Epiphone WildKat

Bigsby tailpiece, p-90, i think the body is made of mahogny and the top is made of maple. A very good finish which makes the guitar look much more expensive. My wildcat has a original bigsby, not one of those epiphone ones. The features on this guitar are just great. I give it a 9 because of the tuners which tend to get out of tune quite quikly.

The sound of this guitar is just great. I play mine through a kustom tube 12a and juse a zoom707, and even through this crappy equipment the guitar sounds great. I have also tried it through a cube 30(with one of my friends.
I am 16 years old now, and this is my second guitar. I used to have a squier strat, and the diferense between them are just scary. I play mostly rock. Zeppelin and pink floyd kind of stuff, but i've also started to get interested in jazz, and this guitar suits me perfectly. It has a very fine clean sound, and good overdrive sound. But it is not really that good at playing metal, but im tired of that kind of musik anyway.

I hated the way the guitar was setup wen i bought it. The intonation was terrible, and it just didnt feel right to play on it. I was this close not to buy this gutiar because of that, but the sound was just so great and it looked so good. So i bought it, and read a lot on the net about how to set up the guitar. The first thing i did was to change the strings to 0.11 and then adjusted the truss rod so the neck did not have any relief(f?) then i lowered the action til the verge of fret buzing, and then adjusted the intonaton, and that did it. The guitar is now so comfortably and set up, in my point of view, perfectly. the finish was also breathtaking. i Give it a 6 fore the way it was when i bought it, but it is a 10 now!

I don't really know, ive only had it for 7 months but it looks as if it will last some time.

never dealt with them

I am not really that experienced when it comes to guitars. I'm only 16 after all, but this guitar is truly great.

Features are well documented already. It has Grovers and the whammy bar is a Bigsby. My guess is that it's licensed by Bigsby but made by Epiphone. The wildKat is a thin guitar - think ES335 - NOT ES175. Also, the WildKat is heavier than you'd think - just as heavy as my solid body 5 string bass!

I've been wanting a hollow body electric guitar to add to my collection for a long time. As much as I wanted one, it never seemed to get to the top of the "Needs" list - it just stayed on the "Someday" list. Then to my surprise, my wife said I could order one up for Valentines Day! Woo hoo! I wanted a guitar to do Brian Setzer rockabilly sound, early Beatles (Day Tripper, Nowhere Man, Ticket to Ride, etc), Sun Records rockabilly/country sound, and still pull off blues and jazz standards. I'm not a heavy duty jazzer - more the thing when Clapton does "Somewhere Over The Rainbow." To sum up, I guess I'm looking for a poor man's Gretsch. I had to decide between the Epiphone WildKat and the Ibanez AFS75TD.

Both guitars seem to be designed to fill that need. After 5 months of routine to heavy usage, I have to say the WildKat nails that stuff. The clean, chimey tones are very Beatles 65. I recorded some slide parts and it just nailed the distorted blues sound. All the rockabilly/country stuff was very authentic sounding. I like my jazz tones a litle brighter than most, so the P90s give me a clear, pure tone I may not get with a guitar made for jazz. I've played rock, jazz, country, blues and it just gets the sound - distorted or clean.

Action - very playable right out of the box. I waited to tweak it - it was that close. The tone knob was a little scratchy at first, but I worked it out by working the knob back and forth. Not a biggie. There was minor problem with the 13th fret. I didn't notice it for months - but the guitar was fretting out at the 13th fret, but if I pushed harder it would play clean! No big deal - I had a tech shave down the frets. He charged me less than he quoted because it was even easier than he thought. More on this later. Another issue - the metal cover on the neck pup started to peel after 3 weeks. See comments under Customer Support.

Epiphones have a consistency problem. Off the rack, some of their guitars are gold and others are firewood, so you have to be careful about what you buy. I look at Epi's as potential fixer uppers: I take the purchase price and figure what the potential upgrades would cost so the guitar was up to snuff. On the Wildkat, I had $400 to start, $200 or less for redoing all electronics, if the Bigsby was no good, I would return the guitar - that and a bad neck were deal breakers. Tuning keys were another judgement call. Doing all those things had well under the price of similar guitars from Gibson, Gretsch, Guild etc. and there's no guarentee what they're like off the rack either.Turns out any electronic upgrades, fixes would be less than $50 maybe even less than $20. I expect to play this guitar for many years.

I called them about the peeling pickup. The guy told me they normally don't support finish type problems, but since I'd had it so short a time that he thought they should. I expect them to send me a pickup cover - instead, the sent a whole new pickup! It took 2 weeks to get it. I was very pleased.

I started playing music 30 years ago. I now write songs in my home studio and have an assortment of guitars, basses, and keyboards. The guitars are Carvin and an old acoustic. I also hava a Carvin acoustic bass, 74 Fender Jazz, 79 BC Rich Mockingbird bass and a Dean 5 string bass. If this were lost etc, I'd definitely replace it. I'll definitely consider other Epiphones as well. I AB-ed this guitar with the Ibanez AFS75TD. Sound wise they're only subtley different - the Ibanez has humbuckers instead of single coils and I preferred the extra bite. If I played more jazz than rock and country, I'd have the Ibanez. I prefered the feel of the Epiphone, but you can't go wrong with the Ibanez - quality control may be better. If Epiphones consistency problems concern you or if you don't have access to a good tech, the Ibanez may be the way to go.

2002,Black transparent, you know the specs.
Mine does have grover tuners though.
Some bad fit around the f holes in the binding,nothing to major.
Great neck, feels alot like my Les Paul. Very comfortable.

Great guitar for just about any style.
p90s are nice and clean when I roll off the volume
or can grind with the best of em.
Use a 59 Bassman LTD with boss gt6.
Sounds like p90s should, not too much noise much less than some I've owned. I like p90s so I take the good with the bad.
This guitar sounds great on all pickup settings, I even use the bridge pickup which has never happened before on any hollowbody I've owned. I love the tones I get from it... early beatles to SRV.
Stray cats, buy this guitar with some slapback delay I'd put it against any Gretsche.

Poor setup when I got it, set the neck to perfectly flat, strung it with ernie ball 10s, Raised the action just enough to stop fret buzz.
One of the few guitars I own that I have been able to set the neck this flat without having to file the last 6 or 7 frets down. AMAZING.
Plays almost as well as my 72 SG. The bookmatched top does look nice
but doesn't match up at all. All controlls work well and I love the master volume, it is placed nicely wish I had it on allmy guitars.

I belive it will hold up nicely its built well. I like the Bigsby,
stays in tune as long as you behave.
It is heavier than I had expected,but does have excellent sustain.
It will feedback if you crank your amp so beware. I have found I use the master volume alot to help controll this, but I will keep playing this at all my gigs. It is now a part of my main line up. It is also great for those early stones tones Sticky fingers, etc.

