I have an Epiphone Les Paul Special II that is a thin body knock-off of a Gibson Les Paul. It doesn't have a carved top and instead of being made of mahogany, it is made of alder (or maybe basswood, I'm not entirely sure) which we all know is a brighter sounding wood. I like the tone already but I want to make some modifications. I know of course that it will never sound quite like a real Les Paul but I just want to fatten the tone. Any suggestions?
Fattening Your Tone
- Thread starter minions
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hamerfan
Well-known member
Re: Fattening Your Tone
If you are looking for a phat les Paul tone, you better look for a Epi Les Paul. You can spend a lot of money by buying pickups, new electric component, even heavier tuners like Grovers, new steel bridge, alu tailpiece and stuff. Every little bit brings you nearer, but you will always look after the famous LP tone - and never reach it. It will always be a thin bodied basswood guitar and so will the tone be.
If you are looking for a phat les Paul tone, you better look for a Epi Les Paul. You can spend a lot of money by buying pickups, new electric component, even heavier tuners like Grovers, new steel bridge, alu tailpiece and stuff. Every little bit brings you nearer, but you will always look after the famous LP tone - and never reach it. It will always be a thin bodied basswood guitar and so will the tone be.
F
Funkfingers
Guest
Re: Fattening Your Tone
Play to the strengths of the guitar that you have. Its thin body gives it a Melody Maker vibe. Build on this with the new Hot P-Rails in the bridge position and a regular output P-Rails nearest the neck. These pickups will require either Triple Shot monting surrounds or push-pull pots to access all of their functions. This is the ideal "excuse" to upgrade your control pots.
Like this. http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=2_prails_1v_1t_tspp
Play to the strengths of the guitar that you have. Its thin body gives it a Melody Maker vibe. Build on this with the new Hot P-Rails in the bridge position and a regular output P-Rails nearest the neck. These pickups will require either Triple Shot monting surrounds or push-pull pots to access all of their functions. This is the ideal "excuse" to upgrade your control pots.
Like this. http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=2_prails_1v_1t_tspp
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SirJackdeFuzz
New member
Re: Fattening Your Tone
Here are some ideas :
* Duncan A2P set
* 250K pots (on current pick ups)
* MXR 10Band EQ
* Warmer speakers on your amp/cab
Here are some ideas :
* Duncan A2P set
* 250K pots (on current pick ups)
* MXR 10Band EQ
* Warmer speakers on your amp/cab
Marshall_Abuser
New member
super rad stuff
Skaforlifeologist
Re: Fattening Your Tone
the best upgrade you can make is to something other than an epiphone special
honestly, i had the SG version of that guitar. at one point i had duncans and american electronics in there, but the guitar was falling apart. while it did sound better, it's not really worth it to upgrade those things, they're really just starter instruments.
the best upgrade you can make is to something other than an epiphone special
honestly, i had the SG version of that guitar. at one point i had duncans and american electronics in there, but the guitar was falling apart. while it did sound better, it's not really worth it to upgrade those things, they're really just starter instruments.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Fattening Your Tone
If you're going to keep that guitar, no point in putting much money in it. It's an entry level guitar and everything thing on it is as cheap as possible. If you have better PU's laying around you could put those in. I'd put an A8 magnet in the bridge PU which will add mids.
The best thing to do would be to get a set-neck Epi LP (Custom, Std, Classic, or Studio). Those all have archtop bodies & will give more low end & sustain. You can get then used in nice condition for about half the price of a new one. Then a set of good PU's will really make a difference. A pair of PAF's like '59's, PG's, or a C5/'59N will sound pretty good. I've done this many times and get compliments on my tone from guys with Gibsons.
If you're going to keep that guitar, no point in putting much money in it. It's an entry level guitar and everything thing on it is as cheap as possible. If you have better PU's laying around you could put those in. I'd put an A8 magnet in the bridge PU which will add mids.
The best thing to do would be to get a set-neck Epi LP (Custom, Std, Classic, or Studio). Those all have archtop bodies & will give more low end & sustain. You can get then used in nice condition for about half the price of a new one. Then a set of good PU's will really make a difference. A pair of PAF's like '59's, PG's, or a C5/'59N will sound pretty good. I've done this many times and get compliments on my tone from guys with Gibsons.
Re: Fattening Your Tone
I agree speakers and amp are really the biggest determining factor in tone fatness.
I agree speakers and amp are really the biggest determining factor in tone fatness.
