Advice for an Epi Les Paul

[nefarious]

Hi all. After saving up my money for quite a bit I think I'm going to fork out some cash to upgrade my Epiphone Les Paul Standard's stock pickups but I just wanted to get some final advice on whether I'm making a good decision.

So far from reading threads I think I want to get a SH-1 '59 Neck and a JB bridge. I also want to go with nickel covers since I really like the look of my current nickel covered pickups.

Since none of the local guitar shops have nickel covered pickups available I think I will probably have to order online:
http://www.zzounds.com/item--SEMSH1/view--Nickel
http://www.zzounds.com/item--SEMSH4

So it adds up to be quite a bit of money (~$190 w/ shipping). Do you think I would really notice much going from the stock epiphone pickups to the duncans and is it worth 190 bucks?

In terms of the tone department I really want to go for the Jimmy Page tone and if possible, also the Slash tone.

Also, the guy I spoke to at the guitar shop said that to install both pickups it would cost 45 bucks and take about a week. I took a peek at the tutorial video for installing pickups on this website and it didn't look *that* bad but I'm just worried that I mess up my guitar or the pickups. So do you guys think it is worth the effort to install the pickups or should I just have the tech do it?

Thanks

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Advice for an Epi Les Paul

I would install them myself. It's really not that hard. Also, get a hold of Lew to get your pickups.

For the Slash sound, I would go with an APH in the neck. For the Jimmy Page sound, the 59 would work, or if you want higher output, get the Custom 5.

 

[nefarious]

Re: Advice for an Epi Les Paul

Hey thanks for the fast reply. I was wondering how much of a difference going from stock epi pickups to some duncans would be? Is it like the difference between night and day? If there are any Epi Les Paul owners out there who would like to chime in that would be cool

Also, is this the Lew you are talking about?
http://www.lewsguitars.com/Seymour.html

 

[Frebnedzo]

Re: Advice for an Epi Les Paul

You should notice a difference, particularly in the bridge pickup.

A lot of people here would do the change themselves to save the
money. I have black hands and would fork over the dollars. No sense
making a mess and then paying more to it cleaned up (or worse,
destroying a pickup, which happened when I saved money by having
a "friend of a friend" do an installation).

I would also shell out the extra bucks to get all the electronics
replaced, new pots, switches etc (at that point it isn't much more
expense to get a few extras, like split coils etc...)

Would it be worth the money? How is the REST of your system? If you
put a similar guitar with a better pickup combo your sound chain, does
it come closer to the sound you are after? If it doesn't, then your money
may be better spent straightening out whatever is making the air move.

There are some people who wouldn't invest in an Epi because it has
no resale value. There are others (myself included), who find that
a rosewood fingerboard Epi has, from an acoustic guitar standpoint,
just about everything I'd want from a Les Paul : the scale, the sustain,
harmonics action, etc. As a player, I can replace everything, from
pickups and electronics to tuners, bridge, strap buttons, etc, and have
the Les Paul I wanted at a third to half the price of a Gibson.

I'm about to buy an Epi Les Paul and go the whole route for exactly that
reason. In the past, I had a junk LP copy with Dimarzios (later with Bill
Lawrence pickups) that played and sounded fantastic. The real LP I bought
to replace it very quickly became a rather embarrassing backup guitar
when I realized that the junker sounded and played better. As for resale
value, they were both stolen, so that point is moot.

Lastly, a 59 and JB is probably a fine combination, search for Epi and/or
Les Paul and you'll find a million recommendations and maybe even people
talking about a Page or Slash tone. Slash is famous for using a set of
APH-1's.

Depending on your needs and budget, you might just do the bridge
(and electronics cleanup etc) first. For me, klanky neck tones are
tolerable, but if I use the bridge for a soloing tone, it better be good.

 

[JumpMarine]

Re: Advice for an Epi Les Paul

Welcome to the forum! Benji's right with the pickup selection. As far as
"Is it worth it?", it's all subjective to your ears. But that said, I've never been dissapointed with an upgrade to SD pickups. Installation really is pretty easy and if there are any questions along the way you will get tons of help here, we're a mighty friendly group. There are no silly or bad questions that you could ask so ask away! Another really cool help is the video that Seymour himself posted on the main SD page that goes step by step on installing a pickup.

 

[claytonc]

Re: Advice for an Epi Les Paul

I am with Benji on this one. I have a LP custom with an APH-1 in the neck and '59 in the bridge. It definitely covers Slash and Page. It is a great combo!

