Epiphone G-400 total upgrade

[Camazza]

Hello, I just bought an Epiphone G-400. It's a backup guitar, next to my '72 Tele Deluxe Reissue. It is beautiful, nice resonant body, great playability. I really think that, apart for the electronics, it really can be as good as the real SG. So, to make this beauty worth playing at gigs I decided to upgrade a few things, and i'd like a second opinion.

My idea was first of all to replace the pickups with some a Seymour Duncan Hot Rodded pickup set, SH-2N jazz humbucker (neck) and SH-4 JB (bridge). Then, I'd replace the jack and the pickup toggle switch with some Switchcraft stuff and the pots with CTS pots or similar. The tuners are Grover, so nothing to replace there. Everything else is perfect.

Do you think it is worth to upgrade that stuff, will it become a nice axe or just a lame souped up epi? I'm asking that because for example upgrading a Squier isn't worthwhile, because it'll always sound dull and empty....

[Legs]

I have similar plans for the G 400 I just bought!

 

Keep us up on what ya do!!

[RSDx]

Do you think it is worth to upgrade that stuff' date=' will it become a nice axe or just a[b'] lame souped up epi[/b]? I'm asking that because for example upgrading a Squier isn't worthwhile, because it'll always sound dull and empty....

Worth it ??? Only you can decide if it's worth it to you. So right now, your G-400 is lame??? I doubt it...

 

As far as the Squier statement#-o , folks say that about Epis as well.... there are some very damn fine Squiers out there - do not make blanket statements.

[Legs]

I was playing a PRS,and a Mosrite celebrity. My writing partner's main axe was a squire Telecaster. Though he is a Butthead, he had as good a tele sound as anyone!

 

As a guy who played a lot of high end teles, It amazed me how he sounded so good with such a cheapie!

[Camazza]

No, I do not think it's lame! Woods are great, construction is superb, playability is excellent, Grover tuners are something really nice to have on a budget guitar so evertything is pretty much perfect except for the electronics, so i thought replacing that would turn this nice guitar into a perfect SG (read: comparable to a Gibson SG). I just wanted to know if you share my point of view and if someone has already done what i'm planning to do, i'd like to know if it's worth. As far as the squier debate: well, standard squiers are nowhere as good as the epis, even the price tag is lower. That does not mean they're not good starter guitars, but i think a nice upgraded squier does not become a pro-guitar, while a nice upgraded epi can become a really serious guitar because of the better build quality. Plus, they care enough to put quality stock tuners (like the grovers i have in my g 400)

[Camazza]

Just adding, i'm Italian, so bear with my poor english!

[brad1]

Hi Camazzo' date='

 

and welcome here!

 

Why you don't just play it for a while - and make the decision when you're sure if it's necessary - or not.

 

Peter[/quote']

+1

[Muskank Sally]

I honestly couldn't tell you why this is, but the G-400 WC I bought last summer has the best stock pickups of any Epiphone I own (besides the new 2010 LP Traditional Pro. It's even better)

The only thing I did was: *Level the frets*Add a Gibson TP-6 tailpiece*Set up to Eb w/XL 11's.

These pickups are fine, though honestly the covers are aging....they may be removed eventually.

But as far as these pickups go they were made either during Beta stages for the new pickups to come out or I just got a super well calibrated pair wound by someone who cared.

I do get a squeal when turned sideways at the amp on the Bridge pickup but switch it to middle or rhythm and it stops.

ProBucker 3 beta?

I'm not removing them.

And as far as the pots and toggle

the pots are Alpha 500k

The wires aren't bad at all, I've seen much thinner and weaker wires

and the toggle is a switchcraft mini- same thing they would try to sell you to replace a Gibson toggle with unless you specify the long switchcraft part.

On the other hand:

The Jack is...in need of replacement with an official Switchcraft part.

No Lie. As much improved as it may be the 'Epiphone' jack is still lacking and needs to be replaced before the first gig.

The Loc-Tone bridge and Tailpiece are much better than their predecessors (B-2) and I haven't replaced that part since they upgraded it. If you really desire a Gotoh though by all means do it.

[AlanH]

You can get Gibson 490R/490T (or 498T) in chrome for not much more than the uncovered hot rodded set and still retain the look of your SG. The Gibson Standard actually has 498T in thr bridge but I really like the 490T as it retains those PAF tones but handles any high gain that is thrown at it exceptionally well.

 

That said, many people seem to keep the original pickups in their G-400s. I hear of more swap outs with Epi LPs.

 

Some might suggest a new nut and bridge too. I would also advise that, if it's flush to the body, you raise the stop bar tailpiece to an angle of fall similar to that at the headstock. This will lessen the tension over the bridge saddles and make fretting and string bending seem easier.

[AlanH]

Forgot to say:

 

I wonder whether the JB + Jazz would be a little too bright for an SG body due to its attack and resonance.

[animalfarm]

Hi Camazza' date='

 

and welcome here!

