Poor quality Nut, Bridge and Pickups on LP Epis

[LordRevan]

Hi all, I guess I'll sound a bit awkward, but I got my LP Epi used. It's a Korean model from the 90s. We are talking about an LP Custom Black. I found new tuners on it and new pickups (no brand on them, but surely not epiphone because they are branded). Everything is quite alrite except I have noticed some things that might help someone else to get the best out of this guitars. The nut is plastic and can be replaced with bone or TUSQ. The original pickups (I have tried them on 2 different LPs) are worse than horrible... they just sound dark and static. Pots, switch and wiring in general should be replaced, they will give u problems sooner or later. The bridge as well... the saddles are as soft as butter and after a few hours playing the string cuts them and the strings start buzzing. Frets are not always precise on these guitars. A levelling should be taken into account. Mainly here you have a great potential guitar (but you already know it). Spending some money on it will make it not much different from a Gibson... Ok a Gibson will always look more refined compare to a cheap Epi. I gues I've said it all. Have fun lads.

[dennistruckdriver]

Originally Posted by LordRevan

Poor quality Nut, Bridge and Pickups on LP Epis....

Welcome. You will be very popular.

[River]

I don't know about Epis from the '90s - I've never played one. But there's nothing inherently wrong with a "plastic" nut (Nylon on my '07) if it's cut correctly. And there are about a bazillion posts here with recordings of Epis that prove that, for most of us, the pickups are fine - nothing wrong with them a little extra volume and gain won't address.

A professional check-up may reveal the need for a nut and fret dress, or nut replacement, perhaps a few other things. But it may reveal similar needs on a much more expensive guitar as well. All too frequently, it does. By no stretch of the imagination are they all basket cases.

[Centris]

Mine is a 2000 custom, pickups are fine, I could get better at a price, but I could say that about any guitar. Nut is better than my PRS Tremonti and about the same as my Fender Strat. In fact the only issue with my Epi is slight fret wear. As for the 500k pots, no breakup, crackles nothing they just work. There is so many things that could be wrong with your guitar, setup, clean and lub the pots and switch, adjust pickup height, put on a new set of strings, intonation the list goes on..........

[hoss49]

My LP Plus is great and plays better than my MIA strat. The pups in the LP are great. Just have the tweek them in.

[River]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and posit that OP is gravely concerned about Gibson QC of late, as well.

[LordRevan]

I know, maybe the title of the post is a bit harh. I appreciate Epis, I have 3 of them, a LP Custom, a supernova and a Joe pass, but believe me, they all have the same problems if you want. The problem with the bridge is serious, the saddles get badly cut and that happens on my supernova as well... same bridge... a case? Pots are cheap and small... they crack and start to mute after a few sessions of intensive playing... the 3 ways switch on my LP now generates intermittent sound on the bridge pickup and I will have to replace it. I have rewired all of them using good cables, some new orange drops, and supernova got 2 Gibson 57 pickups as well. I really luv Epis, I mean it, but somewhere obviously they had to save... I agree tho that nowadays even quality on instruments like Gibson is a problem... American strats are made with the cheapest materials now... The sound of the pickups I guess is subjective. My LP came with non epiphone pickups so I couldn't tell on mine, but I have played epiphone pickups on my friend LP Standard Epis, and they were too dark, I mean it. You know when you turn the tone knob all the way down? That feeling... but the tone was alrite.

[River]

Originally Posted by LordRevan

I know, maybe the title of the post is a bit harh. I appreciate Epis, I have 3 of them, a LP Custom, a supernova and a Joe pass, but believe me, they all have the same problems if you want. The problem with the bridge is serious, the saddles get badly cut and that happens on my supernova as well... same bridge... a case? Pots are cheap and small... they crack and start to mute after a few sessions of intensive playing... the 3 ways switch on my LP now generates intermittent sound on the bridge pickup and I will have to replace it. I have rewired all of them using good cables, some new orange drops, and supernova got 2 Gibson 57 pickups as well. I really luv Epis, I mean it, but somewhere obviously they had to save... I agree tho that nowadays even quality on instruments like Gibson is a problem... American strats are made with the cheapest materials now... The sound of the pickups I guess is subjective. My LP came with non epiphone pickups so I couldn't tell on mine, but I have played epiphone pickups on my friend LP Standard Epis, and they were too dark, I mean it. You know when you turn the tone knob all the way down? That feeling... but the tone was alrite.

"Enter" key, dude. "Enter" key. And a few less periods. Your posts are virtually unreadable.

A "point" wouldn't hurt, either.

[alanssaab]

what kind of amp are you using ? and you might try turning the bass down a bit . i've got 2 epi's a lp and a sg , no probs here with tone from the stock pups

[FlabberGhast]

I've had no problems with the pickups, aside from the neck getting muddy at low volumes. I recently replaced the nut with bone, and that's great. however, can anybody point me in the direction of a relatively cheap (though better than stock epiphone) bridge? or even saddles? I'm not sure which could fit on there. I'd looked a little at Faber, but I'm not sure if they'd fit. any help is appreciated, and I apologize if I've taken this off topic or anything

[hbucker]

I was surprised to learn a few years ago that the nuts on Gibson LP's are also plastic - even on the reissues.

