It is a long time since I have posted and a lot of things have happened since my last post. Two new acquisitions, two inexpensive guitars that I can work on and get up to scratch that will enhance my collection. I have agreed with my wife Kristin that purely on the grounds of how much space we have the limit is 5 guitars in the house. I have reached my limit and it is strictly a one in one out policy from this point onwards.
well here they are and I will explain below what the plans are:
My Guitars
From left to right
1) Tobacco Burst 1987 “Epiphone by Gibson” Sheraton II (AKA E-by-G, made in Korea, Samick). Bought this semi hollow guitar for a very good price a few knocks and dings but has lots of character, just what you want for a blues guitar. I want to change the total electrics in this guitar and want a set of Lollar Firebirds, which I will split with pull-push tone knob controls. I will also get this guitar professionally set up. Those pickups should hopefully give me the bite and bark I am looking for from this guitar.
“E-by-G Blues” is a test recording of an improvisation by me playing a little lead over a blues backing track on my “E-by-G”
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2) Cherry Burst 1997 Epiphone “Joe Pass” Emperor II (made in Korea, Samick). A full bodied entry level Jazz guitar. I have a total new assembly in this guitar from Mojotone in the US, and I put in a set of Seymour Duncan pickups Jazz (neck) JB (bridge). I have also changed the tailpiece, bought an additional TOM bridge to compliment the existing ebony bridge (can switch them for tonal reasons) and put a set of black speed knobs. I have plans to change the pickups to a set of GFS mean 90’s sometime in the spring.
“E-by-G Blues: Alternative take” is a test recording of an improvisation by me playing a little lead on my “Joe Pass” over a slow blues chord progression also played on my “Joe Pass”
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3) Tobacco Burst 1989 Epiphone Sheraton II (made in Korea, Samick). Semi hollow guitar I want to change the total electrics in this guitar and want a set of good quality PAF pickups. It might look strange that I will have two Sheraton’s but I am aiming for two completely different tones from the two guitars, I want a sharp biting, barking single coil type vibe from my E-by-G, I am hoping the Firebird minis will deliver for me. This 89 Sheraton will be completely different the wiring and the PAF’s I am hoping will get me somewhere close to a 50’s/60’s Gibson 335 classic PAF sound.
4) All my guitars are second hand and this is the least expensive. A nice Vintage Sunburst Samick SG, I was missing a solid bodied guitar and for little money this will fill that niche. Will see if in time this guitar deserves the SD’s I will take from the Joe Pass. Hoping it gives me a nice feeling and I do put that SD Jazz/JB set of pickups in there.
Finally, and definitely not least.
5) My Levin 335 my only acoustic.
“I’ll never get out of these blues alive” is a test recording of a piece of a John Lee Hooker tune played on my Levin acoustic.
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I feel the Sheraton’s cover most bases for me and once modified they are “keepers” the other three are luxury.
I will always hunt for my dream 1960 Epiphone Zephyr 311/312 thinline in natural like the one John Lee had in the 1960’s.
