Get This and not a Gibson!
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I went for Bare Knuckle Custom 550K CTS pots with the "J" taper, hopefully they'll arrive in a day or two and I'll report back on the true values.
BKP/CTS 550K Pots | Potentiometers
Available in Long or Short shaft and 3 taper options
www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk
DW Music also do 550k pots, just not in stock in the UK.
I bet I don't hear a differnece
MichaelW
Well-known member
I've never heard of a "J" taper before...I just learned about "D" tapers this week, heh.I went for Bare Knuckle Custom 550K CTS pots with the "J" taper, hopefully they'll arrive in a day or two and I'll report back on the true values.
BKP/CTS 550K Pots | Potentiometers
Available in Long or Short shaft and 3 taper options
DW Music also do 550k pots, just not in stock in the UK.
I bet I don't hear a differnece
SillyOctpuss
Well-known member
Hmmm, I don't see his name anywhere. I'd have thought there'd be some sort of signature or something somewhere......
Epiphone | Joe Bonamassa "Lazarus" 1959 Les Paul Standard
When blues-rock guitar legend Joe Bonamassa found "Lazarus," a rare 1959 Gibson Les Paul™ Standard, it was in poor condition and had been refinished red. Like the Biblical Lazarus, Joe's original guitar was brought back to life. Once it was restored, its stunningly figured top was revealed. Now...www.epiphone.com
Pretty interesting story about his Lazarus guitar, hidden gem under a crappy over-finish. But of course no longer a "true" 59 since it's been diddled with. I have no idea what version of Burstbucker pickups are in that Epi but they probably sound pretty good.
Usually a burstbucker 2 and 3 in any of the bonamassa sigs I've seen. He seems to like that config.
SillyOctpuss
Well-known member
The mij epiphones have always used the right woods. The MIK were a real crap shoot depending on the factory and at he Chinese plant the first ones I remember were the 'tribute' range they did. The tributes were billed as the successors to the Japanese elitist range and the same kind of deal as the inspired by 59s. The right woods, burstbuckers and hard cases.
Feral Feline
Well-known member
I lament the loss of Epiphone's grandeur.
Epiphone has a great history and I actually prefer them to Gibson, well, at least the pre-Gibson ones. I'm not interested in many Epiphones after the company that owned Gibson bought out Epiphone. In fact, I find it kind of stomach-churning what Gibson's done to the Epiphone name over time. Instead of keeping it as a separate brand with prestige and its own style, Gibson has kicked Epiphone to the curb making it Gibson's budget Gibbleson-clone brand.
1957 is a very dark year in my history book.
YOWZA! A 1952 Epiphone "Emperor Zephyr Regent", gorgeous!
Even better though... Get this, and not a Gibon:
...You can find solid information on the BEST EPIPHONES EVER, RIGHT HERE!
MichaelW
Well-known member
Wow interesting site! Well you can still get a Casino, a Riviera and a Sheraton. I've played all 3 and they are still great guitars! You can even get a USA made Casino. Oh and they've recently started reviving the old models like the Coronet, Crestwood and Wilshire.I lament the loss of Epiphone's grandeur.
Epiphone has a great history and I actually prefer them to Gibson, well, at least the pre-Gibson ones. I'm not interested in many Epiphones after the company that owned Gibson bought out Epiphone. In fact, I find it kind of stomach-churning what Gibson's done to the Epiphone name over time. Instead of keeping it as a separate brand with prestige and its own style, Gibson has kicked Epiphone to the curb making it Gibson's budget Gibbleson-clone brand.
1957 is a very dark year in my history book.
YOWZA! A 1952 Epiphone "Emperor Zephyr Regent", gorgeous!
Even better though... Get this, and not a Gibon:
...You can find solid information on the BEST EPIPHONES EVER, RIGHT HERE!
I just love the vibe of this.....
I better stop looking....geez.....
I've been a fan of Epiphone ever since I had a couple of Matsumotu Sheratons way back in the '80s. Ridiculously good value and I liked them more than the '79 335 I had at the time. Good pickups too.
The Korean Epis were ok but not in the same league as the Japanese ones. Back in the late '80s and into the '90s Korean guitars all seemed to come with a soft, almost rubbery kind of finish that I really didn't like. Then in the 2000s I had a late '60s USA Riviera much like the one pictured above, but someone had installed a misplaced stop tailpiece on it. I had to get it refretted and it was a cool guitar but still too narrow at the nut for my big fingers.
