Joe Pass

[layboomo]

I'm asking all these questions because I bought a 94 samick Joe Pass LH last night for $325 with case...however' date='

when I got the guitar I noticed a bunch of things not quite right, which sucked because it was described as perfect...

 

last night, I was too depressed to even admit I bought it ha ha, but now with everyone's help, I am starting to see the

positives...here's the deal:

 

1. pots kind of wonky...just played it again, however, and I can live with it for now

2. unplugged sounds great and easy to play...plugged in was "eh"...however, that was because >

3. the freaking tailpiece is drilled off center, so it was pulling all the strings off the pole pieces >

4. however, I just loosened the strings, realigned the bridge, and did some minor pole piece / PU

height adjustment >

5. after that, I played through my vibro champ and it sounds much better than last night!

6. pickguard was warped...it's off and the guitar looks way better...easier for me to play, as well

7. string change is up next and redrill the tailpiece

8. entire guitar was sticky and smells funny...first cleaning did wonders so I'll be continuing that

9. the case smells like vomit mixed with fabreeze...looks new inside..any suggestions?

10. cosmetically, I am going to get black & silver reflector knobs like the broadway

11. I think I am going to install a frequensator

12. frets look great, kind of medium jumbo, which I like

13. wood bridge posts are angled back like this / and the strings have cut into it pretty deeply, so

that's up for a change

 

so thoughts and comments are appreciated...do you think I can redrill the tailpiece w/o losing the ground wire?

 

no photos until I make the changes...the knobs, frequensator, and no pickguard are needed to make this "my"

guitar...I need to erase the memory of the guy I dealt with LOL

 

thanks

 

PS I like the joe pass trc, which I thought I would hate...didn't like the signature PG, however[/quote']

 

Don't worry about it! I paid similar money for my JP and I gutted it too. I'd replace pot's,pickups,switch and jack for sure. I put this bridge and tail from GFS on mine and it works well http://store.guitarfetish.com/arrobrroba.html

http://store.guitarfetish.com/dejataforarg.html . The tailpiece does sit slightly off center when mounted...thats normal to position the strings correctly. If you change yours what you want to do is to put both E strings on losely and line things up so the strings are positioned over the pole pieces evenly and mark the screw locations. The real ***** is in changing the electronics in these hollowbodies......it's best to work through the bridge pickup hole with string to guide the pots into place. It's a patience tester.......On the Vomit and Fabreeze issue...LOL sorry you're on your own there.

[carverman]

 

Don't worry about it! snip!...for my JP and I gutted it too. I'd replace pot's' date='pickups,switch and jack for sure.

I put this bridge and tail from GFS on mine and it works well http://store.guitarfetish.com/arrobrroba.html

http://store.guitarfetish.com/dejataforarg.html . The tailpiece does sit slightly off center when mounted...thats normal to position the strings correctly. It's a patience tester.......

On the vomit and Fabreeze issue...[/quote']

 

Ok, so, these require a little TLC..but as you have found out, once you invest a little time and some inexpensive

parts in these..they turn into beauties and sound as good as any archtop at 2 or 3 times the price. The hardware

is not the greatest, but the workmanship is not bad. I would also suggest some nice chrome GFS Kluson style

tuners. Do not get the vintage green ones though. I did and it was a lot of work to install them. I had to make

walnut dowel inserts to reduce the hole size from 12mm to 10mm and then had to enlarge the rings from the

old tuners to make it look right. The chrome Kluson style have threaded bushing rather than the vintage presson

type.

[carverman]

10. cosmetically' date=' I am going to get black & silver reflector knobs like the broadway

11. I think I am going to install a frequensator

PS I like the joe pass trc, which I thought I would hate...didn't like the signature PG, however[/quote']

 

I would stay with the Gibby gold bell knobs, or go for the solid brass ones with the

pearl/abalone tops...very stylish and have a nice feel to them.

 

Heavens to mergatroid...you are going to put a frequensator on a JP? I have replaced

both of mine with the GFS Jazz style tp in gold. Not only does it make the guitar look

like an expensive archtop, but you get the "Guild Styling" tp which has the bass

string compensation built into the design.

 

Mine didn't come with a pickguard..they all warp and rattle eventually. I made mine out

of solid wood (ebony) and it looks pretty cool to me.

 

 

[dubstar]

thanks for the responses! yes, pots and PUs are on the list, but for now cash is tight and they sound OK...

 

layboomo. I understandwhat you are saying about the tailpiece, however mine was pulling all the strings completely

off the polepieces...when I lined it up, the strings from the bridge to the tailpiece are now angled...that can't be right?

