It would be nice to know the total cost: guitar + pickups + wiring harness + labor. I've often thought it makes sense to search for a well-built "budget" guitar and then upgrade it rather than buying a brand new "standard" model.

The first I thought when I heard the stock Casino: give the eq-knobs on the amp a tiny twist and than compare it to the Lollars.

I would love a full series of Ben just fixing and modding guitars!

The build quality of many inexpensive guitars has gotten so good, just choosing great pickups and optimum electronics yields a wonderful sound. I did the same with a Chinese set neck LP Jr = Fantastic. And also with an older Korean made Hamer 335. The Hamer build quality was superb. Thank you Rhett

Really liked that you followed him through every step of the upgrade -- so many good tips and tricks, especially when working with hollows/semis. After my own DIY attempt on a 335 copy several years ago I said "never again" -- and that's still pretty much the case -- I learned a lot about what I did wrong and how I might do better if I ever dare attempt it. Thanks!

Awesome swap. The clarity and drive of the new pickups are amazing.

Thanks Rhett for being online. I have been playing off and on for over 5 decades but, I have found I can always improve my skills, by listening and learning. Keep up the good work.

TBH changing the pick up covers and adding one meg pots would've achieved fairly similar results in a fraction of the cost IMO

Been considering doing this to my casino for a while now. Awesome seeing/hearing the difference in this vid

Wow! This tech is like an "E.R." guitar surgeon with his hands and skills! Thank You to this guitar Doctor for his gracious demonstration of his wonderful skills and knowledge. Absolutely great. I would go to this store in a heartbeat just to visit.

I’ve found that with Epiphone hollow bodies that a violin soundpost setter is really handy for pushing the pots through the body. New pots and caps will improve the stock pickup’s sound, new pickups improve the stock pots ands caps sound, but together makes a huge difference. Doing a fret level and polish really wakes these things up a surprising amount.

I’ve been looking at an epi casino in worn olive drab and swapping the pickups/wiring, it seems like a fun process. Wasn’t aware that there wasn’t a ground wire to bridge, definitely a must for me. Thank you for the insight Rhett!

I did the exact same mods on my Casino and the difference was night and day. I love the sound of the Lollar P-90s. That snarly nasally tone the harder you dig in is just fun.

So cool to see a pro at work… amazing skill and knowledge!

There's a tremendous amount of clarity in the upgraded pickups. I did SD antiquity in mine. It's a completely different sounding instrument. Also, I upgraded the bridge to a new ABR style with raw brass saddles that I needed to file myself. Now they're cut correctly for the strings I play on it . That was a big upgrade to consider as well.

Agree 100% with your assessment of the improvements in sound. Way better now. No more muddiness. I've got an Eastman hollow body that needs the same treatment. You've inspired me to get it done soon.

I had one of those 90s Mexican super strats and one of the first mods I did was to put some suhr V60 low wind pickups in. The difference was pretty big but I really didn’t get the full value out of the pickups until I replaced the wiring harness with an Emerson. If you’re going to bother spending a decent amount on pickups it is always worth making sure the wiring harness is doing them justice.

I clicked on the notification on my phone and it tells me this video is unavailable on this device. All the other videos I've watched of yours have worked perfectly fine on my phone before.

Beautiful workmanship and MUCH improved high end tone. Congrats Rhett!

I have also fitted Lollar dogear P90’s and upgraded the wiring on my (lefty) Chinese Epiphone Casino. I have also upgraded the bridge and the tuners. Very pleased with the results.

That is amazing Brett, from mud to sparkle. I had the same experience with my China-made Ibanez AS-73 - played great but sounded like there was a pillow over the amp. Threw in a set of Fralin's Pure PAFs (that cost me more than the guitar), used an RS Guitarworks wiring harness, and magic! Congrats.

I purchased a brand new Epiphone Wildcat a couple years ago. That's basically the same guitar with a Bixby and slightly different wiring diagram. I absolutely loves the way it it played. It was so comfortable and as a guy that plays mainly acoustic guitars it felt a little more like home plus I love P90s. I don't know what I had plugged it into at this little country jewelry store with a guitar problem but it even sounded great through the lil amp. The problem came when I brought it home and hooked it up to my rig and then subsequently hooked it up to almost a dozen different amps and even straight in to my PA through my board and there was 1 common problem and that is it was such a dark, muddy no shitty sounding in everything i plugged it into unless I completely tweeked the tone to some extremes throughout the chain and it still wasn't ideal. It just didn't make sense and sure did not sound like a P90 hollow body should sound. I tried new strings NYXLs and threw on a roller bridge. That still did not make much difference. After some digging, research and testing I found out the problem was the crap coaxial cable the factory wires them with. These guitars are wired so that each pickup has a volume and there is a master volume that is located toward the bottom horn and the switch is on top like a les paul. That is a lot of wire, a lot of bad wire that has an extremely high impedance. This curcuit doesn't need anymore help in that department but it is that wire that robs all the tone and makes them sound so dark and shitty. Seriously the stock pickups are actually pretty good but most would never know that. The parts are even decent, not exactly ideal but if you want it to sound as it should and are on a budget all that must be done is just change out the wire. I upgraded the pots and switch because I was there but I kept the stock pickups because I had heard they were just fine with the proper wire and good P90s can be expensive unless you make them. I haven't once considered new pickups since the rewire and I ended up using those stock parts else where and they seem alright. Long story short just change the wire. If Epiphone would just spend an extra dollar or 2 and wired these with a better wire from the factory I Garauntee they would sell a whole lot more of them. Then they wouldn't need anything exept new strings and a roller if it has a trem/vib and these guitars would be impossible to rival at this price range. I am Glad to see that you appreciate them too and knowing that you also found them to sound too dark and really muddy is reassuring because now I am certain I didn't just loose my mind. Lol

I had Lollar build out the P90s using the existing chrome casing. Didn’t want to loose the vibe. Didn’t mess with wiring. It sounds killer!

