The guitar is very comfortable--an acoustic that feels like an electric--it is heavy, almost like my Epi Les Paul, and thin-bodied, but well balanced and does not have that "nose-dive" that alot of Epi's do. The sound quality of the SST Studion is quite different--unplugged it is a bit thin but plugged-in it has a really nice punchy, clear quality that sounds really cool. I changed the saddle to a fully compensated TUSQ version since the intonation was off with the uncompensated plastic one that came with it from the factory. I also replaced the nut and bridge pins with TUSQ since the factory ones were cheap plastic, also. This made a HUGE improvement in the sound quality. I also replaced the heavy factory strings with a set of Martin extra light which improved the playability considerably. I really like this guitar ALOT and would replace it if lost or stolen. Epiphone made a really cool guitar in the SST Studio!

Bound, chambered mahogany body with a spruce top, mahogany set neck, bound rosewood fingerboard. NICE Shadow electronics preamp with Volume, Bass, Treble sliders and a switch that controls the output for either an amp or headphones. Pickup in bridge that sounds as good as or better than the Fishman in my Martin.

The SST Studio is great for any genre of music--the preamp controls and the ability to shape the sound through an amp make it 100 percent versatile.

The SST is made very well with what appears to be good quality materials. I am not sure where this guitar was made, but it does not have anything cheap or low quality about it, other than the nut, bridge, and pins that I mentioned earlier. But I find MOST guitars under the one thousand dollar price point have plastic instead of bone or TUSQ tone points. Wierd--the ONE thing a company can do to radically improve the sound quality of an inexpensive guitar that costs very little is the one thing they cut back on! Doesn't make any sense to me!

A GREAT VALUE for the price!

I have dealt with Epiohone/Gibson customer service before and they are VERY helpful and will bend over backwards to make anything you find wrong with their products right! I'd give them more than a "10" if I could!

COOL looking guitar! People are attracted to it and ask "what kind of guitar is that"? Several have thought it was a Gibson, because they had seen one of the Gibson versions of this guitar before. Everyone comments on how well the tone projects and how good it sounds!

semi-professional

Classsic Rock, Southern Rock, Top 40

sounds great .i play roots and indie rock IE: wilco and sunvolt etc. this baby can crank up all the way w/ no feed back!!!

onboard vol tone and bass features are good for the price.

not hard to get great sounds out of this guitar . this guitar is an awesome live instrument but where it really shines is ...as the truss rod cover words say in the studio. i recorded many tunes directly into my multitrack recorder and was amazed at the sound quality ,just stunning!

the quality is way above what a person might expect from a 350 $ guitar made in china . the epiphone line of guitars from low to high end really stand in a field of their own in this dept IMHO . i have a dot 335 and also a les paul special II (the 149$ cheapo) and they all play like serious upper end instruments ...this is no different a real quality build on this axe for sure!! tha only problem i had was that the routed out slot where the piezo is mounted was a few millimeters too deep on the low end so the bass strings were not cutting thru as loud as i would have liked ,but a little dab of crazy glue on the bottom of the bridge saddle on that end fixed that right up.

for the money i have to say that this epiphone SST studio (along with all their other guitars) is a no brainer for the working/ recording musician who needs vol. as well as beautiful crisp acoustic jangle

i called kalamazoo and explained my problem and the nice man rushed me a replacement bridge saddle no questions asked.

this thng just looks and feels real sexy in yer hands !!!!

semi pro /recording musician

Good sound for the type it is. Don't expect a super-natural sounding acoustic or high-gain shredder. It is what it is.

The EQ on the new models is great, compared to the older 2 tone models.

It's nice that the battery compartment is right there next to the EQ, but it's a real tight fit. I usually need tweezers or needle nose to pull the 9V up enough to grab it. The 2 settings on the EQ for output (headphones or amp) but I didn't seem to notice any real output as far as it being a pseudo headphone amp. But like I said, the 2 levels the switch affords you is nice.

Mine arrived fine. Plays in tune, stays in tune, what more could you ask for?

The most recent SST is way better than the earlier versions, plus Epi is saving money on licensing by removing the Chet name. Only wish it came in blond like the old ones.

Didn't need to contact them.

Very good if you like these types of guitars, knowing the sound to expect. I'd prefer chrome tuners rather than the gold.

Hobbyist

Rock, Folk Rock

55 years,guitar,bass,fiddle,pedal steel,i've had my own band for 40 years.

country and some 50's R & R.

7 years

Christian

GENERIC ACOUSTIC AT IT'S BEST NEEDS SOME ELECTRONIC ENHANCEMENT

DOES NOT FEED BACK WISH IT HAD ELIXIRS

NEEDED TRUSS ROD ADJUSTMENT. AND, THE STRINGS WERE VERY TIGHT

GOOD LOOKS, SOLID.

I WOULD BUY AGAIN DESPITE TONAL ISSUE

DONT THINK I'LL NEED IT

NICE LOOKING.........

SEMI PRO

GOSPEL,JAZZ,

Just dull and uninteresting. This isn't the "Chet Atkins" model of old. They shaved $100 off the price and you can see, feel, and hear it!

Cheap Grover knockoffs. The routing for the saddle was too long by almost an inch...and crooked. Drunk guy running the router that day?!?!? Dreadful. Expected more from Epiphone, whose products I generally like a lot.

It would be fine if the build quality weren't so dreadful!

Already mentioned the cheap tuners and the router problems. Finish was OK, but again not as nice as the real Chets were. Intonation was OK, just OK. Action wasn't awful...that's subjective anyway.

Utterly useless.

I've dealt with Epi support in the past and they've always been very helpful. Didn't have to with this axe...just sent it right back.

Loved the old Chets. "Mr. Guitar" would be rolling in his grave had they left his name on it!

Active Musician

Rock, Country, Worship

i love the sound of my epi for 299 its the best acoustic electric i have ever played

the only thing i didnt like was the grover tuners i had them up graded and now thats all good

very great i love the sound and tone quality it has a clear crisp sound it sounds and plays just like an acoustic whether it be plugged in or unplugged

the finish was flawless and it is some of the best quality i have seen on an epi acousitic for that kind of price i have had it for a few months and not a problem

great bargain

never had to contact them

one of the best lookin axes i own