Pickups for an Epiphone Flying V?

[Demanic]

If you want something different, clear, powerful and articulate: Lace Deathbuckers.
Throw as much gain as you want onto the signal, turn the tone knob all the way down, thick, no mud.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

Just an FYI - are you SURE said Epiphone is really Limba / Korina?

Reality may vary. My understandi9ng is that, while there may be some runs of V's that are two pieces of solid Korina, they can also be Korina Veneer over random chunks of Korina, or over another kind of wood. I trust Epiphone - not!

And as always - what is it you want to do with this guitar, and after you have lived with whatever pickups are in there, what do want/need more/less of. It may sound great.

But lets don't stop those minor things from a recommendation. I'll take the Schenkers - I assume you mean the Lights Out set. Punchy as hell tight Ceramics ~16k. But I'm a Schenker fan....YMMV.

If they are Black & White and you don't use them, I'll buy them.

The Schenker set I have in mind for this Epi V are black and cream. If I don't use them I might be tempted to sell them on. I also have a Schenker G-spaced neck in black and white. LMK if you're interested.

I have another set, all black with one of the boxes supposedly autographed by the man himself, going in a black and white V I'm working on. Those are not for sale.

As for the body being solid Korina or just a Korina top / veneer, I will know this week when it arrives and I take it apart. It was advertised as solid Korina, but as you say it might not be. TBH I dont really mind if its mahogany underneath, but it might explain why these are selling for $600 new compared to $650 for the black ones.

 

[chadd]

Lackluster at low levels, but in a band situation it's a different story.
That's been pretty true of all the A4 pickups I've owned so far - some volume is required for A4 to be at its best.

IMO even at volume the A4 has a split personality. It's vintagey-bright, sparkly for cleans and focused for grit.
Add more gain and suddenly the character gets richer and looser, much less controlled and more in-your-face.

I used them in an S2 that was my drop-D guitar most of the time. Perfect for mid gain stuff and the low end was present but not overwhelming. Even throwing a ton of gain at them (fuzz or Mesa), there was no problem at all.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

As for the body being solid Korina or just a Korina top / veneer, I will know this week when it arrives and I take it apart. It was advertised as solid Korina, but as you say it might not be. TBH I dont really mind if its mahogany underneath, but it might explain why these are selling for $600 new compared to $650 for the black ones.

I think Epiphone generally describes them as "genuine korina" rather than "solid korina," except in the case of the Amos.
AFAIK the bodies really are all korina, but they're multipiece with a veneer to make the tops & backs look nicer.

I've been told that Epi does often use mahog for the neck on korina models, though.
Perhaps that's why natural Epi korinas get a honey finish, slightly darker than their bright yellow Gibson cousins.

 

[jeremy]

In a Korina V I'd put the Amos set in there, obviously.

that was my first thought too. but i bet the sns will sounds great in there. i have a set in a prs se, and like others have said, at home they were ok but didnt knock my socks off. on stage, they sound glorious

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

I think Epiphone generally describes them as "genuine korina" rather than "solid korina," except in the case of the Amos.
AFAIK the bodies really are all korina, but they're multipiece with a veneer to make the tops & backs look nicer.

I've been told that Epi does often use mahog for the neck on korina models, though.
Perhaps that's why natural Epi korinas get a honey finish, slightly darker than their bright yellow Gibson cousins.

They pit a darker, almost gold, lacquer on the sides to hide the construction. I will report back when I take the thing to bits and can see inside the cavities.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

They pit a darker, almost gold, lacquer on the sides to hide the construction. I will report back when I take the thing to bits and can see inside the cavities.

That makes sense. No wonder the seams are so inconspicuous.

 

[RobJGolde]

I can't speak for the neck pickup, but I have the SNS bridge in an Epiphone Sheraton II, which is all maple, and it may be my favorite pickup I’ve ever had in any guitar I’ve owned, which includes a guitar with 57 Classics and a guitar with a JB/59 combo. It nails classic rock tones. It cleans up great. It can handle high gain and fuzz really well without getting to flubby as others have put it. It’s got more output than your average PAF-style pickup but it doesn’t get compressed. Definitely would recommend that.
FWIW, i paired my SNS with a Phat Cat in the neck, and both of them together cover quite a lot of ground.

 

[Mincer]

I put a Seth Lover set in a black limba body Warmoth, and it is fantastic.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

The 57 Classic (or Classic 57) pickups are Alnico2, same as the pickups it's coming with. The Gibson versions are 7.5 kohm or thereabouts IIRC.

The SNSs are Alnico4 and 7.9 kohm (neck) and 9.75 kohm (bridge).

The Dean Lights Out are ceramic, and about 12k ohm.

I'm not sure the 57s will be "different enough", and I'm planning on putting a set of the Deans in another V I'm working on, so I guess it'll be the SNSs.

 

[RobJGolde]

The 57 Classic (or Classic 57) pickups are Alnico2, same as the pickups it's coming with. The Gibson versions are 7.5 kohm or thereabouts IIRC.

The SNSs are Alnico4 and 7.9 kohm (neck) and 9.75 kohm (bridge).

The Dean Lights Out are ceramic, and about 12k ohm.

I'm not sure the 57s will be "different enough", and I'm planning on putting a set of the Deans in another V I'm working on, so I guess it'll be the SNSs.

I stand by what I said about the SNS, but one thing to consider about the Gibson pickups is that they also have the 57 Classic Plus bridge pickup, which is basically a regular 57 Classic but the output is a little higher (usually somewhere in the ballpark of 8.1k to 8.3k, instead of somewhere between 7.5k to 7.8k), and it is a pretty killer pickup in its own right. But if you’re really trying to go for something completely different than the stock pickups, then the SNS set is the way to go.

 

[Tubes]

I put a Seth Lover set in a black limba body Warmoth, and it is fantastic.

When in doubt go with Seth Lovers (especially when you don't have at least one guitar with them yet).

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

I stand by what I said about the SNS, but one thing to consider about the Gibson pickups is that they also have the 57 Classic Plus bridge pickup, which is basically a regular 57 Classic but the output is a little higher (usually somewhere in the ballpark of 8.1k to 8.3k, instead of somewhere between 7.5k to 7.8k), and it is a pretty killer pickup in its own right. But if you’re really trying to go for something completely different than the stock pickups, then the SNS set is the way to go.

The choice is restricted to the pickups I already have.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

When in doubt go with Seth Lovers (especially when you don't have at least one guitar with them yet).

Again, the choice is restricted to what I already have.

 

[Blille]

57 classics!

 

[uOpt]

What are those Michael Schenker pickups like? T-Top clones with short magnets or something?

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

What are those Michael Schenker pickups like? T-Top clones with short magnets or something?

Dunno yet. Haven't installed them. So far all I know is they're ceramic humbuckers, not super hot, but still a lot hotter than alnicos.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

The guitar and the last of the parts needed fir the mods should be here today, fingers crossed.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

Well, it arrived safe and sound.

The wife goes away for the weekend tomorrow, so the modding will begin then.

 

[skelt101]

What does the wood look like?