Is this worth it....

[Shauggy]

OK, so I've got an Epi LP. It's a Studio Pearl model, so it's kind of cool, not completely unique but different from most that I see (kind of like if goth guitars were cooler)

The problem is that it's an Epiphone. I swapped pups, but would it be worth it to swap out the wiring and all too, or am I better off just getting a Gibson? Studio Fadeds are $699 at FQMS.com. Basically I guess I'm asking if I rewire it, will it still sound like an Epi?

 

[Mllerrin]

Re: Is this worth it....

It'll definately sound better. Check out www.rsguitarworks.net though they are a bit pricey.

Upgrading the pickups will be the main upgrade as long as they are good as I really haven't heard much good about the epiphone pickups at all.

If you can upgrade to the gibson do so, and keep the epi as a backup but epi's aren't always bad guitars. You'd be surprised what a good setup will do to a cheap guitar.

After that there are always nuts, strings, tuners you can try. There are many possibilities.

 

[Shauggy]

Re: Is this worth it....

I've tried the JB/Jazz combo, right now I've got some Dimarzios in it 'cause I wanted to try something a little more lower-output but with my strat doing the mellow thing I was going to try a 59/Custom 5 set for it.

The thing is, once I get a wiring kit, if I've got to start swapping out the hardware too, the $$$ will start adding up quickly. I don't want to dump a lot of cash into an Epi if I could sell this one, spend the same amount and have a Gibson.

 

[Mllerrin]

Re: Is this worth it....

This is true. If you feel you could get a lot more out of just spendin more I'm sure you could get one of the Gibson Faded's for 579, or cheaper. And since you already have new pickups you'll be ahead.

 

[lex666]

Re: Is this worth it....

I think $699 for the Gibson LP special is a good deal. Its a good value and you'd be getting some improvement over the Epi. I'd say get the Gibby. You'd probably our grow the Epi after a while anyways...

 

[Shauggy]

Re: Is this worth it....

It's not a Special, it's a Studio - it's basically the Vintage Mahogany but it's $100 less! (now if they'd only go on sale like last Christmas when they were $599)

http://www.fqms.com/Gibson_Les_Paul_Studio_Faded_W_P22206.cfm

I think I've already outgrown the Epi, but I keep hanging on to it for nostalgic reasons....ha! (remember that one guitar that wasn't all that cool, but you wish you had kept it? if I sell it, this will be that guitar)

 

[lex666]

Re: Is this worth it....

It's not a Special, it's a Studio - it's basically the Vintage Mahogany but it's $100 less! (now if they'd only go on sale like last Christmas when they were $599)

http://www.fqms.com/Gibson_Les_Paul_Studio_Faded_W_P22206.cfm

I think I've already outgrown the Epi, but I keep hanging on to it for nostalgic reasons....ha! (remember that one guitar that wasn't all that cool, but you wish you had kept it? if I sell it, this will be that guitar)

Even sweeter! Get it and still keep the Epi...

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Is this worth it....

I spent hundreds of $$$ years ago upgrading an Epi LP because I really liked the flame job on it. So I put new p'ups in there (JB/59) and replaced all the hardware with gold hardware (including Sperzels). It was very nice. But it was still an Epi. Would not stay in-tune when temps changed. And didn't have any real value even after the upgrade. I wouldn't do any more to an Epi or a Squire than change-out pickups these days. Much better off buying the "real" thing and putting money into that. At least when you go to sell it that way it's worth something. IMO

 

[Pete Galati]

Re: Is this worth it....

You could probably make a lot of progress with the sound of an Epi Les Paul by using PAF type pickups, and wiring it more or less like a '50s Les Paul, where the tone cap connects to the volume pot at the output terminal.

Specialty Guitars has a wiring diagram showing how that's wired up (pdf file):

http://www.specialtyguitars.com/kits/lp_diagram.pdf

As I recall, the Duncan wiring diagram show the more modern Les Paul wiring. Which is very likely to be how the Epi's wired now. I like the '50s style wiring a lot when I combine it with the Peter Green magnet flipping trick. I know there's an explanation of how to do that on the Duncan website.

That. and you can get good cheap fake mojo by wiring .022uf Xicon caps, in parallel with .001uf caps (gives you .023uf) for tone caps, and that sounds surprisingly like oil & paper caps. It's the uf value that counts.

This is a LP Junior Special, not at Epi:

Doesn't look as cool, but nobody can hear what your control cavity looks like.

Pete

 

[mediumpimpin]

Re: Is this worth it....