Don't know.

Been playing guitar in cover bands for 17 years.
Have a LP,SG, Gibson Acoustic, (john lennon model)
Fender Bassman LTD, Hot Rod Deluxe, Boss GT6,(an excellent multi effects)
If this was stolen, I'd replace it but not sure if I'd be able to get
one that plays this nice.
I played the Ibanez and Samics, I bought this guitar solely for the master volume feature and I wanted a hollowbody but not an ES type.
No Regrets at all. For the money you cant go wrong, I have hardly touched my LP or SG since I got this guitar and it has been three weeks.

Korean made with P90s. The torquoise finsh is absolutely stunning. One of the prettiest guitars I've seen in awhile. It surpassed my expectation. Despite other comments, I like the controls. I'm a simple guy and this thing lets me set up the way I like and adjust volume from there. A lot of people think it has the Gretsch vibe. I think it's more a hollow or semi-hollowbodied relative of a Les Paul. It certainly has the weight. Think Gibson/Epi's version of a thinline - at least in my opinion. The tuners are great but the Bigsby is a bit dissappointing but I've been told that all bigsbys work the way this one does - it's my first. The best whammy barred guitar I ever owned was a Reverend Avenger but that's another story for another time. It has a fat C neck and came with no accesories.

I play all kinds of styles and this seems to do the job admirably. I play it through a Fender Blues Jr and though it doesn't have the power to roar - it certaily has a mean mean growl. It's a rich full sound through the Fender and it especially likes the Adrenalinn II and Big Muff PI. I guess I rock wioth it more than anything. I love everything about this guitar except the Bigsby which is great to dive bomb with but I like to pull out of a dive and climb high as a rule. Again, I've been told that Bigsbys are not for that purpose.

It played fine upon arrival. I had it professionally set up upon receipt and it makes a huge difference. It plays like butter and sounds like thunder. I'm not sure what all the cryingis about in the other reviews. This is one of the most playable instruments I own. The finish as mentioned above is spectacular. I noticed that's a common with everyone else too. Just beautiful. I love this guitar.

So far it seems very solid and reliable.

no opinion

I've played since 4th Grade in the early 60's. I own about 9 guitars right now, paired down from 15 or 17. If I can't get around to playing them, they need to be in the hands of someone who will. I currently own guitars to fill specific purposes for me. I have Alvarez 12 string and classical 6 string, acoustic electrics (surprisingly fabulous), A Guild JF30 (American 90's made), Fender Nashville Power Tele Deluxe with Fishman's (maybe my fav), A Fender Custom Shop 1960s Esquire reissue (Sunburst), Ric 620/6 and model 1997 in Fireglo, A Fender Strat XII (nice alternative to a Ric), Hamer Echotone (killer guitar for the twice it's value), A Faded SG (I looked 20 years for the perfect SG no matter what the price- this one is the one for me).

I play Friday night garage jams, it's less work than trying to be a pro and I compose/record. This guitar fits a specific grind, and reallylikes going through the various modeler effect boxes out on the market like the POD and my old Digi RP1.

I'm not sure I would replace this immediately if lost or stlen but there would be a hole in my musical life. It's a lot of fun to play and has fast action. The only thing I wish it did was have a bigsby that can Scream upwards. I don't think I'ld change anything about it.

2 - P90 single coil pups, maple top, mahogony back and sides, semi hollobody, a thick block of some type of hardwood runs length wise inside the body, grover tuners, Bigsby Tremolo. Les Paul looking guitar but with the Bigsby and F holes, Sunburst top, mahogony back and sides. 1 Tone , 1 Volume for each PUP, 1 Master Volume, one selector switch as controls.

Awesome sound!! The P90's are music just strumming the guitar! Good range of tone though somewhat limited due to 1 Tone control, experimenting with the 2 PUP volume controls varies tone somewhat.

PUPS being single coil do hum somwhat, not as bad as my Fender but it is there. The PUPs are microphonic, you can hear picking and other articulation, great for blusey music though probably not to everyones taste. Great sustain!!! May not be good for heavy metal, which i like to play, but excellant for Blues, esp. Southern and Chicago style blues which i love to play :-))

Excellant fit and finish even though i somehow jabbed a screwdriver into the back of the body near the output jack trying to adjust the height leaving an impression of the driver's blade. :-(,,,,.

Fret buzz is another issue, as much as I tried get rid of it,,I can't. The strings are adjusted to a happy medium, strings are set a little higher than I like but the buzzing is diminished. My Fender and es335 knock off do not have the problem quite as bad as this guitar, too bad considering the sound of the guitar.

7 for the fret Buzz,, 10 for the finish

Very solid, somwhat heavy, I'm guessing it would hold up to live playing if the bigsby was not used

Been playing for a few years. This is really an excellant guitar, sans the fret buzz. I think the fret buzz may be just more apparant on this guitar because of the hollowbody design and the it is relativly loud unplugged. Almost as loud as an el cheapo, plywood acoustic I have!

BTW I consider any guitar off the rack as used since they are played by other people!!

An Epiphone Wildkat 2003 version. Real Bigsby Trem and Grover tuners. The guitar has an awsome light natural finish, a laminated top. 3 volume controls (one master volume at a very good place, 2 normal volumes), one tone control and a 3 way toggle switch. 2 great sounding p90 pickups. The body style is kinda 'Gretsch'.

It suits my music style very well. I play music from bands like; Stray Cats, Beatles, Elvis, Green Day and Oasis. This guitar can do almost any music style, really it can sound bright, warm, clean, distorted ect...

The action is great! no complains about that.
The guitar contains no flaws at all! This is amazing.

it's just great.

The guitar withstands all my live concerts and jamsessions, it never lets me down.
The hardware will probably last and the finish is good.
This is a guitar you can depend on and, yes you can use it without a backup, but it's always smart to have a backup.

Never dealt with the company.

I've been playing for about 12 years now.
I also own: Epiphone SG g400, Washburn D12, Aria Pro 2 TA 61, Essex Jazz bass, Richwood RE62 strat.
If it were stolen I defenitly buy the same kind of axe, maybe a Gretsch, A Ibanez Artcore or A Epiphone wildkat,flamekat or alleycat.

It's a good guitar for a fair price, try one, but try the new types with the real bigsby and grover tuners.

Hollow body thin line.One master volume,one volume for each pick up,one master tone.Turquose(color),two p-90's,with crome covers.Single cut away.with Bigsby tremlo.Tuners seem pretty good.I've only had the guitar a week.Paid $610 with case from Musician's Friend.Paint and finish look real good.Neck was straight with enough adjustment in truss rod to handle the heavier strings i'm going to put on.10-52.(P.S.)This guitar is just like my Gretsch 6120 JR,except for the P-90's.

