Anyone have experience changing Pickups out of an Epiphone Explorer

[Kilkmaru]

Any help would be very apreatiated. :)

[mako_kimura]

Dumb question: why EMG's?

[GAR]

First thing you'll run into is the fact you must change the potentiomenters and jack.

Basically you change all the electronics. Why do you want EMG's, for the preamp? I can do

[Kilkmaru]

Iv heard smaples of them and i like the tone. Do you know Which electronics i have to get to go with the Emg's?

[BrownSound1]

EMGs....dude, save your money and buy some Seymour Duncans.

[Don Corleone]

I wouldn't go with EMG's myself. I've used them in the past, didn't like them. You'd be better off following Brownsounds advice and getting some Duncans.

[jackassrock]

Any pups you buy will come with installation instructions. But if you don't know how to solder well, you'd be better off taking it to someone who does. You could ruin the pots or caps by getting them too hot.

Oh, and you have to replace the jack too.

As for preference, it's taste baby. I F'in LOVE the sound of an EMG 81 for balls out rock and metal, but my experience is that the tone is not much good for anything but that. My main guitar for The Murder Junkies is a Les Paul with an 81, but when I'm going out to do a bar band gig I always take something with passive pups. They are just far more flexible.

[jhale667]

EMG's supply all the electronics and jack needed....the pots are 25k...but yeah, I'm over them too. Getting ready to pull them out of a couple of my guitars....

[Kilkmaru]

Thanks guys. :)

[Nitro Express]

I could live with the pickups in my Epiphone. I just put in a Switchcraft switch and better pots. The original ones were shit. I left the pickups stock and they do the job.

[mako_kimura]

I'm guessing this guy wants to get the "Metallica" sound. That's usually the case when someone puts EMG's in an Explorer

[Hardrock69]

Note that you will also have to get new knobs. The pots that come with EMGs have larger posts than a standard pot.

I usually use the knurled chrome-dome knobs like this:

http://thefourarts.com/prodimages/teleknobchrome.jpg


The pickups in my Epi Korina V suck shit, but I have yet to replace them.

When I do it will be with some kind of PAF replacement with gold covers.

EMGs are what I prefer for my main axes, and I have four guitars (and my Jazz Bass) with EMGs installed.

I personally do not get them solely for any kind of "sound". I just want them to have strong output, and no mic feedback.

[Nitro Express]

I have two Epiphones. An SG-400 and a Les Paul Standard. The pickups on the Les Paul suck but on the SG, I can live with them.

[Kilkmaru]

I decided against doing it. Don't want to fuck up my guitar and shit.

[ELVIS]

Put some Gibson Tony Iommi pups in that piece of crap...

Buy new pots, a switch and a jack, follow the directions and practice soldering by both removing and reattaching the leads on the old pots...

Simple...


:elvis:

[ELVIS]

Originally posted by Kilkmaru
I decided against doing it. Don't want to fuck up my guitar and shit.

It would add character...;)

[ELVIS]

Originally posted by Kilkmaru
Any help would be very apreatiated. :)

Pratice yer spealling two...:D

[Nitro Express]

Some ephiphones sound good but even my SG has a thin veneer over what looks to be poplar or alder. What looks to be inlays on the headstock is a polyester cover template. They are cheap guitars compared to the real thing they copy and I've never seem good electronics in any of them. I bought two Epiphones and they are ok but I often wonder why I bought them.

In the end, I think it's smarter to save up and get the quality guitar if you are a seriouse player. You will be happier. Smash the Ephiphone and get a real Gibson instead of dumping a few hundred dollars into the thing. The next thing is you are going to want a better bridge and them tuneres. Not worth it on a guitar that is veneered alder or poplar.

Epiphone is clever marketing and making fakes of highly sought after guitars affordable to any high school kid with a few hundred bucks. But the Epiphone name doesn't ring quality in my ears. What Epiphone is doing is building up the Gibson name more because that's marketed as the real gravey and they love to charge for it too.

[Kilkmaru]

Any recommendations? I was thinking of getting a wolfgang peavy or a hetfield truckster.

[Hardrock69]

Originally posted by Kilkmaru
I decided against doing it. Don't want to fuck up my guitar and shit.

You would not fuck up your guitar unless you used a chainsaw to change the electronics!
;)

If you replace the electronics, you will not "fuck the guitar up".

Don't let the naysayers get to ya.

If YOU prefer the way EMGs sound, then go ahead and get them.

:cool:


As for the Epiphones, they are of kickass quality (aside from the electronics).

The Korina guitars I own could easily have been made at the Gibson factory.

[jackassrock]

Hardrock speaks the truth.