Just make sure the pots are 500K. If not get a set and an orange drop capacitor.

 

[75lespaul]

Re: Advice for an Epi Les Paul

I'm a Page fanatic and when I swapped out the stock Epi pickups for a 59 bridge and (gasp) Dimarzio super II, It sounded like I had purchased a brand new guitar. That bridge 59 is VERY classic/vintage sounding. I got that middle position honk nailed. I have a JB in my early 70s Gibson LP deluxe bridge and it just doesn't sound right. Gonna swap it for one of the new 10K PAFs if it comes out, or a Seth Lover--which also sounds AWESOME in a Gibson guitar. Smoother than the 59 and a little hotter (to me). Funny thing is I have a JB in my 68 Epi Casino and it sounds killer.

I started pickup swapping when I was 16. Not hard at all and I've never fried a pickup yet (I'm 42). Practice with the old pickups first if you'd like to test yourself. Take it out completely, then just wire it back in, solder etc...

Hope this helped out a bit.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Advice for an Epi Les Paul

As long as you're ok with soldering,most of us can get you through the pickup changes....

 

[nefarious]

Re: Advice for an Epi Les Paul

Thanks soooo much for the awesome replies! Now I am really hyped up to install the new pickups. Actually I talked to a GC rep today and he said that instead of getting the nickel covered duncans I could just get the non-covered versions for the 59N and the JB bridge and then put on some "Gibson covers" (can't remember the exact name, just that they came in a set of 2, are made by Gibson, and cost 10 bucks). And apparently after putting these covers on, the pickups should look like the nickel covered burstbuckers.

Anyways, I've been spending time trying to find a good guide on how to install the pickups but maybe I'm just not good at searching. The video on the site certainly helps but I was kind of hoping for a step-by-step tutorial that included things like what materials I would need and etc. How did you guys first learn to install pickups? Any references to good guides would be really appreciated!

EDIT: opps guess I did too much searching on the forums that I didn't see the FAQ on the main seymourduncan site. D'oh! But I guess the question still stands...if anyone knows of any additional guides that would be great - the more I know about what I'm about to do the better off I am, right?

Strat: I actually haven't soldered anything before...but maybe I can go out and buy a soldering iron and practice on stuff ahead of time?

 

[Jimbojsr]

Re: Advice for an Epi Les Paul

Hey newbie,

I also can testify to the benefits of sticking some duncans in an Epiphone. YES, you will notice a difference! Obviously don't wanna overplay it in case it's not quite as big a change as you'd think, but even with a modest setup you will have a much more professional sound. Let us know how it sounds!

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Advice for an Epi Les Paul

To solder, all you need is a soldering iron, solder, and a solder sucker. I learned by watching other people do it and then doing it myself.

As far as getting Duncans and then getting covers seperately. I would recommend against that. Duncan already sells covered pickups that will be potted from the factory. This helps prevent feedback and noise.

 

[kjrocks]

Re: Advice for an Epi Les Paul

I put an APH in the neck and it has never come out of my Epi Lp.As for the bridge,I've tried a Custom,C5,JB and now a DD and each one is great in its own way.You will definitely being making an improvement but if your like the rest of us here these wont be the last pups you put in it

and welcome to the forum

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: Advice for an Epi Les Paul

If you want the PAGE / SLASH tone you WILL LOVE the switch to Duncans. The Richness or your tone, feel, and open qualities will improve significantly. I am not thrilled with stock EPI pups. I have even found EPIs upgraded to Gibson 57 classics to be excellent esp for page slash tones.

I will say, I am a little more into the Alnico Pro 2s, which will be a dead ringer for the slash tone thru a Marshall (if you have one). For high gain with a sweet tone, the Custom 5 is great, but will not slice thru a rock band like a JB or CC will. I actually LOVE the A2Pro/JB combo as well as the 59/JB and the 59/C5 or A2pro/C5

You cannot go wrong with any of these.

What's your guitar rig?

 

[nefarious]

Re: Advice for an Epi Les Paul

Thx all again for your responses. I think I made a bad move yesterday by rushing out to buy the 59 Neck / JB Bridge and some covers without checking the boards first..

Fortunately I am still within the return period and I haven't really messed with the pickups so I suppose I have the option of returning them..

Are covers potentially that bad? I thought it would save me some money since the duncans with covers are 15 or so bucks more per pickup than the non-covered. Or perhaps I could could just not use the covers I bought?

