Epiphone Customization

[availabilityfailure]

Hello good people of Gibson Forum.

 

I recently become a member of this forum after purchasing and Epiphone ES-339 PRO. It is a great guitar, with the right amount of bling, in my opinion.

Most of my musician friends are classical guitar players, although some of them play electric as well, just like me. A few particular people has been asking me about whether I would install a whammy bar or whatever. I really don't want a whammy since it can screw up the tuning (which is why I get the 339 in the first place). However, those questions actually kinda pushed me to do some sort of customization. So I want to ask you people who owned guitars, what parts have you been replacing?

1. I'm thinking of changing the strap buttons since the original kinda slip very easily. Any suggestion? I found some strap locks by LOXX. Are they any better (I'm guessing they are)?
   
2. I'm also thinking of changing the tuner pegs. The ones that came with the guitar are pretty, but kinda too small. They slip out of my peg winder easily. So maybe you can give me some suggestions?
   
3. I've read on some forum posts (not here) that they find their p/u's had stopped working after this and that. The 339's come with the coil tapping stuff, so I reckon they can't use just any humbuckers. I'm not planning to chang the p/u's but in the event they stop working, what p/u's I should be looking for? I hope Epiphone actually sell the p/u's in my region...
   
4. The bridge has been a headache as it seems like it's very difficult to get good intonation out of it. Would changing the bridge actually help? What particular bridge would you recommend?
   
5. Lastly, about the whammy. Is it actually possible to install one on the 339 (Bigsby?)? I really don't want to install one but if the situation calls, like if my guitar ensemble decides they want an electric guitar with whammy and they look at me.....
   

It is quite difficult to find quality guitar parts in my region (Singapore). *sigh*

Thank you in advance. I'm very unfamiliar with electric guitars and still need guidance. I hope you all can help me.

 

Regards,

 

availabilityfailure

[milod]

First, everybody has their own wish list for a guitar.

 

I have two Dots - the somewhat bigger size compared to your 339. My "thing" is playability, not "pretty." And I will admit that my philosophy is, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

 

The pups on the recent Epiphones are fine. So basically are the switches and pots. They eventually will wear out, depending on how hard they are used. But the same is true of a Gibson or Fender - or even a custom-made guitar of highest quality materials.

 

I have no problems with the bridge. Usually intonation problems are something else, but the bridge is blamed.

 

I have no problems with my tuners. They tune the strings quite nicely.

 

I have also disabled the "whammy" bars, including Bigsbys, on any guitar I have purchased that had them as original equipment.

 

But if you insist on adding one, and the Bigsby is not that hard to install, you may want to consider a "roller bridge." The little wheel-like bits on the bridge should allow the strings to move a little bit better than on a regular TM-style bridge. Notice that I wrote "should."

 

As for pickups, the recent Epi HB pups are AOK in my book. Period. Since I have two Dots, you could make a case that I could, or should, consider another type of pups such as "toasters" like on a Rickenbacker, or "P90s" like on some Gibsons and on some Epis as well. Both will give a somewhat different sound that you may, or may not, prefer.

 

Strap buttons? The guys who toss their guitars around on stage seem to prefer locking strap buttons of some sort. I have no need for them at all and am quite happy with the standard versions supplied. Those who use locking strap buttons will have different opinions on different brands.

 

If you began on a classical, I would advise playing for six months to a year before making any decisions at all. You will be playing with a very, very different geometry for both your left and right hand.

 

My advice also would be to try different string gauges and types. For example, I use 9-42 on my Dots and most archtops. I experiment on one archtop with different gauges of flatwounds that give a different sound and also play differently. Other players prefer other strings, but since I started on a classical myself some 50+ years ago, I am still more comfortable with a string that "works" more closely to a nylon-strung guitar.

 

After the string experiments, then perhaps think about adding mods to the guitar itself.

 

m

[availabilityfailure]

Strap buttons? The guys who toss their guitars around on stage seem to prefer locking strap buttons of some sort. I have no need for them at all and am quite happy with the standard versions supplied. Those who use locking strap buttons will have different opinions on different brands.

 

The reason of me trying to find a replacement strap button is that a few days ago when I was practicing, for some reasons the strap slipped. Thankfully, I was playing chords at that time, so my hand was already in position to grab the guitar. Unfortunately, the guitar swung to my small cabinet and hit it. The only damage is just a little crack on one of the knobs, but I don't want to take chances. And I was standing still at that time.

 

Thank you for your suggestions and for sharing your personal experiences. I'm sure some of other people in this forum will find them useful as well :)

 

Regards,

 

availabilityfailure

[milod]

I have only had a problem with standard strap buttons once playing rock - in wildly moving rock bands in 1965 into 1967.

 

Since then, my only problem has been with straps on Acoustic-Electric guitars that have an endpin "jack" to connect to the amp. It is too big a "button" for most standard guitar straps.

 

But I understand that many people do have problems with current strap buttons.

 

I think that almost any good brand probably will work for you if you can find a way to purchase one.

 

Another suggestion? You might try attaching the guitar strap, and then tightly wrapping a rubber band around the button on the outside of the strap. I knew some people who did that "in the old days" before locking strap buttons. It was not a perfect solution, but it did help.

 

m

[Vinlander]

This is what I use on all my straps and pins, you can also buy them without the beer from amazon or on the Bay