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Epiphone Club

#481
Bit of a cross-post from the Thunderbird club, but here is my baby!

46zLtTcl.jpg
 
#484
Tender Prey said:
I would like to hear the detail about this conversion^^^
Click to expand...

Not much to it actually...I found the Epiphone cheap and removed the TOM bridge, studs and ferrules along with the tailpiece and studs. I then installed parts and strings I had laying around...a stick bridge from a Hofner copy and a tailpiece from another Hofner copy. The strings are Labella nylon tapes for the Beatle Bass since they fit the scale but more importantly their wrapped ends are thin enough to fit in the tuner post holes so I can use the original tuners.

The most involved (but not difficult) part was replacing the 6 string nut with another that I filed for the bass strings.

After that picture was taken I removed the middle set of tuners and plugged their holes and the tailpiece ferrule holes with plastic fillers I found at Lowes. I also substituted a DIY stick tailpiece for the trapeze tailpiece which stopped some sympathetic vibrations in the part of the strings between the bridge and the trapeze tailpiece.

I was thinking of changing the pickups when I first did the conversion but after living with them for a couple of weeks and a couple of rehearsals with it I no longer feel the need to change them, but I may get some black plastic pickup covers to hide the poles.
 
#486
hillerup said:
Really nice conversion...

Thanks

Would you mind posting some more pictures of your final mods?

It looks the same except for the tailpiece.

I was wondering if it would have been possible to just turn it into a bass VI without changing anything?
Click to expand...

Changing the original guitar version to a bass VI style sounds interesting, however finding strings for the 24.75" scale might be a challenge. 30" Bass VI strings are more readily available and would require wider nut and saddle slots along with re-positioning the tailpiece further away from the bridge to accommodate the longer strings. However, that assumes the strings fit in the tuner post holes and some may find the strings to be too low in tension with the shorter scale.

When I tried my conversion I designed it so I could readily return it to it's stock configuration by simply replacing my modified nut with the original, removing the trapeze tailpiece and putting the original parts back on in case the string tension didn't work out. It wasn't until after I found the string tension worked for me that I made the decision to use a more permanent screwed on tailpiece that also solved a sympathetic vibration issue. As it is I can still return it to it's original state with the exception of two additional small holes in the top which doesn't bother me since I paid so little for it.
 
#499
I replaced the Electar humbucker with a Gibson Low Impedance Bass pickup, taken from a Gibson Triumph.

These are stacked humbuckers with three coil taps.

The rotary switch is connected to each of the coil taps, so I can choose first, second or third coil tap.

In my opinion the sound of the Electar was a bit tame/bland. The Gibson Lo-z humbucker is more authoritative / commanding. Better dynamic response.

This pic of a Les Paul Signature prototype -that I found on flyguitars- inspired me.

LPsigbass73.jpg
 
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