Modifying an Epiphone Lucille

[Theslimnizzle]

Hello

 

I've got a very nice Epi Lucille, as have lots of people on this forum. I put Armstong P90s in it just after i got it because it was so dark sounding. I'm not a blues player and not much of a rock player either so didn't need fat overdriven tones. You may ask why the hell did you get a Lucille if you don't play the blues? Because it was only £300 new and it is awesome and beautiful.

 

Anyway, i'm thinking about putting the hums back in as it is obviously designed for them and the varitone isn't as usable with p90s. unfortunately the mod bug has me and i want to do more.

 

Maybe strip it all down. cover it in beeswax, put, a bigsby tremolo on it and fit TV Jones Power tron pickups in it. Who knows what is possible?

.....well who does know?

[charlie brown]

Well....it's your guitar, you can do anything you like, with it. However, I'd try just the TV Jones powertron mod, first!

That will certainly get you a more "sparkled" humbucker tone, than any "gibson or gibson clone" will. And, by what

you've described, it sounds like that's what you want? As to stripping off the finish...don't think "I'd" do that, because

I like the solid black finish, but also because guitars that are painted solid colors (especially black) often don't have

a particularly pretty wood, underneath. Which has nothing to do with strength, or tone...just the cosmetics.

Anyway, that's just my "2-cents," so take it for it's worth. ;>)

 

CB

[DizzyFingers]

 

Acoustic output from a Tune-o-matic style bridge!

 

L.R. Baggs T-Bridge

Rich acoustic tone is now available in a Tune-o-matic style bridge! Each saddle has a built-in high-output piezo pickup.

 

Here

[Theslimnizzle]

Hello again

I have been thinking about the LR baggs acoustic pickup especially as the Lucille has a second out put, could be a brilliant mod. Also as there is only one guitar in my band having an acoustic signal and an electric could be very cool.

 

Just speaking hypothetically really but does anyone have any experience of stripping a hollow body guitar? does it free up the sound at all, make it a little wilder?

Don't worry i'm not taking a hot gun to my lucille.

[Vic Flick]

I've got a very nice Epi Lucille' date=' as have lots of people on this forum. I put Armstong P90s in it just after i got it because it was so dark sounding...[/quote']

 

I have a Lucille, and I agree it is very dark sounding. I went through about 5 sets of pickups trying to find the right sound. But I found that the biggest factor zapping the brightness was the TP-6 tailpiece. It really opened up when I put a standard stop tp on it. (I think I used a Gotoh lightweight aluminum but I'm not sure). It's a cheap mod, I would try that first before trying different pups. It might change your mind about the Armstrongs. In fact, I have GFS Mean 90s on mine and I love them.

 

Of course, going the Bigsby route would also work. But I would swap the tp first, and go from there. Good luck.

 

[Theslimnizzle]

Also does anyone have any thoughts on TV pickups and what model gives what kind of response?

And what about a trapeze endpiece? I do sound a little crazy don't I.

[charlie brown]

Hey, you're a guitar player...."Crazy" is normal! As to the TV Jones pickups:

 

www.tvjones.com

 

He'll tell you all you need to know, aside from actually listening to them, for yourself.

 

CB

[DizzyFingers]

Also does anyone have any thoughts on TV pickups and what model gives what kind of response?

And what about a trapeze endpiece? I do sound a little crazy don't I.

 

I had TV Jones Pickups in a AFS 75T Ibanez artcore...sounded much better than the stock pups' date=' but are dead compared to P-90's in my opinion...

 

[img']http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/3/6/3/547363.jpg[/img]

 

And the innovation doesn't stop there. A special-design L.R. Baggs piezo pickup has been added underneath the Tune-O-Matic bridge to deliver outstanding acoustic simulation capabilities. A pair of EMG's legendary 85 active humbuckers deliver extraordinary tone, power, and performance at all levels, while a new two-jack input, also from L.R. Baggs, offers separate outputs for both the piezo and humbuckers. This gives players the option of blending the two distinct sounds, or playing them individually, thus enabling guitarists to dial in all types of sonic possibilities.

 

 

Might work with the "Lucille"...

[charlie brown]

How interesting! I have a Gretsch, with Filtertrons in it, and it's anything BUT "Dead" sounding. Lots of sparkle, and twang,

but handles OD pedals great! Very articulate pickups, even with distortion, too.

 

CB

[DizzyFingers]

Could of been the Artcore I was using, but the TV Classics are nowhere near as bright or as clear as Armstrong P-90's...I guess it all depends on what you value in the sound your chasing...

[Theslimnizzle]

thanks for the advice guys. I think i'll stick with the P90s and consider a lr baggs tune-o-matic for the unusual versitility.

 

I'm a bit torn between replacing the tail piece with a standard one, an aluminium vintage one or a trapeze tail piece.

I realise its kinda going against the aesthetics of the lucille.

Any thougts?

[Vic Flick]

thanks for the advice guys. I think i'll stick with the P90s and consider a lr baggs tune-o-matic for the unusual versitility.

 

I'm a bit torn between replacing the tail piece with a standard one' date=' an aluminium vintage one or a trapeze tail piece.

I realise its kinda going against the aesthetics of the lucille.

Any thougts?[/quote']

 

I vote for the lightweight vintage aluminum thingy. Or... how about a Maestro vibrola???

[charlie brown]

thanks for the advice guys. I think i'll stick with the P90s and consider a lr baggs tune-o-matic for the unusual versitility.

 

I'm a bit torn between replacing the tail piece with a standard one' date=' an aluminium vintage one or a trapeze tail piece.

[b']I realise its kinda going against the aesthetics of the lucille.[/b]

Any thougts?

 

Oh...."Lucille" is B.B.'s guitar, really. So, since you (or any of the rest of us) aren't B.B....I'd say you can

"Mod" it, anyway you see fit. If it were for a "collection," then keep it Stock, but since it's a "player,"

do whatever you want, that makes it "your" guitar. As much as I love BB...I actually bought my Gibson

"Lucille" because it was 400 dollars cheaper (new), than a new 335, was...at that time. WHY??? Demand,

I guess? But, there were no ES-355's being made, then...and few years later, they started making Custom

Shop versions of the ES-355, for 4-5 Grand! I paid $1600 (new), or my "Lucille," and feel like I got a REAL

bargin, as it's flawless, and a wonderful guitar!

 

CB

[bluelake07]

I vote "no" to the trapeze tailpiece on the Lucille. Tonepros make some nice tailpieces as does Gotoh and others. Install a bone/tusq nut if it doesn't have one already.

[DizzyFingers]

 

Oh...."Lucille" is B.B.'s guitar' date=' really. So, since you (or any of the rest of us) aren't B.B....I'd say you can

"Mod" it, anyway you see fit. If it were for a "collection," then keep it Stock, but since it's a "player,"

do whatever you want, that makes it "your" guitar. As much as I love BB...I actually bought my Gibson

"Lucille" because it was 400 dollars cheaper (new), than a new 335, was...at that time. WHY??? Demand,

I guess? But, there were no ES-355's being made, then...and few years later, they started making Custom

Shop versions of the ES-355, for 4-5 Grand! I paid $1600 (new), or my "Lucille," and feel like I got a REAL

bargin, as it's flawless, and a wonderful guitar!

 

CB[/quote']

 

Right on! It's your axe so do with it as you please... :) Creativity is in the playing and the some of the fun happens when your "tweakin"... :D/