I play blues,swing,rock,and rockabilliy.I've been playing for 39 years and i know my stuff.I'm a tube amp user only.The only problem i have is the pick ups is There microphonic,which is what i expected.I already have a set of Lindy Fralin pick ups being built.

Acition was l little low for me,but i'm having the whole guitar set from top to bottom.

I'm sure the guitar will be able to handle a live gig,or else i wouldn't have bought it.

None

I've been playing 39 years.I own 15 other guitars.If it were stolen i would think about buying another.Don't like all the volume controls.I'm eliminating the two vol. and keeping the master vol.& tone.To many knobs for live gigs.I use Peavey Classic 50 watt amps which i think are under rated and sound great.$1500 for a 40 year old amp that you have to modify(Fender),and breaks down a lot,you're all nuts.The tone is in your fingers.

Two P-90 pickups on a thinline hollow body. Korean-made, I believe. 22 frets. Master volume control, two individual pickup volume controls, one tone control. Bigsby-style tremolo arm. Good quality tuners. Finish is a transparent black (which makes it a really attractive guitar to these eyes, and I'm not even a huge fan of the damn color). Gig bag was included with the purchase.

I've been playing guitar for over 10 years now, most of that time spent with a mexican-built Fender Telecaster and a rather poorly-constructed Epiphone SG copy. Coming from that background, the sonic abilities of this guitar are UNREAL. It's got just enough delicacy to handle some of the more enigmatic and quiet passages I play, but can absolutely screech when necessary.

Rhythm setting is like a punch in the gut, particularly through my Fender Deluxe. I tend to do most of my playing on either this setting or the middle setting, as the Treble-only setting seems slightly thin at times. It's not BAD, just not as good for my purposes as the other two.

For its price, this guitar really sounds more expensive. You can get some wonderful mock-harmonics in the middle of the fretboard, and the thing growls whenever you nail an open string while its cranked up.

Finally, the tone is very true, and can hold tremolo very well. The only real problem I've encountered is that the guitar doesn't always stand up to repeated bashing out of chords (which I tend to put it through on numerous occasionans) without falling somewhat out of tune, particularly on the high E string.

Guitar played very well off the rack, though I ended up having it re-set up by the place I purchased it (it was being shipped a pretty long distance). Haven't run into any problems in this area.

Strap buttons are solid, and the guitar seems like it would withstand the normal wear and tear. I've owned it for a year and it's gone through two moves and a couple of too-close encounters with a ceiling, but it's exhibited no problems.

Never had any problems, hence no need for support.

If it were stolen or lost, I would immediately undergo severe symptoms of depression. ABSOLUTELY I'd replace it, as quickly as possible.

I know there are better guitars on the market in terms of construction and sound, but for my purposes, with the type of music I like to play, I haven't really found anything that this guitar doesn't do or can't do well. The only issue I have with it is my concern over the knobs...as other reviewers have pointed out, they seem kinda cheap and rickety. But those can always be replaced, so it's not a big issue.

Let's put it this way...I had no intention whatsoever of buying a new electric guitar before I saw this one. I was on vacation, happened to wander into a music store and pick it up, and immediately was taken with it. Highly recommended.

2002 Model with Epiphone tremolo; 2 Gibson P-90's; Beautiful Flamed Maple (laminated) top.

This guitar is inspirational. My son picked it up at Sam Ash while I was looking at something else and it turned my head. I played it, and we bought it immediately. This is the first guitar I have ever (in 35 years of playing) bought off the in-store display. Most have been specially ordered or taken from the back room. Sound is fantastic. Have used it for recording; country/rock; and even slide guitar. It is nasty!!! There is nothing not to like about this guitar. The P-90 single coil pickups have a real bite.

The action was (and is) a bit high from the factory. It seems to have 11 guage - and I intended to change them to 10's - BUT - I have gotten used to the feel and action. Neck is very fast and frets are well set and even. There are absolutely NO FLAWS on this guitar. I bought a Gibson ES-175 recently and there was a finish crack; splinters in the "F" holes; a rattle in the bridge... THIS EPIPHONE lists at 1/5th of the price of the Gibson and is PERFECT! Not a mark, flaw ...

The tuners are Grovers (great); Hardware is first class; Finish is an eye-catching antique yellow.

I have had none of the switch/jack/control flaws others have mentioned elsewhere on this site. I would gig with it without hesitation. I do always have other guitars with me, so if there was ever a problem, I could switch. I have always done that in live situations. Guitars were meant to be trees! Deal with it!

Haven't had to deal with Epiphone. Limited Lifetime Warranty (on a $400 instrument??!!! - FENDER IS ONLY ONE YEAR!)

I've been playing for over 35 years. Lots of guitars, amps, etc. If this guitar was stolen I would hunt the thief down like a dog. It would definitely be immediately replaced. Originally I got the guitar for my son and me to share - but he later wanted a "real" Gibson, so I got to keep the Wildkat!! Actually, I was very protective of it when he took it to school, etc. It is really a one of a kind instrument!

The sound of this guitar is unique. It should just be one more guitar in a player's arsenal. It isn't good for everything - but neither is a Strat! I've used both Solid State and Tube amps with the Wildkat. Pick your poison.

I do wish that the instrument came with a case. The hardshell case which fits this model had to be ordered from Musician's Friend (approx. $60). It is very nice. All the stores I went to acted like I was asking for something so unusual when I tried to purchase a case as Sam Ash didn't stock them in their store. Advise - If ordering or purchasing - Buy the case at the same time. This guitar should be protected and finding a case in the future for this unique size instrument with tremolo could be difficult. Epiphone makes a case that fits the WildKat/FlameKat. Get it.

2003, Korean made, 22 fret, plywood top w/ flame maple veneer, volume for each pickup, master tone and master volume, two single coils (Epiphone Alnico 5 P-90s), passive, low grade mahogany body with ribbon mahogany veneer on the back, maple neck, clear gloss polyurethane finish, thinline body style, tune-o-matic w/ Epiphone Bigsby, Grover tuners, 24 3/4" scale, jumbo frets, ebonized rosewood fingerboard, thin, fast neck, comes with short junky cable, case is $70.

This is Epiphone?s version of a Thinline style guitar. It is not a true semi-acoustic with bent sides: It?s a solid body that has been routed out about ?? from the edges except for a solid area from under the bridge rearward and the areas under the master volume and pickup switch. Both pickups are floating over air, though, not set into solid wood.

No case (like all Epiphones except the Elitists and John Lennon/John Lee Hooker models), no pickguard, and master tone control instead of one for each pickup, so it gets a 7, which is still good. But it does come with Grover tuners and a very useful and uncommon master volume control (some old Gretsches had it), so that brings the score up two notches...pretty danged good for a Samick-built guitar.