 

[b']Why you don't just play it for a while - and make the decision when you're sure

if it's necessary - or not.[/b]

Peter

 

Agreed! The pickups that are stock with the G-400 are:

Bridge - "HOTCH", 13.3Kohms, Alnico Classic Plus Humbucker (Also used in EPI LP Bridge).

Neck - "57CH", 8.1Kohms, Alnico Classic Humbucker, (Also used in LP Neck, DOT Neck and Bridge).

 

These ARE decent pickups, I've used many sets in project guitars. Don't forget your

AMP will also play into the overal TONE you get.

In the hands of a skilled player, the listener wouldn't know if the git had Gibby pups in

it, or copper wire wrapped around a pencil for pickups (exaggeration). Point is, you do not

have to automatically modify an EPI just because it's an EPI. Some sound quite GOOD from

the factory.

 

Try it out for a while, bet you're not disappointed. Since you now know the pickups

are the SAME as for an EPI Les Paul, watch/listen to this - will give you a chance to

hear the pickups. (I don't know of any G-400 comparison Videos)...

 

[YOUTUBE]

[/YOUTUBE]

[Camazza]

Thanks for the advice. I will consider buying Gibson pickups instead of the seymours, even if I like them quite a lot. As far as "retaining the original look", well i kind of like coverless pickups, and the "customized" look that goes with that. I haven't checked the pots but the pickup switch is terrible, i haven't played with it much but it is still starting to make bad contact, muting the guitar completely. The stock pickups i have in mine are good, but sound rather thin, and that's the main fault of the guitar, along with the pickup switch. that's why I want to replace them.

[disaster]

I bought the G-400 over the real SG. I like the neck profile better. I bought it over the Prophecy SG GX. Both Epis played & sounded the same, but I thought my alpine white G-400 looked better than the Prophecy & cost 1/2 as much (even though I prefer the satin neck to the gloss). So for a 1/4 the price of the Gibson (more or less) & 1/2 the price of the prophecy I think I have a better guitar.

 

I have only modest plans for upgrades. I smoothed the fret ends - mine were sharp. I replaced the saddles w/ String Savers. I intend to replace the nut w/ the GraphTech teflon part. I plan on the SD P-Rails pick-ups. The Epi pickups are OK but I think the bridge is a little weak. After hearing the P-Rails I'm sold on them. HBs & SCs plus mix & match all in a single package. Very cool. I also considered the SD Pearly Gates until I heard the P-Rails. Need the TripleShots but that's OK w/ me.

 

I'd like to replace the tuners w/ white pearl keystones. For appearance, not for function. Gotoh makes a set & StewMac offers conversion bushings for press fit to threaded tuners so I'm game. I may also fool around w/ the pick guard. I don't care for the black "angel wing" pick guard on the white body.

 

Aside from that I have no complaints. Great value in a player's guitar.

 

Good Luck w/ yours.

[AS90]

My Squier rocks! You don't know what you are talking about!

[deejman]

I'm gonna harp on the Squier debate here for a minute. I'm as much of a Fender junkie as I am an Epi junkie. I have a strat which I love, and my amp is a Fender blues DeVille. I started playing guitar because of Stevie Ray Vaughan. So, I know quite a bit about Fenders. Squier has recently come out with a line of guitars called the "Classic Vibe" series. These are some of the best 350 dollar guitars I've ever put my hands on. They play just as good if not better than the strat that I built so suit my wants/needs. So with electronic upgrades, they, too can become close to a professional guitar. Just as good as any epi. As a matter of fact, once I buy my dot, the next 2 guitars on my list are gonna be a Squier Classic Vibe tele and Classic Vibe strat. As far as upgrading the electronics in the G400, do it. As blasphemous as this may sound, I've never really been a huge SG fan, but with good pups, pots, and switch, you've got a guitar that's gonna be just as good as a Gibson standard SG.

[brad1]

I'm asking that because for example upgrading a Squier isn't worthwhile' date=' because it'll always sound dull and empty....[/quote']

 

Rubbish.

[maniak]

Hey all,,heres an upgrade /mod that no one seems to mention or think about any more and it s the best one ever to make your G-400,,,squier or whatever you have sound Sooooooooo much better . The best part about this upgrade is it doesnt cost Anything ,,just time and sweat. Are you ready????Its called PRACTICE and its Guaranteed to make you sound better ,,,give it a try

 

MY Noisemakers:

Epiphone 2008 Sg Custom Prophecy GX

Epiphone 2003 Korina G-400 Sg

Epiphone 1998 Korina Explorer

Epiphone 1998 Korina Flying V

BC Rich 1981 Maple Mockingbird Handmade

Ibanez 1977 Les Paul

Ibanez 1976 Stratocaster

Gibson 1968 Les Paul Custom

Charvel Fretless Bass

Washburn Lyon P bass

Guild Madiera P-600 Jumbo Acoustic

Applause A-25 Acoustic

Chuan Yin Marina Mark 20SS classical

Carlo Robelli 5 string Banjo

Carlo Robelli Electric Violin

Kay Electric Mandolin

Lignatone Mandolin

Midiman Radium Keyboard

2 Marshall JTM-612 60 watt 1 12 Combos

[antwhi2001]

Of course the generalisation about Squiers is wrong, some of them are very good, and the average Squier is much the same quality as the average Epi.

