The Ultimate Epi Les Paul - "The Custom"

[RGX]

Right, I've been pestering you lot for far too long about modifications for my Epi Les Paul, and now I'm working and actually putting some money together I can finally afford to do it. I have a shortlist lined up and I was looking for a final critique of my shite just incase there's anything you can think of that I'm missing, and also a couple of products I'd like to get your opinion on. Here's the list of mods:

- Replacing the nut with bone, fixing my fret buzz issues and (hopefully) adding some sustain. 60 quid.

- Replacing the bridge pickup with a Mule, uncovered. 90 quid.

- Replacing the bridge with a Schaller rolling saddle model, and adding a bigsby tremelo for chord wobbles and the like. 90 quid.

- Replacing the tuners with Grover locking models in an effort to prevent the bigsby from mucking up my tuning every time I breathe on it. 30 quid (Can I add these myself or will it require drilling?).

- Thinning the finish with 0000 grade steel wool and wax all over the guitar, concentrating on the neck. Free! Except for the wool...

- Fixing the jack socket so it doesn't fall apart and fart everywhere. Peanuts.

- Fitting straplocks to prevent it falling off mid gig (might leave this one if money's tight...)

And now the ones I'd really like your opinions on...

- Adding a fat finger to the headstock. Do these things really iron out deadspots and make the notes "jump" off the guitar like the reviews say? My Grandad is an excellent engineer, couldn't I just get him to add a steel plate to the headstock? Am I missing something here?

- Adding a "Black Ice" overdrive to the wiring. http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Components:_Black_Ice_overdrive/1/Black_Ice_Overdrive/Instructions/I-5065.html#details
Thought this'd be a nice addition, but does it sound as good as I think it does? Will it boost the "crunch" of my guitar when used in combination with distortion?

Well, that's everything I wanna do for the minute. I'm hoping the end result will be a super sustaining, resonant, stable guitar that screams like a bitch and resonates like a vibrator. I've heard conflicting views on the bigsby, some saying it adds sustain others saying it takes it away, anyone have experience? Am I insane?

Anything you'd change or add?

Thanks for your help, all of you. I plan to do all of these mods at once over the course of a few days (aside from the nut, which is being done professionally) and I'll be sure to take pics and post a few clips of the end result.

Yes, I am insane.

[3th3r]

Yes, you are insane.

If you have never tried a Bigsby, do so BEFORE you modify your guitar. Many people who try them may like them for the "vintage" look, but not as a general purpose vibrato arm. It's a design from the early '50s when nothing else better was available. Today the Stetsbar is probably the best vibrato arm for the LP, although it may cost more than your Epi LP.

Also, the one guitar I tried that had the Black Ice sounded like cr@p -- buzzy, fizzy, annoying. If you are already using a distortion pedal, you are past the "crunch" territory anyway. If you are looking for a boost, just get a boost pedal.

If you are handy with a soldering iron you can easily make your own "Black Ice". See this: http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/blackice.htm

[RGX]

Thanks for your reply, I have already tried bigsbys in the past and I do like the subtle vibrato effect, and am aware that it wont divebomb like a floyd rose or provide extreme vibrato. I like using a lot of reverb and "dipping" chords and bends to create a country/surf effect, so I feel the bigsby will add another dimension to my playing and my guitar. I really hate the look of stetsbars and other les paul vibratos, to me they look tacky and kinda....strapped on I guess, wheras bigsbys are a cool chunky looking piece of equipment. My only issue with them are the tuning problems, something I hope to eliminate with the rolling saddles and locking tuners (plus a well lubricated nut). Do you think these mods will prevent it from slipping out of tune after use? And will it kill the sustain?

TBH, the black ice was just something I saw on stewmac.com and thought it sounded interesting and a simple way to add a little bit of crunch to a clean channel or to "push" the overdrive to be more dynamic/boosted. If they are as cr@p as you say they are I might give it a miss, do they really just fizz?

Thanks for your help.

[Sifu Ben]

The Schaller bridges still rock, which still causes tuning and intonation problems. Check out these. http://store.guitarfetish.com/wibrrobrlost2.html
As for the Grovers, depends on what you've got already. I believe current Epi LP customs have non locking Grovers anyway, so they should just swap directly. Check the screw position on your tuners.

[marmoset]

I made a little black ice thing with two diodes (like on the project guitar site). It sounds really bad, it's sort of fuzzy in a horrible way. I don't think it will push the amp harder, it didn't seem to for me, and as it is passive I don't think it should. Anyhow you can always just make your own to try it out, you can buy two diodes for like 50p.

[hunter]

Ever seen a 70HP Opel with spoilers, fat tires, laid low, neon color, big hifi, etc ...?

Maybe you should rather have a look for a guitar that has what you look for as stock parts?

Imagine, you put in all this stuff, but if you wanna sell the Epi, it's still an Epi, noone will pay the parts but rather think the guitar is flawed ...

[gingataff]

I'd start with the pickups and nut first, get used that then consider more changes.

[fps_dean]

....and having a guitar that is still not as good as a Gibson...priceless

[3th3r]

RGX, it's your guitar and you should do as you please. I'm all for making anything "better", whatever that means to the player. Like Gigataff adviced, I  would start out making changes slowly to get used to the sound/feel of the guitar, then add another ingredient as you deem it necessary.

By the way, there are people who pay thousands for their Gibson and still replace the nut, pickups, tailpiece, tuners, etc. etc.

[5F6-A]

A few things;

The Black ice thing sounds terrible. I bought one and threw it in the bin after I tried it. Horrible.

On the other hand this is my '91 LP std. with some mods. It might give you some ideas....


Mods:



BKP pickups
50's wiring
selected CTS 500k pots ( measured )
Hovland 22 nanofarads caps
Gigsby B7
Delrin nut
Gotoh replacement tuners
Gibson bell knobs ( not pictured )

I had a Schaller roller bridge buy it  looked "wrong" with the rest iof the ahrdware so i went back to my old tune-o-matic. Not much diffrerence in operation and much nicer looks!!

Me playing it through a Fender Bronco tweed amp with a single 8" Weber speaker.

[django5]

Is that a church?

[5F6-A]

Is that a church?

Yes it is....  we rehearsing some old school Jazz ( autumn leaves I reckon.... )
:band4:
Gob bless BKPs!!!!

[Philly Q]

On the other hand this is my '91 LP std. with some mods. It might give you some ideas....

Cool!  Just curious - whose signature is it on the scratchplate?

[gingataff]

^ ^
http://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2795&highlight=larry+coryell

[Philly Q]

Crikey!  Well remembered!    :D