brian Setzer Hot Rod for tone quality. The alleykat was a bit deeper (not darker, just deeper. The Gretsch had more chime) sounding. It has its own unique personality. I really recommend getting one of these guitars to anyone considering dabbling in hollow or semi-hollow instruments. The mini-bucker sounds awesome. The bridge pickup was sort of dull-sounding, but since installing the Phat Cat, it's a sparkling, shimmery guitar on all fronts.

If it were lost or stolen I'd probably give up on guitar all together at this point. I would definitely recommend them though. I'm only giving it a nine because the high action may not be for everyone.

I believe I have a 2003 model, made in Korea. Flame laminated maple top semi hollow body with a mahogany body and neck. Volume controls for each pickup, tone control for both and a master volume. This is a standard 22 fret model, with one mini humbucker on the neck. Comes with a Tune-O-Matic bridge and stop tail piece. Nice Gotoh tuners as well.

I use this guitar for older 60?s R&B as well as on those blues numbers which require more attack than sustain. I perform live along with a bass player at community fund raising events. For practice I play it clean through a Fender Blues Jr. and for live performances through a Peavey Delta Blues 210. The sound of this guitar is cutting, with what I like to call a nice soft growl;-) The one complaint I do have is that it isn?t very loud, leastwise not in comparison with my Austin Sessions Master (ES-335 Clone). However this is easy to compensate for by switching my amp to boost.

I have rather smallish hands and the neck was one of the reasons I bought this guitar. Also it?s sound reminded me of the sound of Gretsch models that come with mini humbuckers, and while I love the sound of Gretsch guitars, their necks a too thick for me to play proficiently.

I bought this guitar used and the set up and intonation of this instrument were dead on and I couldn?t be happier with the way it looks. Though the 3 way selector switch could be of a higher quality, and will replace it if and when the need arises.

So far this guitar has done well in live performances and seems to be more solidly constructed than most semi hollow body arch top guitars.

As state earlier, I bought this guitar use. It came form the Guitar Center and I really enjoy doing business with them, great deals on accessories. So I have not had any dealing with Epiphone Guitar Company. However I will say this: Epiphone seems to do best with their own guitar designs when compared side by side to the Gibson guitar model clones they put out.

I have been playing guitar since the mid 1960?s. In addition to those items already mentioned, I won an 83 Yari DY 47 and a Washburn J12SN.

The most convenient feature of this guitar is the master volume control, though I also use passive volume control pedal when performing live.

The Alley Cat is a uniquely designed guitar no doubt about it. The body is one solid piece of mahogany hollowed out, not laminate and the pickups are free standing without supporting blocks as in most semi hollow body electric guitars. This is a lot of what gives this instrument its great sound.

Its a standard model made in korea , laminated top, one volume knob for each pickup, a master volume and a master tone knobs. Passive pickups, one humbucker on the brige position and one mini-humbucker on the neck position. Heritage sunburst color (front) on flamed top wood and dark purple on the back and sides (very nice looking one). Single cutaway (rounded) , thinline with tune o-matic bridge, Grover tuners , 24.75 short scale (gibson style). Mahogany neck, back and sides , laminated top. Creamy bindings on the top side. Vintage epiphone metal name on the headpiece.

I play mainly progressive rock, some jazz, some rock , some pop. I own several guitars and I have to say that it has a sound that I didn't have yet. Pickups are both has a chracteristic midrange-ends response. No deep basses but also not edgy high ends (at least much less than my wildkat model with P-90). Another common characteristic of both pickups is that they tend to get into distortion very easily. Expecially if they are setup close the strings. In fact i quickly lowered down them and i did a good setup of adjustable poles. WOOW! Finally i got an interesting sound! .. This guitar now
gives it best with "low gain" settings on the amplifier ...
Both pickups sounds very smooth with this setup ... making it perfect in these ranges : 1) Light distorted (or clean) chords 2) Fingerpicking pieces and guitar strongly in foreground
In these two fields this guitar gives a smooth attack ...distinct string sound and a full distorted sound in the same time (a little
miracle!).
It is not suitable for lead guitar sounds (bridge pickup) when merged
in a complex (and full instruments) scenario. (as the Wildkat does)
The neck pickup is very present and suitable for rockabilly, and jazzy sounds ... very nice... it is not very versatile as other people on here says ... on the contrary I think its very good for the its specific range of music. You can think to it like a sort of Gibson ES 335 with less low-ends.... its airy and complex timbre ... very nice (not like a Les Paul as I read from other reviews)

