Brand new (used) addition...what should I do with it?

pikingrin

pikingrin

what is this?
A guy in one of my summer classes and I got to talking last week about guitars and playing, I guess he tried and gave up. He just left after accepting $20 for an Epiphone LP special II - that little crappy bolt-on LP wannabe. It doesn't even appear to have been played much, no dings or scratches although there are a few pick marks if you look close enough.
EpiLPSII.JPG
So now the question is what to do with it. At that price, I can throw some authentic Gibson pups in it and still clear retail. I'm definitely going to change out the switch and pots, just in case, but that's a cheap mod.

Any suggestions? I'm not opposed to stripping the finish off but, according to Epi, the body is plywood so I'm pretty sure that it would look like total hell if I did that.
 
Throw away the crap Chinese pickups and the electronics and put in some aftermarket pickups and cts and switchcraft pots and switches along with some paper in oil caps.
Get the frets dressed and the fingerboard edges rolled, put on a bone nut and play the crap out of it. You'll have a good guitar that started out with humble beginnings. It will play great, sound great and youll end up keeping it.
Of course, youll never be able to sell it anyway for what you now have invested. ☺

On the other hand, you could just flip it as is. If so, I wouldn't put a penny into it.
☺
 
The question is, what do you want to do with it?

I got at least one of these to pretty much use as test guitars for different pickups, but then I decided if I was going to go through all of the trouble of swapping out pickups and restringing and all that crap (unlike a lot of you, that's never something I would find entertaining), I might as well try them out in whatever guitar I'd want them to end up in if I liked them.
 
Pick it up by the neck and smash it repeatedly into a wall until it's nothing but splinters and metal.

Report back on what it felt like - we'd probably all like to know.

Well worth your $20. :D:thumbs up:
 
Replace the pickups with EMGs
Scallop the fretboard
Perm your hair
Pour yourself into some leggings
 
Raise the action, throw some different pickups in it (nothing expensive) and use it for slide.

Unless you don't want to do that, then don't.
 
Or you can do what I was planning on doing with mine. Find some kid who wants to learn guitar but can't afford one and give it to him (or her).
 
Well, after spending a weekend with it I'm going to have to say that I am not impressed (but I didn't expect to be). I'm going to take my sander to the body next weekend and see what happens; it may end up smashed to bits against the garage floor depending on what the body is made of... Armistice may just be on to something! :D
 
$20 and you don't like it...give it to someone who doesn't have a guitar and then they can save for a cheap amp & be on their way. I'm too old to cope with wanton destruction - I've always winced when watching Townsend/Hendrix destruction shows.
If you are wealthy enough to destroy it you're wealthy enough to give it to someone who'll get use from it.
 
rayc said:
$20 and you don't like it...give it to someone who doesn't have a guitar and then they can save for a cheap amp & be on their way. I'm too old to cope with wanton destruction - I've always winced when watching Townsend/Hendrix destruction shows.
If you are wealthy enough to destroy it you're wealthy enough to give it to someone who'll get use from it.
Click to expand...

This. Donate it to a music school, or underprivileged youth center or something. Don't destroy it. You're only out 20 bucks and it could mean a world of difference to some kid wanting to play guitar.
 
I've actually had written into my will that my nephews get to pick one instrument each from my stash and the rest, amps 'n' all, go to the music department of my old high school.
 
rayc said:
I've actually had written into my will that my nephews get to pick one instrument each from my stash and the rest, amps 'n' all, go to the music department of my old high school.
Click to expand...

My will indicates 2 of my closest musician friends can select an item each - everything else goes to our local Conservatory Of Music.

I think passing gear onto younger, poorer musician so that the music lives on is one of the best legacies a musician can leave.

Regarding the axe from the original post - if not donated, I like the suggestion to use it for slide. Some of my best slide guitars have been cheap guitars!
 
notCardio said:
Or you can do what I was planning on doing with mine. Find some kid who wants to learn guitar but can't afford one and give it to him (or her).
Click to expand...

beat me to it

absolutely

i would even throw in lesson #1 the c chord in 1st position with the corresponding major scale

and ditto on the slide option - otherwise unusable guitars can be set up for slide - altho i dont use my slides anymore
 
jeap said:
beat me to it

absolutely

i would even throw in lesson #1 the c chord in 1st position with the corresponding major scale

and ditto on the slide option - otherwise unusable guitars can be set up for slide - altho i dont use my slides anymore
Click to expand...

Slide is about all I can attempt right now because of a yet to be correctly diagnosed situation with my fingers. And you'd be surprised at how difficult it can be to find a thumb pick that's comfortable that will stay on. But, I digress...
 
Surely it's possible to at least set this guitar up so it feels nice and make sure the frets are level?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top