Just gigged my cheapo Epi LP Junior w/cheap vibrato...

[Tim Armstrong]

I posted last week about re-acquiring this Epi LP Junior from the friend who bought it from me last year:



It started out as a basic Indonesian-made $99 blowout from MF a few years ago. I upgraded the pickup and bridge with parts from GFS, and the tuners with a set of Sperzels. Pretty damn nice little guitar, but I was only gigging as a bassist, so when money got tight last year, I sold it.

Ah, but we added a singer to the band, and she happens to be a pretty good bassist too, so I switch over to guitar for 5-6 songs a night, and my friend who had Junior never bonded with it, so I bought it back from her. Then, just as a science experiment, I added one of the $21.95 cheapo vibratos from GFS.

Anyway, last night I finally got to play it at a gig (through my '69 Princeton Reverb), and all I can say is WOW! It sounded and played like a million bucks!

I'm particularly pleased with the vibrato, which works every bit as good as any Bigsby I've ever used! I used it a bit, and the guitar stayed in tune wonderfully! The pickup is likewise a very pleasant surprise, just plain sounds killer.

I've never played a single-pickup guitar before, and was VERY surprised at how much tonal variation you can get by using the tone knob and moving the picking closer and further from the bridge.

I'm so pleased!

Tim

[boneyguy]

Giddyup!!!!

[redstringuitar]

More power to you Tim!
Epis are great guitars and GFS pickups and parts are astonishing value...their low prices does not in any way detract from just how good they can be!
Hope you have many more great gigs with your Junior.

[studebaker hawk]

So why can't I see that pic? I get a little white box with a red x in it.

[Tim Armstrong]

Originally Posted by studebaker hawk

So why can't I see that pic? I get a little white box with a red x in it.

Don't know why, it's a pic hosted by Photobucket, oughta work just fine!

Try reloading, maybe?

Tim

[Stuco]

The pic works fine for me. Glad to hear it worked out for you!

[Tele-Champ]

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

I posted last week about re-acquiring this Epi LP Junior from the friend who bought it from me last year:



It started out as a basic Indonesian-made $99 blowout from MF a few years ago. I upgraded the pickup and bridge with parts from GFS, and the tuners with a set of Sperzels. Pretty damn nice little guitar, but I was only gigging as a bassist, so when money got tight last year, I sold it.

Ah, but we added a singer to the band, and she happens to be a pretty good bassist too, so I switch over to guitar for 5-6 songs a night, and my friend who had Junior never bonded with it, so I bought it back from her. Then, just as a science experiment, I added one of the $21.95 cheapo vibratos from GFS.

Anyway, last night I finally got to play it at a gig (through my '69 Princeton Reverb), and all I can say is WOW! It sounded and played like a million bucks!

I'm particularly pleased with the vibrato, which works every bit as good as any Bigsby I've ever used! I used it a bit, and the guitar stayed in tune wonderfully! The pickup is likewise a very pleasant surprise, just plain sounds killer.

I've never played a single-pickup guitar before, and was VERY surprised at how much tonal variation you can get by using the tone knob and moving the picking closer and further from the bridge.

I'm so pleased!

Tim

Love the way that black P-90 looks in your Epi Jr.! It must sound pretty nice, too...
I picked up one of these Juniors, too, a couple years ago at GC for $99, also. Not a bad guit. Definitely playable for the price.. I was thinking about changing out the stock bucker for a P-90, too, and GFS was the place I was thinking about getting it, just as you did...

Question: Was it fairly easy to swap out the stock hum for the GFS P-90 on this particular Junior?

Thanks!

[emu!]

What is GFS if I may ask?

[Tele-Champ]

Originally Posted by emu!

What is GFS if I may ask?

Guitar Fetish. Site for parts ~

[redstringuitar]

Originally Posted by emu!

What is GFS if I may ask?

