NOG'D ............... new old guitar day

[mihcmac]

I haven't had gas for a while, I found this in a store and couldn't put it down. This 2001 is Korean made at Unsung, is a Ltd Ed Fire Les Paul? These were unusual for their headstock and winged logo, that is also on the pickups. In addition it came with an Epiphone Hardcase.

Seems to be a quality build in very good condition.

I think it wasn't played much as its doesn't seem to have any wear. It looks like new, but the neck was badly bowed. 

Fortunately not beyond my ability to fix, although once I did 4 of the high strings buzzed because the nut was too low.

So I removed it and found the nut was a standard molded Epiphone component.

The original notch it sits in was cut wrong and at an angle causing the high strings to buzz.

I corrected it with a wooden shim under the nut and it plays beautifully now.

This 22 year old guitar is very close to new condition, so, I'm jazzed, its a dream to play.

I am contemplating installing my Mean 90's, but since its a limited edition I'm in a quandary about keeping it stock they didn't make a lot of these and the winged Epiphone monogram on the pickups is unusual..

Edited April 3, 2023 by mihcmac

[Rabs]

Cool.. Enjoy man. Very interesting finish on the top and I like the inlay markers too.. 

[mihcmac]

16 hours ago, Rabs said:

Cool.. Enjoy man. Very interesting finish on the top and I like the inlay markers too.. 

 The top seems to be a sculpted maple cap with chained lightening style graphics on red with the Tele style knobs and a clear pickguard.

Edited April 3, 2023 by mihcmac

[jdgm]

Very nice and very unusual too - I'd definitely leave those pickups in!

Edited April 3, 2023 by jdgm

[merciful-evans]

Never seen one like that. Though the finish reminds me of the Washburn G5V I used to practice with. 

I never found a MIK guitar that wasn't good. My luthier says the same about them & he's seen many more than me.

Its a stand out looker. The winged E is also new to me. I like it. Enjoy! 

 

[mihcmac]

I do like this more tapered headstock that is reminicent of earlier Epiphones that puts less of a kink in the strings going over the nut, compared to the clipped ear style that was common during this era.

The Rotomatic machines are very smooth and have a large black Epiphone Epsilon on them.

Anyway the SlimTaper D profile neck with rosewood fingerboard is easy play, easy to tune and sounds pretty good, although I would like to drop in some humbucking sized P90's and see what this chunk of mahogany sounds like.

Update

I did identify the guitar as a "2001 Limited Edition E Series Epiphone Les Paul Nuclear Crackle in red". Used they range from 300 to 800 US depending on condition and stock configuration.

Edited April 3, 2023 by mihcmac

[tx-ogre]

Nice find.  You will definitely be the first…and only…kid on your block with one.

[Dub-T-123]

I’m pretty sure I used to have an MF catalog that had this guitar in it. Remember getting those catalogs in the mail? 
 

I think those fretboard inlays are really pretty cool. Nice addition to your collection

[sparquelito]

VERY cool.

Congrats, and great work on the set-up!!

😗

[saturn]

Very nice. Everything about that guitar is interesting. In a good way. 

[mihcmac]

Well I couldn't help my self, I had drop some Mean 90's in it. I am going to keep the E-Wing pickups for prosperity, but the 90's are smok'in.

Updated image.

My 56 style Standard has some competition, the Crackle is little lighter and has a thinner slimtaper neck.

[Ceptorman]

I'm digging the paint job.

[Guitar God]

Nice! These were called Nuclear Extreme models. I have one in black that I dropped the EMG 57/66 set in.

[Ceptorman]

That is sweet. Uniqueness at its best.

[Dub-T-123]

You gotta love michmac’s passion for guitars 

[OrdinaryNimda]

Interesting looking guitar. And no surprise p90s found their way onto it! 👍
May I ask what gauge strings you use?

[mihcmac]

On 4/7/2023 at 3:05 PM, Guitar God said:

Nice! These were called Nuclear Extreme models. I have one in black that I dropped the EMG 57/66 set in.

Yes I saw Extreme mentioned in a few of the of the online posts but the most common was "Nuclear" then "color" then "Crackle", I saw some like yours that were listed " Nuclear Extreme Black Crackle". I don't remember seeing them when they were first released and haven't found any add's on them or other detailed information, but I do know that a highly underrated guitar.

One thing I have discovered is the Nuclear Extreme has a lot of hollow chambers in it, enough that I am temped to call it a semi-hollow.

I have spent a lot of time playing it, my Mean 90's scream and the sustain is incredible seeming to have a life of its own.

I would love hear any additional information you might have on it.

