Ovie Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Hey guys, Got a bit of a dilemma. I've been given, yes given, a set of PRS Dragon II humbuckers by my cousin, as he's had the pups in his PRS upgraded. The question is, are they a worthwhile upgrade to my Epi Les Paul Classic, which I like anyway? Also, how complicated is it to switch the pickups, as I've only got a soldering iron that's suitable for working on cars really. As I've not really modded any of my guitars, I don't know if it'll be worth the hassle or not. Opinions? Thanks guys, looking forward to your advice as always. Ovie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upiory Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 What type of pups are in your LP now? Standard Epi Alnico V's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitmore Willy Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Got a bit of a dilemma. I've been given, yes given, a set of PRS Dragon II humbuckers by my cousin, as he's had the pups in his PRS upgraded. The question is, are they a worthwhile upgrade to my Epi Les Paul Classic, which I like anyway? I've never tried them so this is not likely to be much help. I was curious about them so, I have read as many reviews as I could in the last hour or so. Even among people that have them there seems to be everything from I love them to I hate them. The descriptions are like night and day from one user to the next. Consider this....your cousin got rid of his...what did he think of them? You already indicate that you like your Classic as it is. Taste is a personal thing. I know this will sound nasty but, sincerely, it is not meant to be: ...According to your taste, will I like chocolate icecream better than vanilla? If you want to know you have to try. Also, how complicated is it to switch the pickups, as I've only got a soldering iron that's suitable for working on cars really. As I've not really modded any of my guitars, I don't know if it'll be worth the hassle or not. Good question. Things to consider....will they even work?.... Are the pole spacings the same? (Not a major issue but a consideration) Aren't they 4 conductor pickups? I don't know anything about the Dragon II. Were they wired into a push pull pot setup? If they were, you might not be able to get the sound you want out of them without changing a pot or two. If they are 2 conductor or, if 4 conductor (but you wire them as 2) the installation would be easier for a first time modder. If you are going to solder them correctly you would be well off with a soldering iron designed for electronics. 20w-40w. Best to get some wire and a piece of tin and practice for a while. If you are not replacing the pots, practice de-soldering as well. If the heat is left on a pot for too long it can damage the pot. (Also, they should be set to 0 to minimize possible damage.) If wired in a 2 conductor setup you could cut existing wires and do a splice. I do not recommend it but, that doesn't make it bad. To do it properly I would want enough wire that I would solder and cover with shrink tube. You then need to be able to heat the shrink tube with a hair dryer without damaging your guitar. Final thought on guitar electronics: Do you know enough about them to be able to decipher Epiphone's spaghetti wiring? It's not that hard but it can be a pain in the butt. If you had experience at the electronics part I would say, "go for it, you can always change it back". The entire job would take me around an hour or so. Not bragging but, I've been doing this for a couple of years now. Without the background, you may want to give some consideration to my attempt at "Food For Thought". Hope others provide you with more insight! Willy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
animalfarm Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Hey guys, Got a bit of a dilemma. I've been given, yes given, a set of PRS Dragon II humbuckers by my cousin, as he's had the pups in his PRS upgraded. The question is, are they a worthwhile upgrade to my Epi Les Paul Classic, which I like anyway? As I've not really modded any of my guitars, I don't know if it'll be worth the hassle or not. Ovie Also as Willie mentioned, the onlu PRS wiring I've been able to source with a short search results in a more comples wiring scheme with push-pull pots, unable to locate just wiring for Dragon II HBs yet. Regarding the Stock Epi LP Classic Pups, Read review: http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/71421-epiphone-les-paul-classic-quilt-top/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovie Posted August 11, 2011 Author Share Posted August 11, 2011 Thanks Willy, My cousin is getting rid of them because he's more 'metal' than 'classic rock' and is getting rid of them as they weren't up to what he wanted. Also, having looked at the spaghetti wiring, I'm definitley not going to do the job myself, I know my limits on the wiring front. But the main thing is, the HB6N & HOTHB8B pickups suit me fine for what I'm playing. So unless I can know that the PRS pickups are going to be a significant improvement, I don't see the point. Any other thoughts? I really think Willy's hit the nail on the head though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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