Great tone for an Epiphone! Very versatile. A cross between an SG Junior and an ES-330 or Casino. Epiphone P-90s are definitely better than Epiphone humbuckers. The master volume is very useful; All the way up and you get a mild overdrive, or you can turn it down and get a very clean and jazzy tone. 7 or 8 is the sweet spot ? You get a blues tone that slightly breaks up when you really nail the strings. You can back off each pickup?s volume to get a little more brightness, or put them all the way up to darken the tone. The tone knob doesn?t do a whole lot?I would change the tone capacitor or completely replace the pot.

This guitar has a great neck that is good for bending and left hand vibrato (a la Mr. Soul by the Buffalo Springfield), and is a natural when it comes to chunky rhythm. The fretboard is ebonized rosewood. I would prefer the frets to be lower and more flat, but hey, that?s just my preference. The neck shape and fret width used by Epiphone is much more to my liking than the new Gibsons, however. It comes with 9s, like 99% of new guitars, but I think it would play even better with anything up to 13s. I have a custom set of .011" to .054" Gibson strings on mine, although all my other guitars have Ernie Ball skinny top/heavy bottom except my Strat, which has .015" to .062". I think I like the Gibson strings better, actually, so I might start using them on my other guitars as well. It is still great for lead, even with these relatively heavy strings. Switching to heavier strings really brings out a much better tone from the woods and pickups, and makes the guitar noticably louder and more stable as far as tuning goes.

Epiphone?s quality control is inconsistent. With Epiphone, one guitar can be a hot rod off the line with no visual defects, and the next will be unplayable with messed up binding or finish imperfections. They are not usually horrible, however. I got a great one with only one slight flaw: A little bit of the mahogany stain bled onto the maple top by the neck joint. It took me a day of ownership to even notice it. It was also set up just fine in stock form. I was able to lower the action a lot thanks to the heavier strings. It's still an Epiphone, but it's a killer Epiphone the way I have it set up right now.

The vibrato arm looks really cool, but isn?t extremely useful for the stuff I play. Unfortunately the only way you can get this body style with P-90s is with a vibrato arm. One thing I?m upset about is that the picture on Music 123's website, and on the Epiphone website shows ?Bigsby? on the vibrato, but the vibrato on the actual guitar says ?Epiphone.? I don?t know if it?s specially made by Bigsby for Epiphone, or if it?s an Epiphone copy of a Bigsby. Whatever it is, they should sell exactly what the picture shows.

The finish is very nice for an Epiphone. The ribbon mahogany veneer on the back is a little cheesy because it doesn't match the sides and is very obvious, but you?re the only person who sees the back. Also I could do without the yellow tinted polyurethane on the natural finish model. I prefer a pure clear finish on a natural finish guitar. I?m splitting hairs here?this guitar looks AMAZING! It gets tons of compliments and lots of looks.

I would not gig with a Korean Epiphone without a backup unless I had replaced every single electronic component, except maybe the pickups, but especially the pickup selector switch.

The bridge and nut look really bad...I don't think they will be around in ten years of moderate use. Same for all Epiphones except the Elitists (of which I own 3). The tone knobs don't even look smooth.

This guitar is definitely cheap for a reason...but don't get me wrong: This is a very useful guitar, even to a professional. If you are debating this versus other Korean Epiphones, BUY THIS GUITAR. You can?t go wrong, especially for the price. It is the best of the new Korean Epiphones, along with the 335-style Dot. This is an amazing value! (Additionally, I got mine without the factory seal, so it was an even better value!) Wow! Great, great, great guitar! It?s not a Gibson, but you definitely get at least twice what you pay for, and get a faster neck and better frets than a new Gibson.

No experience with them. 1 year warranty on defective materials, void if modified in any way.

Have been playing guitar about two years, bass for ten years. I own too many instruments...and am too lazy to list them all right now. See my review on my Epiphone Elitist '61 SG if you really want to know.

The final words: Quality is very good. Very impressive for a brand which I long regarded as junk. Incredible bang for the buck. EXTREMELY versatile as far as tone and style. The only guitar that I would need in addition to this on a gig (to fill in a gap that the Wildkat cannot cover) would be a humbucker equipped Les Paul. I wish they made the Wildkat guitar as part of the Elitist line! Drool, drool?.

2002 from Korea with the Antique Natural finish.
Mahogany body with a real nice flame maple top. One tone, two volune and one master volume. P90s and a Bigsby type (same thing but with an "E" on it) tremelo.

I play classic rock & roll and a little rockabilly. I use Tube amps the guitar does not have any noise. P90 sound going on but they screeeech if to close to the amp. I cant get real good feedback from these pups. Good rock tone...I would not recommend this for metal.

Set up "OK" came with 11s I think. I put 10s on it and adjusted the neck and did a light fret job on it. Has lower action now, easier to do bends and plays great. I will say this a few times: This was put together very well! Just replace the pickup switch and jack with a quality one. Thats why I gave a 9.

Have played a number of gigs with it. Right off the bat the pickup switch went. Replaced with a Switchcraft and did the input jack as well. Hardware has no problems and the finish is amazingly nice. No space between bindings in the F-holes or anything and the flame on the top is real nice. Put together very well. Without a backup? Well I only use it for tunes it fits best.

Never had to deal with this

Been playing forever and have Les Pauls, SG & a Strat.
Good bang for the buck. Replace the pickup switch!
It is really fun to play and you will get a traditional sound out of it. Its a looker too! It aint a Gretsch but has that taste to it.

New 2003, Antique Natural finish
Mahogany body and head stock, maple neck, and laminated flame maple top. One tone, two volune and one master volume. Cream color laminated body and neck.
Gibson designed p90's with alnico V
construction is great, action is fast no buzzing. Bigsby is real not the Epiphone branded one, tuners are grover another surpise.

I have tried this guitar with many amps already. Works well with both Tube and solid state amps. Stays in tune. Sound is classic p90. No need to buy other pick ups. Good for blues, hard rock, 50's and 60's rock and country, can even play Jazz really well. Most versatile guitar I have ever had.

It was set up very fast and low with 11 size strings. no buzzing and great action. The workmanship is great. The woods used are of lesser quality, but what do you want for 600 dollars. The finish is less then perfect but acceptable and good. I changed the bridge with Graftech string savers, and also a graftech nut. Need to if you want to use the bigsby for expression. Also changed the pots and switch to gibson parts. The tuners are really good Grover parts. And applied lemon oil on rosewood fret board. This guitar is really nice now, and is great feeling not too big like a jazz box, and just a little bigger then a Les Paul.

It's built solid, once you change pots and switch it's as good as a gibson. It's not light about same weight as gibson les paul smart wood.

Never had to deal with them.

