NBD - Epiphone Mike Dirnt signature G-3

[neepheid]

Around 15 years ago, I did a stupid thing.  I sold my 1978 Gibson G-3.  In the intervening years, the prices of second hand Gibson G-3s have gone through the roof, beyond where I was willing to go.  So, thank you, Epiphone, for issuing this and helping me right a wrong in a more financially palatable way!

 

 

You can imagine the smile on my face.  It is, quite simply, amazing.  It is a tastefully modernised G-3 - it frankly speaking feels better put together than my old Gibson G-3.  The same oddly twangy but thick at the same time tone is still there, I reckon these pickups are on the level as far as recreations go.  I do low level wish they had done clear covers like the 1975-78 G-3s, but these sound as good as I remember the originals sounding.

 

The pickguard?  Don't care, mate - the silverburst disguises it as far as I'm concerned.  Because Andertons did individual photographs for most of their stock of these, I deliberately picked one where the burst lined up with the bottom edge of the pickguard, giving it context instead of just floating in mid air.

 

I can't wait to take this to band rehearsals this week.  Tonight I have mostly been playing songs I played 15 years ago with my first originals band - well, the ones I remember anyway!

[MichaelDean]

That looks great! Glad you're pleased with it! I look forward a gig review of it!

[jd56hawk]

Not a grey-burst fan, but that thing looks pretty damned good to me.

[madshadows]

Congratulations, that bass looks cool  

 

John 😎 

[cetera]

Lovely! On my list of wants, once they turn up on the used market

 

[snorkie635]

Nice one Neep.

[uk_lefty]

Nice!! Have always been fascinated by three pickup basses

[neepheid]

10 minutes ago, uk_lefty said:

Nice!! Have always been fascinated by three pickup basses

 

Sure I don't know what you're talking about...

 

Edited November 25, 2025 by neepheid

[SurroundedByManatees]

I've always loved G3's. But somehow always ended up selling them again, just like Stingrays. I'd be interested to feel and hear an original against the Epi.

 

Btw I just saw an original black Gibson for sale at a music shop for €1695. That's a pretty good deal for nowadays.

Edited November 27, 2025 by SurroundedByManatees

[neepheid]

39 minutes ago, SurroundedByManatees said:

I've always loved G3's. But somehow always ended up selling them again, just like Stingrays. I'd be interested to feel and hear an original against the Epi.

 

Btw I just saw an original black Gibson for sale at a music shop for €1695. That's a pretty good deal for nowadays.

 

Memories are not reliable when it comes to sound, but I reckon this new one is in the ballpark - it has that knack of being twangy but thick at the same time.  What I can tell you is that this Epiphone feels way better screwed together than my old 1978 Gibson G-3.  It just feels less fragile - the pickguard doesn't move/warp ever so slightly when you use the selector switch and the bridge is way sturdier.  The neck heel area is much more sculpted and rounded off - the OG G-3 neck heel is basically sharp edged sawn off.  Now some of this feeling of sturdiness on the Epi may be unfair as my Gibson G-3 was an alder bodied one instead of maple, so it was definitely lighter.  But the old bridge was a slightly better BBOT (in that it had side walls to limit side to side movement) but it used slotted grub screws - by the time I got around to owning it two of them had broken and could only be turned by using pliers.  The Badass II is a welcome upgrade, and not unsympathetic - pretty sure a bunch of people fitted Badass bridges to their Grabbers and G-3s back in the day.

 

My only regret so far is that I wish they had gone with clear pickup covers instead of black like the pre '79 G-3 (and my old one) because they look way cool.

 

That's a damn good price for a Gibson G-3 these days.  No regrets though - I'd have this Epiphone rather than an OG Gibson any day of the week for the reasons I have outlined above.

[Paul C]

Hi these look really great. The demo on YouTube sounds good too. Dare I ask is it a heavy thing?

[neepheid]

2 minutes ago, Paul C said:

Hi these look really great. The demo on YouTube sounds good too. Dare I ask is it a heavy thing?

 

All the ones Andertons were selling were 9.7lbs-10lbs.  Whether or not that means heavy to you is your call, but having owned 12lbs+ monsters in the past, I would class these as "middleweight".

[Paul C]

Thanks 👍 

[Skybone]

Nice acquisition Neep, enjoy!

 

Not helping my Grabber GAS mind...  

[NancyJohnson]

I honestly wish they'd have put the Epiphone logo in the same orientation as the Gibson one.

 

 

[neepheid]

4 hours ago, NancyJohnson said:

I honestly wish they'd have put the Epiphone logo in the same orientation as the Gibson one.

 

 

 

But then it'd be affa wee!