Great Ways To Improve The Sound Of Your Les Paul Guitar

So here is the situation - you've spent your hard earned money on your dream Epiphone Les Paul and now you want more from it in the sound area. You're quite happy with how it looks and yes, of course you'd have favored a Gibson original, but resources dictated that the Epi was the way to proceed. Unfortunately now the sound it produces is now starting to irritate you - so what on earth is the solution?

Why don t we begin by stating 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 large outlay difference and in my view they represent superb value.

So why is it that they appear to sound a bit too weak?

The guitar's sound is the accumulation of a number of features, and all the the factors on the Epiphone are obviously slightly inferior to its more luxurious big brother. The wood, the metal 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 an area that is effortlessly upgraded with aftermarket varieties.

There are a great deal of choices available when it comes to picking a great set of humbuckers. You will notice the established old boys for example Seymour Duncan and Di Marzio and then there are the new boutique, handwound firms such as Tub Guitar Pickups in the UK. I have long been a fan of Seymour Duncan but I love the boutique crew. The good ones incorporate fabulous materials and wind meticulously by hand. Some of them present an excellent alternative to the 'old firm'.

When it comes to the sound, that's down to you as every guitar player wants something different. Visit many websites, take a look at the various pickup specs and maybe listen to various sound samples. Do not 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 a judgement from that. Luckily some firms will let you return your pickups if you aren't completely pleased with the product.

If you've got a large chunk of cash burning a hole in your pocket you may instead choose to upgrade straight to a Gibson Les Paul Standard or maybe even a 1959 VOS R9. If not, then change those pickups and listen to your Epiphone growl. It's really not tricky.