I have been playing for many years. I have a strat, a couple of les pauls one from Gibson and one epi 50th anniversay custom. I also have a few Yamaha classical guitars and a jumbo steel string martin. I play everything from Flamenco to hard rock and love the blues. The wildcat is just a great guitar to play. Great action, great sound, and nice looks. I played it for 5 hours straight after picking it up. DO a few upgrades and its nice to play. It's a good deal.

Pretty much the same model everyone else has, mine is the gorgeous antique natural finish. My bio teacher (who is also a blues superstar) called it "a sweet ride" when i brought it to school. P-90s, 3 volume/1 tone, imitation Bigsby, set neck, etc etc.

I play it through a Fender Ultimate Stereo Chorus, although I tried it with the 15-watt Fender Frontman I use at school and it held its own against my friend's Marshall combo. I mostly use the neck pickup with the tone rolled down to about 7, it's got a nice smokey bluesy sound clean. The treble pickup sounds ok but since the neck pickup sounds so great I hardly ever use it.
I use a Big Muff Pi for distortion (3 bucks at a yard sale, it's very old-school) and although the pedal has a fairly rich tone with other guitars, it really shines on this one. The only problem is that it feeds back ridiculously. I have to turn down low to prevent this. The master volume makes this easier but it really does affect the sound negatively. As much as I love the sound, I have to give it an 8 because not being able to turn up can be a big hinderance.

It came with really heavy strings (11s i think), and I replaced them with acoustic strings (a weird quirk of mine, but it gives me a unique sound). But even with the electric strings, there was some bad buzzing. The G string rattles all over, and the D and B strings buzz at the 7th fret, so playing a barred D chord is harsh. It's not audible if you're just listening to the amp or a recording, but it bugs me a lot. However, it's such a great guitar I can't bear to part with it while I get it fixed.
I see the same problems with the messed-up f-holes, but the pickup selector and frets and all the other aforementioned things were fine. I don't use the Bigsby for more than a little bit of wobbliness but on the few occasions when I've dive-bombed chords down a whole step it sprung right back in tune.

I haven't brought it to a gig yet (but I have a few booked in the upcoming month) and I trust it. I'm doing these gigs sans backup, but they're with friends' bands and I could always borrow one of their guitar if I have a problem (which I've done before for basses).
The only problem I've had is with the strap. I'm not sure if it's the strap or the buttons, because it's the same strap I used on my SG and it kept slipping off on that too. I'm probably going to upgrade the buttons because I don't want to take any risks with this guitar.
Everything else seems pretty durable, although after reading some of these reviews I'm considering upgrading some of the stuff as a precaution.

Haven't had to deal with Epiphone after 2 years of ownership (first an SG and now the Wildkat). I got the SG from Daddy's Junky Music and they fixed a few problems with my SG for free because their warranty covered it.

I've been playing for 3 years (I'm 16 now). I started out on a second-hand Washburn, upgraded to a $250 Epiphone SG, and just got the Wildkat about a month ago. I've gone from an hour a day to 2-3, because it's so great to play. I've also expanded to playing more blues and slide since getting it (it's just such a perfect guitar for it).
When I didn't have enough money for either, I was debating between a Casino and this guitar. However, after getting a job and saving up 600 bucks, I went back to Guitar Center only to find that the Casino had been bought. I don't regret getting this one instead, although I'll always wonder what would've been (I went back there after the purchase to get some cables and saw another Casino, dammit). Advantages over the Casino: cheaper, nicer finish, and a (fake) Bigsby.
If it was stolen, I'd be very sad, and then I'd have to do the whole Wildkat/Casino debate all over again. Not sure which one I'd pick this time, but I'll knock on wood that I don't have to decide again.
I wish it had come set up better but otherwise, for the price, what a value. Great sound, and great-looking too. My other guitarist is now looking into getting a Les Paul so that my Wildkat doesn't outshine his DeArmond SG onstage. It's a great second or third guitar, and it should last me for a very long time.

Standard Wild Kat probably a 2000 made in Korea. Bigsby removed before I bought it. If it hadn't been, I would have removed it myself.

Semi-hollow, 2 P-90's and sounds exactly like it should. That great in-between humbucker and single coil sound.

Here's where we seperate the old from the new. They did an awful job of fretting this instrument. What makes it worse, is that they knew it and shipped it anyway. You can see the glue dollops on the sides of the fingerboard by the binding where they probably tried to hammer down the mislayed frets. I took it to have the edges taken down but even so, I still get the high E string caught under the edge of the 3, 4, and 5 fret. If this were a bolt on I'd get a new neck. The knobs were cheap and I've replaced them.

It should outlast my left hand which is being torn to shreds by the uplifted fret edges.

Don't know them

I've been playing pro or semi-pro for 38 years and have all the stuff that goes with that. If the seller had informed me about the bad fret job on this guitar I would not have purchased it. Financially I would have been better off going to the guitar center and paying full price for one that was made properly. If this thing didn't sound so damn good I'd toss it in the trash.

I purchased it in early 2002, sor it may well have been made in 2001.
22 frets, lamminated maple top with nice figuring and yellow staining.
Master Vol., master tone, separate vol. for each pickup, very useful, when you have found a sweet mix and just want it louder or lower.
2 P90s with Alnico V magnets. Body is three pieces of mahogany, hollowed out with a laminated maple top. Neck is despite of company specifications mahogany, too with what looks like an ebony fretboard.
Gotoh tuners work well, bridge tune-o-matic style with BIG posts, Bisgsby style vibrato tailpiece, works well if you don't do any dive-bombing. Finish and evrything else very good in this pricerange.

I'm playing Blues and I bought this as a slide guitar and it turned out much better than I expected: very very good sustaining qualities, vintage sound, P 90s are my favourite pickups for slide anyway.
One problem: pickups sqeal at medium to higher volumes, will have to have them repotted.Other than that they are very quiet.Can go from a dark, jazzy sound to a fat bite without being harsh or piercing your ears. I play it through a Fender custom vibrolux reverb live and in the studio and also through a Fender Pro Junior for recording. Sometimes use a Klon Centaur Overdrive in low volume situations to get a little more distortion.

I was pretty amazed to find the guitar factory set up with big strings (.012 - .054, I guess), which was excellent for me, because I just had to retune to open D and could go sliding. Pickups can't be adjusted, so you will have to make up with the polepiece srews.
Pickup selector seems to pass out in the neck pickup position sometimes, but replacement will be a breeze. I can't say anything about action etc. because I use it for slide exclusively. No other flaws that I know of. ( No wobbly knobs on mine)

This seems to be one solid guitar, have been playing it live and in recording situations so far. strap buttons are very solid so I didn't substitute them for security locks. i don't use a backup on gigs.

