1989 Epi Les Paul / UPDATE!!!

[plexi50]

1989 Epi Les Paul. I finally decided to get what i could while i had the extra money. I think this will be a nice guitar. Wont have it until next week. I have higher hopes for this one. Seller Larry called me and we talked a good 45 minutes. Real down to earth guy. And you can actually see the flame top and pretty nicely matched unlike the Agile 3000 i received. Here it is:

[P Batty]

I've got the exact same model, and about the same year- it's pretty good, except for the toggle switch and the pots.  Fit and finish, frets, etc, are all first rate.  I've installed a Bigsby and a Schaller roller bridge, it keeps in tune...

[Ritchie200]

Wow, really nice wood on that one!  Yeah, the ones I've played were really nice.  And, considering Nancy Wilson can certainly afford to play anything and chooses an Epi says something too.  Nice find!

Jim

[plexi50]

Yeah i looked at it for 3 days on Ebay before jumping. What was i thinking? It should have dissapeared 10 minutes after being listed. Im glad i spent the money. Only $353.00 shipping included. Now i have something to show for it

[Platefire]

Yep, think you got a big ol good un this time. Looks like it was well taken care of. Let us know the test results---the looks are wonderful. Platefire

[plexi50]

Thanks Platefire.  You know i cant wait to kiss this thing.  Whatever it may need i will lovingly and patiently make it pristine. Do you have any info or knowledge on the quality of the pickups? I suppose there were good ones and bad ones as with any guitar. I know they make better tuners today but it's staying stock minus the nut and possable pickup upgrade. I love the TUSQ nut. I have them in my Tele & Strat. Had to hand sand them down 1 5/8" to fit those guitars. Thankfully they make a TUSQ nut that will be a drop in replacement for this guitar. I love the callaham guitars solid nickle hardware. Nothing like the best hardware for the best solid sustain and tone. The zinc and pewter chrome plated stop bar is a tone killer. Solid nickle bar stock rules

[John]

Plexi, my Epi is a 96 Korean. About the pups, I replaced mine with SD, and while it improved the mid-range,especially using distortion, the overall tone wasn't *that* better. What made the biggest difference for clarity IMO was replacing the pots. Your tuners may well be better quality than what came on mine, but I replaced mine with Grovers and now I'm not constantly retuning every other song. I replaced the bridge and tailpiece with Gotoh, which also seemed to help sustain and tone, but not *that* much.

All that said, IMO Epis are great guitars stock. Yours is a beauty! I hope you like playing it as much as I like mine.   

[plexi50]

Thanks John. I will be buying the one i really want in a month or maybe a little earlier if i can handle parting with the money. Epiphone Les Paul made in japan with the full size open book headstock and Ebony fretboard. I could have got it last week but i didnt want to be flat broke. Right now is not a good time to be broke with the gas going up again.  I hate to say it but if this S**T keeps up i might just buy a dam 100MPG scooter and park the van for good in the garage. Just when we thought things might get a little better. Here we go again.

[Willabe]

Yeah, can you say double dip resession?                  What their pullin in Washington, on ----  Both sides ---- has got to stop! Even Muddy Waters said/sang "You can't spend what you ain't got, can't loose what you ain't never had"

But back to the Epi. She's a bute! I think you got a great deal on it too.

I wish you well with her!

       
         Brad         

[mojo]

Just get a helmet with the scooter so you don't get bugs in your teeth or eyes.
Also a poncho to protect the guitar you have slung over your shoulder.
And I have a nice Crate VC508 that comes with a shoulder bag to balance your ride. Sell it cheap.
Nice guitar, she's a beauty.
Al

[plexi50]

It's too dangerous to ride a bike in this state. Besides im van bound. Maybe a pogo stick?

[HotBluePlates]

95% chance that guitar was made by Samick. The nicest Les Paul models from Epiphone were made in that factory around that time frame.

A common move for some of the guys that worked in the Epiphone factory was to buy a model from the Samick factory and replace the pickups and wiring harness with Gibson parts. Tubers may or may not have been changed; some weren't that terrible, and the hole spacing of the mounting screws often was different.

[bigsbybender]

What a looker!

Is it just me or does it have a bridge pickup in the neck position?

[plexi50]

I looked the serial number up before i bought. It says made in Korea,Jan 1989. Heres the link to check any Epi guitar out:
http://www.guitardaterproject.org/epiphone.aspx

If i open the 3rd pic down with the serial number and magnify it in windows i swear i think i can see letters or maybe numbers under and sticking out from the white serial number sticker. There stamped in the wood from what i can barely see

Could be a hallucination too

Is it just me or does it have a bridge pickup in the neck position?

Good question: I quess that will be the fun part. Checking the pickup numbers to see what they are and if there original

[Geezer]

Is it just me or does it have a bridge pickup in the neck position?

Good question: I quess that will be the fun part. Checking the pickup numbers to see what they are and if there original

Looks like the "Peter Green" mod has been done.........

