Interesting "New" Old Epiphones

[justinion]

Was browsing around on Zzounds and saw they are selling

NEW Acoustic only Dove's and EL00's

The Dove is in natural

 

http://www.zzounds.com/item--EPIEADV

 

http://www.zzounds.com/item--EPIEL00

[Big.Joe]

That is a great deal on the Dove. I have the same thing that I bought on sale 5 years ago for $20 more than that. I put a bone saddle and pins with Gibson Masterbuilt light strings and it has a great bright maple sound. You cannot go wrong with that one!

[crust]

EL-00 on it's way. Vintage sunburst finish.

 

case is on back order

 

 

update:

Loosened the truss rod 1/4 turn, 0 fret buzz The high E string did buzz at the first fret, straight out of the box. The "fix" was easy and the only one (so far). To me, this particular instrument looks and sounds great (for the price)

 

I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees.....Thanks again Epiphone

[crust]

So, these particular guitars are not the "pro" model. Being without any electronic "pick ups", what might you suggest as a good pickup to install in these 2 particular instruments ? I'd like something easy to attach and install, as well as remove...that actually sounds good, without costing too much (like Epiphone guitars, themselves)... Suggestions

 

 

Thanks

 

 

Hey Big Joe, if you are still around, don't be a stranger to the Epiphone forum. Participation helps all

[milod]

Crust...

 

I dunno. I have the AE version of the 00 I got a cupla months ago. Plays nice; whatever the brand is, it's nicely unobtrusive with the volume and tone control in the soundhole. So you're talking a piezo (or whatever claim some company has to prove their piezo ain't really a piezo) on that one under the bridge. Works nice and other than a weak tone control - another guy said the same of his new one too - it'd be worthwhile to do with relatively minimal work. No built-in tuner which some folks want, nor what I would consider more important, a phase switch to fight feedback.

 

Another option with a batch of sub options would be to go retro and put in a mag soundhole pup. I've done that in the past more than occasionally, and the old-style cheapies actually work quite well if you like the sound and aren't gigging where feedback could be a significant difficulty. There are some newer versions that actually have built-in volume and tone controls too.

 

I personally think Gib/Epi went the correct route with their piezo if that's your choice. It appears this body style gets the 'in the sound hole controls' rather than the big plastic plug in a 2-inch by three-inch hole in the top "side."

 

OTOH, that's for playing electric but trying to sound acoustic.

 

With a decent mag setup you can kinda have your cake and eat it too. I don't forget that the old flattop AE "attempts" actually were p90s or some similar sort of single pole pup at or kinda hidden under the end of the neck. The old Gibson versions to me actually sound pretty much "acoustic" run through a board. Ditto the cheapie I use in my cheapie 12. Play near the soundhole and it sound pretty acoustic, by the bridge more "chimey" like an electric 12. My mag pup 12 doesn't have onboard volume/tone controls; dunno if I'd care to drill holes for 'em, either.

 

The mag pup also IMHO works well if your doing largely slide on open tunings.

 

Personally if somebody gave me a 16-inch lower bout cutaway flattop with a 24 or 24 3/4 inch scale or near that, I'd likely tend toward a good brand mag soundhole pup with built-in controls, and an endpin plug-in. It'd be easiest, even adding an endpin jack.

 

On a quality old acoustic archtop I'd likely do everything off the pickguard, but the shapes are different. For what it's worth, that archtop "thing" is exactly what I did in the mid '60s and it worked quite well.

 

Why not go the piezo route? For me, mostly because I've got 'em on all but that 12, and in variations from what amounts to the first AEs, the early '70s Ovations, up through some pretty decent current stuff with tuners and phase switches and other bells and whistles.

 

For you? Really, depends on what you want and how you feel about stuff. But any "electrifying" will bring some games with feedback. The piezo preamp with a phase switch does help in my experience. OTOH, a good friend with a couple early '50s Gibbie CF100 and CF100e guitars loves the mag pups, and through the board, it sounds acoustic. The CF100 and CF100e... imagine a 24 3/4 scale PR5e for shape and size. The "E" had a p90 type at the end of the neck. His "non-electric" version of the guitar wears a fishman sound hole pup, but I don't recall which model.

 

Dunno if this rambling does you any good, but...

 

On the 00 think about it. On the dove... I'd try to stay as "AE" as possible with a piezo and in-the-soundhole controls. It's a bit of extra work, but not really that much if done correctly. You'll almost certainly have to shave the bridge to make up for the piezo, but each brand is a bit different. I'd miss the phase switch and, to an extent, the built-in tuner, but I'd not personally care to cut out a square on the side of a guitar for the preamp/controls.

 

Nor would I wanna spend more than the guitar for any "add-on."

 

Which is why I got the "pro" at $70 bucks more which is about, or less than, what I figure it'd cost me to mess with my own piezo/preamp setup that might be better and might not.

 

Ditto a soundhole rig if you're going to install an endpin jack.

 

And prices go up from there.

 

m

[crust]

Thanks Milod I think you answered my question, maybe

 

I believe I'll get some type of sound hole thing and not something that goes under the bridge. Something easily installed and removed. Maybe I'll go to a few of the local M&P's or GC, soon. When I do, I'll revive this post with a picture. It's going to be a couple of weeks before I get to the appropriate guitar store. I'll probably bring the guitar with me to make sure all fits and everything works, as well as sounds OK. Thanks for your insight and suggestions.