Upgrading an epiphone junior.
Upgrading an epiphone junior.
Hi!
I got this Epiphone junior as a gift. I have other nicer and "better" guitars so I want to mess a little with this one.
I want to change the bridge, tunning knobs, pick guard and pickups. Looking into it I found that there is a possibility to include a switch like on les Paul's.
For the bridge and tunning knobs I want to go golden, but don't know any good brands.
The pickguard is the lesser of the issues. I'd like to have a white creamish look.
My biggest concern is with the guts. Pickups and the possibility of the switch. Do you recommend humbuckers or know about how to do the switch thing? I'd like them to be golden too.
Have to add that i don't want top of the line parts. The guitar doesn't really deserve a ton of money poured into it, it's more like a little project/experiment.
Any advice and recommendations are welcome.
Oh and suggestions for the volume and tone knobs! I guess white but I'm open to anything.
Sorry for the crappy english.
Edit: don't know why the photo is on its side.
Edit 2: For some reason my replys on desktop didn't come through. Thanks a lot to everyone, it's been really helpful. Once I'm done with it I'll update with photos.
Edit 3: It's done! Has a warmer, bassier sound now. After changing the nut and fixing all fret issues plays much better and holds tunning a lot better. Also the bridge gave more sustain. Shame the golden knobs got lost in shipping.
Thanks everyone who chipped in. I have a more enyojable guitar now.
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Guitarfetish parts are perfect for a project like this. They are cheap enough that you aren't sinking a ton of money into an already cheap guitar, and are nice enough (given you don't buy their cheapest stuff) that you feel like you've made worthwhile improvements to that cheap guitar.
The biggest thing I'd say is to replace that wraparound bridge with one that has individual adjustable saddles. The way it sits now, intonation is always a compromise, and that's just not a good design from a performance perspective.
After that, the best upgrades you can make to a guitar like this are fretwork and a better nut. Assuming it still has the factory nut and fretwork, it's virtually a guarantee that they are shoddy, and you just won't be able to get it playing as well as it can without addressing those first. That's the big thing people tend to miss while upgrading cheap guitars and why they often end up unsatisfied with the results.
And finally after tackling those issues, then I would start looking into other parts like pickups and tuning machines. There are lots of options on GFS that are both cheap and decent, it's up to you to choose what you like. Check out some sound samples and the like. If you're trying to add a coil split, just make sure whatever pickup you get has four conductor wiring and get a push-pull pot if you don't want to drill any holes, though I much prefer mini toggle switches. If you're trying to add a second pickup, well that is very in-depth for a guitar like this. Doing it yourself will be a nightmare if you don't have experience, and paying someone to do it will cost more than the guitar is worth.
You were right in everything. Bridge, nut and fretwork made a massive difference in tunning, sustain and ease to play. You helped me get a new guitar with your advice. Thanks a lot!
The lighting bolt bridge with post screws is intonatable. Unless there are deep grooves it is fine. The pickups/electronics and tuners are where the big upgrade is. The nut could be a big upgrade too. That could just ne d cut properly.
+1 for guitar fetish.
I'm not sure a new bridge would give you much.
For other hardware I highly recommend Wilkinson. Their tuners and pickups are excellent. I put a set of their EZ LOK tuners on my epi and really like them.
The 2 biggest improvements you can do are to get it set up by a professional and to gently sand the gloss neck down to a matt finish.
The professional setup for the frets was a great advice, but the bridge and nut improved the guitar's sustain and tone by a great margin. Thanks for chiming in.