dustbowl Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Hello, I'm new to this forum but I'm a regular visitor ; I own a Korean-made LP Custom (probably 1992) and a BC 30 amp. I often check out this site for information on epiphone instruments but this time I can't seem to find what I'm looking for. I'd like to find the full specifications of my les paul (woods used, pickups, electronics and so on) and I was wondering if anyone here knows where to find these data. Thanks a lot for any help you might be able to give. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanH Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Hello' date=' I'm new to this forum but I'm a regular visitor ; I own a Korean-made LP Custom (probably 1992) and a BC 30 amp. I often check out this site for information on epiphone instruments but this time I can't seem to find what I'm looking for. I'd like to find the full specifications of my les paul (woods used, pickups, electronics and so on) and I was wondering if anyone here knows where to find these data. Thanks a lot for any help you might be able to give. [/quote'] Welcome Dustbowl I'd love to see a pic of your Les Paul. Regarding your query, maybe try contacting the manufacturer or searching for an online epiphone brochure/manual from the year in question (which you may have to pay to download). Sorry I can't be of any more help. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustbowl Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 Hello Alan, Thanks a lot for replying. I will keep looking on the internet and I might try sending the people at Samick an e-mail, who knows... A few pics of my epi - it has a little wear which I like a lot. The parts that used to be golden are sort of silver now, I removed the pickguard ages ago and at some point changed the switch's "teardrop" for a cream-coloured one, don't really know why... I bought it off a friend for a little over 400 USD nearly 15 years ago. I'm looking for a good guitar doctor to take it to (I'm afraid the frets need to be replaced) and once that is done I might upgrade the electronics, pickups included - I realize I should have done this a long time ago. I'll probably give GFS pickups a try for a start and take it from there - any tips on pups welcome by the way. Right enough said, I will let you know if I hear from Samick. Here are the pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpplayer Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Hey- nice looking guitar there! With regard to changing things- just my opinion- if the pickups/tuners/bridge etc are doing the job, I would leave em. You already have a relic, road-worn guitar, done the old fashioned way- by playing it and using it! Something guitar companies are doing artificially. Fret job- absolutely if it is needed.....as well as internal electronics. But- if you fancy a different sound from your pickups, I HIGHLY reccommend GFS. Lots of great pickups there for any style of sound you want, and are inexpensive (not "cheap"). I play blues/classic and hard rock, and have used GFS Fat PAT's, and Vintage II pickups, and they are excellent! Again- nice guitar! It has mojo written all over it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeper Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 The slots in your saddles look HUGE. Did you maybe flip it around at some point but not change the saddles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanH Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Hello Alan' date=' Thanks a lot for replying. I will keep looking on the internet and I might try sending the people at Samick an e-mail, who knows... A few pics of my epi - it has a little wear which I like a lot. The parts that used to be golden are sort of silver now, I removed the pickguard ages ago and at some point changed the switch's "teardrop" for a cream-coloured one, don't really know why... I bought it off a friend for a little over 400 USD nearly 15 years ago. I'm looking for a good guitar doctor to take it to (I'm afraid the frets need to be replaced) and once that is done I might upgrade the electronics, pickups included - I realize I should have done this a long time ago. I'll probably give GFS pickups a try for a start and take it from there - any tips on pups welcome by the way. [/quote'] Nice custom Dustbowl. Have you thought about uncovered black humbuckers. It would give you the look of the LP classic custom models and you'd have no more need to worry about worn out gold. New gold covers would look too much with the older hardware too. I too am thinking about GFS and might take LPplayer's advice with FAT PATs or Vintage IIs. I'm also considering Wilkinson humbuckers although I'm not sure how they compare to GFS or stock Epis. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpplayer Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 I too am thinking about GFS and might take LPplayer's advice with FAT PATs or Vintage IIs. I'm also considering Wilkinson humbuckers although I'm not sure how they compare to GFS or stock Epis. Alan I doubt you will be disappointed Alan- they are great and affordable pickups. They also come in covered and uncovered options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustbowl Posted December 16, 2009 Author Share Posted December 16, 2009 Hi there, Thank you all for your comments. lpplayer: I wish I could do without it but it does look as if this guitar needs a fret job: the action is not all that low and there's fret buzz. I really don't know all that much about lutherie but judging by the state of some fret wires I'd say I'll have to have someone do it... As far as electronics are concerned, I think there's room for improvement; I like the way the guitar sounds when it is unplugged and have a feeling that the pickups don't really do it justice. The main issue I have with the stock pickups is that they are a bit... dull and lack definition. So I ordered a set of humbucker-size P90s and a set of VEH from GFS. I'll see which ones suit me and re-sell those I don't want to keep. Many people complain about the tuners on epiphones. I actually find mine good so I don't plan to change anything in that department. I can't find a good reason to change the bridge either. Musikron: funny you should've noticed the saddles. I used to break a lot of strings when I first got this guitar, don't really know why. I suspected something might not be right with the guitar so I flipped the bridge as I'd been told it could be done, hoping it would make a difference. I don't know if it did but I don't break strings as often as I used to. Anyway when I set the intonation some saddles had to be moved all the way back hence the slots. Alan: the pickups I ordered are black, the VEH uncovered. I was never a big fan of the gold parts anyway even though they look much better now that they've faded. Have sent an e-mail to Samick and Gibson, will let you know if I get a response. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustbowl Posted January 15, 2010 Author Share Posted January 15, 2010 Hello there and happy new year to all, A quick update on my Les Paul Custom. Samick never responded to my e-mail but Gibson did - sending me a scanned page of the 1994 epiphone catalogue. Nothing to be learnt there about what I was interested in, that is the pickups, vaguely referred to as "Gibson designed high output dual gold humbucker pickups" and so on. In the meantime I received the P90s I ordered from GFS and set them up, changing all the electronics while I was at it. New caps and pots alone do make a big difference. I find the Mean 90 I chose for the bridge slightly disappointing but I suspect that's because I love the Dream 90 (neck) so much - it really stands out. I might try combining it with a humbucker in the bridge position when I have time. I like the way the guitar looks - although there's a slight mismatch between the two pickups, the bridge one being slightly faded - oh well... When I took the stock pickups out I was surprised at how rusty they were. Besides, I noticed that they don't have the epiphone logo on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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