 

The point ought to be, any guitar which sounds "dull and empty" unplugged probably ain't worth upgrading. If your G400 has good natural resonance, upgrades are worthwhile. You'll end up with something very close to a Gibson. However, don't expect to get all your money back if you sell it. It's only worth doing expensive upgrades if you plan to keep the guitar a while.

[AS90]

I'm gonna harp on the Squier debate here for a minute. I'm as much of a Fender junkie as I am an Epi junkie. I have a strat which I love' date=' and my amp is a Fender blues DeVille. I started playing guitar because of Stevie Ray Vaughan. So, I know quite a bit about Fenders. Squier has recently come out with a line of guitars called the "Classic Vibe" series. These are some of the best 350 dollar guitars I've ever put my hands on. They play just as good if not better than the strat that I built so suit my wants/needs. So with electronic upgrades, they, too can become close to a professional guitar. Just as good as any epi. As a matter of fact, once I buy my dot, the next 2 guitars on my list are gonna be a Squier Classic Vibe tele and Classic Vibe strat. As far as upgrading the electronics in the G400, do it. As blasphemous as this may sound, I've never really been a huge SG fan, but with good pups, pots, and switch, you've got a guitar that's gonna be just as good as a Gibson standard SG.[/quote']

 

The Squier Classic Vibes are better than the MIM Fenders!

[Legs]

Just adding' date=' i'm Italian, so bear with my poor english![/quote']

 

Camazza,

 

You'll have to excuse my English. I'm an American from Louisiana who lives in Alabama.

 

What do those Brits know anyway?

 

Legs

[tomtomfr]

The Squier Classic Vibes are better than the MIM Fenders!

 

+1

When I bought my Vintage Modified, I had the feeling the extra cash you paid for a MIM Fender was essentially about the name on the headstock...when it comes to the CV series, this is certain: they are better guitars.

Great axes for the price!

[KX36]

What year of manufacture is the guitar? Epiphone have gotten better and better over the last few years, especially in the electronics. A '90s guitar may have had unbranded cheap 16mm mini-pots in the wrong taper, ceramic capacitors, poor quality "box"-type selector switch and an unbranded standard 1/4" jack. Right now they come with full 1 inch Alpha pots in a better taper than most modders use (linear volume, log tone), polyester film capacitors (same as sprague orange drops; probably better than ceramic disks), an open-type (switchcraft style) selector switch, and an oval shaped 1/4" jack that won't rotate in its socket even when loose. One of the great things about the way Epiphone are doing it stock now is that they use single core shielded wire between pots etc; when they need to carry a signal wire and a ground wire e.g. from the volume pot to the tone pot, they send the ground through the sheath and signal through the central core and effectively shield almost every wire in the cavity, while pots and pickups shield themselves with their own casing, wheras the insulated but unshielded single core wiring most modders use would compromise the shielding unless the whole cavity is shielded.

 

If it's the older type, replacing all of it is a good idea. If it's the newer type, you'll only really make a noticable improvement in tone by changing the pickups and capacitors and even then it's up to taste what you like, changing isn't necessarily improving. If you just have to have CTS pots to be a perfectionist, you're welcome to, but there isn't really any need if you don't find a problem with the 1" Alpha pots and you could change the pot taper to something worse. The same goes for the switch and the jack (which may be hard to replace on new ones if its oval shaped in an oval hole instead of round). If you do rewire, make sure you don't compromise the shielding as Epiphone starts off very well shielded inherently.

 

I'd say, if your amp is something that can really make a gutiar shine and you know the pickups are a tonal bottleneck, then change the pickups; but all you really need to make the guitar a decent backup (or #1) guitar is get it really really really very well set up; perfect truss rod, action, innotation and dead flat frets.

[Camazza]

It's from 2005 or so, not older than that for sure. Pots seem to be decent but the switch is already failing. I was thinking about the pickups however, and i don't think i'll put humbuckers in there because I already have the Tele deluxe for that, and i'd like to have a second guitar with totally different sounds and purpose, so i decided to put Duncan Phat Cats in, which are humbucker-sized P90s single coils. I love the sound of the SG classic with p90 so it may be a good choice... anybody tried a phat cat before?

[Camazza]

I'd say, if your amp is something that can really make a gutiar shine and you know the pickups are a tonal bottleneck, then change the pickups; but all you really need to make the guitar a decent backup (or #1) guitar is get it really really really very well set up; perfect truss rod, action, innotation and dead flat frets.

Well, it's a Twin Reverb so yes... and now that i've decided to put p90s in it, it will become one of my main guitars, and not a backup.

[Amino Moore]

Camazza,

I'm planning a pickup upgrade to Duncan P-Rails.

That might be an option for you to consider as well.