I don't know how it was the factory setup (I bought it used ...like new) but I know that after several setups I did by myself i can say that this guitar , like the wildkat model (I also have) has the same neck ... the action can't be lowered down too much without to get frets buzzing (not so much low as I manage to do on my Gibson 175) but I have to say that it is not bad at all .. these guitars manages
to preserverve a very good playability ...being 8.5/10 compared with my Gibson 175 action ... for the rest ... I have to say that the top is flamed and very beautiful so it is the finish ... as usual I had to tight strongly the input jack nut that is a common defect on epiphones and tends to loosen. Anyway I'll soon replace the washer and I'll solve this problem forever. The volume/tone knobs weren't so flat ... I replaced them already with beautiful cream speed knobs.

Everythings seems quite solid ... except the input jack nut as I said

I hadn't reasons to contact them

I play (as composer ... for pleasure ... no gigs) for 25 years ,
if I would lose it I would buy it again , I love its look , size , sound , weight. I would compare it to an ES335. I choose it because it small size /weight/ look/ short scale/ pickups/ epiphone good quality. I liked the true mother of peart inlay in the place of pearloid ones

The features of this guitar are given in many other reviews.
I did have a problem getting a case for it. The one I ordered
from Musician's Friend didn't fit properly. Eventually the
local Guitar Center ordered one and kindly said I wouldn't
have to buy it if it didn't fit properly.

An interesting feature of the guitar is that the neck pickup
is a mini-humbucker while the bridge pickup is a full-sized
humbucker. Surprisingly, this doesn't make the guitar look
strange.

Having a single overall volume control plus individual
volume controls for the two pickups is handy.

I wanted a guitar I could play rock, blues, or jazz on, although
I have a hollowbody that I use for jazz. Although it doesn't
sound like a hollowbody, you can get a nice warm sound very
suitable for jazz by selecting the neck pickup and rolling the
tone down to about 2. I also like the range of sounds you can
get through combination of the two pickups. I'm not a tone expert,
but I really like the warmth of this guitar. I couldn't comment
on whether it does a good job for those seeking a very bright
sound -- I rarely use the bridge pickup alone.

My guitar arrived beautifully set-up from Epiphone. I believe
it was strung with 10's, maybe 11's. The action was reasonably
low, slightly lower than I like on a jazz guitar. Since I pick
reasonably hard I got an occasional but slight buzzing on a
string or two, but nothing that could be heard through an amp
or that affected sustain.

The intonation was great. Kudos to Epiphone for such a nice set-up.
I recently bought a Epiphone USA Sheraton II that was much more expensive, and apparently set up in the US. Sadly, the set-up on
that guitar was absolutely terrible (there were not even string
grooves on the nut!).

The finish and appearance of the guitar are fantastic. It is much
better looking than in the photos I've seen.

Also, I love the feel of the neck; both the shape of the neck and
the slinky feeling on the fretboard. I literally considered if a
legal procedure would allow me to either adopt or marry this
guitar! :-)

I'm writing this a year after purchasing it, so my comments are
not just a reflection of buyer's excitement.

Generally the guitar seems durable, but I had heard many problems
about flaky pots and pickup switches. Sure enough, the pickup switch
on my guitar is flaky and occasionally I get no output in the middle
position. I plan to replace the switch, but so far no problems with
the tone or volume controls. I don't plan to replace the pickups,
as they sound fine to me.

I haven't dealt with Epiphone.

I've been playing for 30 years, but haven't bought a lot of guitars.
I've got a (Korean) DeArmond jazz guitar, an old cheap Gibson
solid body, a Wechter Pathfinder acoustic/electric, and this
guitar. Currently I'm interesting in playing jazz and recording
pop/rock/jazz.

As mentioned above, I bought an Epiphone USA Sheraton II recently.
There were problems with the setup, but I could still see that I
preferred the sound and feel of this guitar -- it is warm and the
fretboard has a great silky feeling. The experience made me realize
that there is not much sense in looking for another thinline hollowbody.

The only thing I don't like about this guitar is the flaky pickup switch. Also, I'm not crazy about the metal T shape affixed to
the headstock. Everything else about this guitar I like very
much. It was a steal for $299 and I think it's a good value
at $500.

I won't rate it 10 because of the pickup switch, but I'd like
to rate it 9.5.