[LordRevan]

Originally Posted by River

"Enter" key, dude. "Enter" key. And a few less periods. Your posts are virtually unreadable.

A "point" wouldn't hurt, either.

Sorry mate, guess I'm a bit long-winded, but I'll do me best not to be, alrite?

Originally Posted by FlabberGhast

however, can anybody point me in the direction of a relatively cheap (though better than stock epiphone) bridge? or even saddles? I'm not sure which could fit on there. I'd looked a little at Faber, but I'm not sure if they'd fit. any help is appreciated, and I apologize if I've taken this off topic or anything

Try a Gotoh. Excellent quality for the price.

Go for the model with big studs (not the tiny ones).

Originally Posted by hbucker

I was surprised to learn a few years ago that the nuts on Gibson LP's are also plastic - even on the reissues.

I have never seen a Gibson with plastic nut, but nowadays... you never know...

[FlabberGhast]

thanks reven. you think you could get me a link, or point me in the right direction? they're sold in quite a few places, and I'm not sure which one I should get

edit: would the " item number 1511 Chrome, with studs/bushings" from stewmac work?

[#1guitarman]

Wasn't the nut on the Gibson 1959 Les Pauls plastic as well??...and they're supposed to be "the holy grail" of guitars...well, there ya go, Gibson quality has been sh*t for 51 years...

[River]

Originally Posted by #1guitarman

Wasn't the nut on the Gibson 1959 Les Pauls plastic as well??...and they're supposed to be "the holy grail" of guitars...well, there ya go, Gibson quality has been sh*t for 51 years...

Yes. It's spelled "Nylon", and trademarked, I might add.

There's a whole cottage industry out here (well, "cottage" isn't exactly the term for it), bringing in a gazillion dollars by making folks feel their guitars are inadequate. There's nothing wrong with fixing things that are broken, or with hot-rodding guitars, cars, motorcycles, etc. But fringed saddlebags do nothing for a Harley's performance. Sure are cool, though!

[chuckedup]

pickup height!! dark?? yeah right.. ............laters...chuck

[doodie]

Thats what i did to my epi slash sig. tuners/nut/bridge/tailpiece/switch+switch ring/pots/capacitors/wiring/knobs/output jack + jackplate were all replaced. So basically everything that I can take off i replace them.

I try not to think how much I've spent on the replacement parts but the guitar play like a dream after i done the modding.

FlabberGhast >> Go for Gotoh bridge and tailpiece with metric measuring, they are direct replacement.

[LordRevan]

Originally Posted by FlabberGhast

thanks reven. you think you could get me a link, or point me in the right direction? they're sold in quite a few places, and I'm not sure which one I should get

edit: would the " item number 1511 Chrome, with studs/bushings" from stewmac work?

Well it looks like that is the model... for more details check this pdf:

http://www.hosco.co.jp/HOSCO_ENGLISH.../GOTOH2010.pdf

It's gotoh parts collection 2010:

It's the GE103B-T at page 29 that comes in chrome, nickel and gold for sure, and me thinks black as well.

Originally Posted by chuckedup

pickup height!! dark?? yeah right.. ............laters...chuck

Pickup height???

Originally Posted by doodie

Thats what i did to my epi slash sig.

Mate I read this part and watched the picture and I thought u had actually broken the guitar!

Originally Posted by doodie

I try not to think how much I've spent on the replacement parts but the guitar play like a dream after i done the modding.

It's 200 euros included pickups. If you paied what, 350 for a used korean LP, then you have something great that can sound properly with less than 600.

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Originally Posted by LordRevan

I have never seen a Gibson with plastic nut, but nowadays... you never know...

All Gibsons have plastic nuts.

Originally Posted by LordRevan

Pickup height???

Thanks, you just verified my suspicion...you have no clue about guitars.

[bangrossi]

Originally Posted by -=[Shifty]=-

All Gibsons have plastic nuts.

Wow, never know bout that.. How about MIJ epi and elitist epiphone LP mate? What I know they're using bone nut, am I correct?

[LordRevan]

Originally Posted by -=[Shifty]=-

All Gibsons have plastic nuts.

Well, maybe, except my luthier's Gibson standard which has a bone nut fitted in, and that came out with the guitar... hasn't been replaced!

Originally Posted by -=[Shifty]=-

Thanks, you just verified my suspicion...you have no clue about guitars.

Maybe I have no clue then just 10 electrics and 15 years playing.

You can adjust pups as u want. It'll still sound like shxte. I guess it might be useful as a weapon against thieves if you actually hit them.

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Originally Posted by bangrossi

How about MIJ and elitist epiphone LP mate?

I'm not sure about all MIJ brands, but MIJ Epis, Tokais, Orvilles/ObGs, Grecos, etc. come with bone nuts.

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Originally Posted by LordRevan

Well, maybe, except my luthier's Gibson standard which has a bone nut fitted in, and that came out with the guitar... hasn't been replaced!