 

carverdan, I know some people don't like the frequensator but I dig it...also, remember I am a lefty, compensated

tailpieces are hard to find! you can swap short / long lengths on the frequensator...I also like the looks of the broadway:

 

http://www.epiphone.com/press/BWAY-NA.jpg

 

it's also a nod to epiphone's past...do you dislike the look or the performance?

 

thinking of leaving the tuners and adding imperial keys like this:

 

http://www.epiphone.com/elitist/hero/hbroadway_na.jpg

 

I see you changed the bridge...you recommend that over a wood one?

 

thx

[carverman]

thanks for the responses! yes' date=' pots and PUs are on the list, but for now cash is tight and they sound OK... I know some people don't like the frequensator but I dig it...also, remember I am a lefty, compensated

tailpieces are hard to find! you can swap short / long lengths on the frequensator...I also like the looks of the broadway:

it's also a nod to epiphone's past...do you dislike the look or the performance?

thinking of leaving the tuners and adding imperial keys like this:

I see you changed the bridge...you recommend that over a wood one?

[/quote']

 

I took my frequensator off my Broadway and custom designed my own retro style tp from solid copper based

on the L5 tailpiece measurements that Parabar gave to me over this forum. IMO, it not only makes the Broadway

sound more like an L5, but it adds more mass, looks a bit better and sounds better. I still keep the frequensator.

 

I prefer the L5 or ES-175 tp over the frequensator even though it is historically correct for most Epiphones. My

departed Epiphone Triumph had a frequensator, but in my mind it looked "unbalanced" and the "D" string

just made it around the tuner post. Whatever..if you like them..

 

The Imperial keys would look ok, but if you are thinking of adding those pearloid buttons, they MAY not fit on the

Gotoh style tuners pegs (or butterbeans) that come on the JP. I had to slightly adjust mine on my Broadway,by filing the square hole in the pearloid button.

 

As far as the bridge...ebony or t-o-m, it's a matter of preference, I guess.

I played a $4200 ES-175 at the Gibson factory in Memphis last May, and I really liked the sound

of the t-o-m on that style of body. I still got my original ebony bridge..it's ok, but the t-o-m adds more

clarity to the higher registers on the B/E string. I bought most of my parts from GFS, so they didn't set

me back too much.

[layboomo]

 

I would stay with the Gibby gold bell knobs' date=' or go for the solid brass ones with the

pearl/abalone tops...very stylish and have a nice feel to them.

 

Heavens to mergatroid...you are going to put a frequensator on a JP? I have replaced

both of mine with the GFS Jazz style tp in gold. Not only does it make the guitar look

like an expensive archtop, but you get the "Guild Styling" tp which has the bass

string compensation built into the design.

 

Mine didn't come with a pickguard..they all warp and rattle eventually. I made mine out

of solid wood (ebony) and it looks pretty cool to me.

 

 

[img']http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb302/carverDan1/95EpiJoePass.jpg[/img]

 

Very pretty carverman! I like those GFS tp's... really hard to beat for the $. I've never been a big fan of the frequensator either but then again I'm really just a hacker when it comes to Jazz guitar and I tend to set mine up for a more middle of the road sound than traditional flatwound tones. I can see your point being a lefty though...makes sense to me. I kinda like the TOM style bridges better too....the ebony seems a little dead to me which is probably what you want with flatwounds. I think these Epi JP's with a little work are Really nice guitars certainly with the effort and a little $ IMHO.

[dubstar]

well, then a TOM will probably do it, as I am not a jazz player...I believe they are LH adaptable, which is a plus...

was just playing through my fender blues jr and after some initial feedback, I adjust both the amp and guitar and

got some nice slightly crunchy mildly overdriven warm chords...with decent definition on arpeggios...there's a great photo

of neil young at the fillmore east with a full-on jazz box

 

do those TOMs come with notched saddles? because I am not set up to notch them but I could figure out how to

set up the bridge...thanks

[carverman]

 

Very pretty carverman! I like those GFS tp's... really hard to beat for the $. I've never been a big fan of the frequensator either but then again I'm really just a hacker when it comes to Jazz guitar and I tend to set mine up for a more middle of the road sound than traditional flatwound tones. I can see your point being a lefty though...makes sense to me. I kinda like the TOM style bridges better too....the ebony seems a little dead to me which is probably what you want with flatwounds. I think these Epi JP's with a little work are Really nice guitars certainly with the effort and a little $ IMHO.

 

Umm..Who said I was a lefty?

