After hearing the Special II GT played at a club by a local band, and researching prices online, I decided this is the electric guitar for me. I do not perform in a band, only at home. Not only does it sound good for rock, but also country and blues too. I am learning some new age (soundscapes) music and it gives that easy going flow an enhanced sound. I am still using the strings that came on the guitar, they sound good out of the box, but will probably change to some others soon to see how they sound. The humbuckers are really good too. I haven't used the tremelo too much yet, I don't have that much experience with it. That was another factor in buying this guitar. It already has this feature that I can learn with. For me, it has plenty of features already, with the ability to upgrade later and not have to buy another electric and start again from scratch.

It has a six or eight foot cord included, but I purchased a twenty foot cable so I can sit across the room and enjoy the sound even more. The cord included looks like a good quality one though. I like the kill switch incorporated into the tone control, it sounds really good. I don't know of any other features I would need.

This is an easy electric to play. I think it would be a good one to learn on too and would last for a long time. It's built very sturdy and not too heavy at all. Get a good strap and some strap locks, and you are all set.

The finish is very good, I would call it the Goth look, I guess. It's not real shiny, kind of the matte finish. There were no loose parts on mine at all, it looks like the factory did a good job of checking everything out. I have just started with this guitar, but think it is going to be very reliable for a long time to come. I think it would be a good one for a band member to take on the road (with a hard case of course). I don't see anything that could be described as the worst aspect of the quality. I'm happy with the quality.

I believe this guitar is well worth it's price as compared to other electrics with more features on it out of the box and into your hands.

No customer service issues with Epiphone yet, so I can't comment on the level of service.

This guitar looks good, plays good and not too heavy. Just put one in your hands and play.

Hobbyist

Rock, country, blues, new age