Haven't dealt with the company

I have been playing for some 30 years now. I do have a lot of other guitars, electric and acoustic, mostly Gibsons and Fenders. I have been using Gibsons with P 90s for slide since the late 70s. This one compares favorably with the Gibsons (Les Paul Pro, 63 SG special and ES 135 with P90s). Comfortable size, sounds like a vintage guitar, very good sustaining qualities for slide-playing.
I would definitely try to get another one, if this would get away from me.

Regarding the review below from 10/01 from Andreas. I replaced the nut and string saddles with GraphTech ones (made from Teflon) and they have helped considerably. I also replaced the tuners with Sperzel locking tuners for further tuning stability and have seen an improvement as well. This is a great guitar that shouldn't disappointment once you've made some minor upgrades such as these.

Korean made w 2 p-90's 2 volume, 1 tone and a master volume control.
mahogany body with yellow-ish transparent top, bindings on neck, body and around f-holes.
epiphone's vibratrem.
came with non original case.

been playing for 16 years in most situations. live, studio, session, what have you but bought this one mainly for composing/recording.
didn't take long before i used it on every occasion cause YES it delivers!
p-90 pickups has got to be the best of both worlds, fat yet shimmering. sweet yet nasty etc etc.

i've got a sweet spot for brian setzer and living in sweden doesn't exactly make it cheap to get your hands on those gretsch hotrods, average price around $3000, so, fortunately i discovered this one.

factory 012 strings didn't make it easy on me when switching to 010. quite a bit of adjustment needed to get the guitar to carry chords all over the neck again.
the vibratrem produces a great smooth singing "trem" BUT maan it messes up the tune!
i have yet to find a solution to that.
anyone got any tips regarding keeping the vibratrem in tune please drop me a line!!

would use and have used it without backup many times live.
this thing is rock steady, i threw away the 3 way switch at once and put in a gibson one and have never had a single problem with it.

i use this guitar as my first. together with my peavey classic or 5150 II it rocks!

since i'm "allergic" to fenders and single coils in perticular the
p-90's are just perfect to get that crispy clean yet warm mellow
sound that you actually want to hear when playing w single coils.

also use a les paul and a 335, perfect for variation in the studio but when playing live i always end up using this solid wildkat

2002 Korean-made. Laminated, flamed maple top on semi-hollow mahogany body(single cutaway). 2 Alnico-V P90's with individual volume controls, master volume, master tone, and 3-way selector switch. 22 frets on a rosewood (ebony stained?) board. Epiphone Bigsby-style tailpiece. Gotoh tuners. Lots of chrome! Hardshell case was extra.

This guitar is quite well suited for much of the older (60's style) rock and roll, newer country, and rockabilly stuff I play. The P-90's are clean and relatively quiet for single coils, yet can be coaxed into overdrive without much trouble. The neck pickup is bright, but not harsh (not as twangy as my Tele); the neck pickup is pretty smooth and sweet sounding. I play through a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe on the rare occasions that I play live dates, and use a Boss ME-30 for compression, delay, and occasional chorus. The only other toy in my setup is an Ernie Ball volume pedal. Another big factor in how this guitar sounds is the body. It's considerably more resonant than a solid body, but not as prone to feedback as some of the full-size hollow bodies I've played. It has a unique voice and it adds to the spectrum of tones I can achieve. So far, the only thing I don't like is the master tone, which when rolled off gets muddy with the neck pickup-not really a big concern for me, though. I mostly do recording with a Boss BR-8, and I had to tweak some COSM (amp modeling) settings especially for this guitar. The P-90's are hot and will overdrive the inputs. Same is true with the Line6 POD. Volume/drive settings which are clean with my Fenders and Rickenbacker are louder and a little distorted with the Wildkat.

I wasn't satisfied with the factory setup. The action was set too low and some fret buzz was obvious. The fifth fret on the high E string went "plink". Once I raised the action just enough to eliminate the buzz, and reset the intonation it was excellent. The neck shape and fretboard radius are very comfortable to me. I may change to a lighter set of strings. The pickups seem to be adjusted fine. I mainly use the Bigsby for the shimmering kind of effect you can get with it-don't do much dive-bombing and so far I haven't had any tuning problems to speak of. The knobs wobble a little, but that doesn't really bother me much, either, and the selector switch has also worked OK. The finish on this guitar (antique natural flame)is outstanding. The binding is flawless-no voids or rough spots. It's a real beauty. The natural mahogany body really compliments the rich amber-colored flamed maple top. Really, the finish is as good or better than many much more expensive guitars I've seen. Considering the price, I won't fault it much for the poor action out of the box. Most players probably tweak the setups to their personal tastes anyway.

Can't really say, since I don't play live much anymore, however it feels solid enough to hold up to regular gigs. The strap buttons are big and secure-feeling. Some reviewers have apparently had problems with the selector switch-I haven't yet. I always take more than one guitar to a gig, primarily for the different sounds. Since I'm just speculating reliability, I'll give it an 8.

Have only communicated with Epiphone via e-mail regarding availability ( I waited over six months for the antique natural finish from Musician's Friend). They always responded promptly with reasonble answers.

I've been playing for thirty-something years. Other guitars:Fender American Std. Strat, American Std. Tele, Rickenbacker 330/6, Danelectro U2 Baritone, Martin D-19, and an inexpensive nylon string acoustic-electric. The Wildkat overall is a well-made, beautifully finished, fun, good playing guitar that can cover a variety of styles well. I like the tones it produces-different from any of my other guitars. I missed out on the DeArmond T-400 ( I didn't know they were being discontinued),so I started looking at the Wildkat. I bought it based on good reviews, inexpensive price, and good looks. I'd want another if it were lost or stolen. The Wildkat is a great value, and if your style is anywhere in the realm of country, rockabilly, roots rock, even blues, I'd recommend it highly.

Made in Korea, 2001?, Antique Natural (VERY NICE),...
10 b/c it's got what it's suppose to have.

Deep, powerful sound. I like it for everything including high gain, classic rock tones, and low clean tones. It does them all very well, however, I have a Strat to cover what this one can't.
(Love the Angus Young SG sound I get out of it.)

I found the stock pups too undefined so I had custom ones made by SK Guitar Specialties and I don't think I'll ever take them out. Very high, clean output which allows me to use the guitar for the high gain stuff. But on the neck pup this thing could still pass for a bass.

8 b/c I didn't like the stock pups too much.

Amazing craftsmanship for any guitar manufacturer; kudos Epiphone. The wood quality is tops. Like someone mentioned, the rosewood looks like ebony. Everything fits perfectly, except the vol./tone knobs are cheap and wobbly. Not that they're gonna fall off , they just wobble when you turn them. Also, the p/u selector was noisy. More on that below.
Oh, and the nut is plastic; should be replaced with bone or brass or something.

