What to do to my Epiphone LP Studio???

Octahedron

I've been thinking about doing this on and off for some time - modding a guitar instead of buying a new one. 

I've got the Les Paul Studio in my 'profile' pic on here. A lovely wine red finish. I've seen lots of Studios come with dot inlays rather than trapezoids, too. It's an Epiphone - important note!!

What exactly would I like to change, though, you might be wondering? Well... 

I don't really like the black plastic. The pickup surrounds being black, in my opinion, too dark. I fancy getting cream surrounds. And replacing the pickup selector plastic plate with a cream one too. 

Plus the little plastic doody (hahahaha - maturity...) off the end of the switch has broken off years ago, so it'd be nice to get a new one of those. My understanding is those you can just pop on and off pretty easily. The problem with the original was that the plastic cracked at the bottom so eventually it just broke off.

Given that I'd be changing the black plastic I'd also like to get some new knobs on there! Probably like these, "Top Hats" with Tone and Volume written on the top in the silver. They look nice. http://www.guitarrepairbench.com/parts/images/electric-guitar-replacement-knobs/7.jpg

I also fancy swapping the pickups. Though I don't know what for! I really want a nice, warm, vintage sound. I don't know - is it possible to get something close to what would be in a '59 burst? Something with "that tone". Something that'd be good for knocking out some funky blooze. 

Know what I mean? I've contemplated it on a looks level too. So the covers would have to be chrome if I went for covered pickups again. I don't like gold. And it'll look like wank with the cream plastics. What about zebras? Maybe? Slash signatures? Some DiMarzio zebras? I really am not too sure what I am looking for in the pickup department. 

Then I'm not sure if I should replace the machineheads too! They're stock chrome Grovers.

The nut will need to be replaced. It's not stuck to the guitar anymore. I'd get a cream one obviously and get it all filed and sorted out. 

Oh and just for the sake of it, to make it really personal, can you easily get blank truss rod covers and get those engraved? I'd get my name on it! My signature! Just to feel like I made it... Sad old fart. Heh heh heh. 

I wouldn't replace the strap locks. No point. They're black. They're the most solid damn strap locks I've had on any guitar. So they're staying!!

Oh and maybe I'll replace the jack socket plate too because the jack socket itself has been kinda loose for some time too. 

Or would I be better off just throwing the thing out and getting a new guitar? :P 

Adam_MD

You'll spend a lot of money changing plastics, pickups and electrics on a guitar which will always be an epi studio. Really depends just how much you love the guitar. You'll also never see any of the extra outlay back if you decide to sell.

meltedbuzzbox

I think I still have a set of those knobs (proper Gibson ones) if you want them?

midlifecrisis

personally id put any money intended for modding towards a new guitar, keep this as a spare or sell it. As I don't think you d ever be satisfied with whatever mods you do.

Octahedron

Adam_MD said:

You'll spend a lot of money changing plastics, pickups and electrics on a guitar which will always be an epi studio. Really depends just how much you love the guitar. You'll also never see any of the extra outlay back if you decide to sell.

I've had the guitar for a while. I've got a Tele and an LP Standard that are my "go-to" guitars, really. The only reason that I don't play this one and it's sat there for so long gathering dust is because there's obviously some loose connections and stuff in there. The wiring is really 'shot', as it were. The pots crackle a lot. The inner workings of the guitar basically need either a clean/repair, or, why not go the whole hog and try for replacement?

I have nothing against the guitar at all. In fact I really like the weight, the neck, etc. It's just not in full working order. If I tried to sell it as-is I'd get nothing for it. 

meltedbuzzbox said:

I think I still have a set of those knobs (proper Gibson ones) if you want them?

I'll get back to you when I decide what I will do (what it's gonna cost to do the "important" bits to restore the guitar!) Thanks for the offer @meltedbuzzbox  

midlifecrisis said:

personally id put any money intended for modding towards a new guitar, keep this as a spare or sell it. As I don't think you d ever be satisfied with whatever mods you do.

As noted above - I like the physique of the guitar - the body and the neck are fabulous. I just want to make some aesthetic changes and experiment with having a guitar with different pickups to make it "stand out" a bit more. I've always liked the look of guitars like the red Sammy Hagar Chickenfoot Les Paul Standard. I had a look at an Epiphone on the weekend, a wine red standard, with coil-splitting and other fun features. Can't afford it! But damn it's a nice guitar. And it's got cream plastics etc on it like what I was hoping to do to mine.

But if fixing all the little things would cost the same as buying a new one I wouldn't bother and just leave it there gathering dust.

