Epi LP 60's Tribute Plus

[Stringdriver]

Hi all.

 

I'm relatively new here and wanted to gather some feedback and comparisons with other 1960's Tribute Plus owners to see how you like the '57 Classic and the '57 Plus pickups...

 

I have a Blackstar HT-40 and I enjoy the heck out of its sound...with my other guitars...

 

Now, my Epi Tribute Plus was the first "real" electric. And at the time bought it, it blew my mind. But, now, having played some other guitars, (and, thereby, having a chance to compare sounds) I'm really not happy with the '57's.

 

To me they sound inarticulate and muddy (redundant description?). I have a Pearly Gates and a '59 in a Special Tele that kicks the snot out of the '57's.

 

AND I REALLY WANT TO LIKE THEM.

 

Have any other players here experienced the same with these pickups? Is it possible that they are so hot that I have to dial back my volume control? I'd be surprised about that.

 

Hence... the reason for my post.

 

Any insight or experiences of others is going to be greatly appreciated.

 

String

[bigneil]

well, pickup upgrades are probably the most common modification performed on epi lp's. ...

but my understanding is that the tribute plus model has proper gibson 57's in it. these pickups sound great in my opinion but can have have a rather wooly bassy sort of quality that not every one likes. You might just need to adjust the pole screws or the pickup height to get them sounding they way you want, but if you are using a lot of gain you might very well be better off with a more modern style pickup. .... I bet if you stick them on ebay you would easily get enough money to buy some other nice pickups.

 

 

 

 

..... Na, don't stick them on ebay just send them to me instead.

[Bluemans335]

I have a Blackstar HT-40 and I enjoy the heck out of its sound...with my other guitars...

 

Now, my Epi Tribute Plus was the first "real" electric. And at the time bought it, it blew my mind. But, now, having played some other guitars, (and, thereby, having a chance to compare sounds) I'm really not happy with the '57's.

 

To me they sound inarticulate and muddy (redundant description?). I have a Pearly Gates and a '59 in a Special Tele that kicks the snot out of the '57's.

 

AND I REALLY WANT TO LIKE THEM.

 

Have any other players here experienced the same with these pickups? Is it possible that they are so hot that I have to dial back my volume control? I'd be surprised about that.

 

Hence... the reason for my post.

 

Any insight or experiences of others is going to be greatly appreciated.

 

String

 

 

You sound like me. I don't think '57's are a good match for most LP's, for the very same reasons you stated; I've heard they do better in SG's. They're not 'hot' by any means. They're low-wound PAF's (8K range) with low output A2 magnets. Not a lot of power there, but that's what vintage PU's are like. As you play and own more PAF's, you may come to the conclusion that '57's are more in the middle of the pack, not the front. PG's are fairly warm in the neck slot too, but would sound brighter and clearer in your Tele. They're good PU's, but there are better chioices for LP's.

 

I also tried to like the '57's in my Tribute (oh, how I wish they were Burstbuckers!). It would have made life simpler. But I pulled and sold them. I put a Seth in the neck, and a BB3 in the bridge, because I had them laying around. Sounds much better. Seth's are one of the best PAF's you can buy, and cheaper (aftermarket '57's are pricey, in the boutique range). Seth's were designed by Seymour Duncan and Seth Lover, the guy invented hunbuckers for Gibson back in the mid 1950's. Can't get much more authentic than that. Burstbuckers are Gibson's closest equivalent. I'd recommend set of Seth's, or a BB1 and 2, both of which are great in LP's. A third, more affordable option is Parson's Street PAF's from StewMac; all orginal 1950's specs and $110 for a set and come with your choice of either A2 or A5 magnets. I have the A2 pair and they're very clear and articulate in my Epi LP Std.

 

I wire my guitars for 'independent volume controls', which lets me blend each PU's volume in the middle toggle position, and gives a lot more tone options. Epi's come with 'dependent volume controls.' All it involves is moving a couple wires on the volume pots from one lug to another. Takes a few minutes.

 

For added neck clarity, I like to wire my LP's for 'spin-a-split.' That converts the tone pot into a volume pot for one of the neck HB's coils. So instead of all-or-nothing with a coil cut push-pull, spin-a-split lets you dial in everything in between giving you all kinds of unbalanced coil sounds (a tonal mix of HB and single coil). Clears up any muffed, dark tones. You don't need any extra parts to wire it up, you use your existing parts. All that's required is a neck HB with 4-lead wires. There's diagrams online. Like independent volume controls, it only takes a few minuites to wire.

 

Between these two wirings, you open up a big tone pallet of sounds. And no new parts are needed for either.