Epiphone Les Paul Custom ZW Signature Bullseye

It was the year 2004, I had just returned from Australia several months before that and got into my first "real" job. Earning a meager salary of RM1,600, harbouring huge hopes and high dreams of one day being able to own a signature guitar from my hero and all-time legend Zakk Wylde.

My love affair with Zakk and his music began in 1996, when I started to delve into the world of Black Sabbath, and then to Ozzy Osbourne. I heard a song called "No More Tears" and was just blown away by the solo. Up till today, if I were asked to pick the one perfect solo - Zakk's solo from "No More Tears" will be number one without contention. The phrases, timing, speed, accuracy and technicality were so perfectly intertwined that from that moment on, Zakk solidified his position as my all time favourite guitarist. I then went deeper, and got deep into his Pride & Glory music, his solo acoustic material from Book of Shadows and his tour of Japan, early BLS material from Sonic Brew and Stronger than Death - two epic Zakk albums (Listen to "Hey You (Batch of Lies)") and of course all his material from Ozzy Osbourne. I was obsessed with Zakk, and therefore swore that on my first drawn salary ever in my life, I will purchase his signature guitar as a tribute to my all-time hero.

So let's come back to the story - the year was 2004, it was my first job, and I was earning a crappy bullshit RM1,600. Contrary to your expectations, my first salary did not go to this guitar but it went to a Jimi Hendrix Dunlop Wah (JH-1) instead! I'll talk about this wah pedal later on when I review the effects pedals I own. It was not until after 6 months of working, and a trip to Singapore to watch Master Steve Vai live, that I finally purchased this guitar. I emailed the chaps at the large music store in Singapore on stock availability, case options and total price. I was tended to fast, and everything was perfectly set for when I showed up at the store to collect my guitar - well, almost.

I showed up at the particular branch where the chap who answered me worked at. I came in, introduced myself and told him I was there to collect the guitar. To my surprise, he did not have ready "stock" in the store, and instead told me to take the off-the-shelf copy. After examining the off-the-rack one, I concluded that the condition was too bullshit to take home. So I asked for a new one, and instead was told to get down to their warehouse to pick it up. So I paid the bill in full at the branch, and walked out of the store with an empty case, and my luggage (I used to take the bus to Singapore in those days - thank you NICE bus). So I grabbed a cab, squeezed in with the solid hard case, and went on my way to the guitar warehouse, where the people were notified ahead of time of my arrival, and had the guitar sitting out in a box ready for my collection when I arrived. I left the taxi meter running on the outside of the gate (as the cab was not allowed to turn in to the warehouse), and ran in to collect my guitar. All this occurred 1 hour before I was due on a bus back to KL. Long story short, everything worked out well, and I got my guitar, it fit the case perfectly, and I went off an extremely happy camper. To top it all off, this was the last few Korean made versions of this guitar.

I was finally a proud owner of a Zakk Wylde signature model! For years after that I kept talking about how it would be brilliant to one day have Zakk himself sign the body of the guitar in a gold marker. That dream was fulfilled in 2009 when I met Zakk himself who happily scribbled all over my guitar! So dreams do come true folks.....and it helps to be lucky sometimes too.

Quick Facts:

Neck Material: Maple
Neck Profile: Slim Taper "C" Profile
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Body: Mahogany
Neck Pickup: EMG - HZ
Bridge Pickup: EMG - HZ

Make: Made in Korea

Review:

I'll keep this short and sweet, as my long story above is what really matters to me - especially the fact that this guitar is now long retired into my glass showcase with his signature scribbled all over it.

Short version, the EMG-HZ's are probably the most active passive pickups I know. Picksup well, very ballsy, clear distorted tones and clear clean tones as well. The neck clean tone is exquisite, a good amount of bass and depth. Obviously thinner on the bridge, but also sounds equally compelling on clean. Both pickups can sound sinister on high distortion - but what's more exciting is how it can clean off by rolling the tone knob. I used this guitar on a number of songs I recorded for my second release, and rolling the tone knob down actually helped to clean up the dirty outliers left behind by my BOSS Metalzone pedal. It then turns it into a nice hard rock tone, for fans of newer "rock' style music, which adds a lot of bass into their chugging chords - this guitar will deliver the expected Les Paul tone, with an added kick thanks to the EMGs.

I did not have to set-up the guitar out of the box, and the action and playability came out well inspected from Korea. I've used this guitar anyway from heavy metal (Ozzy, BLS, Megadeth, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden) to 80s Metal/Rock (Poison, Bon Jovi, Dokken), to my own pop/rock styled music and it all fit in well. I'll be honest and say I never really got the most out of this guitar because I was simply too careful around it. It was my first ever electric guitar purchase, it was a signature model of my hero and I never really wanted to damage it. I was very coy around it, and perhaps never "enjoyed" it the way it should have been used. But on the flipside, I enjoy it equally as much staring at it in my cabinet. Maybe sometime in the future I'll purchase the LP Custom Plus ZW Bullseye, which now comes with active EMGs ;)

Overall Rating: Off the scale! Ok, realistically it makes an 8.5 - Zakk himself would use it stock!