NUGD - Inspired by '55 Les Paul Custom

[Biddlin]

Congrats on that gorgeous guitar. I wouldn't change a thing.

 

[Norton]

Staple pickups are brighter than p90’s very similar to dynasonic or dearmond gretsch pickups. The rectangle “staples” polepieces are the magnets of the pickup.

 

[Raiyn]

Hmmmm...I have old knobs in my parts box. I wonder if my cat would enjoy them

Mine like plastic bottle caps of all varieties and anything similar. Then again, I watch a lot of hockey... maybe they're keying in on that.

 

[darth_tar]

Congratulations!! This model has become my #1, out of my current 12! I changed the Gibson P90s to Kinmans, only because the hum was so loud at a bar we play in, I really liked the Gibson's but I love how the Kinman HX P90s sound, so this is the only guitar I use for the past year. It gets a lot if compliments on the looks, also!

 

[Bonzo21]

I've wanted one of these since they came out. Beautiful guitar congrats!

 

[Don_Swazy]

Sweet rig, great find!

 

[gsmacleod]

Finally had a decent day and decided to take the Custom outside for a few pictures in natural light:













Also opened up the cavities; a bit of a bird's nest but not too bad; wired 50's style as expected. Tempted to replace the cables with some braided stuff I have but for now I'm just going to leave it as is.



Shane

 

[John]

Looks great...

 

[MerrChan]

Nice!
Super clean

 

[PeterOeh]

For years, my dream guitar was a '54 Custom; loved everything about it except for the price. Was tempted by the black P90 Custom but always put off by the rosewood board. So when the Inpsired by '55 was released, I really wanted to pick one up. Since it was a limited run, I was considering breaking my long standing policy of not buying new guitars but waiting for them to show up on the used market. There was one at the local guitar store which I played, decided I wanted but when I went back, it was gone. About a month ago, I went in and they had another one; played it, was debating on buying it and had pretty much decided that I was going to pick it up this weekend.

Then on Wednesday, checked Kijiji and there was one available; immediately sent a message and went to look at it that evening. Almost new condition (as evidenced by no fret wear, no obvious dings and gold parts still gold), about 50% of the new (tax in) price so I brought it home. This guitar is just awesome; I love P90's and this one just sings. Sounds great unplugged and is fantastic plugged in; the Gibson P90's are fantastic.

The original owner had replaced the switch tip for black; I need to pick up an orange one but I did have a cream one that, IMO looks a little better. Also, the original knobs were cracked so he added speed knobs and I will eventually put ones like the originals back on. I'm also tempted to splurge on a staple neck pup but that will be at some point in the future if it happens at all.

The one thing I wasn't sure about was the finish; my first impression was that it was similar to the worn finishes but upon closer inspection, it looks much closer to a gloss finish that has lost its luster with time as opposed to the worn finishes.











Shane

wow sweet and sexy.. gratz

 

[Raiyn]

Also opened up the cavities; a bit of a bird's nest but not too bad; wired 50's style as expected. Tempted to replace the cables with some braided stuff I have but for now I'm just going to leave it as is.



Shane

I don't much care for braided wire personally, (though I fully admit it'd prove useful on the run out to the switch) I'd be in there with the copper shield tape though, lining and connecting cavities to ground. (Probably soldering a short jumper from each cavity to the ground braid since it's passing through anyway)
It ain't how they did it it '55 but they didn't have anywhere near the amount of crap making electrical noise we do either.

She's a beaut though!

 

[Paully]

HNUSEDGD

 

[MerrChan]

Thanks! I've seen that the SD's require a deeper cavity but it looks like Lollar and Thorn both have staples that are the same depth as a standard P90 so if I do it, I'll go that route.

Shane

Thorn GT-90 has no problem in the Epiphone '55
it's practically made for it!
Beautiful creamy sound

I don't have any clips yet but maybe I'll pony up later