So here's the situation - you have spent your hard earned funds on your dream Epiphone Les Paul and now you would like way more from it in the sound area. You're happy with how it looks and yes, of course you'd have preferred a Gibson original, but resources dictated that the Epi was the way to proceed. Unfortunately now the sound it produces is now starting to bug you - so what's the solution?
Let's start up by declaring that the Epiphone LP is a respectable guitar in anyone's book. To the beginner's eye these are considered pretty much equal to the real thing. Yes the maple top is a thin laminate and not the chunky carved top found on the Gibson, but there is a substantial price difference and in my view they represent fantastic value for money.
So why is it that they appear to sound a bit too weak?
The guitar's sound is the buildup of a number of elements, and all the the features on the Epiphone are slightly inferior to its more expensive big brother. The wood, the hardware and especially the pickups have an effect on the overall sound but in my view it's the guitar pickups that let it down the most, and luckily this is something that is simply upgraded with aftermarket designs.
You will notice a lot of choices available to choose from when it comes to picking a splendid set of humbuckers. You will notice the established old boys such as Seymour Duncan and Di Marzio and then there are the newer boutique, hand winding firms. I have long been a fan of Seymour Duncan but I love the new boutique crew. The good ones make use of excellent materials and wind meticulously by hand. Some of them provide an excellent alternative to the 'old firm'.
When it comes to the sound, it is down to you as every guitar player wants something different. Visit numerous websites, investigate the various guitar pickup specs and maybe listen to a number of sound samples. Never get baffled with the science of it all because the magnets, the coil wire and the number of winds may get daunting. Your best bet is to listen and make your judgement from that. Luckily some companies will let you return your pickups if you aren't 100% pleased with the product.
If you've got a large amount cash burning a hole in your pocket you might instead choose to upgrade straight to a Gibson Les Paul Standard or even a 1959 VOS R9. If not, then change those pickups and listen to your Epiphone growl. It's really not hard.
The author has played in various bands throughout the years and owns a variety of electric guitars. He loves to customise his instruments and highly recommends the excellent replacement humbucker pickups and P90 pickups from TubGuitarPickups.co.uk
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