Wildkat Review

The Epiphone Wildkat is an archtop semi hollowbody electric guitar with a happening retro look and sweet tone courtesy of two Alnico-V P90 single coil pickups, tune-o-matic bridge, set maple neck and Bigsby trem. The longer string length of a Bigsby trem improves sustain.

Features:	9.5
Sound:	9.5
Action:	9.5
Reliability:	10
Impression:	9
Overall rating:	9.5
Users rating:	8.1
Comments:	20

overall: 9.6

Featured review by: Kurt1964, on april 06, 2009

Purchased from: Jackson Music. Grand Island, New York

Features: Well the 2006 Epiphone Wildkat that I proudly own, was made in Korea. However, it was assembled in the Epiphone Factory's "Custom Shop", right here in the "good old" U.S.A. The neck of this axe is made of maple. And rideing on it's top, is a 22(jumbo)fret, 24.75" scale, ebonized Rosewood, Dot inlay fretboard. It's hollowbody "single cut-away" Archtop construction (which is slightly larger than a Les Paul), has a maple top, complete with elongated "F" holes. It's sides and back have a unique, "multible-slab", Mahogany construction concept employed unto it. The finish of this one is Transparent Orange, with the thickest coat of polyurethane that I've ever seen, or felt, on a guitar. On to the hardware. All chrome. Two Alnico V-P 90 pick-up's, and a heavy duty Bigsby Tremolo with a (permanantly) mounted swing arm. The machine heads are non-locking Grovers, which reside on a classic, 1950's headstock! This beast has one master volume, two sub-volumes, and one tone control, along with it's three-way switch. Added note "no pick guard at all"! // 10

Sound: Well I like to play a lot of "arena" rock, from the early 70's. I.e. Zeppelin, Sabbath, etc. However I had no idea that this guitar could be as versitile as it is, punk, grunge, alternative. Your tallent, and imagination, is it's only limit! Take my word for it, this guitar can "growel" like a bear, and "screech" like an eagle! The amp that I have is the Line 6, Spider III, 30. And with this guitar, "clean", is the way to go. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: As far as the factory "set-up"? Well, what can I say? It was set up by Epiphone's own, "Custom Shop". The "set-up" was outstanding! The action is set low, and, (due to it's fret scale)(and it's hollowbody construction), it's supposed to be. Play it, and you'll understand why. The only flaw that I've found, is a slight "overlap" of black paint on the Bigsby trem. Otherwise, everything was sensational! // 9

Reliability & Durability: Unlike the Wildkat with the "Tiger finish and the gold hardware", this, (and the other "transparent" finished Wildkats), keeps it's durability (it's finish does'nt wear away). It's construction is made to last. Dependability? No worries there at all. Reliability? Well put it this way. Nothing about this guitar has ever let me down. I have never even concidered bringing a "back-up" with me when I go out to jam! In other words. I'll bet my last dollar on this guitar. And win! // 10

Impression: The style of music I play, like most musicians, is constantly evolving. And for the genres of music that I play, this Epiphone Wildkat keeps up with me quite well. Before I bought this one, I tried out several other versions of this guitar. I.e., Gretch, Guild, Ibanez etc. And as for versility, in my opinion, the Wildkat has them all beat! Though I kind of wish it had a pick-guard. Yet playing without one, has forced me to play with more finese', which I'm actually using to my advantage. If this guitar was ever lost. Well, that's one thing. If it were ever stolin? I would hunt down the person who "stole" it, and take it back! This guitar totally "rocks", in all ways, shapes, and forms. So if your looking for a new guitar, definately give the Epiphone Wildkat a serious audition. And as always, rock on! // 9

overall: 9.4

Reviewed by: williamsanders, on may 31, 2007

Price paid: $ 756

Purchased from: Piens Deinze

Features: 24.75" scale length, 1.68" nut width, 22 medium semi-flat frets on a set in maple neck with rosewood fretboard sporting pearloid dot inlays (Gibson dimensions, same neck as a LP, SG), big headstock with 3+3 Gotoh tuners sporting the "E" of Epiphone. thinline/archtop rosewood body with a laminated maple top. Binding around the neck and the front of the body. Solid Turquoise finish (PU I think), one "venetian" cutaway. Two chrome passive P90 "dogear" singlecoil pickups, Bigsby tailpiece, sporting the E instead of Bigsby and Epiphone under the roller bar. Tune-O-Matic bridge. 1 Master Volume, located on the lower horn, 2 Volume pot's, one for each coil and a Master Tone, all three located at the lower F-hole and a 3-way switch on the upper horn. No pickguard. Normally no extra's, but I received for J50 additional costs a Epiphone HSC, a leather strap and a 3m cable. // 9

