Johnny Z Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 I have 3 Epi guitars, the Goldtop has P-90's and the other two have HB's. I can't find any marks on the pickups to identify the maker. Thanks for any info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyelcrrt1281733995 Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 The cheapest bidder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokestack Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Lol, probably true...but don't get that out of context ;^). I don't know which makers build today's standard Epi pickups but it will be somebody like Artec. The materials and constructional quality are fine. Don't forget that it's these same companies who are building the raved about GFS and Goivanni pickups for example. Supply the specs and these guys can build the pickups. It's the speccing that counts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwpete521281734008 Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Good point smokestack. Sometimes I wonder if I'm just wasting my money by changing out the pickups. They always "seem" to sound better but maybe I'm just fooling myself. I replaced the stock humbuckers in a Sheraton II once with GFS pickups. After taking out the stock pickups I was amazing at how well made they were. I'm now thinking about replacing the pickups in my Dot with either a set of GFS or Toneriders. Wouldn't it be a joke if I replaced the stock pickups with the exact same pickups under a different name? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokestack Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I don't think that would be too likely. Most of the GFS and similar designs today have their voices quite well engineered and subsequently described in the marketing. You have to cut through the bull and hype of course...but choosing a pickup that's voiced differently to a standard Epi bucker is not difficult ! I'm a big fan of the Wilkinson WVC-N pickups. They're an affordable Asian built PAF clone which predates all the GFS hype. Classic open sounding "bark" from the bridge and warm , clear flute like neck. The problem with standard Epi buckers is largely that they're wound too "hot" for the classic design and materials employed. [and maybe the magnets are too "hard"]. But these aren't cost related issues...they're decisions made in the context of a perceived market. It's that perception that's arguably wrong headed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 When I replaced the pups in my Epi LP with SD Pearly Gates, the frequency response of the guitar opened up. The "new string twang" lasts a lot longer before I declare the strings dead. Harmonics and sustain increased. Overall "breathiness" in lightly picked passages was very noticeable. The drawback is that you can install pickups that are so hot that you have to lower them to prevent overdrive with the amp drive turned down. I kind of wonder if standard '57 classics would have been a better choice. The PG pickups are pretty hot. That said, the other guitar player in my group asked me last night at practice if I thought that the PG's would fit in his Ibanez (2 humbuckers and a single coil). Personally, I like the sound he gets with the stock pups and pole switching in his Ibanez. But, he wants pups that sound like mine. (grin). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwpete521281734008 Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I just tried to find the Wilkinson WVC-N pickups in the USA online and had no luck. Does anyone know who has them in the USA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Lol' date=' probably true...but don't get that out of context ;^). I don't know which makers build today's standard Epi pickups but it will be somebody like Artec. The materials and constructional quality are fine. Don't forget that it's these same companies who are building the raved about GFS and Goivanni pickups for example. Supply the specs and these guys can build the pickups. It's the [i']speccing[/i] that counts. yep. artec makes a whole lot of them for a lot of people. I think there's another manu or more doing this, too. depending on the brand. materials and specs.. that's the deal entirely since the machinery is all the same nowadays.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I've had sets of Kent Armstrong vintage paf style humbucks with 12 pole pieces.. and that's what I use in my builds now. For one thing, I agree with smokestack, epis are up in the teens for resistance. too hot for me in every application.. and the 12 poles give me better power, more tone, and better string to string balance. they just don't have the reputation they deserve.. but I'm used to beating my gums for no reason. *S* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Flick Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I've had sets of Kent Armstrong vintage paf style humbucks with 12 pole pieces.. and that's what I use in my builds now.For one thing' date=' I agree with smokestack, epis are up in the teens for resistance. too hot for me in every application.. and the 12 poles give me better power, more tone, and better string to string balance. they just don't have the reputation they deserve.. but I'm used to beating my gums for no reason. *S* [/quote'] Yeah, I have the KA Kentrons in my MIJ Sherry. Excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blsclomon Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 i wonder who is going to make the epi active? hopefully EMG and that is the only pickups that will ever grace my epi's execpt if i ever get a ace frehley epi! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daneman Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 I think epi's stock humbuckers are made by pissed off pickup winding gnomes who had to come in on a saturday!! Still ,some good ones seem to slip thru now and then,blame QC,they're hung over too apparently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbucker Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Stock Epi pickups are fine. Nothing special but they do the job. Of course that is just my opinion:-k A friend of mine replaced the Epi pickups in his Epi LP with GFS Vintage '59's. The GFS's really do have a nicer sound with more character than the stock pickups. Your results may vary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MI_Canuck Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 i wonder if the stock Epis are handwound over in china? (cheap labour) j/k kidding aside, i found the stock Epis in my G400 Goth to be very muddy... they were fairly hot but not very much definition at all... but I upgraded them to Seymour Duncan Jazz neck/JB bridge... along with new switch, jack and caps (left the stock pots in).... WHAT a difference!!! the stock Epis in my '91 LP are not that bad sounding actually... but i'll mostly likely upgrade them to a pair of Seymour Duncan '59s (neck & bridge) for that sweet vintage PAF tone... (along with upgrading all the electronics... switch, jack, pots, caps, wiring, everthing...).... as