Hi: I'm new to this forum but I didn't see a thread on this question yet. I have an Ephiphone Elite LP and wish to change my pick ups to the APH1 (both neck and bridge). My current spacings (E string to E string) are slightly less than 2" for the neck, and slightly more than 2" for the bridge. Is this a problem when replacing pickups, or is the distance so slight it doesn't matter. Thanks!
APH1 spacings for Epiphone Les Paul
- Thread starter Stong
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Jimbojsr
New member
Re: APH1 spacings for Epiphone Les Paul
Hello, and welcome!!!!!!!
Regardless of what guitar you use, humbuckers all come in one standard size and shape. If your Epi has humbuckers in there now, then new Seymours will fit in. The strings are further apart at the bridge than they are at the nut, which is why there's a difference at the positions of the 2 pickups, but the slot the pup goes into (ie. the hole in the wood, which is the important thing) is exactly the same.
The only exception is when a guitar has a Floyd Rode tremelo unit, where the pups need to be a bit bigger, but your guitar won't have that so it's nothing to worry about.
Happy playing!
Hello, and welcome!!!!!!!
Regardless of what guitar you use, humbuckers all come in one standard size and shape. If your Epi has humbuckers in there now, then new Seymours will fit in. The strings are further apart at the bridge than they are at the nut, which is why there's a difference at the positions of the 2 pickups, but the slot the pup goes into (ie. the hole in the wood, which is the important thing) is exactly the same.
The only exception is when a guitar has a Floyd Rode tremelo unit, where the pups need to be a bit bigger, but your guitar won't have that so it's nothing to worry about.
Happy playing!
Alvin Lee Fan
New member
Re: APH1 spacings for Epiphone Les Paul
Get a regular spaced pickup for the neck and an F-spaced pickup for the bridge. Although the difference is very small and you could easily use regular spaced pickups in both spots. On the Burstbuckers and '57 Classics, Gibson doesn't even offer an F-spaced version, so that should tell you something.
Get a regular spaced pickup for the neck and an F-spaced pickup for the bridge. Although the difference is very small and you could easily use regular spaced pickups in both spots. On the Burstbuckers and '57 Classics, Gibson doesn't even offer an F-spaced version, so that should tell you something.
Jimbojsr
New member
Re: APH1 spacings for Epiphone Les Paul
Dude, NO!!!!! An F-spaced pup will be TOO BIG for the hole in the body of the guitar. I speak as someone who tried to put an F-spaced humbucker in the bridge of my Epiphone Dot, and couldn't because it was a few millimeters too big. A normal sized humbucker will do nicely.Alvin Lee Fan said:
marshallartist
New member
Re: APH1 spacings for Epiphone Les Paul
I just pulled an F-Spaced Dimarzio Breed out of the bridge of my Epi LP. It fit just fine going in six months ago.:scratchch
Jimbojsr said:
I just pulled an F-Spaced Dimarzio Breed out of the bridge of my Epi LP. It fit just fine going in six months ago.:scratchch
Fusion1
New member
Re: APH1 spacings for Epiphone Les Paul
Not sure if ALL Gibsons come with and without "T" spacing, but I do know that the bridge models of the 490T 498T and 500T have that T there for a reason. Trem Spaced, and they are the only versions of the bridge humbucker. There is no NON-T inscription on the bridge pickups' baseplate, those pickups come in. Maybe the Burstbuckers and Classic 57's are paired with re-issues that use the narrower bridge than most modern (post 1990) Gibsons, but I doubt it.
Alvin Lee Fan said:
Not sure if ALL Gibsons come with and without "T" spacing, but I do know that the bridge models of the 490T 498T and 500T have that T there for a reason. Trem Spaced, and they are the only versions of the bridge humbucker. There is no NON-T inscription on the bridge pickups' baseplate, those pickups come in. Maybe the Burstbuckers and Classic 57's are paired with re-issues that use the narrower bridge than most modern (post 1990) Gibsons, but I doubt it.
Fusion1
New member
Re: APH1 spacings for Epiphone Les Paul
Actually the T on newer pickups accomodate the wider polespacing. An early 80's 490r and 498t set had the same pole spacing for both pickups. On any of the newer pickups with a T inscription, look at the baseplate and you will see the screw side is wider than the slug side.
EDIT: Just compared a newer Gibson with the GIBSON USA stamp on the baseplate to an older PAT no. 2,737,842 stamped Gibson and you can clearly see it's a wider spacing on the newer GIBSON USA pickup.
Anything newer than a 1990 Gibson will be a better fit with an F-spaced or Trem-spaced pickup.
