Epi SG and LP questions... Any help greatly appreciated!!!

[ChuteBoxeHero]

Hello all. New to the forum and Epiphones as well. I just picked up two Epiphones this week. I finally branched out from my Strats and decided on an SG. After a fair amount of research, i figured the G-400 was ideal for my budget and ability. I ended up finding a used '08 G-400 and absolutely fell in love with this guitar. It was set up beautifully, had a Duncan Performer installed at the bridge, and didn't have a mark or scratch on it. I took it home for less than $300 including a hardshell case. I'm genuinely impressed with the overall quality of this guitar and love the sound, but I'm curious about the bridge pickup that was installed in it. How does the Duncan compare with the stock setup as far as sound is concerned? I've also read a lot about the P-90's and from what I've heard they sound like they have the ideal sound that i would love to hear come out of this guitar. Is it possible to swap in P-90s without permanently altering this guitar? Also what do you recommend considering how many different types of these pickups are manufactured.

My second Epi came via my sister who years ago picked up a '96 Les Paul Limited Edition with a red sparkle top. After years of collecting dust she passed it down to me, which is pretty awesome. Overall it's in nice shape and also plays well. I'm wondering what the stock pickups are in this guitar and what some of the more common pickup upgrades are for this particular model. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Again, I love the sound from both guitars but I've always liked that P-90 Gibson sound that I've heard for so many years. Thanks again for any help you can offer.

[marcelo94]

To not modify the wood of the guitar, you can get a p90 sizes humbucker, the seymour duncan Phat Cat, Gibson P94 and there are others.

[antwhi2001]

Marcelo means a humbucker-sized P90!

 

Gibson brought out their P94, a pup which replicates P90 sound but drops straight into a humbucker-sized cavity. Others like Seymour Duncan and Kent Armstrong have done their versions. If you want P90 sound avoid any which are a double-stacked 2 coil humbucker, like the P100. P90s are just big single coil pups.

 

I highly recommend the Kent Armstrongs; cheaper than Gibson and SD and just as good IMHO. They also do a slightly higher output version which suits the bridge position.

 

You might want to try your G400 with a P90 at the neck, and leave the SD at the bridge for now.

[ChuteBoxeHero]

Ant, thanks for the input. I'll definitely check out the Kent Armstrongs. As for the '96 LP Limited EdItion, anyone know what pups came originally with the guitar? They look like a set of P-90s that I saw a picture of on a wiki page for Gibson pickups but I'm probably way off. Thanks again for any help.

[ChuteBoxeHero]

I figured I'd try one more time. Would anyone happen to know what pickups came from the factory in my Epiphone LP Limited Edition? It's was built in 1996 and has a red sparkle finish. I think they are humbuckers but I'm not 100% certain. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[deflepfan]

I figured I'd try one more time. Would anyone happen to know what pickups came from the factory in my Epiphone LP Limited Edition? It's was built in 1996 and has a red sparkle finish. I think they are humbuckers but I'm not 100% certain. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Post a pic and we will tell!

Sheila

[ChuteBoxeHero]

I didn't think of that. Ill post a couple of pics as soon as I get home. If a rough description would help at all, they are rectangular, have chrome covers, and the magnets (I think that's what you would call them) run along the upper third of the neck and lower third of the bridge pickup, as opposed to straight down the middle. Again, ill post some pics as soon as I get home.

[deflepfan]

I didn't think of that. Ill post a couple of pics as soon as I get home. If a rough description would help at all' date=' they are rectangular, have chrome covers, and the magnets (I think that's what you would call them) run along the upper third of the neck and lower third of the bridge pickup, as opposed to straight down the middle. Again, ill post some pics as soon as I get home. [/quote']

Like this? They're humbuckers.

 

Sheila

[deflepfan]

Here's some other sparkles, all with humbuckers.

 

[ChuteBoxeHero]

Exactly like those. Is there a way to figure out exactly which humbuckers they are or does Epiphone only use one particular type of humbucker in their LP's? I just assumed that even though it's an Epi maybe they have different humbuckers that they use in different applications versus one type that gets installed in everything from the factory. By the way I just saw your following post with the other sparkle finish LP's. Thanks for looking into that and posting those. I really appreciate it. I've been searching for similar pics with no luck at all.

