8/30/07

Guitars, Electronics, Wiring, and Sparkle paint

Now Let's talk about the Epiphone Goth Les Paul Studio

I recently acquired an Epiphone goth lp studio - and I love it. The action is great. I've played it the past couple of practices and plan on playing it more on our gig tomorrow night. It's not going to replace my other guitar which is a Gibson Faded Cherry SG Standard. I've never owned a LP before and I and fast understanding why people love them. Completely different sound than my SG.

The flat black finish is not a big hit with my good friend and drummer, Shawn. He is insisting on painting the body top "something sparkley". I'm not sure about this, in his defense he does have experience painting motorcycle gas tanks, and most recently, my Epiphone Valve Junior head (he painted that a lovely red sparkle). I have to say the amp looks great, I'll get a picture and post another time.

I told him I would need to see a guitar he has painted before I commit, he is currently painting the body top of his black jap Fender Telecaster (I will post picture of this as well). The flat black finish on my Epi is great for finger prints, and I think it looks pretty cool. More on the "painting hue's guitar" later.

I do want to make some changes on the goth, mainly to make it sound like the most awesome Les Paul I ever played...

The Les Paul BFG This Guitar is incredible, but I don't have a grand to put down on a guitar. I can however play a few shows and afford some electronics.

My neighborhood guitar shop, Lavonne's Music couldn't keep these things on the shelves... and ugly? Oh baby this guitar is so ugly you need to be wearing beer goggles just to play it. Once you start playing it and hear how awesome it sounds you never want to unplug it...

Go play one you will know what I'm talking about, here is what Gibson says about the BFG...

"A stripped-down, rock ’n’ roll flamethrower, the Les Paul BFG is the most powerful Les Paul Gibson has ever made." - Some Dude From Gibson


What makes this guitar awesome has nothing to do the the aesthetics, rather it's the electronics...

Let's talk about pickups man!

I'm not a studio engineer, or a guitar tech... What I am is your basic dick hack enthusiast who like plays in a bar band on weekends and knows what he likes. My favorite pickup set is the same as my favorite breakfast set up - something crunchy and something creamy. Like oat meal with little crunchy sprinkle things on it.


First: The creamy...

Classic P-90 Creme Soapbar

The BFG has the black soapbar, I prefer the Creme color. In my opinion, and for my style and playing this is the prefect rhythm or neck pick up. Smooth as hell and quite cool looking.


Now, on to the Crunchy...

Gibson 500T/ Hot Ceramic/ Zebra

Not much to say about this pickup other than, "oh hells yeah".

As far as the wiring... I can keep the wiring normal like 99.9 of all other LPs, or I can have it wired like the BFG.
If you look at the picture of the BFG on the left, you will notice it appears to be missing a tone pot. Actually this is the pickup switch, There are two volumes, one tone, and the switch.
The top switch on the BFG is an on/off switch. I won't actually change the wiring as I don't think an On/Off switch is necessary for my use.

Any thoughts out there on Epiphones, P-90s, Zebra Humbuckers, BFGs, oatmeal with cruchy things, or sparkle paint? let me know...

1 comment:

Jackson said...

As far as the finish goes, do your thing, or let Shawn do his. I'm not a fan of the flat black goth finish, and it's an Epi, it's not like your fucking with a vintage Gibson.

LOVE the P-90, Jeff Beck had P-90's on his Les Paul in the seventies, it's the 'Blow By Blow' guitar.

I don't know shit about the Zebra, if you need crunchy, and it does it, so be it.

I think the controls on the BFG are silly, stick with the standard.