Actually the T on newer pickups accomodate the wider polespacing. An early 80's 490r and 498t set had the same pole spacing for both pickups. On any of the newer pickups with a T inscription, look at the baseplate and you will see the screw side is wider than the slug side.
EDIT: Just compared a newer Gibson with the GIBSON USA stamp on the baseplate to an older PAT no. 2,737,842 stamped Gibson and you can clearly see it's a wider spacing on the newer GIBSON USA pickup.
Anything newer than a 1990 Gibson will be a better fit with an F-spaced or Trem-spaced pickup.
Alvin Lee Fan
New member
Re: APH1 spacings for Epiphone Les Paul
Yup, the newer model Gibson pickups are sized for neck (Rhythm) or bridge (Treble) spacing, 490R, 498T, 496R, 500T, etc.
However, the recreations of the PAF like the original Burstbuckers and '57 Classic have no such differences. Not sure on the newer Burstbucker Pro pickups.
Has nothing to do with wide/narrow bridges. It's just that in the old days, no one cared about this, there was no "neck" or "bridge" model pickup. They just made a pickup and stuck two of 'em in a Les Paul
Later model pickups are spaced for their respective positions, bridge sizes have stayed pretty much the same over the years.
Yup, the newer model Gibson pickups are sized for neck (Rhythm) or bridge (Treble) spacing, 490R, 498T, 496R, 500T, etc.
However, the recreations of the PAF like the original Burstbuckers and '57 Classic have no such differences. Not sure on the newer Burstbucker Pro pickups.
Has nothing to do with wide/narrow bridges. It's just that in the old days, no one cared about this, there was no "neck" or "bridge" model pickup. They just made a pickup and stuck two of 'em in a Les Paul
Later model pickups are spaced for their respective positions, bridge sizes have stayed pretty much the same over the years.
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Drunken Uncle
New member
Re: APH1 spacings for Epiphone Les Paul
Bumping an old thread here
I took delivery last week of a new neck pup for one of my Epiphone Les Pauls and it doesn't fit. Last year I replaced the bridge humbucker on an 80's strat I had and found it was a Gibson I'd had in the strat
so thought I'd stick that in the LP bridge and have a boutique build for the neck. Unfortunately it looks like my LP was a Friday guitar, the original Epi bridge pup, the Gibson and the new neck pup all measure 50mm
E to E, the original neck pup from the Epi measures 47 meaning that the mounting lugs need to be bent inwards to get the pup in and when it's in the E poles are wildly off balance with the string position
Any clues as to how this insanity has come about?
Bumping an old thread here
I took delivery last week of a new neck pup for one of my Epiphone Les Pauls and it doesn't fit. Last year I replaced the bridge humbucker on an 80's strat I had and found it was a Gibson I'd had in the strat
so thought I'd stick that in the LP bridge and have a boutique build for the neck. Unfortunately it looks like my LP was a Friday guitar, the original Epi bridge pup, the Gibson and the new neck pup all measure 50mm
E to E, the original neck pup from the Epi measures 47 meaning that the mounting lugs need to be bent inwards to get the pup in and when it's in the E poles are wildly off balance with the string position
Any clues as to how this insanity has come about?
LtKojak
New member
Re: APH1 spacings for Epiphone Les Paul
My Terada-made Emperador 335 copy, she too came with a Gotoh p'up set measuring 47.2mm on the neck p'up and 50mm on the bridge p'up. The bridge itself had a 50mm width for the strings. I've replaced all the hardware with good quality parts and never looked back. After the makeover, she usually eats Custom Shop 335s for breakfast and then some.
No insanity, just lack of knowledge and due diligence, I'm afraid.
HTH,
Naaahhhhh... it's only eleven years old.
Your Epi must be really old, built to classic, early 70s japanese metric standards.
My Terada-made Emperador 335 copy, she too came with a Gotoh p'up set measuring 47.2mm on the neck p'up and 50mm on the bridge p'up. The bridge itself had a 50mm width for the strings. I've replaced all the hardware with good quality parts and never looked back. After the makeover, she usually eats Custom Shop 335s for breakfast and then some.
No insanity, just lack of knowledge and due diligence, I'm afraid.
HTH,
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Drunken Uncle
New member
Re: APH1 spacings for Epiphone Les Paul
Wasn't to be with the Korean Epi LP, guy doing the work had an old set of Gotoh pups, probably from a Tokai, in his shed and fitted those, still not quite bang on but probably as good as it was going to get, the Gibson pup and boutique build went into my silverburst Epi LP Custom Pro
Wasn't to be with the Korean Epi LP, guy doing the work had an old set of Gotoh pups, probably from a Tokai, in his shed and fitted those, still not quite bang on but probably as good as it was going to get, the Gibson pup and boutique build went into my silverburst Epi LP Custom Pro