My first Gibson SG was an early-’70s model made during the dark years of the company’s

Norlin ownership, and it never felt right to me. But then, a friend of my brother’s brought over a ’62 SG. Whoa! After I played it, I had to have it. The neck felt way better, the pickups were punchier, and it was lighter. I offered up my ’70s SG and a ’60s Gretsch amp in trade, and he accepted. I was sold on vintage SGs right then, and my collecting entered an “SG period.”

A few years ago, Epiphone released these affordable gems, so I started doing eBay searches until I found one that looked good. I snagged this G-400 for $271—a price about 30 percent under market value. This is what I love about eBay: The market fluctuates enough so that savvy shoppers can walk away with good deals. The key to success is patience. It took about five months of looking before I found the right G-400 at the right price.

eBay Tip: Don’t be afraid of bidding too low. If you low ball on enough auctions, you’ll eventually win a desired guitar at a great price. Also, use eSnipe, which can automatically enter a bid during the last seconds of an aution—even if you’re away from your computer.

I really dig this G-400. The neck is a little chunkier than early SGs, but that probably adds more stability, as many of the originals suffered broken or cracked necks over the years. Some people find fault with the stock Epi pickups, but, for me, this baby is a keeper. It’s lightweight, really fun to play, and it looks cool.

Visit Will Ray’s Web site at www.willray.biz, or contact him at will@willray.biz.