Homepage Forums Guitar Discussion Guitar Epiphone Les Paul Special

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  • #21990
    rayc
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    I have an EP LP Special (not the Special II that they sell now as a beginner instrument). They were selling this guitar in the early/mid nineties. It was written up in Guitar Player (or Guitar World – I forget which) as the top working man’s guitar. It’s a double cutaway with the standard LP switching setup (toggle and separate tone and volume controls for each pickup). I love the look and feel of the guitar but I am not enamored of the sound. It came equipped with 2 P-90s (with black soapbar type coverings) and I would really like to switch them out for some Humbuckers. The problem is that I have never worked on the electronics of a guitar before and I do not even know how to get the coverings off or if humbuckers would fit. So I would like some advice.

    Should I attempt this myself?
    If so, how can I find out how to do it?
    If not, should I have a professional do it?
    In either case are there any recommendations for pickups (I play a variety of styles so I want something versatile)?
    Should I just trade the guitar in for something (cheap mind you, I will be spending all my guitar money on my new accoustic, mentioned in another topic) with Humbuckers?

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    • #69861
      lee_UK
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      The pickups are different sizes, the Standard humbucker will not fit directly into a P90 Cavity, i think this is a job for the repairman, and i think it will cost you a few $$ too.
      have you tried looking for Humbukers in the shape of P90’s? maybe mini humbuckers will fit without too much trauma? i know Kent armstrong does a whole army of P90’s in the size of standard humbuckers but not the other way around, and of course things would be a little simpler if your guitar had a large cover 1/3 of the body scratchplate, with these guitars they often have all the routing complete for all the variations of models. but yours being a LP will have the routing on show, so will only be done for a P90 shape hole. So either get some retrofit pickups, or take it to the guitar guy, or bite the bullet , sell it, and get a guitar that will make you smile, and i know which route i would take….. 🙂

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