Good for "your luthier". You'd expect a luthier to know how to replace a plastic with a bone nut.

Originally Posted by LordRevan

Maybe I have no clue then just 10 electrics and 15 years playing.

Sorry, but I fail to see the connection between how long you play/how many electrics you've had and the knowledge you have about how things work.

I'm using computers for almost my whole life and I still couldn't tell you how it turns trillions of 1s and 0s into a picture on my screen.

[LordRevan]

Shift, really, I did not want to arise a flame, that is my opinion.

As I said, I have 3 Epis and only one Gibson, which means I really like Epis and I think they can play as good as a Gibson.

My luthier has not replaced the nut, that is why I was surprised that LPs came out with a "nylon" nut.

Regarding the pickups, well what can I say, my LP came used with non original pickups.

My supernova came out with original pickups but honestly I have tried a brand new pair of pups and in my opinion it is alot better now.

I have tried 2 Epiphone Les Pauls with original epiphone pups at a freind of mine and honestly they didn't sound good to my ears. Supernova ones were acceptable, but the ones on them 2 LPs I have tried were just terrible.

That doesn't mean they do not sound alrite for someone else.

What I meant in the post was: You have a very good potential guitar which may become excellent. I have just highlited what in my opinion are the things which I would change.

And it's not a matter of "replace everything" attitude that third party factories like so much, since I normally like to keep the guitars as they are.

Guess I must be quite unpopular now

BR.

[River]

Originally Posted by -=[Shifty]=-

<snip>Sorry, but I fail to see the connection between how long you play/how many electrics you've had and the knowledge you have about how things work.<snip>

No connection here. I made it big playing an early-'70s Harmony ES-335 knockoff with rusted strings. From then on I was too busy spending my money on blow and hookers to mess about with my stable of over 100 guitars. My luthier even tuned them for me. She lived in a Winnebago out back, and was on call 24/7.

Only when the fame, blow, hookers, and money were gone did I start learning about how guitars actually worked. And I'm still not sure.

[dennistruckdriver]

Originally Posted by LordRevan

....I really like Epis and I think they can play as good as a Gibson....Guess I must be quite unpopular now ....

Nah....just come on in!

[LordRevan]

Learning about blow and hookers is good too tho.

[dane999]

All these faults in OP are probably true, but thats also why people buy Epi's. Once you replace the dodgy stuff, you're left with a pretty decently priced and playing instrument.

My Epi feels just great to play. I can live with the questionable woods used, as I think my own seems to be better than average (as we all say). I prefer it to a better quality MIJ that I have.

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Originally Posted by dane999

All these faults in OP are probably true....

Well, let's say not entirely. It starts right with the tuners and pickups.
They must have been swapped because they're not branded?
Epiphone didn't brand their hardware, back in the 90s.
It can very well be that the stock tuners and pickups are still on that guitar.

The pickups aren't crap.
If dial them in right, you can get some pretty good tones from them.
But arguing about pickups is moot, anyway.
Way too subjective.

It's not necessary to replace the plastic nut.
If it gives you trouble, some graphite shavings (from a #2 pencil) will most likely cure the problem.
It also doesn't hurt to have a guitar tech file the nut slots correctly.
The Tuners on Epiphones are fine. If your guitar keeps going out of tune, it's most likely due to the nut.
I have locking Klusons on my Epi (it came with them when I bought it used), but if I don't lube the nut, the guitar still has tuning issues.

As for the electronics, he has a mid 90s Epiphone...yes, the electronics on them were crap.
That's not necessarily true for newer Epiphones, though.
I had an '03 LP Classic and I was really surprised how decent the stock electronics worked.
The pots had a very good taper, no on/off switches.

Man, you could fill a whole book with this stuff.
Anyway, bottom line is, Epis aren't loaded with high-end hardware, but most of it does its job.
Knowing a few little tricks can turn your Epi into a great playing instrument, without unnecessarily spending too much money.

[LordRevan]

Damn, you arised a doubt now honestly I did not think my pickups could be original.

They sound pretty good to be honest.

They just suffer from feedback when the volume is really loud.

I have put them into wax some time ago, because I really liked the sound and I didn't want to the change them.

I didn't solve the problem totally but the feedback now is acceptable.

I guessed they have been swapped because all the holes have been enlarged but then they must have put back original pots and selector (yeas they could be arsed doin' it) and I assume pickups as well.

My pickups are not branded and the guitar is from mid 90s as you observed.

All the pickups I have seen (included supernova from the late 90s) were branded.

Pickups from my Joe Pass are branded too.

All the pickups on different LPs I have seen are branded (the ones on my friend's Les Pauls were branded and sounded bad to me ears).

Sorry for my ignorance regarding these guitars. I will pay more attention in the future.

I only had problems with both LP and Supernova bridges.
The saddles were ruined on both of them.
Supernova still has problems staying in tune even after having replaced the nut.
LP is alrite now that I have replaced the nut.

I am gonna replace the bridges soon with 2 Gotoh TOMs.
At the moment I have just filed the saddles but the material came out like butter which I didn't really like.