And how would one being left-handed play a cutaway archtop with the frequensator and

strings reversed. Then you have to cut a new nut and the vol/tones would be in the

wrong place.. I dunno..maybe there's a way... Albert King played a right handed Flying V lefthanded

and he had to learn chords the hardway, because he didn't change the strings over on the "V"...worked

for him, though.

[carverman]

so thoughts and comments are appreciated...do you think I can redrill the tailpiece w/o losing the ground wire?

 

Yes, Indeedy. The gnd wire comes out in a separate hole and is looped. Drill away. I had to redrill all the

holes for the jazz tailpiece and a center hole for the strap pin as well.

[dubstar]

I'm the lefty...the tailpiece you recommended is compensated for RH setup...on a frequensator, you simply reverse the long

and short bars and it becomes compensated for LH setup...no need to cut a nut or tones in the wrong place...

[layboomo]

 

Umm..Who said I was a lefty?

And how would one being left-handed play a cutaway archtop with the frequensator and

strings reversed. Then you have to cut a new nut and the vol/tones would be in the

wrong place.. I dunno..maybe there's a way... Albert King played a right handed Flying V lefthanded

and he had to learn chords the hardway' date=' because he didn't change the strings over on the "V"...worked

for him, though. [/quote']

 

No that was directed at dubstar sorry....I'm a little confused about the lefty thing....is this a left handed guitar or are you converting a righty?

[dubstar]

LH Joe Pass...carverman is confusing the matter, too much time in the woodshed ; )

[carverman]

 

No that was directed at dubstar sorry....I'm a little confused about the lefty thing....is this a left handed guitar or are you converting a righty?

 

Yes, I curious too, did they make any JP lefties? He played right handed and if it's his

signature Emp II, would they even offer a left hander?

 

It's going to be a wee bit difficult converting a right hander, if that's what it is.

I'm holding my JP with my left hand strumming and it's "upside down" with

the cutaway and controls on top. I guess..it may be possible (certainly flipping the

frequensator around), but my 3-way is pointing towards the "rythmn-neck p_up) and

I'm trying to adjust the volume which would be the bridge.....confusing..not to mention

that louder was "clockwise", now it's counterclockwise, and I quite haven't figured out

where the tone controls are supposed to be...of course if one could play it over their

shoulder... maybe that's why there are some left handed models out there.

[layboomo]

LH Joe Pass...carverman is confusing the matter' date=' too much time in the woodshed ; )[/quote']

 

Yeah thats what I thought........the left handed thing not too much time in the woods...although that may be true too!

[carverman]

LH Joe Pass...carverman is confusing the matter' date=' too much time in the woodshed ; )[/quote']

 

What's that you say?..koff! koff!.. sneeze!! .. friggin' wood dust... it's left handed model ..ok.

[dubstar]

anyone know where a replacement LH wood bridge can be found? I've posted on several sites, searched ebay, and

googled endlessly...I know the TOMs are reversible, but it sounds good with the existing wood bridge, so I'd like to see about that

first...

 

thanks, this forum has more informative / helpful members than any others I check

[layboomo]

These http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailpieces/Archtop_guitar_bridges/Archtop_Guitar_Bridges.html from Stewmac are really pretty and I bet if you email them they can get you a lefty?

[dubstar]

good idea, saw those, but didn't think to email...

[dubstar]

btw, what string gauge do you all use? and is there any way to estimate the existing string gauge that

is on the guitar now w/o a feeler gauge?

[dubstar]

OK, I got the parts and am in the process of cleaning / working on the guitar...if I remove the existing tailpiece, will

the ground wire fall off inside the guitar? or will it come out enough with the screw so that I can grab it?

 

if it does fail out, could I attach it to one of the pickguard screws? those are accessible and it seems like it would serve the

same purpose? or is it not enough metal to ground?

 

thanks!

 

edit: the ground has to include the string, right? so it has to attach to the tailpiece?

[layboomo]

OK' date=' I got the parts and am in the process of cleaning / working on the guitar...if I remove the existing tailpiece, will

the ground wire fall off inside the guitar? or will it come out enough with the screw so that I can grab it?

 

if it does fail out, could I attach it to one of the pickguard screws? those are accessible and it seems like it would serve the

same purpose? or is it not enough metal to ground?

 

thanks!

 

edit: the ground has to include the string, right? so it has to attach to the tailpiece?

[/quote']

 

The ground is a string ground so yes it needs to attach to the tailpiece. When you remove the old tailpiece the ground wire comes out a seperate hole with plenty of length to work with. If it should fall inside you should be able to pull it back thru an f hole and then send a guitar string though the hole attach it and pull it back through.

[dubstar]

thanks, I thought the guitar string....will update whether I succeed or not : )