 

Edited April 9, 2023 by mihcmac

[mihcmac]

19 hours ago, Dub-T-123 said:

You gotta love michmac’s passion for guitars 

I got my first guitar when I was 12 in 62, played my first gig as a bass player in 64, I have never let go of them always having one around even in the military. It has been an unrelenting addiction.

GAS hit really hard when I played this Nuclear Extreme while I was in a store just getting some strings.

[mihcmac]

On 4/8/2023 at 12:08 PM, Ceptorman said:

That is sweet. Uniqueness at its best.

16 hours ago, OrdinaryNimda said:

Interesting looking guitar. And no surprise p90s found their way onto it! 👍
May I ask what gauge strings you use?

The thing that caught my eye was the unusual Headstock with the flying E-Wing on it, then when I picked it I realized it was a very high quality build and because it had bowed neck it hadn't been played very much, I though it was within my ability to straighten. The finger board came out nice and flat. So I got a 22 year old LP with no fret wear for 300 bucks with an Epiphone LP hardcase. I think I did very well. 😍

I use 10- 46 Ernie Ball strings on all of my guitars including acoustics which I like to have the same feel as my electrics (plain G string).

All of my guitars have P-90's, I was a Humbucking addict for a long time and installed them in Juniors and Melody Makers quite regularly.  One day I acquired a Les Paul Special DC that was so excellent I started playing it regularly through an Ampeg VH 140C. Hearing it scream like banshee getting the Man Mountain sound. Once my amp was tweaked for P90's there was no going back to the humbucking tweak and I slowly started to convert to guitars with P90's. Currently having some Humbucking sized Mean 90's on a shelf  in my closet,  I had to try them in the Nuclear Extreme.     I am really pleased with the combination.

My VH 140C, I wish Ampeg was still big on guitar amps..

Edited April 9, 2023 by mihcmac

[OrdinaryNimda]

You are definitely the one to ask about p90s. I like their sound very much, too! 👍

Did I understand correctly, that you use the same strings on electrics and acoustics? So using the very soft to the fingers electric guitar strings for acoustic guitars? Is the natural acoustic sound still OK, even if you play it with no amplification?

[Tman]

Very cool guitar Micmac!  

[mihcmac]

5 hours ago, OrdinaryNimda said:

You are definitely the one to ask about p90s. I like their sound very much, too! 👍

Did I understand correctly, that you use the same strings on electrics and acoustics? So using the very soft to the fingers electric guitar strings for acoustic guitars? Is the natural acoustic sound still OK, even if you play it with no amplification?

 I use the same gage of electric strings on my acoustics as my electrics, but not the same brand. I put Elixir strings on my acoustics because they last longer and don't seem to oxidize or rust very much. Typically I use Ernie Balls on my electrics and the 10-46 set on all of them. My acoustic sound is not what it could be, but I use my acoustics for practice, not performance and want them to play the same way as my electrics. Because I play the same songs on them they need the same action, I don't do an acoustic set. Also I'm really not fond of the feel of wound G strings.

My P90's are driven by personal taste, I like hot P90's that tend to be overdriven a bit. Soapbar style I tend to prefer Epiphone over Gibson P90's, for me they seem to create less noise and work easier with pole reversal and noise reduction. I tend to use the center position on my pickup switch a lot, the bridge pickup for cutting through and the neck for getting bluesy. Aftermarket P90's tend to come in sets with reversed polarity for humcancelling. I don't think you need to pay a lot to get quality, the selection Guitar Fetish has a good section for soapbars and humbucking sized P90's that just drop in replacing humbuckers. I think their Mean 90 with its sliver plated chassis is one of the best sounding you can find, at least for my taste.

Some of the Nuclear Extreme Red Crackle features;

A mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard and unusual inlays .

The body seems to be large blocks of laminated mahogany with chambers, a sculpted maple cap and a mahogany veneer with the graphics on it and a clear pickguard.

Chrome, tune-omatic with stopbar,  E-wing logo on the Rotomatic tuners, embossed E-wing pickup covers, Tele style knobs.

Electronics, 57CH(G) LP neck, HotCH(G) LP bridge, 1 inch 500k pots, green .022uf caps.

Installed, GFS, Nickel Humbucker size case, Mean 90 Alnico V with aged magnets and silver plated chassis, Bridge 8.6k, Neck 7.8k.  Compares very well to $160 "Boutique" P90's

Edited April 10, 2023 by mihcmac

[mihcmac]

A Nuclear Extreme in very good condition on most sites go for about 599, a few I have seen sold for 700  or over

Reverb link ..............

Edited April 17, 2023 by mihcmac

[mihcmac]

Well, I couldn't help myself, had to try on my favorite trem.

and a roller bridge.

Edited May 4, 2023 by mihcmac