This is an update of my review posted here 9/10/2005. After replacing both pickups I still thought that the bridge pickup wasn't bright enough. If you page/scroll down to Scott Pope's review from 10/19/2003 he mentions that the bridge pickup should be moved 1/8" closer to the bridge to get a better sound. On my guitar I measured 5/16" from the opening on the top to the block under the bridge so I decided to cut out this piece of the top and glue it in at the neck side of the opening. I used a Dremel tool to start the cut and a small scroll saw blade held manually to finish the cut. I used a tongue depressor under the top and the piece to hold it in position with two mini-bar clamps from Sears. There were a few gaps that I filled with a quick drying wood filler that I sanded down and finally used colored pens to blend the color in. (My guitar is the Heritage Cherry Sunburst so I used oranges, reds, browns, yellows and white.)

After doing this I put the Gibson BB Pro back in and it sounded much more like I would expect it to. I decided to try the Seth Lover bridge pickup again, but this time I tried potting the magnet (and just the magnet) with wax, as suggested on the user forum here. I put a piece of masking tape on the top of the stud bobbin to keep the cover from vibrating. The Seth Lover pickup sounded more open than the BB Pro and I've been happy with it ever after.

With these mods the guitar sounds really great. The SD mini-humbucker at the neck doesn't get muddy (or middy) like most humbuckers at the neck, the Seth Lover bridge pickup sounds really great and the blend positions are really nice. Now that I am satisfied with the sounds of this guitar I will hardwire in the pickups, probably trying the other mods suggested by Scott Pope.

Well, I had to downrate the fit and finish after cutting and patching the top but what do you want- good looks or good sounds?

After working on this guitar, I can tell that the body is very strong- much stronger than an ES-335. Not quite as strong as a LP but it is lighter.

Like I said in the previous review, this guitar is a lot of fun to play. It is also particularly well suited for blues since the neck seems a bit wider and thicker than most Gibson. After playing awhile I can feel the muscles in my arm hurting a bit; it takes more effort to play this than a LP but what they say is "no pain, no gain!" I remember always seeing John Lee Hooker with an Epiphone guitar; I think that they make a better blues guitar than Gibson.

Here's a link to my website with more mods for guitars and amps:

http://www.blueguitar.org/

I'd like to say up front that this review is for a heavily modded Alley Kat so if you are looking to read a review on a stock model you may want to read on however if you are looking for some tips on making your Alley Kat an absolutely killer instrument please read on. Made in Korea in 2004. 22 frets (or 23 if you count the final fret). It has a laminated maple top with a pretty decent translucent black finish. It has two volumes (one for each pickup, a master volume and a tone control. It has a two humbucking configuration. I placed Seymour Duncans in mine (will elaborate further down). It has single cutaway semi-hollow body with two f-holes. Another mod made here is a Tone-Pro's bridge/stop tail piece set as well as Gotoh locking tuners. I originally purchased this guitar brand new off ebay for $330 but a case was not included. I purchased an Epiphone case for $69 from a retailer. This is a pretty basic guitar so it is not loaded with features compared to some modern guitars.

This amp suits my style well for I am mostly a classic rock/folk/blues player (Think anywhere from Dylan to Ten Years After). I have been playing it through a Reverend Goblin and Carr Rambler tube amps. This guitar is very quite after the mods. It originally had some very scratchy pots so I changed them out with some I purchased from StewMac.com. I also changed the switch with a better one. This is the weakest point of a new Epiphone, crappy electronics! The sound with the original pickups was clean but very much lacked bottom end. I changed them out with a Seymour Duncan SM-3 mini-hum at the neck and an SH-5 at the bridge. All I can say is WOW! What an improvement. A full warm sound with character to spare. The sound is very balanced now. There was still one weakness left so after reading some other reviews I decided to change out the bridge/stop tail piece with a Tone Pro's metric set. My local luthier installed it for me as well as a bone nut. This finalized this instrument. It is now one grade A instrument. It stands up with much more expensive guitars. Since this guitar is really a unique design in the first place I really like the size/feel. I absolutely love playing this guitar now. Before mods I give this category a 7 but after mods a definite 10!

I would not have made any of the forementioned mods if I was not satified with the fit and finish. The original setup was terrible but my local luthier took care of that. The fret work is very nice for an inexpensive guitar and the laminate woods are decent. It is not as nice as a custome shop Gibson but consider the price difference. I absolutely love the metal Epiphone plate on the headstock. Very retro indeed! The quality of the workmanship on this guitar considering the quality of materials used is excellent. Very much worth the price. The hardware was fitted tightly and I could not find any cosmetic flaws. I give this category a 5 from the factory but a 10 after my local luthier set it up.