You could spend $150 on new pups or $800 on a new guitar, with someone elses name on it. I've never been a fan of the signature series guitars. Usually, they make a super kickass guitar for a rockstar, then they cut any and all corners to make a production line model for the fanboys. Never even near the quality of the origional. I would say that the Epi you have is of the same quality, so if you like the feel of the one you have stick with it and change out the pickups to suit your needs.

[Kilkmaru]

What is your opinion about this guitar?

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Standard-HSS-Stratocaster-Electric-Guitar?sku=516039

What i want is to make the EvH white with black stripes guitar but i don't want to spend 2,000 dollars on the charval model.

[mako_kimura]

You'd have to do some sanding to the body, but it would work. By the way, you wouldn't have to screw up your guitar if you put EMG's in it, they come pre-wired, so all you've gotta do is put em in. And as for the Wolfgang or Truckster, don't even waste your money on a Truckster, their complete pieces of shit

[redfire]

Originally posted by BrownSound1
EMGs....dude, save your money and buy some Seymour Duncans.

Yep... If you've never installed EMG's, they're a motherfucker. Duncan's are easier, and better in my opinion.

[Kilkmaru]

Originally posted by mako_kimura
You'd have to do some sanding to the body, but it would work. By the way, you wouldn't have to screw up your guitar if you put EMG's in it, they come pre-wired, so all you've gotta do is put em in. And as for the Wolfgang or Truckster, don't even waste your money on a Truckster, their complete pieces of shit

You mean just sand off the paint? And what kind of paint should i use?

[ELVIS]

Dude, check THIS (http://home.flash.net/~guitars/index.html) site out...

BTW, I could replicate the White with Black stripes for a nominal fee...

[ELVIS]

Anyway, back to pickups...

I have an Epiphone Tony Iommi SG and the pickups are probably the best sounding humbuckers I have ever heard. Very smooth and clear as a bell...

I'm a huge Yngwie fan and most of my Strats have Dimarzio HS-3's which are very low output and very clean...

What I'm getting at is the Iommi USA Gibson pickups are almost single coil clean while being powerful with a very musical even order sounding overdrive when pushed hard...

I also have EMG 81's and 85's and Dimarzio Virtual PAF and PAF hot and the Iommi's are much better, the EMG's sound weak and thin in comparison...

I've also had various Duncans and Super Distortion this and that...

So in closing, I'm tellin' you and whoever else is listening or give's a rat's ass...


THE FRIGGIN' GIBSON USA TONY IOMMI PUPS ARE WORTH CHECKING OUT !!!



:elvis:

[ELVIS]

They look cool, too...

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/tn/7/7/1/247771.jpg
http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/tn/7/6/9/247769.jpg
http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/tn/7/7/0/247770.jpg


Harmony Central Reviews (http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data2/Gibson/Tony-Iommi-01.html)

These Gibson pickups put out a lot of output for a passive pickup !!! More than Gibson's 500T. I think they might approach the output levels of the active EMG 81 and 85. I know they sound a lot better than any Dimarzio,EMG,or Seymour Duncan pickups I've compared them to.
Tone: Very balanced overall with a strong midrange peak. Tight bottom end and very strong treble (but not trebly,trebly ???) prescense which isn't harsh at all. These pickups also have extremely good note articulation, even with heavy distortion on 4,5,or 6-note chords. You can hear every note.
Sonic evaluation: USA Mockingbird with a Floyd Rose whammy bar. I also own another 30 guitars or so the last time I checked and have my own fully-sound insulated studio here in CA. I have a Marshall 100-watt SuperPlexi and 1987X 50-watt head,Marshall JCM 800 modded 100-watt head and stock JCM 800 50-watt head. I also own a Soldano SuperLead and Mesa Boogie among other tubed heads. I've got four new stereo Marshall cabs. Two have Vintage 30's and the others G12H 30's. These "Tony Iommi" pickups produce the most incredible hard rock/heavy metal tone I've ever heard or experinced. They can sound clean but turn them all open and you'll be blown away !!! Through the 100-watt SuperPlexi head on "10" and 2 Vintage 30 4X12 cabs, you feel the sound wash over your skin like fire-ants to your pleasure. The pickups don't squel at all since they are epoxy-coated. I felt like Tony on stage. These pickups love loudness. They sustain forever at high volume(and at lower volumes also). They are very solid sounding on the bottom strings, especially A and E. The mids dominate and the treble cuts through like a knife. Try detuning one-half,one,and one-and-a-half steps and you'll appreciate the HEAVY TONE these babies produce. If you are a "Black Sabbath" guitarist, please check these out. These are the "Heavy" pickups you've been wanting - they are the best on the market. Give them a try, I promise you'll love em. These pickups clean up at lower volume knob levels so you can also use them for plain rock. Also, if you coil tap each pickup you can add that single coil feedback like in the early 70's before Tony switched to humbuckers. These are Gibson's best !!!


