Upiory Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Hi. I'm in the process of overhauling a MIK Riviera. The luthier called and told me that the old pups were made by Samsung. This surprised him. Were Samsung pups once stock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 I think I've read this here..... so probably Yes Or maybe here? http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/epiphone-les-pauls/28849-sam-sung-pickups.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnthemBassMan Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 -I forget. Were these regular chrome covered p'ups, or were they the black covered ones with the italic i in the corner? L8R, Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 The black pickups with the "i" were the i-series pickups on the super strats and the 1989 Flying-V. I'm going to guess that the Samsung pickups were either chrome covered or open-coil. The only other Epiphone non-active black covered pickups I know of were the Vantage pups in the early to mid 90's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtkLAMF Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 It's not limited to humbuckers either, my Casino's P-90s are stamped with "SAMSUNG" as well. They sound alright to my ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 I think someone in that thread I linked to had also mentioned Samsung P90s. One question not answered was - are these from the actual Samsung company that we are all familiar with? From what I understand the pickups are stamped SAM SUNG. Maybe it stands for Samick/Unsung??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Korean writing - "Hangul" - clusters letters into syllables. So... It's entirely possible that the "translation" simply followed Korean writing. Daiwoo, for example, is written in two clusters for the syllable "Day" and the syllable "Woo." Hangul is phoenetic, but: For example: Gib(u) sun ... or Eh Pee poe n(u). (There's no "F" or "V" in Korean except in borrowed words and so usually a "p" gets substituted.) It's so phoenetic that I added the "(u)" because if you really listen to yourself say "Gibson," there's almost inevitably a "U" sort of sound between the B and the S. For what it's worth, my own first name is written in three syllables in Hangul, and almost could function as an entire "Korean" name. Just a thought... m Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 So what you are saying is that it could very well be Samsung, but Korean translation split the syllables into two words? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 RTH... It's a strong possibility, at least from a language perspective. I have no idea who may have manufactured any Korean Epi pickups. But I do have some experience with the Korean language and transliteration from Korean into English. A perfect example of different transliterations is in reference to Korean kick-punch martial arts. Some write it one word, Taekwondo, some as Taekwon Do, some as Tae Kwon Do... Yet functionally it's like "karate" which also unquestionably was at least two words often given different translation, but still two words, more or less Kara and Te. But coming from Chinese characters gave the option of differing translations. m Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old mark Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 I own a MIK Samick Lawsuit era Artist SG. I don't know who made the humbuckers on it, but they are very hot and have a beautiful tonal range...this is a beat up and well used SG, based on the old Les Paul SG and it is one of my favorite guitars-sounds and plays much better than it has a right to-I can see why Epiphone got upset! mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 The term "lawsuit era" gets used a lot. In the interest of accuracy, there were no Korean builders involved in Gibson's lawsuit, which took place in '77 and was brought against Ibanez. Epiphone did not link up with Samick in Korea until '83. In the '70s, Japanese companies such as Ibanez, Aria, and Takamine were really giving Gibson & Martin a run for their money with instruments that were top notch copies. After settlement of the lawsuit, Ibanez stopped cloning Gibson's designs and began developing their own, such as headstock & pickguard shapes. I began playing in the early '70s, and witnessed Japanese guitars, mandolins, and banjos flooding the market. Have to say, many of them were darn good, including a solid spruce/mahogany acoustic Ibanez I purchased not long after the lawsuit, with headstock cues similar to George Benson's signature models (also a product of the lawsuit aftermath, introduced in '78). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old mark Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 The term "lawsuit era" gets used a lot. In the interest of accuracy, there were no Korean builders involved in Gibson's lawsuit, which took place in '77 and was brought against Ibanez. Epiphone did not link up with Samick in Korea until '83. In the '70s, Japanese companies such as Ibanez, Aria, and Takamine were really giving Gibson & Martin a run for their money with instruments that were top notch copies. After settlement of the lawsuit, Ibanez stopped cloning Gibson's designs and began developing their own, such as headstock & pickguard shapes. I began playing in the early '70s, and witnessed Japanese guitars, mandolins, and banjos flooding the market. Have to say, many of them were darn good, including a solid spruce/mahogany acoustic Ibanez I purchased not long after the lawsuit, with headstock cues similar to George Benson's signature models (also a product of the lawsuit aftermath, introduced in '78). Well, it is going to get tossed aroubnd again. The guitar is an '80's Samick SG-style of the Artist series, 2 chrome HB's, ebony board with MOP inlays, and built like the SG/Les Pauls of the 1960's. The pickups are great, and the guitar-although well-played- plays and sounds fine. Possibly the best $180 I ever spent. mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Well, it is going to get tossed aroubnd again. The guitar is an '80's Samick SG-style of the Artist series, 2 chrome HB's, ebony board with MOP inlays, and built like the SG/Les Pauls of the 1960's. The pickups are great, and the guitar-although well-played- plays and sounds fine. Possibly the best $180 I ever spent. mark The Samick Artist series ran from the mid 1980's thought the late 90's. The Epiphone guitars with the SAM SUNG pickups were in the early 90's, IIRC. Although its is possible your guitar has them. Have you taken them out to see? