NGD: Feline pimped Epiphone Emily Wolfe

DavusPG

I posted that I'd bought this guitar in the Epiphone Emily Wolfe thread, but since then it's had a bit of an overhaul and over the past couple of days I've had time to rack up a good few hours playing on it.

As soon as these we announced I knew I'd buy one as I have always loved the look of the Trini Lopez and DG335. I actually bought one of the Trini Lopez reissues a few years back, but traded it as I didn't like the bridge - a stupid decision with hindsight but you live and learn! That said I much prefer the smaller headstock on the Emily Wolfe. 

Out of the box the guitar was pretty good, some issues with the higher frets, but otherwise a decent and usable guitar. I wasn't sure if I'd like the satin gold hardware and as soon as I saw it in the flesh decided it would be going, so after one rehearsal with the band, off it went to Feline where we got a little carried away with the upgrades:

BK Mule in the bridge
BK Cold Sweat in the neck
Faber bridge, tailpiece and posts
Switchcraft jack on the side
New chrome switchcraft pickup switch
3 way coil tap switch where the original jack was
Ratio tuners
Fret dress and full setup

The only things left untouched were the pots (which are CTS) and the nut, which on reflection we might as well have upgraded to an Earvana, but that can wait for another day.

I picked it up from Feline a few days ago and to say I'm pleased with it is an understatement - I love it. 

I've given the Indian Laurel fretboard a couple of doses of fretboard conditioner and that's darkened quite nicely too.

Aesthetically the guitar is much more to my liking, not quite a Trini or DG335 due to the matt black finish and cream binding, but I like the fact that it's different. It's sonically and the playability that are the real improvements though. The BK Mule came from another of my guitars so I knew how good a pickup that is, but the Cold Sweat is superb. The guitar will comfortably cover all the bases for the songs my band plays which range from Beatles to Foo Fighters and it feels like a quality instrument. I'd never heard of Ratio tuners til Jonathan recommended them, but they're ultra smooth and the tuning stability is great.

The coil tap switch that's been added in the old jack location goes from both coils, to single coil neck & both coils on the bridge, to single coils on neck and bridge. A very handy switch that will get lots of use.

As expected the guys at Feline have worked their magic with the fret dress and setup, and the guitar plays brilliantly.

The upgrades weren't cheap, but much cheaper than the alternative diamond soundhole semis and I've ended up with a guitar that I love the look of, and that plays and sounds fantastic. Can't wait to gig it in a few weeks. Thanks as always to Jonathan, Tom and the guys at Feline.

 
 
 

Offset

Crikey.  That's some pimping!  Guessing the guitar cost you £700-ish to buy.  Can you share what the upgrades cost?!  Intrigued.

dazzajl

You have made something quite fabulous there!

Moominpapa

Nice!

TrentGuitars

That looks excellent!

DavusPG

Offset said:

Crikey.  That's some pimping!  Guessing the guitar cost you £700-ish to buy.  Can you share what the upgrades cost?!  Intrigued.

Yeah no probs, guitar was £750, upgrades were £730

A large chunk of that was the Cold Sweat and the hardware which I'd more than likely have left stock if it had been nickel. Still would have replaced the pickups and had the frets seen to by the guys at Feline though. 

I could recoup some of that as I now have a full set of hardware and pickups that I could potentially sell, or I could keep it incase I ever decide to sell the guitar and return it to stock, which is highly unlikely

I appreciate that outlay puts me in used Gibson 335 territory, but nowhere near to another Trini, and not even a fraction of a DG335 which are the only models I'd really be interested in. Over the past few years I've had several guitars refinished and have dabbled with some electrical mods and quite like the fact that there isn't another of these out there quite like mine. 

I also can't emphasise enough how well it plays and how good it sounds. I'm very happy with it and it'll get played lots, so money well spent.

Philly_Q

That looks great!  As I read the description and saw "3 way coil tap switch where the original jack was", I thought uh-oh, that's going to look weird, but actually it looks like it belongs there.

Interesting choice of pickups, not one I'd have ever thought of.  How did you come up with the Mule/Cold sweat combination?

DavusPG

Philly_Q said:

That looks great!  As I read the description and saw "3 way coil tap switch where the original jack was", I thought uh-oh, that's going to look weird, but actually it looks like it belongs there.

Interesting choice of pickups, not one I'd have ever thought of.  How did you come up with the Mule/Cold sweat combination?

Thank you

I had in mind to add a 2nd tone knob as per the traditional Gibson layout, but the spacing is such that it's not possible. 

The hole from the original jack we weren't sure what to do with initially. At first I thought to just leave it as a dummy jack, but Jonathan suggested a switch if he could find one that would fit. Thankfully he did and suggested the coil split options. He also commented on the fact that it doesn't look out of place. 

The Mule was originally in my Feline Lion but got swapped out when I had that refinished and wanted black pickups (it has cream bobbins under the cover) I liked it in the Lion so wanted to try it in the Epiphone.

The Cold Sweat was Jonathan's suggestion as he felt it wouldn't be too boomy in a semi hollow guitar and would compliment the Mule, and he was spot on. I think most of my time will be spent with the bridge full humbucking and the neck split.

UnclePsychosis

That looks great. Nice work. 

NelsonP

Cool guitar, great upgrades. I've been looking at these myself for a while. No-one seems to have them is stock though.

Really surprised you can't get another tone pot in there though, surely the spacing is the same as all other Gibson / Epi semis?

Blaendulais

I wouldnt worry about the cost its a beautiful  guitar its what you want and use its worth it!!! Congrats

Fez

Looks fantastic.

victorludorum

It sounds like a money-no-object project, so you could get it lacquered to give it a gloss finish.

FelineGuitars

The coil split is a 3 way DPDT with an ON/ON/ON configuration 

We knew it was possible to have the following options 

Both HBs  left in series series

Both HBs split

Neck split and the bridge left series

The oversize switch typical of the size you may have seen on some musicman guitars  looks better here than a mini toggle might I feel

DrBob

FelineGuitars said:

The coil split is a 3 way DPDT with an ON/ON/ON configuration 

We knew it was possible to have the following options 

Both HBs  left in series series

Both HBs split

Neck split and the bridge left series

The oversize switch typical of the size you may have seen on some musicman guitars  looks better here than a mini toggle might I feel

Very classy job Jonathan, and Happy Birthday !

THR1LLHAU5

Nice! Looks top. Enjoy. 

Garold86

That's a beautiful looking guitar! Hope it sounds and plays as nice as it looks.

Seziertisch

DavusPG said:

Offset said:

Crikey.  That's some pimping!  Guessing the guitar cost you £700-ish to buy.  Can you share what the upgrades cost?!  Intrigued.

Yeah no probs, guitar was £750, upgrades were £730

A large chunk of that was the Cold Sweat and the hardware which I'd more than likely have left stock if it had been nickel. Still would have replaced the pickups and had the frets seen to by the guys at Feline though. 

I could recoup some of that as I now have a full set of hardware and pickups that I could potentially sell, or I could keep it incase I ever decide to sell the guitar and return it to stock, which is highly unlikely

I appreciate that outlay puts me in used Gibson 335 territory, but nowhere near to another Trini, and not even a fraction of a DG335 which are the only models I'd really be interested in. Over the past few years I've had several guitars refinished and have dabbled with some electrical mods and quite like the fact that there isn't another of these out there quite like mine. 

I also can't emphasise enough how well it plays and how good it sounds. I'm very happy with it and it'll get played lots, so money well spent.

I love that you spent the money to take it (hopefully)from a guitar you liked to one you love.

It’s also good to support people who really care about what they are doing. 

rlw

Feline did much the same to my Sheraton some years ago and the guitar was considerably improved.

NelsonP

How are you getting on with the Emily Wolfe op?

blueskunk

Lovely guitar man. Did I read right? £730 on upgrades?