With its solid maple neck and laminate maple body with a maple center block it seems to be rather sturdy. No complaints here. The original tuners were made for Epiphone by Gotoh however I replaced them with higher grade locking Gotoh's. the orih=ginal tuners were decent and stayed in tune. I gig with this without worrying about a back up.

NA. Have not dealt with them however I love Epi's web site.

I have been playing on and off for over 30 years. I have owned numerous other makes and models including Carvin and Gibson electrics, Martin and Larrivee acoustics. I researched these guitars before purchasing and concluded with a few mods they could really become a decent guitar. I don't know what I would do if lost or stolen. Maybe would replace it with something else. I love the size and weight and the semi-hollow design. If I could change anything I would move the master volume down towards the butt end of the guitar so I wouldn't periodically strike the knob. Overall it has been transformed into a rock machine with very controllable feedback.

My guitar was made in Korea in 2005. It is semi-hollow bodied, with the back and sides evidently carved out of a single block of wood, with a carved and bound top added. It is not constructed like an ES-335, with a center block and wings, although there is a solid block underneath the bridge and tailpiece. Under the pickups there is a black coating, which might be conductive paint for shielding or something to reduce feedback.
The pickup configuration is quite unique: at the neck is a NY-style mini-humbucker while at the bridge is a full-sized humbucker. The controls are also a bit unusual, with a single master volume across from the selector switch and 3 controls where you would normally expect 4. The individual volume controls are wired up "backwards" compared to most guitars; in the blend position you can turn either of the controls down to 0 without muting the other pickup. This allows you to balance the two pickups in whatever proportions you desire. There is a single master tone control which effects both pickups.

The sound of the stock pickups was better than expected but I usually upgrade the pickups on my guitars. The mini-humbucker at the neck sounded pretty good, but I tried replacing it, first with a Seymour Duncan SF-2 (AKA SM-2... too bright!) and then with a SD SM-2 (just right). The bridge humbucker was supposed to be an Epiphone 1957 model, but with a DC resistance of 14k it is not exactly a vintage design. I replaced it first with a SD Seth Lover, which for some reason did not sound very bright on this particular guitar so I replaced it a second time with a Gibson BurstBucker Pro, which seems to work much better.
The upgraded pickups bring out the sounds suggested by the stock pickups, rather than changing them drastically. I'd give a 7 for the stock pickups and a 9 for the upgraded pickups I put in, which averages out to an "8". BTW having a mini-humbucker at the neck is a great idea since full-sized neck humbuckers can get very muddy sounding. The mini-humbucker is very bright and clear, although it can growl like a P-90 when you crank it up.

It was the fit and finish of the guitar that first attracted me to it. The bindings are very precise as are the frets. One thing I should mention is that the first Alley Kat I tried out did not play well. I tried adjusting the bridge height to make it play better but that did not help. There was a second Alley Kat in the store that played like butter but it was gone when I went back to buy it. I did find a third Alley Kat in a different store which played like the nice one so I bought it. So I would suggest that you try the guitar out before buying it (always a good idea).

I don't expect the stock Epiphone hardware to last very many years, but if it starts flaking it would be easy enough to replace the bridge or tailpiece. I do suspect that the top is a photo finish contact paper. But the guitar sounds great and is really fun to play, and I can deal with these problems later (if they do turn into problems).

I don't think that Epiphone offers much customer support... I think that if you have a problem you are better off dealing with the store that you bought it from.

This guitar is worth a "9" with the two upgraded pickups I put in. I've been playing for 40 years, and have been avoiding Epiphone guitars for the past few years (I don't want to buy a Korean copy of a Gibson USA guitar). But this guitar is an original Epiphone design and is as fun as a barrel full of monkeys.

Just a quick update on my review which is just below this one. Some corrections. I meant to say dyed rosewood for the fretboard. It has a great feel though; It feels like ebony. I think they put a finish on it and buffed it. I'm putting an SM-1 Vintage in the front, not a SH-1. That's where I wanted to address an update. I gigged for the first time with this guitar a few days ago and I was astonished! Before that I had just played through a pod into my home recording system. Playing out of an amp made this guitar really come alive. I am not a big fan of middle positions on any guitar. But this Alleykat! the middle position has a beautiful, strat-like chime to it. I assume that is the mini-humbucker influence. The guitar just sounded great! The irony is that with this guitar, I may never leave the middle position! Anyway, now I'm a little leary about changing out the pickups. I just want to re-iterate: unless I have a rare one of a kind mistake to the general production (and most of the reviews below suggest otherwise), I have to say that this guitar is the best mid-level guitar I have ever owned and sonically it sits very comfortably with the top of the line models I have owned.If I decide to change out the electronics/pickups/bridge I'll let you know what it sounds like.

