How To Improve The Sound Of Your Les Paul Electric Guitar

So here is the situation - you have spent your hard earned money on your dream Epiphone Les Paul and now you want more from it in the sound area. You are happy with how it looks and yes, it goes without saying you'd have chosen a Gibson original, but funds dictated that the Epi was the way to proceed. Unfortunately presently the sound it produces is now starting to irritate you - so what's the solution?

Let's start up by stating that the Epiphone LP is a respectable guitar in anyone's book. To the untrained eye they're pretty much equal to the Gibson original. Sure the maple top is a thin laminate and not the chunky carved top found on the Gibson, but there is a substantial cost difference and in my honest opinion they represent fantastic value for money.

So why is it that they seem to sound a bit too weak?

The guitar's sound is the buildup of a number of factors, and all the the aspects on the Epiphone are obviously slightly inferior to its more pricey big brother. The wood, the metal hardware and especially the guitar's pickups have an effect on the overall tone but in my opinion it's the guitar pickups that spoil it the most, and luckily this is something that is simply upgraded with aftermarket models.

You will notice a huge amount of choices available to choose from when it comes to finding a great set of humbuckers. You can find the established old boys such as Seymour Duncan and Di Marzio and then there are the newer boutique, handwound firms such as Tub Guitar Pickups in the UK. I have for many years been a fan of Seymour Duncan but I really love the boutique crew. The good ones employ great materials and wind meticulously by hand. A few provide an excellent alternative to the 'old firm'.

When it comes to the sound, it is down to you as every guitarist would like something different. Visit various websites, take a look at the various guitar pickup specs and maybe listen to numerous sound samples. Never get baffled with the science of it all given that the magnets, the coil wire and the number of winds will get daunting. Your best bet is to listen and make your judgement from that. Luckily some firms will let you return your pickups if you aren't 100% happy with the product.

If you've got a chunk of cash burning a hole in your bank balance you might instead choose to upgrade straight to a Gibson Les Paul Standard or maybe even a 1959 VOS R9. If not, then swap those pickups and hear your Epiphone growl. It's really not tricky.


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The author has performed with various bands throughout the years and owns a variety of electric guitars. He loves to customise his instruments and highly recommends the excellent replacement humbucker pickups and P90 pickups from TubGuitarPickups.co.uk.