Olin: right now I have a Marshall AVT100 (valvestate) and I really like it. I've only been playing for a couple of years so I didn't think that I would be ready to invest in a tube amp so I had just purchased the AVT cheaply off ebay as an intermediate step.

 

[34029324079]

Re: Advice for an Epi Les Paul

I got horrible feedback from doing the cover thing...

I guess you could try the covers out, if you get squeeelllls and feedback, take the covers off. I recommend no covers in your case.

Slash does not use covers and my guitar heroes do not either; I just bought a JB with a cover because they look pretty good and there is not much difference in tonal textures (cover v. no cover)

 

[Ed K]

Re: Advice for an Epi Les Paul

New pots and caps are also a great upgrade. I like to make sure my pots are truly 500K by adjusting the resistive element inside.

Also, try to protect the back of your guitar with an old shirt or towel because solder drippings can make for some nasty mars in the finish.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Advice for an Epi Les Paul

Regardless of what anyone might say about the 59N and JB, I've installed that combo (or the Jazz n and JB combo) in several Epi Les Pauls and the tone has always been fabulous.

The last Epi Les Paul I put that combo in was a LP Custom and I truly felt that the tone was comparable to the tone of my Gibson Les Paul 59 RI with those zillion dollar Tom Holmes humbuckers.

I say: "go for it"!

Only thing I'd say to consider instead would be the Jazz and JB combo...that's Seymour's personal fave and the Jazz n has a little clearer and more extended high end and a little less "woof" or "mush" to the bass. I love the 59 but the Jazz is similar and usually a clearer sounding pickup for chords and rythym playing in most guitars. The 59n can be a little bass heavy sometimes...it's very popular with metal heads and guys who play distorted most of the time. For a clearer tone the Jazz might be a better choice.

(And if I can help I have both models in stock.)

 

[nefarious]

Re: Advice for an Epi Les Paul

After reading about having to pot a pickup in order to get the cover on I just don't think I want to put in the extra effort (installing the pickup itself already sounds difficult enough for me - adding the covers would make it even more complicated). So I might just end up returning the pickups I bought after the holidays and order some preinstalled nickel covered pickups.

Lew: I was wondering, do you carry any 59N and JB pickups with nickel covers? If so, for how much?

EDIT: ok based on what everybody above has said...I think my final choices will be Alnico Pro 2's in the neck and 59 in the bridge. So basically if I want the Jimmy Page sound I could just switch to the bridge position and if I want the Slash sound I would switch to the neck position? Would it work this way? Thanks again

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Advice for an Epi Les Paul

After reading about having to pot a pickup in order to get the cover on I just don't think I want to put in the extra effort (installing the pickup itself already sounds difficult enough for me - adding the covers would make it even more complicated). So I might just end up returning the pickups I bought after the holidays and order some preinstalled nickel covered pickups.

Lew: I was wondering, do you carry any 59N and JB pickups with nickel covers? If so, for how much?

Hmmm the jazz neck also has me a little indecisive. I naturally didn't think it would do much to get the Jimmy Page tone since it's called the 'jazz' so that's why I originally went with the '59. So if you guys had two pickups to choose that would give the closest tone to Jimmy Page, the 59N and JB would be good right?

Yes...in stock for $86.95 each. Thanks! Lew

 

[SoCalSteve]

Re: Advice for an Epi Les Paul

Regardless of what anyone might say about the 59N and JB, I've installed that combo (or the Jazz n and JB combo) in several Epi Les Pauls and the tone has always been fabulous.

The last Epi Les Paul I put that combo in was a LP Custom and I truly felt that the tone was comparable to the tone of my Gibson Les Paul 59 RI with those zillion dollar Tom Holmes humbuckers.

I say: "go for it"!

Only thing I'd say to consider instead would be the Jazz and JB combo...that's Seymour's personal fave and the Jazz n has a little clearer and more extended high end and a little less "woof" or "mush" to the bass. I love the 59 but the Jazz is similar and usually a clearer sounding pickup for chords and rythym playing in most guitars. The 59n can be a little bass heavy sometimes...it's very popular with metal heads and guys who play distorted most of the time. For a clearer tone the Jazz might be a better choice.

(And if I can help I have both models in stock.)

Lew, I haven't seen many recommendations of the Jazz/JB combo lately but I'm seriously leaning toward this combo. I was just reading a review of the Jackson Randy Rhoads Flying V and Guitar World raved about this Jazz/JB combo in it. I've always wondered what type of guitar Seymour liked them in most. Would they be a great match in a mahogany w/maple top LP?