NGD - Epiphone Black Beauty

[Supernautilus]

Just picked this up today. GC was having a sale. Normally $799. Now $649. With tax I paid $687. And it came with a deluxe Epiphone brand gig bag, which is really nice.

Backstory: I’ve actually been wanting a guitar with mini humbuckers for a while now. I have a set of Duncans from a previous project. SM-1b and SM-3n. But finding affordable guitars with stock minis isn’t easy. So I started looking at P90 guitars, figuring I could swap the minis in easily enough.

By chance, I saw a GC ad about having a guitar sale. I was scrolling through the models when I saw this. Instant GAS attack. I had to have it.

The only issue I have now is the Duncans minis I have lined up I have are chrome, while the guitar is gold hardware. So either I need different pickups or I need to swap in chrome hardware. For now I will just enjoy it while I decide.

 

[Supernautilus]

*correction: I meant SM-3b and SM-1n

 

[Ashurbanipal]

Looking sweet. I'm not a LP guy, but the R4 style Custom is my fav, in looks and sounds (the price of the Gibson version is taking the pi$$).

Is this one a dealer exclusive or something? I've never seen it on the Epiphone website; I know that for some Canadian dealers, for example, they did an SG Custom with the triple hums, lyre vibrola and Kalamazoo headstock a bit before the inspired by CS version came out.

Kinda surprised Epiphone hasn't done a LP Deluxe yet.

So, what you really need is a staple in the neck and call it day .

 

[Artie]

I thought "Black Beauty" referred to the triple humbucker version.

But sweet axe, all the same.

Edit: I stand corrected. Just "Wiki'ed" it. All these years I thought "Black Beauty" referred to the triple-pup version.

The triple-pup version is the "Supreme."

 

[Mincer]

Beautiful guitar, but chrome, for the win!

 

[Supernautilus]

Looking sweet. I'm not a LP guy, but the R4 style Custom is my fav, in looks and sounds (the price of the Gibson version is taking the pi$$).

Is this one a dealer exclusive or something? I've never seen it on the Epiphone website; I know that for some Canadian dealers, for example, they did an SG Custom with the triple hums, lyre vibrola and Kalamazoo headstock a bit before the inspired by CS version came out.

Kinda surprised Epiphone hasn't done a LP Deluxe yet.

So, what you really need is a staple in the neck and call it day .

Yes indeed, this is a GC exclusive. That’s why I was surprised when I saw the ad. I constantly window shop on Reverb and I’ve never seen this model before. The fates smiled on me I guess.

 

[Supernautilus]

Beautiful guitar, but chrome, for the win!

I’ve been googling pictures of chrome Customs and they look awesome. I’m not a huge fan of gold anyways. I’’m definitely leaning towards swapping in some chrome hardware and putting the Duncan mini hums in. At some point lol. I’ll definitely repost when I do!

 

[80's_Metal]

That's pretty seggsy! Congrats

 

[Ashurbanipal]

There's also the Robby Krieger way.

 

[Supernautilus]

Right! And Neil Young does it the other way around lol.

I've thought about both ways to be honest. I definitely want at least one mini hum in there. Right now I think I like the neck pup best, so I might try it this way first. I'll have to see.

 

[jeremy]

r6, not r4. r4 would have a wrap around tailpiece.

but looks like a cool guitar. see what ya have before ya start messing with the pups, though the sm1n/sm3b is a killer setup

 

[Ashurbanipal]

^^ The Custom was the first LP to have a tune-o-matic in later 1953 when Gibson was developing the higher spec model . R4 tends to be the current designation for the CS reissues, as it was the first official release year of the model.

The Robby model has an SM1n, fwiw.

Does this Epiphone have a maple top or is it all mahogany?

 

[Supernautilus]

^^ The Custom was the first LP to have a tune-o-matic in later 1953 when Gibson was developing the higher spec model . R4 tends to be the current designation for the CS reissues, as it was the first official release year of the model.

The Robby model has an SM1n, fwiw.

Does this Epiphone have a maple top or is it all mahogany?

Good question. The GC ad copy mentions a maple top, twice. However, it’s hard to confirm since this is a dealer exclusive and isn’t listed on the Epi website.

The standard dual humbucker Les Paul Custom only says mahogany body, and does not mention a maple top. If I had to guess, is this is what mine is, and GC is engaging in a little extra flamboyance lol.

 

[Supernautilus]

For reference. Not sure I buy it though. My feeling is that a maple top at this price range is dubious.

 

[Ashurbanipal]

Hmm. Well, unless, they painted over everything in the cavities, it would be hard to tell. When the LP was brought back in 1968, the Custom had a maple top also, and that's been the thing unless it's a 50s reissue, or a sig where this kind of thing is specified. No idea what that triple hum Bonamassa one from a few years ago has.

Anyway, it's næce, should be a regular run thing in the IbG line!