[deflepfan]

Exactly like those. Is there a way to figure out exactly which humbuckers they are or does Epiphone only use one particular type of humbucker in their LP's? I just assumed that even though it's an Epi maybe they have different humbuckers that they use in different applications versus one type that gets installed in everything from the factory. By the way I just saw your following post with the other sparkle finish LP's. Thanks for looking into that and posting those. I really appreciate it. I've been searching for similar pics with no luck at all.

There are those here that are far geekier than I (and that is a compliment, guys), and they could answer in more detail, but I believe that the pups are stock Epi alnico humbuckers, nothing fancy and definitely replaceable, and used on many guitars from Studios to Customs. Asian (China, I believe) made. Some like them, most can't wait to replace them!

 

You're welcome on the pics, already had some saved, found the rest by Googling 'Epiphone sparkle' and then clicking on the 'IMAGE' tab at the top. Works almost everytime!

 

Sheila

[ChuteBoxeHero]

Awesome. That's exactly what I've been wondering. I think I'm going to leave the SG alone for now with the stock humbucker in the neck and the duncan performer in the bridge. I'm definitely loving the sound from that guitar. As for the LP, I just found out that my uncle, who is a luthier here in CT, has a couple of dogear p-90's that have been sitting around for a couple of decades in his parts bin. I wish there was an easy way to drop those into the LP but I doubt that very much. I'm thinking about the humbucker sized p-90's that were recommended in an earlier post.

[carverman]

Here's some other sparkles' date=' all with humbuckers. [/quote']

 

ow!..where are my sunglasses?

 

I see a red guitar and I want it painted black

No colors anymore I want them to turn black

I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes

I have to turn my head until my darkness goes

 

I look inside myself and see my heart is black

I see my red door and must have it painted black

Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts

It's not easy facin' up when your whole world is black

 

Black! Black! I want to paint them black!!!!

[deflepfan]

ow!..where are my sunglasses?

 

I see a red guitar and I want it painted black

No colors anymore I want them to turn black

I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes

I have to turn my head until my darkness goes

 

I look inside myself and see my heart is black

I see my red door and must have it painted black

Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts

It's not easy facin' up when your whole world is black

 

Here's a quick fix for you Carverman!! It's black' date=' it's shiny and it's Chrome!

 

 

Sheila

PS - It's the next best thing to a Black Beauty with 2 pups! Love the Chrome!

[midiman56]

Carver, you crack me up!

 

Jim

[brad1]

ChuteBoxeHero,

I have a '06 G400 that I really like a lot. And I like the stock pups that came with it. I think they sound great.

I also own a '97 LE LP (avatar pic) and can not wait to replace the pups when I get a chance. They just do not sound very good at all.

So it really depends on several factors. What year it was made, where it was made, and of course the type of pup installed (and how it was made and where). My G400 was made in China. My LP in Korea. And yet I know many around here that think all that comes out of China is crap, and all that comes out of Korea is good.

It just aint so. Like I said, it just depends.

[ChuteBoxeHero]

Brad i couldn't agree with you more. The G-400 was made in '08 in Qingdao, China and the LP LE was made in '96 in Un Sung, Korea. The G-400 is hands down the nicest guitar built overseas that I've played. I've had two Mexican Strats and one American built Highway One Strat and I would honestly take the G-400 over any of those. Much more versatile sound in my opinion. I had my G-400 set up by my Uncle, who has built guitars for over 40 years, and he said the difference in quality of the Korean and Chinese built guitars currently versus even 15-20 years ago is amazing. I think it's just an "old school" point of view to assume that everything built overseas is junk because back then most of it was junk. Don't get me wrong, if money wasn't a factor, I would have picked up a new Gibson SG instead of a used Epi, but in hind sight I'm glad I found this guitar. It's completely turned me on to Epiphones in general and I have an extra $600 or so in my checking account. If i could just get the LP to sound as nice as the G-400 I'd be one happy mofo...