Sound: I play almost everything except Metal, Trash R&R, you know, the heavy stuff, and I have to say: "Gosh, what a sound". You can really play all kinds of music with this guitar. The neck pickup gives you the warm, smooth and polished sound you need for Jazz and other soft genres, while the bridge pickup gives you enough punch to play a nasty R&R solo à la Ron Wood. I run this guitar through a Boss ME-50 and as amp I use or a Vox AD-50VT or a Fender Bluesville Deluxe. The guitar gives much output, a bit too much IMHO, much more as my Strat or tele, and the sustain is incredible. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: When I bought it, the people of Piens (the music shop) already set it up and intonated the thing, so I have no idea how the factory set up was. You can't properly adjust the pickups, because they are mounted directly on the maple top, but you can adjust the single magnets, it was done well, maybe a little to close to the strings, but that's a matter of taste. The guitar is made very properly, no finish flaws, bad quality hardware nor construction, and most important. It gives no noise, nothing, probably it comes because the whole interior of the guitar was painted in shielding paint. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar is near "Bullet-Proof", you can't dent the finish at all, and it is really solid for an archtop. After 7 years, the only thing I had to tighten on this guitar was 1 screw holding the nameplate on the headstock. The strapbuttons are bigger than those on a Fender, so it's nearly impossible to drop this guitar due to "strap failure." I can use it without backup on a gig, but I always take a second guitar with me, because you'll never know. // 10

Impression: For the genres I play, you can't find a better guitar in this price range. I agree, a Gretsch is way much better, but you pay 5 to 10 times as much for these. I play the guitar now for about 8 years, and the Wildkat can be placed next to my Fender USA Strat, Rickenbacker 360 and Gibson Firebird. If it was stolen, I would replace it directly, no doubt about it. The thing that's really cool about this guitar is also the thing I sometimes don't like. The controls. The master volume is a blessing if you won't harm your pickup settings, but due to the fact you only have one master tone knob, the sounds you can generate are limited, you can't play both pickups out against eachother, which is a pity. // 9

Comments

[Shib]

Nice looking guitar.

[Vrstone87]

I wants one....reminds me of the guitarist from Rocket 350(Atlanta, GA, USA band)

[johnny butt]

i have one (black finish, w/o bigsby), and i love it
it's great for blues, slide especially
i can also use it for most types of rock, minus the heavy stuff of course

[FloydFan89]

I went to Musiciansfriend.com to look at this, it's under $400, and said it's DISCONTINUED!!!!!...WTF!!!!!

[FearBefore]

That is an oddly attractive looking guitar. I'm considering looking into trying one out. Thanks for the insight into this. Greatly appreciated.

[williamsanders]

FearBefore wrote:

That is an oddly attractive looking guitar. I'm considering looking into trying one out. Thanks for the insight into this. Greatly appreciated.

You're welcome

[chuckehall]

I have one pratically brand new, no scratches or flaws that i can tell for $300 plus shipping. No case. [e-mail]

[ellissssssss]

ive got one for £445 and they are nice,, but its somtimes hard to play around with 2 gain a nice sound and whilst strumming you sometimes clip the master volume nob

[mab0009081]

£445? wow, i'm lookin at one now on gak.co.uk and it's only £280!! cheap as chips, and apparantly a good guitar. A possible purchase for me

[Kurt1964]

I have the transparent orange one w/chrome hardware, playing it is highly addictive, I cant put it down! After purchasing it, I ended my quest for the worlds most perfect guitar.

[SG69]

pretty sure its the flamekat thats discontinued cause i just ordered a wildkat from music stop

FloydFan89 wrote:

I went to Musiciansfriend.com to look at this, it's under $400, and said it's DISCONTINUED!!!!!...WTF!!!!!

[Pedalist]

wow... looks great!

[I_Ibanez]

I think the guitar looks ugly lol. I like the look of Ibanez guitars better, like the MTM2, RGR421EXFM, RG120, JS100. Stuff like that. Seems like this guitar won't be great for heavy metal, but i would love to play one of these, not own one though.

[richard_edwards]

I_Ibanez wrote:

I think the guitar looks ugly lol. I like the look of Ibanez guitars better, like the MTM2, RGR421EXFM, RG120, JS100. Stuff like that. Seems like this guitar won't be great for heavy metal, but i would love to play one of these, not own one though.

you just dont compare a guitar made for blues, to one thats a signature model for someone out of slipknot!
theyre completly different!

[Disturbdkornkid]

I agree with I_Ibanez that the colour looks ugly, but if it was any other coloud I would be on that like butter on toast.

[Strat132]

do they hav this guitar in other colors?

[shoebox_of_lies]

I just bought one today for 700 CAN, waiting for it to come in, can't wait

[Kurt1964]

Strat132 wrote:

do they hav this guitar in other colors?

YES THEY DO. TRANSPARENT ORANGE, TRANS BLUE(TURQUOISE), TRANS TIGER(GOLD/YELLOW W/GOLD HARDWARE), TRANS PURPLE, AND NATURAL.

[shamsen]

I'm so much in love with this guitar...

[Tommy Lightning]

I have a Flamekat and that baby can play. They are pretty much the same other than the New York pickups in the Flamekat and the p-90s in the Wildkat.