SirJackdeFuzz
New member
Re: Fattening Your Tone
Good call on the strings !
How did i overlook that one ?
11-54's works for me. (pref w a wound G)
Good call on the strings !
How did i overlook that one ?
11-54's works for me. (pref w a wound G)
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Fattening Your Tone
If your style doesn't involve a lot of deep bends. I need 9's for my style.
If your style doesn't involve a lot of deep bends. I need 9's for my style.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Fattening Your Tone
10's and a wound G? Not if you bend like Peter Green.
^^ I found a set that has great balance between the two. 10s with the wound 3rd.
10's and a wound G? Not if you bend like Peter Green.
Zerberus
Baron Von Shred
Re: Fattening Your Tone
:bsflag:
Just like every other muscle in the body, fingers can be strengthened.
I play on 12s in standard and bend when, where and as fara as I want to, including at the 1st fret where even most players with 9s wimp out.:friday:
And the wound Gs in most sets are equivalent in tension to the somewhat smaller but larger cored plain string that is more commonplace on today`s sets designed for players with inferior hand strength. The only reason that a plain g was introduced in the first place was because the technology wasn´t there to make the core small enough to use a wound string. Any assumption that a wound G is harder to bend than a plain string at the same tension has no root in reality or physics.
Sorry to put it that bluntly, but Les Paul, Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian, Robert Johnson and MANY others had no problems with 11s, 12s or 13s, all with wound g strings, and it was all they had back then. There were no 10s, 9s or 8s. At all. Lighter gauges didn´t come into existence until the late 60s or so when people started wanting to play faster and faster while investing less time to practicing anfd finger strength.... The pinnacle of this evolution came about 15 years later with hair, shred and speed metal, and thankfully the whole "you need light strings to be able to bend and play fast" schtick has been steadily dying ever since.
Technology can make the symptoms of less practice less apparent, but only practice will remove the cause.
:bsflag:
Just like every other muscle in the body, fingers can be strengthened.
I play on 12s in standard and bend when, where and as fara as I want to, including at the 1st fret where even most players with 9s wimp out.:friday:
And the wound Gs in most sets are equivalent in tension to the somewhat smaller but larger cored plain string that is more commonplace on today`s sets designed for players with inferior hand strength. The only reason that a plain g was introduced in the first place was because the technology wasn´t there to make the core small enough to use a wound string. Any assumption that a wound G is harder to bend than a plain string at the same tension has no root in reality or physics.
Sorry to put it that bluntly, but Les Paul, Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian, Robert Johnson and MANY others had no problems with 11s, 12s or 13s, all with wound g strings, and it was all they had back then. There were no 10s, 9s or 8s. At all. Lighter gauges didn´t come into existence until the late 60s or so when people started wanting to play faster and faster while investing less time to practicing anfd finger strength.... The pinnacle of this evolution came about 15 years later with hair, shred and speed metal, and thankfully the whole "you need light strings to be able to bend and play fast" schtick has been steadily dying ever since.
Technology can make the symptoms of less practice less apparent, but only practice will remove the cause.
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SirJackdeFuzz
New member
Re: Fattening Your Tone
Did'nt SRV rock 13's ?
It works wonders for Jazz cats, producing a warm mellow tone, might work for the OP too :
http://store.daddario.com/category/145833/ECG26_Chromes_Medium_13-56
Getting a set on Monday for me !
Did'nt SRV rock 13's ?
It works wonders for Jazz cats, producing a warm mellow tone, might work for the OP too :
http://store.daddario.com/category/145833/ECG26_Chromes_Medium_13-56
Getting a set on Monday for me !
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SirJackdeFuzz
New member
Re: Fattening Your Tone
This will phatten up yer tone . . . ermmm, maybe to much !
This will phatten up yer tone . . . ermmm, maybe to much !
Zerberus
Baron Von Shred
Re: Fattening Your Tone
^^ Yes he did, but everybody mentions SRV and nobody else, so stating his name almost universally garners something along the lines of "Yeah but that was SRV, he had huge, strong hands". The irony here being that his hands weren´t significantly bigger than most other people and that he most certainly didn´t build up his finger strength by playing 9s at home :beerchug:
^^ Yes he did, but everybody mentions SRV and nobody else, so stating his name almost universally garners something along the lines of "Yeah but that was SRV, he had huge, strong hands". The irony here being that his hands weren´t significantly bigger than most other people and that he most certainly didn´t build up his finger strength by playing 9s at home :beerchug:
