Let's Upgrade an Epi LP Special

gubble

I'm acquiring an Epi Les Paul Special 2 in a trade and rather than sell it on I'm going to make it  my backup LP style guitar.

Tuners are obviously going to need to be replaced.

Pickups are too.

Probably the nut

Maybe the bridge.

I wonder if it's possible to convert to fit a pickgaurd and convert it into a Junior style single pickup guitar?

paulnb57

I see no reason why not.........might need a Custom pickguard....who knows......

Looking forward to updates, with pitchers, we like pitchers.....

webrthomson

I've got one of these too - I bought it in the states when I was there to have something to play! I also though to upgrade it so I've added a 1970's Dimarzio super distortion at the bridge and Gotoh 510 tuners:



Needs a new nut too but I've not got to that yet Plays pretty well now, still a hundred quid guitar but now at least it stays in tune and sounds okay!

Corvus

^snap! Single-pickup one here though, bought on hols in the US to have something to play. I converted it to P90 with a riser made from maple, setup for slide. Looks like a plate would need making because of where the upper screws are on the neck bucker. Simple plate to make though.

http://www.alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/epi_junior/junior.jpg

http://www.alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/epi_junior/junior_detail.jpg

gubble

Picked it up on Saturday and having never played one I'm genuinely impressed with the quality.

Previous owner had it set up very nicely and other than the tuners being rather rubbish it plays and sounds great.

I'll take some pictures later.

Can anyone recommend someone to make me a scratchplate that' going to cover the front pickup cavity?

I'm going to replace the pickup selector with a coil tap toggle for the new pickup (when I decide what to put in it).

usedtobe

Is that the bolt on, ply body? If so, I had one, once. Played great, and the bridge pickup sounded awesome! Though, I see that is not the original. Cool guitar, though!

gubble

Change of Plan !

Decided I want to keep it as a dual pickup guitar.

So I've bought a set of pickups - some ultra cheap Chinese 30 day to arrive jobbies which I'm calling Seemore Dunchan. they arrived yesterday so installed them last night:

So this is the guitar before - I didn't like the look of the open coils

Out they go:

And in go the new pickups:

I personally think this has improved the look of the guitar lots.

For £11 the pickups sound really quite good.

Next is a set of tuners. I really don't want to drill any holes in the neck but the rubbish stamped tuners have a strange offset set of screwholes - anyone any ideas for some direct and decent direct replacements?