Epiphone Korina pickups

Rocket-Man66666

Rocket-Man66666

New member
Heey guys,

I need a little help. I've been redoing the finish on my Epiphone explorer (actually a little more than just a refinish) and I also want to change the stock pickups. Found them way to muddy and just not for me. Actually sold them already.
Anyway, I haven't got a clue where to look for new pups... I've been cheking out the pearly gates, the full shred, the Custom (5 and Custom), the distortion, the screamin' deamon, and so on...
I've been thinking about the Pearly gates neck with a CC in the bridge. I've been thinking about the Jazz neck (already have this one in my LP) with a Full shred in the bridge. And so on...
I'm almost certain that I want a Pearly gates or a Jazz in the neck, but especially the bridge pup dazzles me; there are simply SOOOOO many different pickups.

To make the decision easier, here are some details: It is a Korina (also known as white limba) explorer, with mahagony neck (I think) and a rosewood fingerboard. I own a Line6 DT25 head with a Jet City 1x12" cab. I'm mostly into classic and hard rock (AC/DC, ZZ top, AIRBOURNE, 89 van halen) but also into Rage Against the Machine (love the split Jazz pup in my LP for this!) and Tool.

Hope you guys can help me out!
 
Re: Epiphone Korina pickups

I'm not too familiar with the sound of Korina, but from the styles of music you're looking to play I think a Custom in the bridge and a Jazz in the neck will cover a lot of ground.

The Custom is great, it only gets more complex and crunchy in the mids as you add gain, and to my ears it will nail the sounds of AC/DC and Van Halen all the way to Tool.

The Jazz is surprisingly clear and bell-like with chords, even under high gain. Also covers a lot of ground!

With this pair, your axe will be versatile through any amp and/or cab you plug into. Give the clips a listen - I'm sure someone else will chime in
 
Re: Epiphone Korina pickups

For the music you like to play, you can't do much better than a Pearly Gates in the neck. It has a fuller sound than the Jazz and more attitude. The Demon also makes for a great neck pup as well.

For the bridge, the first pup that came to my mind was the Distortion. The Custom is also a great pup. I personally don't care for ceramic mags (too bright and brittle sounding) but with an A8 mag in either of those pups you'll get what you want and have a slightly smoother sound than with the ceramics.
 
Re: Epiphone Korina pickups

PG neck, 59 Bridge. The line 6 will provide all the dirt you want/need.

If you must have a Hot bridge bucker, PG/Custom.

I would say stay way way away from the Custom Custom.
 
Re: Epiphone Korina pickups

Get a set of '59s and put A8 magnets in them. You'll have yourself something pretty close to the Ibanez Super 70s that EVH had in his Destroyer before he turned it into The Shark.
 
Re: Epiphone Korina pickups

I have an Epiphone Korina Explorer with Seymour Duncan Screamin' Demon & '59 pickups in it and it's great for AC/DC, Airbourne, ZZ Top and similar stuff. Here's a video of me playin' Airbourne's No Way But the Hard Way (rhythm guitar). In the room when I recorded it my tone had more bass. The camera didn't pick it up very well. It's a cheapy. It sounds a lot fuller in person. Nails the tone in this song.

http://youtu.be/bpXGZJYlgwE
 
Re: Epiphone Korina pickups

Heey guys, I'm sorry for my delayed reply but thanks for your input! But this still leaves me inbetween choices...
Since I have a Jazz/'59 combo in my LP, I just want something different for my explorer. So I'm leaning towards the PG for the neck. But for the bridge I'm still stuck with multiple choices:
The Custom (Based on the description, I'm guessing the SH5 and not the SH14) is on the first place, and then the screamin' deamon. I don't, but something draws me to it...
 
Re: Epiphone Korina pickups

Sounds like some good choices. Any of those would be fine, but you are the only judge as to what works best for you.
 
Re: Epiphone Korina pickups

Picking up on my own old thread..

Finaly got to a point in my customization of the Epiphone that I can place the pickups and that my wallet was up to it.
Now the problem rises: I've waited to long. I decided I wanted a PG in the neck and a Custom in the bridge. Turns out both were sold out with the awesome cover I saw on ebay.
So here are some neck options: A PG bridge pup , or a Sreamin Demon in the neck, or a Jazz model.
And for the bridge: A Distortion, an Alternative 8 (figured I could swap mags to make it a Custom?) or an 59/Custom hybrid.

What do you guys recond would be my best bet?
 
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Re: Epiphone Korina pickups

My first suggestion would be to hold out for the pickup combo that you had decided on. Or if you must have it now, go with the PG in the neck, and the 59/C for the bridge.

A side note, if you can swing buying them new from a dealer I suggest doing so, as I believe SD will let you exchange them within 30 days if you aren't happy with them. Look into that though, that might only be a CS thing.
 
Re: Epiphone Korina pickups

Rocket-Man66666 said:
Picking up on my own old thread..

Finaly got to a point in my customization of the Epiphone that I can place the pickups and that my wallet was up to it.
Now the problem rises: I've waited to long. I decided I wanted a PG in the neck and a Custom in the bridge. Turns out both were sold out with the awesome cover I saw on ebay.
So here are some neck options: A PG bridge pup , or a Sreamin Demon in the neck, or a Jazz model.
And for the bridge: A Distortion, an Alternative 8 (figured I could swap mags to make it a Custom?) or an 59/Custom hybrid.

What do you guys recond would be my best bet?
Click to expand...

An Alternative 8 is not just a Custom with a mag swap. Much different winds, with the Alt-8 being wound would quite a bit hotter.

I think you would do well with a Custom in the bridge and a 59 in the neck. I had that combo in the same guitar and loved it. And if you don't love them then you can always take advantage of the 21 day exchange policy or try swapping mags. But be careful, as doing so voids the warranty of the pickup.
 
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Re: Epiphone Korina pickups

Nope,OP's.

I don't have the skill/patience for such things,although I totally understand where you're coming from...
 
Re: Epiphone Korina pickups

I did have the guts to re-do the neck, so I left the finish on that part. Now I know what you're thinking, but it actually worked out ;)
It isn't your typical refinishing either. Here what she looks like now, with the hardware just layed on:


But this is the final version :biglaugh:



It was a B**tch to get the laquer, the sealer, veneer and the glue of, but I'm glad how it turned out. This being my first refinishing and all.
The body consited out of 5 pieces, but they matched quite nicely (only one was a little darker).


 
Re: Epiphone Korina pickups

It looks like asian mahogany or sapele to me. But it's higher quality than the one I had, the grain looks much straighter.
 
Re: Epiphone Korina pickups

wow, that looks amazing! Please post a pic when the pups are installed
 
Re: Epiphone Korina pickups

This.

Metalman_666 said:
I'm not too familiar with the sound of Korina, but from the styles of music you're looking to play I think a Custom in the bridge and a Jazz in the neck will cover a lot of ground.

The Custom is great, it only gets more complex and crunchy in the mids as you add gain, and to my ears it will nail the sounds of AC/DC and Van Halen all the way to Tool.

The Jazz is surprisingly clear and bell-like with chords, even under high gain. Also covers a lot of ground!

With this pair, your axe will be versatile through any amp and/or cab you plug into. Give the clips a listen - I'm sure someone else will chime in
Click to expand...
 
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