[HotBluePlates]

I looked the serial number up before i bought. It says made in Korea,Jan 1989. Heres the link to check any Epi guitar out:
http://www.guitardaterproject.org/epiphone.aspx

If i open the 3rd pic down with the serial number and magnify it in windows i swear i think i can see letters or maybe numbers under and sticking out from the white serial number sticker. There stamped in the wood from what i can barely see

As long as I'm making odds, there's about a 100% chance that serial number site is worthless, at least on Epiphone guitars from this era.

I'd bet money (a LOT of it) that the serial number sticker is meaningless. When I worked at Epiphone, most models had serial numbers applied in ink, but I think I saw some older models laying around that had the white serial number stickers. They were almost certainly applied after they arrived at the U.S. Epiphone plant.

You might even have an actual inked serial number under the sticker. If you do, and it starts with an "S" the guitar was made by Samick. There were maybe 13 different korean factories producing Epiphone guitars when I was there. At some earlier point, there were some models made in Japan (mostly acoustic guitars with solid wood tops and actual bone nuts and saddles).

[John]

HPB, mine is inked, starts with an I. Does that sound right? Not that it really matters to me, I just got curious.

[plexi50]

I looked the serial number up before i bought. It says made in Korea,Jan 1989. Heres the link to check any Epi guitar out:
http://www.guitardaterproject.org/epiphone.aspx

If i open the 3rd pic down with the serial number and magnify it in windows i swear i think i can see letters or maybe numbers under and sticking out from the white serial number sticker. There stamped in the wood from what i can barely see

As long as I'm making odds, there's about a 100% chance that serial number site is worthless, at least on Epiphone guitars from this era.

I'd bet money (a LOT of it) that the serial number sticker is meaningless. When I worked at Epiphone, most models had serial numbers applied in ink, but I think I saw some older models laying around that had the white serial number stickers. They were almost certainly applied after they arrived at the U.S. Epiphone plant.

You might even have an actual inked serial number under the sticker. If you do, and it starts with an "S" the guitar was made by Samick. There were maybe 13 different korean factories producing Epiphone

The guitar is out for delivery this morning so the excitement is peaking! You have some great knowledge and experiences HBP. This is fun! Like a great mystery that is about to be revealed. I was also thinking just how accurate that website is on the info that pops up after you enter the serial number.

[plexi50]

It has arrived. My GOD man this is much more beautiful than any of the previous pics i had uploaded from the seller. I thought i saw some neck flaws on the back from the sellers pics but nothing like that. As close to as new out of the box as your going to find. Havent pluged it in yet. A bit busy with all these pics and stuff. Im in shock that i got an old guitar in this good of shape. Im afraid to peel the serial back just yet to see if there is an ink stamp behind it. Man this is weird / Good weird!

http://s356.photobucket.com/albums/oo5/plexijtm45/1989%20Epi%20Les%20Paul/?albumview=slideshow

[Willabe]

plexi50, very nice. GREAT TOP!

You'r gonna have big fun with that git-tar. 


       Brad     

[plexi50]

It plays like a dream. I feel like i hit the lottery. HBP! No letters behind the serial number. I can see no ink on the back of the paper serial # either. I will make some sound clips tommorrow. The thing i have noticed latley on youtube is many videos are made using bad amplifiers and really cheesy effects to color the true sound of the guitar. My webcam is so,so 

[John]

Plexi, really glad you like it! I think I said before I had played some Gibsons when I was shopping, and the Epi played about as well, especially for 1500 less.

The last thing I want to do, which should have been the first, is to re-fret the neck and have them leveled up. It's got some buzzes that shouldn't be, especially on the lower strings up the neck.

Then again, when it's plugged in I never hear 'em. ;) Congrats again!

[plexi50]

John I changed the neck pickup out today for a Gibson 57 Classic. The steel braided sheilding is much more proffesional and this pickup sounds much better. The original was a bit muddy. Would like to get rid of the Zinc ABR-1 and stop bar and find a steel or nickle set. Callaham makes the ABR-1 bridge in Billet steel but i dont see a stop bar to go with it on his site. Could have missed it. I am a fanatic about good solid hardware. Zinc is a tone killer but it will work for now. Setup the action nice and low. No buzz or dead spots. Im happy with it so far. I think the pots could be changed. There tiny pots. 

[John]

I think the pots could be changed. There tiny pots.

Yep, so were mine. Per dollar spent, they made the biggest difference tone-wise, and plus the 500k I put in gave a much wider range of adjustment. They even feel smoother when turning them.

[plexi50]

I havent checked the values of these pots yet. What are they stock? 250K?

[John]

Mine were, yes. At least that was stamped on 'em, I never measured.

[TIMBO]

Hey Plexi, Love your story, I bought one in about 1995 and as you fell in love with it (people just don't understand) i also had thoughts of doing some mods as the build was first rate.About a year latter i did a cash job on a house build and scored $2500 and she got traded in on a new Honey Burst LP. I don't want to take anything away from your story as i still have my LP and i can confirm that that guitar has not had a drop of swet on it (This going to change when i can evict the amp building BUG i have contracted).I hope your lady makes you very happy.