Korean Made Epi Les Pauls from the 80's and 90's?

[warwick.hoy]

I did see a Burny Super Grade LP for 6 bills hanging on the wall at a mom and pop. They were uncertain if it was MIJ or MIK. I'm not familiar with Gibson finishes; Yellow to red sunburst. Cherry Sunburst? Not really a color I'm too stoked on. Cool guitar though.

There is a similar Burny (same finish) on the local CL for 8hundo. Too rich for my blood.

Also came across a pretty nice Univox EB3 copy with Flats on it for 3 and a Quarter.

Of all these; that Epi is still speaking to me. Enough so that if I came into the cash (a distinct possibility with it being the holidays) and it played amazing; I would seriously consider it. But all these late nights fantasizing about these instruments;....

I just really need to set these desires aside; take a look around me and be satisfied with what I'm working with and prioritize what I really need; which is a way to record (may wind up being a simple Tascam DR40 for the interim), a jungle drum set, and a replacement neck to put on the Chinese P-Bass copy I got laying around the house.

I could also use a better acoustic guitar to replace the student model, warped soundboard Yammie F-310



I'd hate to miss out on a really cool guitar because I himmed and hawed and bought things that are a dime a dozen.

[warwick.hoy]

Welp; sent the seller of the MIK Epi LP a message. Moved some gear and got some loot coming in and could potentially have enough to offer that guy $400-ish.

[kosta]

[warwick.hoy]

:thumb:

Oh shit; how'd that happen





The hardware was gold; as it appears in the photos, but that's all worn away and it's a nice corroded patina. Could use a setup. I'm thinking I'll put this guitar in Eb.

[kosta]

Good lookin fiddle there man.

[warwick.hoy]

There are a couple of little niggles here and there. The nut doesn't seem to be original; at least it hasn't yellowed like the binding has. I don't know if it's plastic or bone. There are also some fractures in the binding around the nut; which leads me to believe that at some point in time; it may have been replaced. I"m pretty sure this guitar originally came with black knobs. The tuning keys seem slightly askew in their mounts as well. The switch is dirty. The Rhythm pickup is tilted forward in the cavity a bit,...but it does have a nice bass heavy sound. The Treble pickup is a little quieter,...but I'm wondering if it's the lack bassyness. It does appear to be a bit further away from the strings.

This guitar has been played. The frets are flattened off quite a bit and there are some buzzes here and there. While I think this guitar could benefit from a refret; I'm inclined to just get a setup first and sort out any electrical issues before worrying about anything like that. I can't put this guitar down though; it's so cool. I might set it up for tuning down a whole step to D.

[Jeff-7]

You could probably get away with a fret level and crowning unless those frets are super messed up. It'd be a lot cheaper than a refret. The stock nut should be corian, it won't yellow as fast as the binding. Doesn't mean that the original nut is still on there though.

[ryan summit]

oh shit
you got it!!
congrats

[warwick.hoy]

And got it for the price I wanted to pay.

[warwick.hoy]

Here are a bunch of pics for no particularly good reason.

Cleaned about a hundred years worth of finger schmaltz off the fret board using therapeutic grade lemon oil (shits edible yo); then followed with some jojoba oil.

Before:


After:




Tightened tuning keys. Not perfectly aligned but a little more snug in their mounts.

Before:


After:


Whoops Accidentally cracked the finish at the high E key in the process of tightening the keys down:



A gap between the nut and the neck. I want to upgrade to a bone or tusq nut so I'm hoping that will sort this issue out. I'm undetermined if I want to keep this guitar in E or go some other route.



Knobs need to be replaced with the more appropriate for this guitar black speed knobs. Not sure it the shafts on the pots are too long or if the knobs are too short (I'm inclined to think the later).



Under the hood. Looks like some effort went into the electronics. 500K CTS pots all around. The pup selector switch has been replaced but it's crackling when I switch pups. Will have to sort that out.





I love the oxidized patina on the hardware. It was originally all gold but that is long gone, which is fine cause I'm not a fan of gold hardware.

[warwick.hoy]

Currently have it strung up with 11s and tuned to Eb standard. Even with it's issues it has been my go to guitar for the past week. Considering leaving it in E standard and offering my MIM Strat for trade bait for a bass.

[Chankgeez]

Yeah, that looks pretty awesome. Awesome.

[kosta]

Jeally man. I bet that thing bumps. Love the patina on the hardware. How are the pickups?