:elvis:

[Kilkmaru]

Ahh. Thank you very much, Elvis. Also how nominal would that fee be?

[Kilkmaru]

Just want to say that my amp suck ass. Can't never find the right sound with all the fuckin settings :(

[mako_kimura]

Originally posted by Kilkmaru
You mean just sand off the paint? And what kind of paint should i use?

Yeah, sand the paint off, but don't go down to bare wood. And for paint, Edwardo used Schwinn bicycle paint, but I think any kind of paint would work

[ELVIS]

Originally posted by Kilkmaru
Ahh. Thank you very much, Elvis. Also how nominal would that fee be?

Man, I got so many projects going on it's unreal...

But dude, check out those Iommi pups...


:elvis:

[Kilkmaru]

These right ?
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Gibson-Tony-Iommi-Guitar-Pickup?sku=360939

Thanks man i hope i can install them right :p

[Kilkmaru]

Also i am guessing tube amps are the best? what would be the best i could get?

[mako_kimura]

Anything by Marshall, Mesa/Boogie Rectum Friers (Rectofiers), most Fender amps, Peaveys, Randalls, and (if you must..) Krank.

[ELVIS]

Originally posted by Kilkmaru
These right ?


Yep...

Get 'em!

I'm thinking about buying some for another guitar...


:elvis:

[Hardrock69]

Man....they look sweet.

I am sure they sound ok, but I want a couple of good pickups to put in my Korinas.

The Explorer pickups are not bad, but they are weak.

The V pickups squeal at the merest hint of volume, and suck shit.

Though it may be next year before I am ready to buy some.

At least now I have another option than standard Gibson PAFs. In Gold hardware no less.

[Nitro Express]

Peavey has excellent customer service. Their service people are top notch and their service centers are good as well. Hartley Peavey owns the company himself and it isn't part of a large comglomerant. If you like Marshall type tones, the new Peavey Windsor is a good EL-34 amp that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

Marshall is a good company and Jim Marshall is still going to the office and his son is running things. A great company to go to in person and take a tour. Jim Marshall's son himself took us through and we could smell his dad's cigar smoke coming out of his office. The problem with Marshall in the states is they go through distributors and theres a lot of middle men to deal with. Customer support can be frustrating! They make some good quality amps and their speaker cabinets are the best there are in my book.

Fender is hit and miss as always. They seem to be more into their legendary name and seem to coast on their vintage appeal a little too much. They do have some good products. Customer service wise I can't tell you anything.

Lately I like Peavey stuff. It's a good company to deal with and their name isn't Gibson or Fender. Peavey never had great name appeal and people love to slag the company. It's always been a meat and potato musicians brand that made some well built products and sold them for a fair price. People love to bash the old Peavey amps but Lynard Skinnard's Freebird was played on those subossedly shitty amps. Granted the brandname focused on chicken picking country players and southern fried rock. Thank't to Eddie Van Halen the company is now focusing on the rock and roll musician more than ever. Some really cool new amps out there under the Peavey name and their solid state stuff is the best it's ever been, so give that a try.

If you have a problem, Peavey is a good company to deal with. They will send you out a brand new amp ASAP if you need a replacement. Their warranty service is the best!

[Kilkmaru]

Originally posted by ELVIS
Yep...

Get 'em!

I'm thinking about buying some for another guitar...


:elvis:

Is it easy to change them?

And i buy two? one for the bridge and one for the neck?

Also sorry for so many questions, its the only way i will learn anything :p

[Hardrock69]

Well, if you want to change only one, order one. If you want to change 2, order 2.
;)

Are you any good with a soldering iron? If not, just find a local guitar tech at a guitar shop and see how much they charge to replace them. They should not charge too much.....

[Kilkmaru]

Im so so. My dad is, maybe he could help me

[Hardrock69]

It is not like you are hooking up silicon microchips or something...
:D

[Kilkmaru]

lol ya i know

[Nitro Express]

Nobody fixes shit anymore. You're not a real guitarist until you can solder! LOL! It's not that difficult. Go to Radio Shack and pick up a cheap soldering iron kit and follow the instructions. Hell, buy some little cheap electronics project kit and practice on that. Then you can change pickups, pots, switches to your heart's content. It's not that hard. Heck, you can make your own cables and save some money there as well.