The worst thing about Epiphone is that they can put together such a beautiful, classy guitar and the electronics are crap. Cheap wires, cheap parts. As I've mentioned, I replaced the pups which allowed me to rewire/resolder some parts voluntarily. The toggle switch needed to be replaced after a few hours of playing.
Now that I've been through the guts myself I'm confident in using it anytime , anywhere but if you're not comfortable doing this kind of work then make sure you have access to the dealer you buy it from.
I should mention that I never use the trem bar; throws it right out of tune so I just point it downwards and keep my hands off! It looks cool though.
Great big strap buttons is a plus.
I would NEVER gig without a backup.

6 for the unreliable, crappy electronics (although it is inexpensive fix).

Don't know.

personal info.- I'm 26, have 3 other guitars, two amps, and have played for ~10 years.
I have had a love/hate relationship with this guitar, i.e., the craftsmanship is awesome and crap at the same time. However, for the time and money it took to "upgrade" I still feel like I got a deal. This guitar is a "looker" that had to be made into a "player". Like everything else I own, I would not necessarily buy this again. I would just enjoy looking.
Two BIG pluses: this is a unique sounding and unique (beautiful!) looking guitar.
8 out of the box but with a few hours of work and less than a couple hundred bucks it's a big TEN.

Mfg April 2000, in Korea,bought new a few mnths ago, 3/4 size Archtop, single cutaway,turquois finish,maple top, mahogony sides and back, set neck, with a soild center block, (like an ES-335), 22 frets ,rosewood board,two P-90 single coil pickups,a volume for each pkup, plus one tone, and a master volume,and a 3 way pkup selector. tune-o-matic bridge, Gotoh tuners, imitation Bigsby vibrato by Epiphone,neck/ scale is typical Gibson. Hard case is additional.

I play oldies rock and newer country,this guitar suits my style(but not quite as twangy as a strat),I use a Fender Vibrolux Reverb reissue amp w/ the treble on 8,thru a delay,chorus,and tube screamer(when you want distortion), the P-90's sound great,not noisy, and distort easily,it has a full sound,on the board pkup,and medium bright but not super bright on the bridge pkup,I like the master volume ,w/ separate pkup volumes , for a variety of different sounds.

The factory set up was ok, but it came w/ very heavy strings,I put on 9/42 Elixar strings, adjusted the neck relief,(due to changing to a lighter gauge strings), set the intonation, raised the bridge slightly,adjusted the pkup screws to 3/64 height, plays great w/ this setup,the Epi vibrato is ok, but does go slightly out of tune, the fit and finish are outstanding, and the action is very fast, a few chrome flaws,and the pkup selector makes noise sometimes.

The finish is very good and shiny,the paint seems thick, a few minor flaws,nice binding,construction seems good for a set neck instrument,heavy strap buttons,I'd say the guitar will withstand live playing,it seems dependable, and I'd gig without a backup. I've been using for several mnths now, and no problems.

I called Gibson/Epiphone 2 times since I purchased the guitar. First time to confirm that the salesperson mailed the wrong case, and the second time to find out the recommended height between the pkup polepieces and the string.( I'm pretty particular about having everything set up properly).Both times the tech on the phone was very helpful, with an immediate answer.Warranty is one year.

I've playing guitar for 35 years,I own 15 other guitars, Fenders,Ricks,Gretsch,Gibson,etc(vintage 1968 to present),2 fender and 2 vox amps,I would buy another Wildkat if mine were lost or stolen,I like this guitar's size,and fast neck,no hates, I compared this to a used Howard Roberts Fusion, I liked this guitar more,a little more twang and less jazz sound, I may change the Epi vibrato to a Bigsby Unit. Great value for the money.

As basic as it gets... Volume, tone and a three way toggle switch. Comes stock with an Epiphone Bigsby knockoff, however, mine is a stamped "2nd" and it's been replaced with a trapezoid non-trem tailpiece. I also replaced the tuners with sperzels (whether they neede to be or not). No frills... but who needs 'em?

I play power pop, rock, and alt roots rock, and the Wildkat has a real fat full sound. No reason to replace these pickups at all. I'm using it through a '71 Ampeg VT40, with various effects and it sings! Smooth sounding leads and lots of sustain (although I'm not sure if having the stock bridge would affect that).

Was set up well by the store I purchased it from. Finish looks real good (aside from a few markings where the fake Bigsby used to be, but only noticable close up). Pickup selector is iffy and needs to be replaced or resoldered, but no big deal.

This guitar is a workhorse! I'd feel safe using it without a backup, though I always have others laying around. Solid...

Not sure. I emailed them to ask why the Bigsby type tailpiece was replaced with the trapezoid piece (like so many other "2nd" stamped Wildkats that were popping up on eBay at the time) , and I was told that they had no knowledge of that. I just think they didn't want to deal with the "2nd's" crowd. They did respond pretty quick though, so that must count for something...

I've been playing for 15 years and have owned, and still own a lot of great guitars. This is my favorite. It's simple and dependable (aside from the lousy pickup selector). If it were lost or stolen, I'd replace it with another Wildkat right away. I got this one cheap, but for the going rate of $450-500, it's worth it.

2001 Korean made. Alnico V p-90 chrome pickups. 22 fret rosewood fingerboard. mahogany small semi hollow body. Translucent Black finish is immaculate. There are some chrome palting flaws on one pickup, but for the price i paid, i can live with it. Solid maple top, 3 way pu switch. Gotoh tuners, Bigsby style tremolo. Very smooth neck finish and good low action.

This is the guitar i have always wanted. I only played acustic guitars for my own enjoyment and i have 20 years experience. The Wildkat has a deep clear sound perfect for the blues ans jazz i enjoy playing. I am using a vintage Ampeg tube filled amp of unknown wattage. The sound has a very dynamic range and good sustain. Awesome sound!

The set up was ok, nothing great, there was a problem with the 3 through 5th frets where they were not bound properly and the 1st string would actually get stuck underneath the fret during a few heavy bends. I fixed it myself rather than part with it while i got a replacement. I fixed it in a few minutes. The chrome plating was not perfect on one pickup. There were several sharp edges along the f holes that i filed away easily.

This is a very solid guitar. I see no reason to worry about the durability of this heavy duty guitar. I would definatly repace this guitar if it was lost or stolen. And i would get the black again.

i have no experience so far with the factory.

I have been playing on and off for over 20 years and have a 1978 Yamaha acustic. I love the playability of the Wildkat and the excellent tone. It plays easily and effortlessly (compared to my Yami anyway.) I always wanted a semi hollow body in the Gretch design but with a family i found the Epiphone fit my wants as a musician and my need to budget my money perfectly. I highly recommend anyone this fine instrument. Maybe someday i will get my Gretsch but i hardly think so, i am THAT happy with my Kat!