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Gee... I have no idea about an Ibanez guitar from the Patent Infringement era. <grin> Not only were they awesomely made... they last as well as any guitar, perhaps better than most. That came as the big surprise that takes a long time to learn about. Korea, btw, came into things a lot later than Japan. In '87 it was still pretty "third world" feeling in a lotta ways. I would have been happy driving in Seoul. By 1995? No way for me to think of driving there; it was a different place entirely. That rapid economic ramp-up in Korea has been, in ways, a miracle of bootstrapping. Regardless what one may think of some South Korean politics, the hard work and skills of folks there have been something else. I don't have any Korean guitars, but... I'm betting they weren't all that good when they began manufacturing the things, and got increasingly better both in materials and workmanship as time went on. m Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 I don't have any Korean guitars, but... I'm betting they weren't all that good when they began manufacturing the things, and got increasingly better both in materials and workmanship as time went on. m I have at least five Korean guitars. Four of which are Epiphone, and one is a Kramer (still an Epiphone). And in some aspects, they werent all that great when they came out. They seemed to have a lot of the same issues with the early Korean guitars that they had with the Chinese guitars. Even throughout the 1990's, the Korean models had quality issues depending on the model and what you consider an issue. Sure, there were some straight shooters, like the G-400 and LP, but the Epiphone active pickups/preamps were not very good and it seems like Epiphone has revamped them since the move to China. Even when Epiphone first acquired Kramer, there were some issues. I have a first run 1999 Kramer Striker 422 (Epi/Samick). Great neck and body. A lot of people didnt like the quad-rail pickups because they were too hot and too thin. And the wiring in mine was mess. Cold solder joints and frayed wire everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freednighthawk Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I have at least five Korean guitars. Four of which are Epiphone, and one is a Kramer (still an Epiphone). And in some aspects, they werent all that great when they came out. They seemed to have a lot of the same issues with the early Korean guitars that they had with the Chinese guitars. Even throughout the 1990's, the Korean models had quality issues depending on the model and what you consider an issue. Sure, there were some straight shooters, like the G-400 and LP, but the Epiphone active pickups/preamps were not very good and it seems like Epiphone has revamped them since the move to China. Even when Epiphone first acquired Kramer, there were some issues. I have a first run 1999 Kramer Striker 422 (Epi/Samick). Great neck and body. A lot of people didnt like the quad-rail pickups because they were too hot and too thin. And the wiring in mine was mess. Cold solder joints and frayed wire everywhere. At least that's slightly better than my first series LP Special... The output jack was soldered backwards, from the factory. Screamed like a banshee anytime it was plugged in. The fret ends were also hideous, litterally slicing my fingers open any time I played it. 8 years later, with plenty of minor work, a complete re-wire, new pups (originally Sam Sung pups, now GFS), and I get compliments all the time on it. Many people have told me it is the most responsive, easiest playing guitar they've ever played. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Barger Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 I have a chance to get what the Guy thinks is an 80,s made Les Paul Aria Pro II I am an Aria guy I have owned several. I have one now that sounds better than any Gibson Les Paul I have ever had. Anyway the guy says the pickups have Samsung on the pickups. Anyone out there no if they are any good ? Randall Barger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Barger Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 I am just trying to find out if anyone knows anything about the Samsung Humbucker pickups? Randall Barger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren grimshaw Posted July 26, 2023 Share Posted July 26, 2023 On 3/19/2011 at 8:58 AM, Upiory said: Hi. I'm in the process of overhauling a MIK Riviera. The luthier called and told me that the old pups were made by Samsung. This surprised him. Were Samsung pups once stock? hi ,ive got a 1970,s...1980,s epiphone black beauty..when i pulled it down to upgrade pots,caps..i fond 2 samsung gold paf,s in it ..the bridge pick up must have died at some point..the last owner put in a nice ..seamore duncan gold paf..anyway it fell over last year,cracked the neck..salvaged the hardware....sold the shell.so if your chasin samsung pick ups..i have 2 for sale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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