Yet another pickup recommendation thread....

[Oldskoolrob]

Hi Groovers, It's not all BLM and Corona in this thread
I have a Korean Epi Custom in Alpine White (gold hardware) which has been in the family for years. I'm going to give it a mild renovation and it needs new pickups. Now I'm thinking gold covers to match the gold hardware it came with - but I'm concerned 'new' gold will be too bling. Being an Epi I also don't want to lay out more for the pickups than the guitars' worth. When I see a white custom I always 'hear/picture' quite heavy over-driven tones, so I'm thinking a hotter set would work in it? Maybe Zebra's might look ok. Can you get 'middle of the road' worn gold pickups anywhere?....What are some suggestions?

 

[ARandall]

I wouldn't worry about the gold finish and aged.......not only because you're unlikely to find anything 'aged' and cheapo in the first place.....or more accurately 'tastefully aged'.
But gold ages pretty quickly anyhow. So I don't think that should be a big concern.

Also cheap gold covers have a lot of tone dulling layers to get the plating on there.


As to us picking the pickup type........well that is a minefield. GFS for 'cheap', Vineham for 'quality and not expensive'.
Original Customs never had super hot pickups in as stock.

 

[BA-CHEE]

Humm. I got a plastic bin of HBuckers. What price range are you thinking of ???

 

[Oldskoolrob]

Something about the tone-rider range. I'm considering getting some of their Alnico IV's....

 

[AJK1]

I just put a gold set of Saturday Night Specials in my mate’s latest model White EPI Custom
Looks and sounds absolutely amazing
I’m very tempted to get some for myself
They are some of the best pickups I’ve heard for a long while
Nothing else sounds like them
I’m truly blown away
Worth every penny

 

[LP1865]

Humm. I got a plastic bin of HBuckers. What price range are you thinking of ???

Not to highjack the thread, but I'm interested if you're willing to ship internationally.
OP, in my past month of research, IMHO tonerider seems the best.

 

[BA-CHEE]

LP 1865 , ... Sure, I'd ship internationally , ... If you'd pay the postage. Here's a partial collection of my Gibson Pickups. I have others stashed away some place, with all the "projects" that are on/off the burner because the other half had me do stuff for her. Yikes !

 

[Oldskoolrob]

Ended up getting a set of Epiphone ones for $45 incl postage.

 

[BA-CHEE]

Ended up getting a set of Epiphone ones for $45 incl postage.

Okee Dokee, GOOD for you !!!!

 

[LP1865]

Ended up getting a set of Epiphone ones for $45 incl postage.

Nice!
But which ones and from where?

 

[Gtarzan81]

You can find Gibson 490/498 sets with gold covers on Reverb for around $100 easily.

 

[Oldskoolrob]

Nice!
But which ones and from where?

From a 2000 model god-know's-what, from Melbourne.

You can find Gibson 490/498 sets with gold covers on Reverb for around $100 easily.

Maybe in 'murica, round here there wasn't much on offer....

 

[LP1865]

2000’s Epis IMHO have shit pickups.
They are the 57CH and the HOTCH. These are what I’m trying to replace.

 

[ARandall]

Ah, the old Epi waxbuckers.

All the joys of a glorious jazz tone without having to switch to the neck pickup.

 

[AJK1]

Ended up getting a set of Epiphone ones for $45 incl postage.

Of course you did

 

[AJK1]

Yet another pickup recommendation thread..... that ignores all advice and just buys el cheapo pickups anyway

 

[BA-CHEE]

Yet another pickup recommendation thread..... that ignores all advice and just buys el cheapo pickups anyway

Agreed, my buddy bought a decent CHEAP Epiphone Les Paul. Asked me for pickup recommendations, told em about Harmonic Designs ( they had won the Vintage Guitar Magazine shoot out , way back when ) bcuz I had a set in my Gibson GTop, A SUPER GREAT improvement in overall sound. Cost a few $$$ then, But he still has em in his guitar, never looked back for anything else !! Tells me that it was the BEST investment he made. So, do your research and SPEND s little bit more to get a lifetime of tone outta yer geetar. Remember you can always unsolder them pickups and take em with you when you get another guitar.

 

[Oldskoolrob]

Yet another pickup recommendation thread..... that ignores all advice and just buys el cheapo pickups anyway

Yeah - they weren't what I wanted but they fill the hole in the guitar so my son can play it. Pretty much because financial circumstances changed quickly I wasn't able to get him 'the best' but he's got something now that at least makes noise. Food in the kids mouths was more important. Sorry not taking your advice upset you so much you felt the need to take a swipe at me- A set of Saturday Night Specials here is about $400. Just because I don't follow advice it doesn't mean it's not appreciated.

 

[garybaldy]

Something about the tone-rider range. I'm considering getting some of their Alnico IV's....

You have to go for them!!!!! I've had some (Gold covers) for a couple of years and in lockdown finally got them installed in a Fenix Alpine White LP style guitar. Used 2 old Russian PIO from Jonesy and used 4 p/ps for split and each pup with coils in parallel.
The tones are awesome. The splits are surprisingly nice and because I have the neck screw coil and bridge slug coil, when together they are hum-cancelling. And Andrew at Tonerider is so helpful.
IMPORTANT: FORGET THE EPIS!

 

[Oldskoolrob]

Hopefully when things get better financially I will! I've had Tonerider's before (P90's) and they were pretty good.