Help me pimp my guitar. *RESULTS*

[mynar7]

Results on Page 2

Welp, I've ordered a Super-chan and a Gnomeratron, so in an attempt to wait patiently I've decided to pull out a forgotten axe and give it some love.




It's an old korean made Epi Les paul that my uncle gave me when I was in elementary school. I've probably played the main riff in "come as you are" on this approximately a million times. Anyway, along the way other guitars were acquired and this one ended up in a closet. So I pulled it out and gave it a full setup, adjusting string height and length, truss rod, etc. And wow, it plays great!

However, the pickups were garbage. But I had some Duncan Designed humbuckers from a different guitar lying around... So a quick trip to Ace Hardware and 20 bucks on the cheapest low-watt soldering iron later, I frankensteined them into it. And it works! I also haven't shocked myself, so I guess it isn't that hard.

Now my urge to tinker cannot be satiated. Next up is new knobs for the pots and a toggle switch cap. And then, because duncan designed sucks, I'm thinking about getting some kick ass humbuckers for it. Any thoughts? Also would amber speed knobs look shitty?

TLDR: I want to swap pickups on my old les paul, so tell me what kind of screamin' pickups I should buy.

[Achtane]

I have no idea about guitar pickups but you need reflector knobs. They make your playing faster and also give you DAMBL TOANS.

[Inertia]

Toss some dream 90s in there, toss in a switch that adds a photo sensitive resistor into the line so you can make swells of volume with the photo eye.

[Holy Schnikes]

I love these silver speed knobs, have them on my Antique Pelham LP Custom. I think they'd look nice on white as well.

[tuffteef]

roner stock time

[phantasmagorovich]

OK, these are pretty much blind suggestions (or deaf, really), cause I haven't played either.

A buddy of mine recommends these:
http://www.heavyair.co.uk/divebomb

Then there are these, which I am GASsing for:
http://www.at-the-creamery.co.uk/scatterwound-pickups-from-the-creamery/scatterwound-wide-o-pickups.html
also:
http://www.at-the-creamery.co.uk/scatterwound-pickups-from-the-creamery/scatterwound-humbucker-pickups.html

And these have l'air de classique:
http://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/pickups.php?cat=humbuckers

I think amber might look cool but not with a plack pickguard. I'd rather go silver knobs with the black.

[maz91379]

Top wrap , take off the pickguard, acquire reflector or witch hat knobs, get new switch tip, if you change pickups get at least one in zebra or worn nickle. rio grande pickups perhaps? http://www.riograndepickups.com/index.html

[Heavy_Soul]

OK, these are pretty much blind suggestions (or deaf, really), cause I haven't played either.

A buddy of mine recommends these:
http://www.heavyair.co.uk/divebomb

Then there are these, which I am GASsing for:
http://www.at-the-creamery.co.uk/scatterwound-pickups-from-the-creamery/scatterwound-wide-o-pickups.html
also:
http://www.at-the-creamery.co.uk/scatterwound-pickups-from-the-creamery/scatterwound-humbucker-pickups.html

And these have l'air de classique:
http://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/pickups.php?cat=humbuckers

I think amber might look cool but not with a plack pickguard. I'd rather go silver knobs with the black.

I can't reccomend The Creamery enough, I have a set of gold-covered Alnicos in my SG and they are just so damn lovely, they even do custom voicing and winding! You really cannot beat them for the price

[mynar7]

Wow I didn't know there were that many independent pickup makers out there. I fully expected DiMarzio and Duncan recommendations. Also, it'd be pretty plain looking if I took the pickguard off, wouldn't it?

What kind of pickup voicing should I be looking for?

[maz91379]

Wow I didn't know there were that many independent pickup makers out there. I fully expected DiMarzio and Duncan recommendations. Also, it'd be pretty plain looking if I took the pickguard off, wouldn't it?

What kind of pickup voicing should I be looking for?

nah ( i guess it's subjective) a white finish can pull it off if you get plated or zebra hums plus it can kinda make playing more comfy at least i prefer it but different strokes. I guess it depends on what kind of music you play and if you like high or medium or low output pickups?

[dubkitty]

i think black bell knobs would look best. be sure that your replacement knobs are specced for "metric" or "import" guitars; US pots have a different shaft diameter and number of teeth to Asian guitars and US knobs will not fit metric pots.

[Gunner Recall]

Cool guitar, I dig white LP's
What kinda stuff are you into/what kinda stuff will you be using it for?

[D-Rainger]

I think that's a tasty guitar already!
Does Slash secretly play a Korean Les Paul? It's good all the same tho!

[mynar7]

It's sort of a beat up old, yellowed white finish. I'm ripping all the electronics out and putting all new stuff in. I'm thinking about getting some 500k push pull pots and coil-tapping the humbuckers too. I just have no idea what pickups to get. I like alternative rock to metal so I'm thinking hot pickups, but idk if it's necessary to have super hot pickups to play metal even. Also it's a cheap unknown wood les paul, so it's hard to guess at what would sound good in it. I'm thinking a brighter neck PU though, since the one I have in now is super dark.

Anyway, since I'm new to working on guitars, I'm thinking of getting some cheapo-pickups from guitarfetish.com Also, I'm thinking of coil-splitting/tapping them, so if they're super hot and I need less power I can just switch to single coils. Idk, anyone ever put new PUs in a crappy LP style guitar before?

[Bassus Sanguinis]

if You don't mind a little rock 'n roll ruinage - the beat up old creamy white could really use the following finish:

1. strip the guitar from all metal and plastic
2. wipe all body or just highlight the face with acetone (the guitar, not You, You silly)
3. wait just a few seconds...
4. and set it on fire! FUCK YEAH!
5. ...okay, put the fire out with a nonflammable blanket, or bury it in sand for ûber doom mojo.
6. clean it with a cloth, spray it with lacquer if You feel like it.

END RESULT: You should have a guitar paint job burned black-dark brown, on the edges going brown-yellow, and perhaps blue-ish marks on yellow-brown. Probably depends on the original protective finish. Looks probably best with white instruments, and with posh replacement parts added on this it can be a real killer! Gold or just shiny fancy parts on burned black FTW!

It's impossible to say exactly HOW cool it's going to look but it sure is turning heads. However, it looks best if the surface is burned only, SO REMEMBER to put it before the fire really starts the go through to the wood. The acetone should burn out pretty fast so it's not going to be a bonfire unless You soke Your guitar in it, but d this outside so You don't inhale the fumes.

A guitarist friend did this... wow, like, twenty years ago? I loved that guitar!(a heavy strat by Fernandez). Wanted to buy it from him but he didn't take me seriously and so he sold it to a guitaist - after he had ruined the cool by spray painted it metallic blue before selling Even the new owner regretted this after hearing this from me.

It's a rad suggestion but if I had an old instrument painted white, I swear - by the goat face Dark Lord of Fuzz - I'd do it.