is stands, something messed up inside since if i shake the guitar a bit when plugged it... i can hear something clunking through the amp, like a bad ground or something... although the Epi pickups might not be that bad... Epi wiring shite at best.... complete garbage imo peace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyelcrrt1281733995 Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Ah, Smokestack -- tongue in cheek, perhaps, but I wasn't completely joking. Epiphone's pickups ARE made by the cheapest bidder. Same/same, we used to joke in the Navy about going to sea in a submarine built by the cheapest bidder. So far as who's making pickups, Pete Biltoft at Vintage Vibe Guitars (maker of the Charlie Christian pickups in 2 of my guitars) tells me he has the new model 2008 Wechter pickup contract, so Artec is getting some competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rented Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Gary or anyone else that may know... question for ya... Would Epiphone have stamped their logo into the back of the P90 on this 96-97 SG Junior I just got? I just unscrewed the pup to see if was an Epi stock P90 (just guessing from the covers "squared off" shape I would say yes..GFS and other common P90 covers have a more "rounded" edge to em) But just wondering if it was stock since it didn't say anything on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyelcrrt1281733995 Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Logo would depend on what's called for in the contract of the moment. When corporations let a contract, its a whole big deal, sometimes. Depends a lot on the personalities of the managers/vp's involved. Some of them what to "put their stamp on the company" and go around changing everything, so they tend to approve contracts with logos. Other execs think the ancillary components that go into the final product shouldn't be destinctive so they can be used in multiple applications without looking like parts were "borrowed" from something else. There will usually be a sticky note, though, with some kind of ID on the pickup. Modern contracts are usually in smaller quantities than times past, even though larger runs will have a smaller per unit cost, because there is so much savings from less warehouse space, fewer employees, less insurance, yada yada yada. Yep, the "just-in-time" manufacturering model has its attractions. On the other hand, there is often a much higher variance in quality simply because you don't get the bugs worked out of any production line until after "X" number of units. When you re-tool after smaller runs, you never get the full benefit of running an extablished production line for an extended period of time. On yet another hand, smaller runs also give the option to switch to a special component for a short period of time so the company can take advantage of fads in the market. Witness the current fascination with EMI pickups in Epi's current production. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rented Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Very informative! I had one of these before and it sure sounds like the original Epi P90 to me. But always want to know for sure.Yeah, Ive seen the brand logo stamped on some other Epi's before. Maybe this run like you mentioned they just didn't, no big deal just wondering but thanks for that detailed reply Gary. The little bastard sounds pretty good no matter who slapped it in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rented Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Very informative! I had one of these before and it sure sounds like the original Epi P90 to me. But always want to know for sure.Yeah, Ive seen the brand logo stamped on some other Epi's before. Maybe this run like you mentioned they just didn't, no big deal just wondering but thanks for that detailed reply Gary. The little bastard sounds pretty good no matter who slapped it in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James1281734011 Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Are Artec P90s any good? If they are the same as in the Casino then they are pretty good. Epi pickups improved over the years. I bought new in 1989 an Epi Sheraton. The pickups were not very good at all. I tried a Sheraton recently at Guitar Center and it sounded really nice. I guess Epi pickups 18 years ago were not very good at all but they decided to try to install better ones even tho they are on the budget. Even if Artec makes P90s for GFS and Gibson Epiphone they are different in some ways I think. The Artec are 7.5 ohms or so and the GFS are about 8.0 ohms. There is a difference. But good pickups nevertheless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJ Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 I've heard good things about the "Golden Age" humbuckers that StewartMacDonald sells. They get good ratings on the review sites and aren't prohibitively expensive. Like <$50 per unit. Never used them, but they might be worth considering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shartom Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 I am quite happy with the P90's on my Les Paul 56 Reissue. I use it along side my 65 Tele. It is amazing though, in a pinch I can get nice Tele tones out of the Epi. I have a 2007 Sheraton II which at first thought sounded muddy. Tweaked the controls on my Blues Deluxe and the muddiness disappeared. My Joe Pass that I bought specifically for my Jazz gigs, never gets too bright. For Jazz ensemble work it is fine. I would like to try Gibson pickups in it. They are pretty expensive but still cheaper than buying a Gibson jazz box. Unless you are reaaly good friends with the local guitar store, it is about impossible to just try pickups. I wish Epi would publish specks on theri pickups. I think they will in the future. Epi's are getting better and more expensive. I dug out an old Gibson Cat. form the 70's. They didn't give any pickups spec back then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JEPI Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 Hey Canuck - Can you post a picture of the headstock on your '91 LP and does it have a serial number anywhere on the guitar??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyelcrrt1281733995 Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 The extra set of magnets (one ceramic and very hot, one alnico) are a feature of Vintage Vibe Guitars, who make the CC pickups I've recently installed. Wonder if they make the GFS pickups? I know they made the 2008 Wechter pickups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dotmaster Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Don't know if this helps at all. Had a pal rount last night for a 'Dot jam'. We both have EE series Dots, he's got a sunburst and mine is a cherry. Since I last saw him he's removed the covers on his pick-ups and the bobbins are a muddy grey kind of colour, but both a slightly different shade????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.