See other reviews. I am unsure about the neck fretboard wood. I am seeing some reviews saying mahogany and others ebony. Mine has a gloss and color like ebony but is grainy, like mahogany. Could be died mahogany, don't know. I do know that regardless, it is one beautiful hog of a neck!

This guitar is mind boggling for the price I paid for it. I play just about everything but straight forward jazz, and this guitar can hang. Acoustically, it is very loud and complex. The pickups sound surprisingly good, but not great. The neck pickup is a bit muddy and lacks some definition. I'm replacing it w/ a Seymour Duncan SH-1. Bridge pickup sounds surprisingly good! It loses a little when you go up high on the neck, but it is not pronounced and your fingers can drag the extra sound out if you don't want to replace. I just figure that for the money, why not? I'm replacing with a PRS McCarty. But I'll probably hang the stock pickup in one of my strats. I never use the bridge pickup on strats and this pickup sounds good enough that I actually might use the bridge position if its there. You can tell that the electronics are where Epiphone did some corner cutting. Its funny that they put the extra volume knob on the horn where it can be used, but use pots that have no dynamics and do not taper properly. Definitely going to replace the electronics. One thing I have to say about this guitar is that you get noticeably diverse sounds in the three positions. The combination of the Mini humbucker and the bridge humbucker is really unique. I can see myself using the three positions a lot more with this guitar.

Absurd for the price!! the action is perfect, there is no fret buzz anywhere. Frankly, that is the first time I have ever owned or played a guitar at this price range where there was no buzz anywhere on the fretboard. The thing about this guitar is that the body and neck are so solidly built and sound so good acoustically, that you really can't go wrong buying and then swapping out the electronics and hardware as you see fit. There are some cosmetic problems, but is it really worth $1,000-3,000 more for cosmetics? And those cosmetic problems are problems with finish and not joinery. All the joints are tight and smooth. Even the inside is well done. It has a maple neck which pulls out a little more definition in sound and the neck is wider than normal. I find myself playing faster on this guitar than I ever have before. I think someone else said the same thing in a previous review.

This guitar feels substantial. Very solid. Only problem I see is that it is a bit neck heavy.

Haven't dealt W/them so I can't say.

I've been playing for almost 30 years and have played almost all varieties of music. I'm like most non-professional or semi- professional musicians out there. I don't make a good enough living after family expenses, etc, to afford a Gibson or PRS. So I have to look for diamonds in the trash. This Alleykat is a definite diamond. I would replace it in a heart beat. Very unique guitar. I'm giving it a 10 for what you get for the price, but also the potential it has, after some replacement, to be a first rate instrument.

Brand spankin new Alleykay hollowbody in beautiful tobacco-burst finish. Body is slightly larger than a Les Paul, but much lighter. Made where all other Epiphones are made, but apparently assembled and Q/C'd in the US of A. Maple neck w/ rosewood fretboard and medium frets. Back and sides are mahogany with flamed maple lid (I think the top is laminated, but you can't tell). Top, f-holes and fretboard are fully bound. Nice perloid block inlays in fretboard, and really cool metal Epiphone badge on headstock. Classic '57 humbucker at bridge and NY mini humbucker at neck. Treble/Rhythm switch at upper bout (same as on a Les Paul), with master vol. control on treble horn and 2 individual volume knobs with master tone control knob. Tune-o-matic bridge. Grover tuners. Standard scale. Weight is nicely balanced, perfect action, beautiful finish. Really one of the finest examples of an Epiphone I've ever seen.

I play a lot of straight-up rock n' roll, country-rock and the like...stuff you'd hear on Sirius Outlaw Country. This guitar does everything I need a guitar to do. The bridge humbucker is unbeleivable. I dial up the O/D on my Laney LC30 to 2 and it sounds sooo crunchy. Flip the switch to the neck p/u in the clean channel, dial back the master vol. and it sounds like a high-end jazz guitar. Very sparkly and sultry. A combo of the two pickups is powerful like the middle selection on a Les Paul, but with way more clarity and balance. Like I said, I use a Laney LC30 with no effects. No noise. Humbuckers tend to be quiet (hence the name), but these are apparently wax potted to prevent any excess interference.I have to say there is nothing I dislike about the tonal qualities of this guitar. The pickups combined with the small hollow body make for a very satisfying range of sounds.

