First guitar was a Encore, played that for 2 years, i thought it was great. Then i got my epi, i still have it now, ive never wanted anything else, well wanted anything else enough to save up for ages to get it. I simply dont know what has hapend to Gibson, they seem like theyr trying so hard (with the MAGIC system and what not) but they dont seem to be with it now. Why do they feel the need to make these plywood POS'? Heres what i think, its pure greed. All these little kids want to play gibsons and fenders right? because of the name, fender has the Squire, you can get a basic squier for 70buk with an amp and strap and a tutorial vid. Altho gibson have Epi, there a bit more expensive than squier, so they brought out the spirit so that it can be in the mass market (cause lets face it, way more people go in to toy shops than guitar stores.) so therefor they will sell more of them.