GuitarFetish

[Tim Armstrong]

Originally Posted by Tele-Champ

Love the way that black P-90 looks in your Epi Jr.! It must sound pretty nice, too...
I picked up one of these Juniors, too, a couple years ago at GC for $99, also. Not a bad guit. Definitely playable for the price.. I was thinking about changing out the stock bucker for a P-90, too, and GFS was the place I was thinking about getting it, just as you did...

Question: Was it fairly easy to swap out the stock hum for the GFS P-90 on this particular Junior?

Thanks!

Actually, mine came with a stock P-90, so it was a simple swap. GFS does sell a humbucker-sized P-90 flavored single coil, though. I'd also think that a humbucker-sized Filtertron or clone would be a very cool in one of those!

Originally Posted by emu!

What is GFS if I may ask?

Guitar Fetish, source for inexpensive but quite usable imported guitar parts.

Tim

[jrich99]

Originally Posted by emu!

What is GFS if I may ask?

http://store.guitarfetish.com/

They sell quality pickups and parts for amazing prices. Every experience I've had with them has been great.

[Tele-Champ]

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

Actually, mine came with a stock P-90, so it was a simple swap. GFS does sell a humbucker-sized P-90 flavored single coil, though. I'd also think that a humbucker-sized Filtertron or clone would be a very cool in one of those!



Guitar Fetish, source for inexpensive but quite usable imported guitar parts.

Tim

OK, thanks - I'll check on the GFS site for that humbucker-sized P-90.. You say it's "P-90 flavored"?... So it's a single coil but sounds similar to a P-90? I know some of these Epi LP Junior's came with P-100's, I believe. Would that be the pickup you are referring to?

Yeah, mine came stock with the humbucker. It's actually not a bad pickup, but I think I want to stick a P-90 in there..

[Tim Armstrong]

They sell a P-90 that fits in a humbucker space:



Tim

[Tele-Champ]

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

They sell a P-90 that fits in a humbucker space:



Tim

Cool, man - thanks! I'll check it out ~

[Tele-Champ]

Originally Posted by Tele-Champ

Cool, man - thanks! I'll check it out ~

This P-90 at GFS has more of the P-90 look - with the dog-ear style. I'm guessing it will fit in my Epi LP Jr. ?? - -

http://store.guitarfetish.com/gfsalviwodob.html

[Tim Armstrong]

Originally Posted by Tele-Champ

This P-90 at GFS has more of the P-90 look - with the dog-ear style. I'm guessing it will fit in my Epi LP Jr. ?? - -

http://store.guitarfetish.com/gfsalviwodob.html

That's the one I have, and it's designed to fit flush on the guitar. My Junior had that kind of pickup already, not the humbucker that you have, and I don't know if it'll cover the pickup hole on your guitar. I suspect not, unfortunately!

Tim

[Tele-Champ]

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

That's the one I have, and it's designed to fit flush on the guitar. My Junior had that kind of pickup already, not the humbucker that you have, and I don't know if it'll cover the pickup hole on your guitar. I suspect not, unfortunately!

Tim

Yeah, that's what I was afraid of... I guess I'll have to go with the one you suggested first - it doesn't look bad - just doesn't have that dogear style!

Thanks for the info, Tim! Probably will go for the the first one then - -

[Tim Armstrong]

Originally Posted by Tele-Champ

Yeah, that's what I was afraid of... I guess I'll have to go with the one you suggested first - it doesn't look bad - just doesn't have that dogear style!

Thanks for the info, Tim! Probably will go for the the first one then - -

Scroll down though THIS LIST of their humbucker-sized pickups, there are some real lookers!

Tim

[Sollophonic]

I put a Kent Armstrong P90 into mine. Its a humbucker sized one and sounds great.


Sweet little guitar for what I paid for it (£75).

I like what you have done with the trem unit Tim. Does it have any tuning issues at all?

The only thing about mine is that I replaced the tuners, and it has made it ever so slightly headstock heavy. I have had to fit it with a good non-slippy strap.