I don't want to sell it because it's my first "proper" electric! I've had it for 10 years. It would hurt me to move it on.  

Adam_MD

If you really like the body and neck then crack on dude. Replace the electrics and see whether you want to swop the pickups or not.

Octahedron

Adam_MD said:

If you really like the body and neck then crack on dude. Replace the electrics and see whether you want to swop the pickups or not.

That's the thinking. If I hadn't been keen on the major components of the guitar in the first place, it'd have been long gone out the window (or more accurately, I would have sold it for next to nothing) :P 

Has anyone else ever noticed or thought that Epiphone's "budget" models of Les Paul and SG seem to have chunkier necks than the full-fat Standards, Customs etc. Not so much the Studio, but the Special and the LP100 etc definitely do! 

That's beside the point. The other thing I have to consider though is that I don't know what I'm doing with anything pickups/electrics wise. So I am gonna have to get someone to do it for me. I can do the plastics myself. 

Is there electrical components actually attached to the pickup selector switch's plastic, or is that literally just an aesthetic piece that I can whip off and hot-swap for the new one?

Nomad

If you mean the plastic bezel around the switch, it should just come off. Might be self-adhesive, so be prepared to clean off any residue that's left behind.

For knobs, you could consider speed knobs. I got a set of no-name gold ones for my Lemon Drop on ebay, for 4 quid or so. I also took off the switch bezel - thought it looked better without it. Gratuitous pretty picture...

http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y521/Nomad_Zamani/Misc/V100-LD-Roverall_zps7c83d12a.jpg

Octahedron

The guitar currently has black speed knobs. I'm not really a fan of them. but they look good on your Lemon Drop.

I'm not sure about "no plastic bezel", I love the plastic bezels! I think they're ice cold. But admittedly it does work for the Lemon Drop again...

littlegreenman

Get one of these!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v425/smorgdonkey/Les Paul/IMG_0237.jpg

or, perhaps?

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff106/l60n/user6284_pic18767_1260805530.jpg

p.s. I believe the correct term, at least on the LP fora, is poker chip.

Octahedron

Oh good to see they stopped making the ones that say rhythm and treble... Bugger.

Samgb

Maybe replace one thing at a time and then if that isnt making you exponentially happier then abort, abort!

I did a similar thing last summer to my old Epi Sg. New knobs, truss rod cover,  scratchplate, P90s instead of HBs. It sounded great but at the end of the day it was the same guitar id had since i was 16 that i didnt find as inspiring to physically pick up and play as my newer guitars and pretty soon it went back to gathering dust. I changed the strings just before Christmas and on a whim half way through took the pickups out to save for something else.

It sounds like you really enjoy playing this guitar though so possibly the project will have a happier ending! Even with the bits and bobs i mention above i spent no more than about £100 on it(£80 of that was on a Tonerider and a SD Phat Cat). Its not crazy money - you might enjoy doing the job and there is satisfaction to be had in that whether entirely successful or not.  

seany65

Would it not be a good idea to have the wiring fixed and then over several weeks see how much you play it? If 'hardly' then don't spend the extra money.

Octahedron

Valid points... definitely. I don't really feel like I own a guitar that inspires me anymore. The last time I felt really inspired by a guitar was when I played a custom shop Gibson VOS 58 LP Standard. That was 2 years ago. I wanted that guitar. I cannot afford that guitar. I still cannot afford that guitar. Shit. 

seany65

Perhaps you're 'not being inspired' by the guitars you've got, simply 'cos they ain't the guitar you want? Seems a bit of a shame.

Maybe not play at all for a while, even 'force' yourself to not play, even if you want to, and then when you can't stand it any more run over to one of the guitars without thinking about which one and play.

I knw what you mean about changing the 'bits' on a guitar. I took the crappy-looking scratch plate off and bunged on some black and chrome knobs with writing on  (am I a real guitar 'tech' now?) and she looks so much better. I won't say 'it' looks better as one of us is playing a few decent notes, and I'm pretty sure it aint me.
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IanSavage

littlegreenman said:

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff106/l60n/user6284_pic18767_1260805530.jpg

I now own a Les Paul that might be a keeper. WHY have I not bought one of these yet?

xmrchi

I want one of those so bad!

IanSavage

Looking for one of those I've stumbled across this website, with my propensity for tacky pinup girls on guitars it's rather dangerous:

http://www.greasygroove.com/products.php?cat=1214

IanSavage

Oh my crikey: http://www.greasygroove.com/proddetail.php?prod=4095-KT-F-S-D-LP

xmrchi

@IanSavage if you order any let me know and I'll order as well to save postage for us :-)