Now I have the USA Casino I bought earlier this year. I absolutely love it, and the neck is perfect. For a Gibson it is very well finished, the action is as good as on my R9 (ie lower than I would normally like but fabulous) and it sounds incredible. I was a bit disappointed with the Elitist Epiphones. They felt to me like Gibson had made them hold back on making them as well as the could have. But the USA Casino from this year is as good as I could ever want, and was a pretty good deal too.
The Korean Epis were ok but not in the same league as the Japanese ones. Back in the late '80s and into the '90s Korean guitars all seemed to come with a soft, almost rubbery kind of finish that I really didn't like. Then in the 2000s I had a late '60s USA Riviera much like the one pictured above, but someone had installed a misplaced stop tailpiece on it. I had to get it refretted and it was a cool guitar but still too narrow at the nut for my big fingers.
Now I have the USA Casino I bought earlier this year. I absolutely love it, and the neck is perfect. For a Gibson it is very well finished, the action is as good as on my R9 (ie lower than I would normally like but fabulous) and it sounds incredible. I was a bit disappointed with the Elitist Epiphones. They felt to me like Gibson had made them hold back on making them as well as the could have. But the USA Casino from this year is as good as I could ever want, and was a pretty good deal too.
vigilante398
Authorized Vendor
The store I worked at when I was going to school was an Epiphone dealer and we carried the USA made Casino, it was an excellent guitar in all regards, easily on par with Gibson. Even their higher end ($700+ or so) foreign made instruments are exceptional, I would put them above Gibson models that are twice the price.
But at the end of the day I'm one of those obnoxious snobs that's picky about the name on the headstock
Life would be a lot easier (and less expensive) if I wasn't, but it is what it is.
MichaelW
Well-known member
I get it. I’m kinda both. It’s a bit schizophrenic really. There’s one MichaelW that is a high end instrument snob. Then there’s this other MichaelW that gets such a thrill making budget stuff play and sound like a high end instrument. Honestly I can’t say which I enjoy more. I am absolutely having a blast with my Harley Benton DC Junior right now. Sounds and plays fabulous. I need to make a demo of it…The store I worked at when I was going to school was an Epiphone dealer and we carried the USA made Casino, it was an excellent guitar in all regards, easily on par with Gibson. Even their higher end ($700+ or so) foreign made instruments are exceptional, I would put them above Gibson models that are twice the price.
But at the end of the day I'm one of those obnoxious snobs that's picky about the name on the headstock
SillyOctpuss
Well-known member
I used to have a 82 matsumotu riviera that I wish I ever sold. They had stop tail pieces instead of the frequensator. It was an excellent guitar and much better than the guitar I sold it to fund. Prices for them now though are into 335 country.
Feral Feline
Well-known member
I guess I'll have to eat my earlier post, 'cause I do like the Epiphones up through the '60s, and the newer stuff that is true to the Epiphone brand; I'm just not keen on Gibiphone — it matters not one whit, as I'm not a guitar player, just a disembodied voice on the Inter-ethers.
A '66 Coronet or Riviera floats my boat, as do the WildKats...
A '66 Coronet or Riviera floats my boat, as do the WildKats...
The pots have arrived, all were over 500k, which is what I wanted:I went for Bare Knuckle Custom 550K CTS pots with the "J" taper, hopefully they'll arrive in a day or two and I'll report back on the true values.
BKP/CTS 550K Pots | Potentiometers
Available in Long or Short shaft and 3 taper options
DW Music also do 550k pots, just not in stock in the UK.
I bet I don't hear a differnece
511k
536k
537k
552k
SillyOctpuss
Well-known member
Dang that's like 4 unicorns. I've never seen a pot over 500k before. I've read about the BK pots but I've never metered a pot over 500k before.
Best I've had has usually been in around 496k.
They are supposed to be 550K so all but one are below what they were aiming for! But within the +/-10%
The only issue is that the CTS Epiphone pots are the 18 spline version where as the new ones are have 24 splines like all USA CTS pots, so I’ve just had to order some knobs too!
The only issue is that the CTS Epiphone pots are the 18 spline version where as the new ones are have 24 splines like all USA CTS pots, so I’ve just had to order some knobs too!