The only adjustment I had to make was to the bridge height to lower the action, which is now perfect. No other changes to set up needed. The top is matched nicely, with a beautiful tobacco burst flame and mellow arch. If I had to be picky, I'd replace the plastic nut, but I don't care so much about that. I doesn't look plasticy and cheap. In fact, nothing on this guitar looks cheap at all. The fit and finish is so damn impressive, I was really shocked at the price tag. Not your typical Epiphone copy of a Gibson. This is a guitar designed and executed solely by Epiphone and is done so magnificently.

This is a pro-quality guitar, with legendary pickups and top-notch hardware. Very dependable. I've played a lot of different guitars professionally and otherwise, and this one can compare easily with an overpriced Gibson any day. If Orville was still alive, I'd tell him myself. I am surprised I haven't seen more of these being played. This is now my main guitar. I won't even bring a backup to my next gig because I would rather play with a broken string than play another guitar at this point.

Never dealt with customer support, so no opinion here.

Been playing bass and guitar for 20+ years. Sometimes professionally (whatever that means), sometimes for my dog. I can't wait to record with it. I also own a Fender Jazz bass, Guild d-4(pre-Fender) and vintage Selmer acoustics, a heavily modified Rroyd - Roar mandolin (Korea's finest), a mutt drum kit, Laney LC 30 amp, Randall B-210 bass amp, early 70's Fender bassman 2x15 rig and other stuff.
I'd cry if this guitar were lost or stolen. I really love the feel, look, tone and playability of this guitar. It rocks any other Epi I've played and lots of Gibsons I've played too. Why pay over $1000 for a Gibson that may not even sound as good? Besides, I'm not aware of any other company that makes a true hollowbody guitar this size of this caliber in this price range. Fantastic pickups, great fast, slim neck, great looks. Truly a rare find in quality to price ratio these days. I will add a Bigsby later. It compares closely to a Les Paul in feel and tonal quality, but IMHO is more versatile, and definitely more comfortable.

This guitar has a humbucker in the bridge and a mini humbucker at the neck. Another odd feature is that 3 of the 4 control knobs are for volume. One for each pickup and a master. The other knob adjust tone after everything is done. This is a great setup for people who swap pickups a lot looking for the ultimate tone. By setting the switch to activate both pickups and adjusting volume controls, it's like having an assortment of different humbucker tones at you fingertips. It doesn't have a Bigsby, coil-tapping etc so i'll give it a 7 here.

Here's where it gets low marks. Out of the box this guitar sounded horrible. All muffled and weak. At first I thought it was the pickups but after some tweaking, I discovered that the pots were the problem. swapping them out with some store-bought ones fixed the problem. My guess is that they were just poorly made and not rating at 500K. The pickups were o.k. but not great sounding. Contrary to some mis-information out there, the bridge humbucker is NOT an American made Gibson Classic 57, nor is the neck pickup American made. They are both Korean copies. I didn't find that splitting the neck pickup coils yielded a very useful sound to me... so I didn't bother modding the guitar with a coil-splitting switch. Coil splitting the neck pickup makes the volume drop and seems to sound a bit tinny. I ended up swapping out the neck pickup for a GFS mini humbucker and the bridge with a Scaller humbucker. It now sounds great...But since I had to swap out pickups and pots to get there I can't give high marks.

This guitar was built fantastic. Action was perfect out of the box. Neck was straight. Perfect finish. The finish is polyester of course. Fretwork very nice. The only gripe I can come up with was that the pickup wiring seemed to be a bit tangled and messy and shows a lot through the soundhole. I wasn't able to fix this easily after modding the guitar because the wires were tied together on knots in places. The reason i didn't send this guitar back was that I bought it for 300.00 including shipping and since it structurally was fine I just decided to fix the sound. Another point I'd like to make. This isn't a true semi-hollow in that there's not a block running the entire length of the guitar. It's more like an island block just underneath the bridge and tailpiece. The back and sides aren't thin either because the body is a routed out block of wood instead of a built up guitar box like an ES335. It's more like a Les Paul Cloud 9 in construction than an ES 335. Hollowed out chambers instead of a built up box. The tone unplugged is great.

It's well constructed. The electronics sounded bad but didn't seem unreliable. I've heard some friends complain that the swiches and output jacks needed to be replaced new out of the box, though. The inside of the guitar is spray painted over with some sort of shielding paint and a little of it got on parts like the output jack...shorting the signal a little. I had to clean that up too.

