Epiphone Slash Les Paul ProBuckers
As authentic clones, the pickups in these Epiphone signature guitars offer true Gibson tone
Last year, Gibson launched a new collection of Slash signature models, including the Slash Les Paul Standard, Slash ‘Victoria’ Les Paul Standard Goldtop and Slash J-45. Recently, sibling brand Epiphone followed suit, announcing the Guns N’ Roses guitar-hero’s full range as part of their Inspired by Gibson line-up. Sporting the same finish and model names as the Gibsons, these new Epiphone guitars are, in effect, clones. But how do they measure up in terms of sound? According to Gibson Brands’ Senior Product Development Engineer, Richard Akers, and Product Manager, Aljon Go, these Epiphone ProBucker pickups are more or less identical to the custom Burstbuckers found in the Gibson Slash Les Pauls.
“From the materials to the dimensions and all aspects of the build, we put a lot of effort into our ProBucker series pickups to really refine what was being done,” says Richard. “We’ve had the ProBuckers out for a little while now, and we’ve really gained traction in the market as far as the perception of what an Epiphone pickup is.
“In the past, granted, the thing to do was maybe buy an Epiphone and replace the pickups immediately. But at this point in the game, that’s not required. The ProBucker pickups that come stock are outstanding and can hang with anything. Pickups are very subjective. I get it. You want to change it out and put something else in? Totally understand. But you don’t have to. It’s a good-quality pickup coming stock in the guitars. I’ll put them up against anything.”
The ’buckers in Gibson’s Slash Les Pauls were custom-designed with a higher output and the same blueprint has been used for the Epiphone variants. “These Alnico II ProBucker pickups being used in the Epiphone Slash guitars are identical in construction to the Alnico II Burstbuckers being used in the Gibson Slash models,” explains Richard. “The neck and bridge pickups are different, as the bridge pickup is slightly hotter – like an overwound Burstbucker 3 in the bridge and an overwound Burstbucker 2 in the neck.
“As well as being a little overwound and hotter, the Epiphone Slash ProBucker pickups are unique because they have uneven coils. The bobbins are wound uneven, similar to the way the Gibson
Burstbuckers are done. It all originated from the history – the lack of precision in the windings in the late 50s. People found the pickups that have slightly uneven coils gave them a more desirable output – a little edgier bite. The ‘Holy Grail’ sets of pickups had a little bit of an uneven balance and were the most desirable tonally. So, that’s what we did when we created the Burstbucker set at Gibson and then the ProBucker sets that we use at Epiphone.”
Much like the Gibson Burstbuckers, the ProBuckers are lightly waxed in order
“Pickups with slightly uneven coils gave a more desirable output – a little edgier bite”
to strike a balance between controlling microphonics and allowing the pickup to retain enough ‘air’ and detail. “It’s not a straitjacket – it’s a sweater,” Aljon says in reference to the wax covering. “We wanted to be authentic to the Gibson version, and that also included using orange drop caps and CTS pots in the circuit.
“There’s a certain characteristic bloom that happens with those pickups that’s magical. You can sprinkle more gain on, but it’ll still have a very articulate voice. It’ll have a certain punch which, married with the tonewoods and the strings, is the authentic sound. And I don’t think there’s been anything close to replicating that. It is what it is – no matter how you skin it and how you make it look different, at the heart of it is what Gibson introduced back in the day. And it’s still going strong.
“People need to know: if you’re a fan of the Gibson Slash Les Pauls you can get that experience with a very accessible Epiphone, which uses the same type of pickups. We were able to make a clone of that very same guitar in our overseas crafteries. And it’s very, very close. It is the Boba Fett of Jango Fetts!”
“There’s a certain characteristic bloom that happens with those pickups that’s magical”