NGD - LP Special P-90

[progrmr]

So I'm on vacation this week and this morning I sold off my Epi Joe Pass - I wasn't playing it at all since the full hollow didn't take to distortion well. I originally bought it for jazz and it was perfect for that, but I've been almost exclusively blues for a few months so I decided to sell it. The joe pass DID have my P-90 fix though. Since I had money I decided to hit the local shops this morning for a Squier VM Jazzmaster.

No store in my area had one - well, that's basically a Sam Ash and the local GC for new gear. I was pretty bummed. As I was wandering aimlessly at GC I saw an Epiphone with 2 P-90's for $299 - same price as the VM. Got it down and give it a play.

I have to say I was very impressed. After I played it for about half an hour I took a look down the neck - not a jacked up fret on the fretboard. Great clean tones, dirty and over-saturated. Since it was the same price as the VM and I love the LP style I went for it. Very surprised but very happy too - have my P-90 fix and it's a great player for $299.

Just got in the door, so here's the pic:

 

[Eric]

The week wouldn't feel right if there wasn't a progrmr NGD, so thanks for settling my mind. Congrats!

 

[Spudman]

Happy New Guitar Day!

Does that have the new tail piece and bridge that wont fall off?

 

[Katastrophe]

Sweet! You got a good deal. They were running $399 at the GC near me last time I checked. Congrats, progrmr!

 

[progrmr]

The week wouldn't feel right if there wasn't a progrmr NGD, so thanks for settling my mind. Congrats!

haha! Yea Yea....

Happy New Guitar Day!

Does that have the new tail piece and bridge that wont fall off?

It looks like the normal tailpiece. I haven't restrung it yet but I will very soon.

Sweet! You got a good deal. They were running $399 at the GC near me last time I checked. Congrats, progrmr!

No way I'd go $399 for it, but $299 was a good deal. Glad I went out today. thanks!

 

[FrankenFretter]

I think all the new Epis have that Tone Lock bridge if they're TOM style. I know my Tribute LP does.

 

[Spudman]

I think all the new Epis have that Tone Lock bridge if they're TOM style. I know my Tribute LP does.

I was referring to the LockTone system. I that what you are saying too?
http://www.epiphone.com/news.asp?NewsID=2026

I wish I had this on a few guitars.

 

[progrmr]

After restringing it does have the ToneLock -the tailpiece didn't fall off and was securely held in place but I didn't remove it to check. I wanted to get those new strings on and keep playing. Fingers are all kinds of raw this morning!

 

[Jimi75]

Still one of my favourite guitars. Great catch P.

 

[MAXIFUNK]

Congrats enjoy the new axe!!!

 

[Tig]

You just can't go wrong with an LP and P-90's.
$299 was a steal! Congratulations on a sweet new axe.

 

[Duffy]

Nice

I have a beautiful antique burst solid mahogany set neck "SX" one of those that I played the other night. It is noisy and doesn't noise cancel in the middle like my other P90 guitar with Duncan Designed pickups.

I think I want to install some high quality P90s on my SX LP Special. Right now I don't like the cheap P90s that produce a overly bright and brittle sound. I'm not sure what pickups I should get, but the build quality of the guitar is very good and it has an ebony fretboard. If I found some good pickups to really improve the sound I would probably put on some nice tuners, maybe locking.

I wonder who makes some real good sounding P90s at a reasonable cost?

That Epiphone is a beautiful guitar.

 

[Brian Krashpad]

Congrats! A buddy of mine on another forum bought the same guitar just this week as well. He's been very happy with his.

I love LP Specials, even though I don't have one by Gibson/Epi. My LP Special jones has been satisfied by a Hamer Special and a Schecter Tempest Special.

 

[progrmr]

Check out GFS P-90's Duffy. The mean 90's I had in an Epi Emperor were well priced and sounded great. Those are humbucker sized though.

I'm sure they have some regular P-90's that would suit your needs.

 

[Brian Krashpad]

Check out GFS P-90's Duffy. The mean 90's I had in an Epi Emperor were well priced and sounded great. Those are humbucker sized though.

I'm sure they have some regular P-90's that would suit your needs.

Fwiw, I briefly had a partscaster with GFS P-90's (regular size), and they sounded great.

I'm not a modder though, at a minimum I'd give it a lot of thought before yanking something out of a new axe. My bud who just got that model has said he likes the stockers well enough to leave them for the time being at least. And he IS a modder.

The stock dogears in my Epi WildKat are certainly fine.

 

[Duffy]

P90s

Krash,

My SX LP Special is not a new one. It is a few years old and a set neck, all mahogany, quite nice really.

The pickups just don't seem very good and they are not noise cancelling. My other P90, a Squier VM Tele Custom II has way better P90s - duncan designed.

I am thinking of getting some decent ones to put in but need to look around. Maybe Seymour Duncan real ones.

I have bought GFS pickups a few times and some have been good, but most have left me wishing I had spent a few extra dollars and gotten what I really wanted, like the P bass Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders I wanted. Should have gotten them but put in GFS hot P bass instead and was not much impressed. I think with GFS that they make some real good pickups, but you need to know which ones are great and get them. They have a somewhat "cult" following and you need to know which ones are real good. Not all of their pickups live up to the exuberant verbosity embellishing the web page descriptions.

The mediocre, at best, stock pickups on this LP Special copy will stay in the guitar unless I find some replacements that are going to be a big improvement. I need to do some more research on this and seek some feedback from other P90 fans.

I should start another thread asking for P90 replacement advice.

Thanks for the suggestion though. Maybe the GFS ones are real decent.