Great design and excellent execution except for the poor electronics. I've talked to other people online who had better luck with the electronics in theirs so I think I might have just gotten a bad one in that department. Still, I'd rather it be that than a twisted neck, finish flaws etc. I got it cheap and for an extra 100 dollars in electronics got an awesome guitar. The flame maple is just the right amount. Not outrageous and not lame.

I just bought this brand new alleykat. Definetley impressed by this Korean axe. The master volume knob is sweet for blending sound and quickly turning down. The new york mini is very bright and more versatile than expected and the '57 reissue humbucker sounds like the real deal. The body and finish is beautiful!! The tuners are true grovers, really nice.

I play alot of blues and rock. Everything from Allman Bros to pearl jam and then some experimental stuff like radiohead too and this guitar can pulll it all off. Sounds great for slide guitarists!
It can be noisey if u want but then produce warm bb king like tones
you wont be dissapointed

Ive played live twice and my American fat strat has taken second seat to the new AlleyKat. Finish is amazing, buttons are cool...no slipping, yet.

havent looked into this yet, sorry.

Ive been playing for 11 years and this si my most favorite purchase yet. I went to the store to but a es335 or an SG but couldnt decide what sound i wanted more. The Alley kat is so versatile i have all the osunds i want in one

Made in Korea, hollowbody, 3 volume and one tone (which is nice as you can blend the two pickups and use the master volume rather than mess with the nice blend), NY minihumbucker in neck, Classic 57 in bridge, real Grover tuners, mahogany body, maple neck (so epi says?), flame maple top (stunningly beautiful). Neck is similar to a thin necked LP and body is slightly larger than an LP, lower bout measures 14".

Now this is where it gets interesting. The pickups are extremely versatile, the ny mini hum is a close cousin to a p90 without the annoying hum and the classic 57 can do it all. Can do jazz, blues, rock, country, slide, even heavy metal. Quite surprising versatility from a hollowbody. Pickups are silent, no hum. Sounds excellent.

Set up was pretty good, maybe I might lower the action 1mm or so but it seemed perfect. Raised the pickups up a tad. There were zero flaws with this guitar and shockingly arrived in tune, which never happens after shipping a guitar.

I think this guitar is solid and reliable, yet being a hollowbody its probably quite a bit more fragile than say an LP. Can't knock it for that as it is typical for all hollowbodies and not anything abnormal.

Never dealt with Epi. This is my first Epi actually, out of around 30 guitars I've owned in my 10 years of playing.

Playing 10 years, running this through a Peavey XXX Super 40 EFX. I would almost buy a 2nd one since they are a great instrument at a blowout price. I wanted a semihollow but wanted something a bit smaller in size and this fits the bill perfectly. Shockingly it seems to be near quality to every Gibson I've every played.

Recent model, purchased used, though in new condition on arrival. All details can be seen in the other reviews, though mine has a very nice EBONY fretboard: literature lists it as rosewood--I noticed another reviewer got one w/ the ebony board also. Must've been a short-run deal.

Has a very nice, flamey top in antique sunburst. Sure it's laminated, but so is a Gibson 335.

Quite versatile range in this baby, especially after I switched out the bridge pickup for a Duncan Screamin' Demon, and the neck pickup for a hard-to-find Bartolini Beastie II (doubt they've made this one for a few years, but it's a mini-hum replacement that can be wired every which way). I've tapped both pickups and placed the mini toggle switch in the hole that previously carried that master volume knob (I removed IT altogether).

I also replaced the nut with a graphite job.

I run it thru a GK 250ML-II and Rocktron Rampage amp, and I play both on high-gain settings for fusion, shred, blues, whatever. It's quiet, with great sutain and bite. The ebony fretboard adds to the rapid single-note response--it really speaks.

I use the clean settings, too, and this guitar is even more versatile in that mode, producing some real spank and sparkle with the pickups in single coil modes, and it gets some near-perfect complex jazz tones with the Bartolini pickup in hum mode.

This guitar is beautifully made. The Korean makers have their craft down pat--just about to the level of the Japanese makers of the late '70s. I really can find no flaws.

Looks pretty durable, though I haven't had it out of the house yet. Time will tell.

I've played for over 30 years, and own about 13 axes: a '95 Gibson LP studio, a recent Hamer Artist Mahogany, numerous others.

