Epiphone Les Paul Studio Modification and Upgrade

[lanatrzczka]

What a great video. I love your clearly-spoken approach. More vids should be this way. I'll be checking out more of your vids as I am an Epiphone player who believes they can be upgraded to GIbson-sounding quality. The real fun is in the journey and experimentation.

[Farbocaster]

@lanatrzczka Thank you for your kind words. Not only can Epis be upgraded to Gibson-sounding quality, they can be upgraded to Gibson-like playability!

I recently purchased an Epi Les Paul Tribute Plus - a guitar in which the Epiphone factory has already done the upgrades. No need to reshape the neck or install upgraded pickups. It's already been done! Please see my video above.

[BlackAngusYoung]

Certainly some of the most listenable testing I've seen on YT!

[Farbocaster]

@BlackAngusYoung Thanks for listening and thanks for your kind words. Rock on!

[TheShyTeds]

I love this guy

[Farbocaster]

@TheShyTeds Thanks, pal. My wife loves me too!

[songoku2300]

Granpa rocker.

[Farbocaster]

@songoku2300 If I had grandchildren I would be a grandpa rocker. However, I do not yet have them.

I liked your version of "The Trooper." Great guitar work.  Now, you need to find a singer!

[songoku2300]

@Farbocaster Hahaha hey thanks for the opinion.

[theshyguitarist]

You can shave my neck any day...

[Farbocaster]

@theshyguitarist Sorry. I'm not a barber. I only shave guitar necks. LOL

[pliskinn0089]

Hello , Do you anything about Chinese P90 s? aparantly those are the ones that comes with the epiphones les paul. i ve come across one of these very cheap. i wanna now if im being scam.

[Farbocaster]

@pliskinn0089 I am not familiar with the Epiphone P90. However, Epiphone products are of good quality and are inexpensive. If you are absolutely certain that the pickup is made by Epiphone, go ahead and get it. If you're not sure, you might want to buy a pickup from a reputable dealer. Stew-mac sells good quality pickups for around $50. They are called "Golden Age" pickups. GFS sells good quality pickups that cost less. I used GFS on the Les Paul in this video. Good luck.

[TokeHuge]

farb, you should have left the alnico classics in there.

they are very high quality pickups by themself

[kaarel55]

Is this a joke?

[Farbocaster]

@kaarel55 Nope.  No joke.

[13thfbass]

@kaarel55 i know i don't like this guy either

[Farbocaster]

@13thfbass  You don't have to like me. Am I supposed to care?

[urkingod]

I would be scared to modify mine.... do not know what I need or to do, sounds great as it is .... 

[Farbocaster]

@urkingod If you're happy with your guitar, leave well enough alone. Or... If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[hazercopejeks]

I done fucked up and shaved to much off the neck!.

[Farbocaster]

Are you serious? What kind of guitar?

[TEAMUNICORNRECORDS]

i watched all your videos, wannA be in my band?

[Farbocaster]

Thanks for watching. Do you really think I'm good enough to be in your band? I was in one a couple of years ago. It was fun.

[Farbocaster]

That's because I'm a rocker!  Rock on!!!

[XcbloodX]

i love how he rocks back and forth while playing it remimdes me of my brother when he plays

[SilverHamer]

Just came back for another look and I have to say that although I would agree with the bit about this not being a true comparison as 3 different guitars are in use...I was still able to hear what I wanted to hear. Those GFS pups are a great buy and they sound really good in the Studio. Everyone I know who has bought GFS pups have been very pleased with their performance.

[Farbocaster]

Thanks for watching again. I agree that the GFS pickups are a great buy. More importantly, they sound great! I will definitely use them again. Thanks for turning me on to them.

[sweetestkiss666]

Interesting work, I always wondered what it would sound like if someone tried this. Sadly, the obvious truth is there is a huge difference between the modified instruments and the expensive ones.

[Farbocaster]

Thanks for your comment and thanks for watching. I never intended to turn the Epi into a Gibson Les Paul. My intention was to make it a better playing, better sounding instrument - and have fun while doing it. I believe I succeeded on all counts.

[kotekotekitty]

Whats your opinion on epiphone studio/standard/custom and their playability and sound compared to a £1000 or less gibson if they had the same pickups? :o ive got an LP BFG what cost £999 and it plays really well but im wandering if i can get almost the same sound in an epi standard/custom if i put the same pickups in.

[Farbocaster]

You get what you pay for. A Gibson is a better made guitar. The wood working, fretwork, hardware, electronics, and finish are of higher quality. Gibson guitars are painstakingly made by highly skilled craftsmen. For the money, set neck (as opposed to bolt-on) Epiphone Les Pauls are pretty good. Upgrading them with better pickups, pots, switches, and hardware can greatly improve their playability and sound. I doubt they will be the equal of Gibson guitars, but they will be a lot better.

[gwkdad]

It's not a true comparison when using three different guitars but I think I prefer the Stew-Macs Golden Age pickup over the GFS overwound. The L.P. Junior is way more brash (for me anyway) though the Overdrive.

Thanks for the comparisons.

[Farbocaster]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching. I did the comparison for SilverHamer, - the guy who recommended the GFS pickups. He was curious as to how they compared with the Steward MacDonald.

You're correct about it not being a true comparison. Every guitar is different - different wood, different construction, different finish, etc. However, I think you get a general idea as to how the three pickups sound.

[SilverHamer]

Wow! Not much difference, Lou, but I know what you have in all three and for the money, those GFS pickups are brilliant. Way to go!

LC

[Farbocaster]

Hi Larry. I hear a subtle difference between the GFS overwounds and the standard Golden Age pickups. The GFS are brighter and "edgier." The Stew-Mac Golden Age overwounds are clearly brighter. The GFS pickups are less expensive and sound great. I like 'em!

[Farbocaster]

By the way, I noticed that the Stew-Mac overwounds have an output of 12K ohms whereas the GFS overwounds have an output of 11.2K ohms.