Just like the real thing… correction: it is the real thing
"Saw this in the Gibson/ Epiphone new year sale and I thought I’d take the plunge after dithering over the Bonamassa treasure edition a few years ago. I’d read up about that as well as the more recent twin pick up standard models and was impressed by every reviewers opinion on them - matching construction to Gibsons own, US pickups and parts inc the very important (to me) banjo tuners. Out of the case it played beautifully and is very resonant. I also own a Gibson mk 5 firebird so was able to compare side by side. The firebird 1 neck is much more rounded and baseball bat like, the Gibson 5 being much shallower with a flatter feel. Pick ups on both are powerful and turning the tone right off does not kill anything, just lessens shrillness and makes tone more rounded. The construction on the Epiphone is top notch, beautifully finished in a gorgeous cherry - not quite a Gibson 60s cherry, it being more towards the cooler, magenta end of the spectrum whilst Gibson 60s is warmer with more orange in it. Wood is excellent and is visible behind the transparent finish. I wonder if they would ever use nitro on a Epiphone? Banjo tuners feel a bit better on the Epiphone, a bit more precise. The fingerboard is Indian laurel and to be honest, it’s so similar to rosewood I have on another guitars, you wouldn’t really know unless you were told. So if you’ve ever wanted an old style banjo tuner 9 piece through neck Gibson Firebird, Epiphone is the way to go."