I wanted a smaller-sized thinline, one that was versatile, and this critter fills the bill. I looked at some Gibson Pat Martinos, but their price is out of my range these days (I have a mortgage, after all). I then saw one of my students' FlameKat, and flipped over it, but decided I didn't need the FlameKat's bigsby and mini hum at the bridge. Once set up my way, this axe is just as useful as the Martino, and about 1/8 the price.

If I lost it I'm sure I would look for a replacement.

This is a follow-up to my review below. Since the review I have done three more things to the guitar, two modifications and one maintenance:

1) I reworked the tone control so that it is effectively a 250 k ohm pot with .03 worth of caps, instead of the stock 500 k ohm pot with a .02 cap. This gets rid of any residual harshness, and starts the tone rolloff curve a little sooner. Since the mini has a higher resonant frequency than a full sized humbucker, this gets the tone shaping a little closer to a rolloff with a full sized neck humbucker. Since you really can't buy 500 k ohm resistors (they're "standard" at 470 k ohm, then you have tolerances to deal with) you need to measure out a 470 k ohm resistor to get its true value, then add another resistor to get the resistance up high enough that when you solder it over the lug that has the pickup hot lead and the wiper, the resulting resistance is at least 250 k ohms. I had tried only going down to 350 k ohms from the stock 500 k ohm pot earlier, and that wasn't enough to get rid of all the harshness. The value of the other resistor will vary depending on the measured value of your tone pot. There's no simple way to say this: the value of the other resistor, in series with the 470 k ohm resistor, needs to be such that the reciprocal value of the sum of the reciprocal of the value of the pot, along with the reciprocal of the sum of the 470 k ohm resistor and the added resistor together in series, all together read at least 250 k ohms. Any less and you lose definition. More gets more edge. Since it is also difficult to get .03 caps, you can solder a .02 and a .01 together in parallel across the tone pot (not series). Remember: to increase value linearly, resistors go in series, capacitors go in parallel; To decrease value, resistors go in parallel, and you must take out the capacitor and substitute a smaller value.

2) Then, I stacked all of that onto a push-pull pot with a Bill Lawrence Q filter. It's hard to describe the effect, because it's not just like turning a tone knob on either your guitar or the amp. Impedance is a strange thing that would take more than a short review to explain. The Bill Lawrence website has a link to a discussion page that says more. The best way I can describe it is that it takes the "heaviness" out of pickups, so that you get more clarity, especially in strummed chords. Some say it's almost a processed acoustic tone, others say it's better than Strat quack, depending on how you fine tune the circuit per Bill's directions and set your level. The effect is subtle, however. Don't expect a huge difference like, for an opposite example, the EMG tone shaping circuits you can get to go with their active pickups, made most popular by Gilmore.

3) My b tuner wasn't holding. When I took it off, it was apparent that the drill had wobbled in the headstock. I wrapped the tuner with a couple of winds of electrical tape and reinstalled it. Now it holds perfectly. I'll probably check the rest of the tuners likewise.

This kept the front of my guitar looking stock. I don't remember if I mentioned in my review that I swapped out the top hat knobs for Les Paul style speed knobs: they're easier to grab for the push-pull and I think they look a lot better.

I'm now getting very positive compliments on tone, from people who don't normally notice guitar tone. And a few more gigs later, the guitar is holding up great, the hardware is holding up great, and I anticipate many years of gigging with this guitar. I've quit taking backups in favor of a couple of extra sets of strings. Again, not a perfect guitar, but the most versatile guitar I have ever played, even before the mods. The mods just rocket it to a whole new level.

got it 2002 cherryburst flamed top- absolutle perfect with the creamy binding head stock is a little chunky and cheesy but other than that perfect. '57 and ny mini humbuckers the '57 kicks ass and you can get suprisingly serious crunch from the mini beside that not to heavy and well balanced piece of equipment youll love the feel

love the blues and and jazz but im rock and role at heart. the alleykat is more versitile than anything to date. the variety of tone is phenominal the bass can get a tad bit quacky but just adjust your amp. i cant get enough of the clean sound on this guitar. its so sweet and moody when you need it to be but this thing really just wants to rock.

one look and you wont be able to say no. the cherryburst flamed top with cream binding. ive never seen a prettier guitar. its all in your style casue i love the classic look of a strat too but really you wont believe it til you see it. find one and play it becasue pictures and reviews dont do real justice.

of course like everyone else said... replace the switch mine shorts out every once in a while which can piss you off but i just fiddle and itll work again. i plan on replacing it soon i just dont want to be without it for a day itll stand up well though even being semihollow. i knicked the headstock last week and im still distraught

great great guitar but dont believe me. go find it and play it.