I’ve made exactly 3 mods to my otherwise stock Epi TV Yellow LP Special: locking strap buttons, all-black truss rod cover, and a better quality wraparound bridge. After watching this video, I’m compelled to stop there. 😂
I suppose there is more than one way to mod a guitar, but instead of hacking up the control cavity I would have desoldered the Gibson pots and wired it up 50's style. I've been waiting forever to get one of these from GC on a super sale. Can't wait.
I don't really understand why you replaced the stock CTS pots, with Gibson branded CTS pots. If anything I would have just upgraded the switch to a Switchcraft one, as well as the output jack. Maybe replace the tone caps with a PIO, but that would be it. I hope you got a good deal on that PCB board to justify the changes
Interesting work, I hope you like the results. I have the same guitar, but the only thing I changed was the bridge. I put a Tone Pros vintage with locking studs on it. It wasn’t bad before, but I get a little better intonation and the strings ring more clearly now. Definitely a nice little guitar. I’ll have to try that shoe polish looking stuff on the fingerboard!
Add my vote for genius! If that was mine, I'd replace the tone knobs with cream colored Fender knobs and continue the theme you started with the pickups! And that little scar on the back you did with the Dremel is just the start of your natural relic job!
P90s in a Les Paul are just unstoppably awesome. Neil Young, Mike Ness, and a lot of other beastly good guitar players all know. I love what you did here! The quality of the Gibson boards and pots will definitely matter. I second the nomination for genius. Great work!
I have done essentially the same job to an Epiphone LP Standard...and guess what, it still sounds and plays with like an Epiphone. I put the exact same pickups into it that are in my Gibson LP, and it still sounds 'iffy'. While it did improve it, it is nowhere as wonderful as my Gibson. Evenything that wasn't made of wood was changed. I hope that your project works out better for you than it did for me.
Very nice guitars these 2020 epi lp specials , i am selling mine though ( after doing a shitloads of upgrades on it offcourse , wich value won 't count selling it , grrrr ..... , but hell yeah , anyway's ) , because i just bought an 2011 gibson lp 60's tribute ( also with p 90's ) and although i like the 50's neck on the epi more then the 60's slim taper neck on the gibson , it's that headstock thingy , i have to admit , i'm an addict to that gibson / fender logo :) , sad but true : ) . Luckaly the gibby sounds and play's great too and the satin honeyburst finisch is a sight to behold , pffffffffff , i got lucky : )
A lot a Gibson players also own Epiphone I have Epiphone Custom Koa Les Paul Modern figured Sgs Crestwood Models no upgrades needed absolutely None...these are high end models
I’m looking to grab one of these guitars but I’ll stick with my choice mods: Gavitts braided wire Matched 500k CTS pots Switchcraft Jack/Switch .022 oil caps Wired 50’s
Cool video. 👍 Please make a series called: *If Amplifiers Could Speak...* The story of different amp manufacturers: Fender, Marshall, Danelectro, Dumble, Peavey, Mesa, Soldano, Roland, etc, etc.
I feel so sorry for that poor Epi! People always saying “why can’t you be more like your big brother - you know, the one with the film star looks & the perfect voice?” And he’s trying his best but it’s never good enough. Makes me want to shed a tear. Well, I’ve got both the Epi & the Gibbo models of this guitar and… they sound exactly the same! Two P90s screwed to a yellow plank - no finesse but who needs it with a punk guitar? Give the little fella a break - he’s perfect the way he was made 😀
My real name’s Billy Epiphone but my mum wasn’t happy with that and changed it without asking me first. Now I don’t know who I am and it’s costing me a fortune in therapy 🤪
I love the guitar but I just can’t buy anything with the new fretboard material.I just like the feel of rosewood.It’s just my opinion,please don’t crucify me for saying this haha.
I thought the same thing until I got this same guitar. I rubbed a bunch of boiled linseed oil on it, let it soak in, polished it a bunch, and now it’s as nice as a rosewood fingerboard. Isn’t quite as dark, but feels almost the same.
Exactly what an incompetent modder would say. @@TheGuitarHistorian (oh and you managed to scrape up the body even thru that thick finish the Epi has. You're a textbook example of what NOT to do to a guitar.)
