I put real 1959 Gibson pickup/harness in a $90 guitar.

[thefyn]

https://youtu.be/HQw9PoJz8sk

Don't kill me. I explain at the end. I've scraped together parts over the years to complete the electrics of a 59 Les Paul. To test I put them in an Epiphone guitar.

The cheapest Epiphone you can buy.

[morelia]

I assume there's a good reason why the parts are not in the real 59 so no killing needed. Great video. I wish I had your knowledge of guitar tech but sadly it takes all my brain power just to play average guitar. Tone sounds great to me. I bought an Epiphone SG but wish I'd gone for the LP. How's the neck on the LP? On this cheap SG the neck seems like it's made out of plastic. The smallest pressure changes tuning. Is the LP like that or just the SG?

[thefyn]

I assume there's a good reason why the parts are not in the real 59 so no killing needed. Great video. I wish I had your knowledge of guitar tech but sadly it takes all my brain power just to play average guitar. Tone sounds great to me. I bought an Epiphone SG but wish I'd gone for the LP. How's the neck on the LP? On this cheap SG the neck seems like it's made out of plastic. The smallest pressure changes tuning. Is the LP like that or just the SG?

Thanks.

I'm keeping it as is.

The neck is the weakest aspect. If I give it too much oomph the neck can flex. That is the only remaining drawback. It does not stay out of tune though. My action could come down a touch.

There is a legitimate reason for me to keep as is.

Eddie Van Halen put a 59 Gibson pickup in a cheap/softwood/bolt on body. He direct wired it to the output. He directly screwed it into the wood.

That's exactly what I did apart from used pot BUT I used a pure tone jack which helps highs (much like skipping pots only less drastic).

So there are parallels to my "cheap" setup along with the most famous guitar sound in hard rock.

[PurpleCatfishBettie]

what kind of wood does the body of the eppy have? it's a softwood? is it pine or alder or somesuch?

[morelia]

Don't know about the LP but my SG is mahogany.

[morelia]

The neck is the weakest aspect. If I give it too much oomph the neck can flex. That is the only remaining drawback. It does not stay out of tune though.

Mine is the same. Although I'm shocked by how little pressure changes pitch. Why is it like that? I stupidly assumed the truss rod would add some strength. I know the SG neck is long and unsupported but surely a Gibson is not like this. What is the major difference?

[Jim Y]

Afraid some SG's - even Gibson ones from certain era's, have very flexible necks. There's a certain subtle "auto chorus" effect from a thinnish neck, but it can make the instrument hard to keep in tune and intonate if too flexible. It is though, part of the SG sound. It's just that some examples do it too much.

Some Gibson SG made early to mid 1970's are worse than many copies in this respect. Spot ones' with the neck p/u located hard against the fingerboard heel making for a weaker neck/body joint. Add to that a very slender profile where the headstock leans back from the nut. Indeed, many of these that survive have suffered broken necks at some time in their lives.
Pics of that type here...
http://picclick.co.uk/GIBSON-1970S-SG-A ... 41780.html

Not perhaps very helpful info. Just saying that it isn't only your cheap Epi' that's a problem child.

[PurpleCatfishBettie]

ok, i just now bothered to check out the video. that is great!

[Jim Y]

Recently worked on an SG with tuning trouble. Solution was all in the nut.
String slots filed for lowest action at nut possible.
Slots angled to guide string toward the tuning peg.
Slot width and depth opens out at exit so string is mostly supported at fingerboard edge.
Some graphite powder (lock lubricant) in the slots to prevent any snagging - I add this on any guitar. Use soft pencil lead if you don't have any powder.