2001 semi hollow with maple top and mahogany sides back and neck. Mine is turquoise has p-90's and a bigsby copy trem. All hardware is chrome tuners are gotoh. Korean made and as described in greater detail in previous posts.

Sounds great for the blues that I play. Can be warm without any harshness or fat. No noise from the pick-ups or swith or pots. Very versatile. I do not play any high gain, but would imagine the semi-hollow construction would be unsuitable for this. Cannot match an old gretsch or gibson, but definately sounds better than comparably priced D'Armonds.

The guitar set up definately needs some fine tuning. Intonation and action were a little out of wack, and as everyone else has mentioned the strings are unneccessarily heavy. The construction quality is very good. Paint is as good as it will be on any guitar in this price range. Mine has a hairline flaw where the neck/fingerboard sit into the body. The binding gives it a more upscale look, but is very inconsistant around the f-holes. Inside of f-holes are a little rough, though this is only noticable up close. The fret seatings are also inconsistant. Some are not completely set in leaving a small gap between the fretwire and the board. This makes for some buzz occaissionally, but is fairly easy to live with (not to mention the expense of having the frets redone).

As I previously mentioned the construction of this guitar is very good. I think this guitar would with stand all but the harshest treatment. The paint is laid on thick and smooth, and after almost a year and no pick-guard does not show any pick scratches. I would never use anything with out a "plan b" but I doubt that this guitar would require a back-up except for untimely string changes.

I called with a few questions and the responses were always useful and direct. Same goes for e-mail with them.

I have been playing for a year and have a strat that was built specifically for me. If stolen or lost I am not sure I would replace this immediately, but I certainly enjoy owning and playing this one. I get many compliments on this guitars appearance, it is very unique. I wish I had played more guitars before buying this one, I would especially like to compare it to the Gibson blueshawk. I like the gibson necks and this one has the same feel. I wish they had used the real bigsby instead on the copy. the steal on the real ones is much higher quality and mine does have a rough spot on one edge. This is the guitar I learned on, and it has been unbeatable for that. However as I am sure you are aware, once you can play a few notes, one guitar will never satisfy all your needs. Definatey worth the money spent.

Epiphone Wildkat made in Korea probably 2000. 22 frets. Mahogany body (semi-acoustic LP-like)with laminated maple top and mapel neck with rosewood. 3-way selector, master and two volyme, one tone control. Two microphones p-90 S/H. Translucent black (tiger maple underneath).
Tune-O-Matic as well as Bigsby. Locking tuners Gotoh. Thin neck. Gig bag and strap included.

The Wildkat is A GUITAR. Even though I play blues and jazz as well as Rolling Stones and CCR etc it will play anything. I use an original Fender Twin mid-70 and an Earth Revival top with Celestions, and most important home made guitar cables that does not look in anything. No extra gear. The Wildkat can be just a Wildkat and you must be able to tame it. Just as it is noisy, just as a raw diamond you have to cut it right, but it will be quit in another setting. It produces a complete sound register and the varitions have no limit. You may have as much feedback as you want, but you must handle the guitar if you won't. It's a killer!

The guitar was set up with e11-strings. Action the way I want it; good tone no disturbing string sounds. Balanced sound and no pickup adjustment neccessary. The flaws to recognize are two; adjustment of the tuners and probably the lower end selector has to be changed. I must have had luck or..?? 1977 I bought a new Fender Telecaster and I had to have the frets thorougly adjusted, as well as the bridge and .....

I will depend on it on any gig as stand alone guitar. The strap buttons, hardware, and tuning are durable, I've experienced. In the long run I expect it to last as any other well crafted guitar.

No experince, although one year garantee from shop (Swedish legal system) as well as warranty from Epiphone hopefully will prove to be enough. By the way, I feel safe beeing inte legal profession.

I am in the late 40es, and have been playing for more than 30 years, but never as a professional. I have an incredible Gibson Les Paul Custom (sadly and safely looked in), a wonderful 64 Fender Stratocaster (sadly and safely looked in), a Korean GTX (Strata-copy) with true 1957 sound (it is rough) and an acoustic 1979 Takamine f-360 S. The Wildkat represents a type of guitar I've been wanting since late 1960. Also, not to forget, it represents memories of two friends 30 years ago, one same age that was a genius in music, one that did go other ways in life. A guitar is always something more than an instrument, you know. Beeing just a guitar it must however be able to produce guitar sounds, not be "electrical". The Wildkat gives you more than you ever will be able to handle, just with an amplifier, without any equipment, whatsover.

Made in 2000 in Korea, semi-hollow with p-90s, with a bigsby style tremola, tuners are gotoh.

I love the blues with a hint of jazz. This guitar is perfect for lay back delta style without too much drive. I use a Hot Rod Deluxe with it without any overdrive as I like the natural breakup on the clean channel. The sound is fat and thick which is exactly what I was looking for. Not the best for pig sqeals, more BB sounding. I like the middle middle position most of the time. The farther up the neck I go, I find I like the neck pickup more.

Setup was ok but there was some fret buzz I had to remedy. I had to replace the pickup selector. I choose a Gibson three way. I'm planning on swapping out the pickups for some Gibson P-90's, no real good reason for this except that I'm a fuss pot about tone. And if I can possibly make this axe sound better, even fractionally so, I'm going for it. The finish was as good as any of the upper brands. The woods are solid, but lower end. This does not bother me though, I'm mean its a $500 guitar and worth every penny but I'm not going to run with a false fantasy that its as good as a Gibson. My friend just bought a Gibson LP classic. The quality of wood and craftsmanship is awesome, but he paid 2200 for it and I'm happy for him.

With the gibson selector switch, I feel confident with it for gigs. the hardware is equal to most middle of the road stuff. The finish I have to say is nice - turqoise my favorite color and nice buff job too. Strap buttons are nice and beefy. Wouldn't gig without a backup even if I had a PRS. What if some drunk buzzard vomits on your pickups and shorts them out?

Never had to deal with them for a problem. They'll bullshit with you for a while though.

I've been playing for 28 years - too long to sound as crappy as I do, but its my right to keep sounding like shit. If lost or stolen, I would get the same thing. I love the tone and looks for a Korean made guitar. I also own a Tacoma DR12, and a Carin Bolt (nice axe) A few things I'd like to say about Gibson/Epiphone. I realize that most players realize that Gibson engineer's Epiphone and owns it. Somehow though, a few uninformed souls are saying "Epiphones are better than Gibsons for the money and have equal quality control" Common folks, wake up! Gibson was good enough to have some cool budget guitars made for us not so rich folks. We don't have to slam well crafted high quality instruments to appreciate the good playings ones we end up with. As far as good playing instruments go. Most brands now days are built pretty well because of computer controls. So just buy what you like and play it.