epiphone special model 1 p90

[casticarlo]

Hi,

I have a epiphone les paul special model 1p90 and i dont know if its just me but the pickups are really sucky and not really my style. So im thinking of buying new pickups for it but i really dont know which ones to buy. I was looking at the emg humbuckers 81/85 but i dont know if thats a good choice i been playing heavy metal for 6 months now so i have no idea what are some good pickups to buy.

Thank you.

[Duffy]

You might want to try Dimarzio P90 sized "Super Distortion" humbuckers. They will fit right in the existing pickup locations on the guitar without modification and will sound incredible. You would be really surprized. You might have to replace the potentiometers, the things inside the guitar panel on the back that the volume and tone knobs are attached to, with 500kOhm ones. It should have 250kOhm ones that are for regular non-humbucking P90's. These potentiometers are available at good guitar shops that carry supplies and might do repairs. They are very cheap - like five dollars each. Solder them in yourself with some electrical solder from Radio Shack and a fifteen to twentyfive watt soldering iron from a True Value hardware store. Get some soldering flux to put on before you solder the connections. Just put the new pots in just like the old ones are. Draw a picture of where the wires go and do one wire at a time. Work your way thru it slowly and you will possibly have a super hot rodded guitar.

Order the pickups from a good guitar store that is a Dimarzio pickup dealer. They will order them in for you and you will have them in a few days. You might try to find them from a big online music store.

I'm sure there are other suggestions, but these would definitely be awesome, in my opinion. Possibly put the P90 "Super Distortion" at the bridge spot and something else like a "D-Activator" or some other P90 sized Dimarzio humbucker at the neck position.

Expect a mind blowing change of sound.

Good luck.

[Katastrophe]

The EMGz you describe are NOT a good fit for P90 pickup routs... They are two different shapes. That said, Duffy's got a great idea about the P90 sized DiMarzios... and he's right about the sound.

Also, take a look at GFS pickups... http://www.guitarfetish.com/NEW-Soapbar-180-Humbuckers--Fits-P90-Soapbar-Guitars_c_276.html

EMG does make p90 sized actives... Look here! http://www.emgpickups.com/products/category/10/1 Guaranteed they will be expensive, though (probably about what you paid for your Epi, if not more).

Good luck with the search!

[Bookkeeper's Son]

Flux is used for plumbing, not electrical. Good-quality electrical solder has the flux incorporated in the wire itself. And I'm pretty sure the pots are already 500s, not 250s - 250s are usually for Fender-type single coils.

[Duffy]

Although electrical solder, available in very thin wire from Radio Shack, has a flux or rosin core, there isn't much flux in the very thin solder wire.

Using a little paste flux on the spots to be soldered is very helpful to many who solder electrical connections. This is because the flux prepares the surfaces to be soldered and greatly improves your chance that the solder will actually stick and flow between the parts to be soldered; instead of beading up and rolling off the intended solder spot like a bunch of tiny silver balls.

There are methods of soldering electrical parts and soldering grounds to the top of a potentiometer that will allow for the solder to stick to the parts very well; however, for someone new to soldering, and many others, a little paste flux to the joint greatly simplifies making a successful solder connection on the first try. Things like oil from the manufacturing process, dirt, and other impurities on the surface of the metal pieces may be difficult to remove in order to allow for a good solder connection - a little dab of paste flux will easily burn off these impurities when heated with the soldering iron and allow you to immediately apply solder to the spot with a high likelihood of the solder actually sticking.

I have never had any problems after using paste flux on hundreds of electrical soldering jobs. But to each their own. I would suggest using a little flux on your soldering joints until, at least, you become very adept at soldering. Be "sure" to use electrical solder - not plumbing solder. Radio Shack is the only place around here that I can get electrical solder at.

Other people will provide you with soldering advice that may be useful to you. These are just some suggestions to help you make it easy for yourself.

[Tig]

Some good advice from Duffy here. I've gotten out of the flux paste, but might try it again on my next pedal build.

Casticarlo, one thing to remember about soldering is that the molten solder will flow towards heat. You can draw it across a printed circuit board eyelet or braided wire knowing that. And as always, the shortest application of heat is something to strive for. Too long with the iron can damage components and pots, or draw solder up inside a wire, making it stiff and melting the insulation.