For what it's worth, I have an epi lp custom with the jb/jazz set with all new wiring. I definitely think it was well worth it. The guitar sounds a lot better than when it was stock. I also at the same time upgraded to grovers and had a bone nuck installed (came with a crappy plastic one). The guitar is way better than when I first got it. I would definitely say this thing gives most gibsons a run for their money. I've played a lot a gibsons that I didn't like as much as my epi and was in disbelief when I looked at their prices compared to what I spent on my epi.

 

[Philcguitars]

Re: Is this worth it....

Re-wiring can't possibly be as expensive as a Gibson, even if you change all the pots.

 

[Shauggy]

Re: Is this worth it....

You could probably make a lot of progress with the sound of an Epi Les Paul by using PAF type pickups, and wiring it more or less like a '50s Les Paul, where the tone cap connects to the volume pot at the output terminal.

Doesn't look as cool, but nobody can hear what your control cavity looks like.

Pete

Thanks, Pete - yeah, it doesn't look as cool but it's a lot cleaner - which I like better! 'Course, I was going to throw in some push-pull pots, so that might complicate it, but it's still worth giving it a shot.

 

[lex666]

Re: Is this worth it....

the problem with epi's is not the sound or the feel.

its the mojo.

 

[Shauggy]

Re: Is this worth it....

Re-wiring can't possibly be as expensive as a Gibson, even if you change all the pots.

You're right - but it might be close.
My Epi - $250 (got it used)
case - $75
pickups - $100
wiring - $75

That brings me up to $500, and that's without switching out any of the hardware (and my plastic tuning keys are pretty crappy, one is falling apart) So say I spend another $100 on hardware, then I'm up to $600.

For another $100, I could get a used Studio or a Vintage Mahogany or something.

(and then I'd have the aforementioned "mojo".... :bigok: I need all the help I can get)

 

[Loserchief]

Re: Is this worth it....

Yeah you could get the bison but that one will still have crappy hardware and not the most high quality wiring so you might still want to change that. Same goes for gbison pups imo. I'd say mod the hell out of the epi and save 100$.

 

[baritone]

Re: Is this worth it....

I put over $600 into my old Korea-made Squier because I thought it would be more enjoyable than spending $600 plus the small amount I could get from selling it on a new guitar. I did this with the intention of keeping the guitar to play and not worrying about selling it later, and I am totally satisfied with the results.

 

[Shauggy]

Re: Is this worth it....

Thanks for all the feedback, guys - still not sure what I'll end up doing, but I'll probably keep it for now. Maybe swap out the wiring in a few months.

 

[Philcguitars]

Re: Is this worth it....

You're right - but it might be close.
My Epi - $250 (got it used)
case - $75
pickups - $100
wiring - $75

That brings me up to $500, and that's without switching out any of the hardware (and my plastic tuning keys are pretty crappy, one is falling apart) So say I spend another $100 on hardware, then I'm up to $600.

For another $100, I could get a used Studio or a Vintage Mahogany or something.

(and then I'd have the aforementioned "mojo".... :bigok: I need all the help I can get)

Yeah OK. Sorry, I wans't thinking that way, because I have rarely considered buying used.

 

[mrturtle_91]

Re: Is this worth it....

If you really like the guitar, then upgrade it, and keep it. I have a cheap epiphone les paul special II, and I wouldn't trade it for anything, so I'm upgrading it.

 

[Iceman0124]

Re: Is this worth it....

I recently bought an Epi classic for $300 with HS case, its flame veneer with a vintage sunburst, my least fave bust, though this ones a little different than most I've seen, its extremely bright yellow in the center, mellows abit, has slight tinge of red, then the lights go out to a nice glassy BLACK black, the guitar just kinda screamed at me everytime it saw me at the store, the price was right, and I originally planned on getting it for my little boy, but playing around with it, I 'm keeping it and he can have my old dean V he wants. Its in the shop right now getting a complete overhaul, BB pro in the neck, 500T in the bridge, all new electronic,switch etc, its satisfied my LP craving so far, my old 78 standard split her top twice ages ago, and I havent had an LP since, if the guitar "fits" you, go for it, I had a $60 big head squier that I deeply regret selling, sold it to a friend that still gigs with it( he has a gibson SG and an Eric Jhonson strat as backups) he wont let me buy it back, though I do get visitation privliges. "mojo" doesnt come with a sticker price or a brand name, the guitar either has it or it doesnt. Kind of like my old $30 pool cue, cheap import job, I loved it and it loved me, I could run the table 5 times in a row with it, and call every shot and with in 2" of where the cue ball would stop most of the time, it got stolen, a bunch of my buddies got together and got me a beautiful custom US made cue, worth about a grand, it looks great, it feels great, but its no where in the same leauge as to what I had, and I've doen everything I can to it, it just isnt the same, and it never will be.