A great upgrade man! Sounds, great thank you for sharing!

I actually liked the original Epiphone sound. People tend to rate an improvement using the tone range of their favorite “other guitar” as a benchmark eg it sounds closer to my XXX now. I’m currently in the process of buying a standard Epiphone Casino natural. So long as all the hardware is functional I’ll keep it standard. Don’t want it to mimic my other guitars.

Dark and Muddy is not a cheap epiphone pickup problem. Even Gibson P90s are like this. I personally love it because it pair so well with fuzz, makes it sound evil.

I'm doing this to mine now!!! Sounds soooo good! Thanks Rhett for the inspiration!

Definitely like the black pickups!! Beautiful guitar . Congratulations

Rhett's assessment of how he would handle the job matches exactly my experience of doing it. Retrying it a couple times over several months, with the guitar just sitting unused between each attempt. Eventually gave in and paid an expert to do it, for less than the cost of the parts I'd purchased.

I get "This video is unavailable on this device" when I try to play this. Other KZfaq vids all play fine. This one gives that message on all devices I tried (desktop/table/phone).

Wow. Super slick work. Fascinating to watch.

WOW! What a difference! The new pickups sound FANTASTIC!

"This video is unavailable on this device." Never seen this error before. Using the same devices I always use (tablet, smartphone, notebook, PC, all the same error).

Huh. "This video is unavailable on this device" .... Never had that before.

Great video, Rhett, and probably the best commercial ever for any Guitar Tech Who Knows What He's Doing. The bonus is you got out of it a real keeper to make cool sounds with.

The crisp clarity on the Lollar pickups is amazing.

Grounding the strings makes your body function as a capacitor that reduces some noise. There are also shock hazards as a trade off. I would much prefer keeping the stock metal pickup covers, unless that was the main cause of the stock pickups being less bright. A comparison could have been done with each type cover on the new Lollar pickups. The metal covers would have some noise shielding properties when grounded, and I prefer their look over black plastic.

loving the lollar p90's in my lp special tribute, such a huge upgrade. also dropped their imperials in my 335 and so much more clarity compared to the 57 classics.

Huge difference! Thanks for the video!

Those Lollar pups truly made the scene. Good tech tips in changing the wiring too. Thanks for the video.

Rhett, I think changing out the stock pickups for Lollars IS Plan B, and it is awesome, worked out great. I've never done a pickup replacement on a hollow body and it looks like a tougher job for sure, done lots of solid bodies. Sounds great, much more articulate and more punch through! Good work...

For some reason, “This video is unavailable on this device” comes up and is unplayable. I’m in Australia.

thank you for sharing this info! love the sound of these new puckups!

This was a cool upgrade, what a great sound. Thanks for sharing. You have one very good guitar tech!

Awesome upgrade. Lollar is so clearer and funner. Cut thru the mix. Sounds so good! (I love Lollar Wide Field PU' S on hollow body teles). Great tech Ben. Nice Rhett very good upgrade.

Several years ago, I put Lollar P-90s in an Inanez AS-73 semi-hollow and that one upgrade turned a $300 guitar into a $3,000-sounding guitar. Jason Lollar knows his stuff! You really turned this Casino into a righteous beast, Rhett, with these upgrades

Such a sweet and amazing sound!!! Love the lollar pickups feel that they have. Twangy; you said it right.

Sounds a lot better,nice and crisp and clear,Best wishes to you and all your viewers and subscribers, from, Auckland, New Zealand.

this video is unavailable on this device according to youtube

“It’s a LOT more involved! Excellent Ben.

Love Casino’s and also Lollar pups!! Soooo win/win!!! They sound great Rhett, cheers

Did a very similar swap with an Epiphone 335-Pro. New pots, orange drops, and new humbuckers. Turned a good guitar into an unbelievable value and gave my local shop some business. It’s the one I pick up every time.

I wanted to see the video and got a black screen saying "This video is unavailable on this device". I tried my phone. Same message. I really love your videos Rhett. I got a KZfaq Premium account and live in Lima, Peru. I never had problems watching your videos. I'm starting to get anxious because I fear KZfaq will not allow me to see your videos anymore and I really do not know why.

FYI dude getting a "This video is unavailable on this device." error with this video Edit: fixed!

Nice! Especially that neck pickup. Huge improvement!!!!

Glad you got the sound you wanted man! I've always been an advocate for changing pickups if you're looking for a particular sound.

Rhett KZfaq is saying this video is “unavailable on this device” for my iPhone

So much brighter with the Lollars, really nice sound. Stock sounds a bit too muffled. More mod videos please !

I can dig it. Always wondered how the heck a semi would get pick ups or anything swapped. Ben did a great job and the guitar sounds great !

Much fuller and distinct tone with the Lollars. Great upgrade!

13:26 I've shielded the cavity (pickups and control area, AND most of the pick guard) of several Strat clones and it basically gets rid of any hum (or "noise") that otherwise showed up when I don't touch the strings. A problem with a hollow body is it looks pretty hard to do that. I didn't look close but it looks like most wires carrying signal are shielded, though those two capacitors are exposed. But yeah, the Lollar pickups are much brighter.

I can't watch the video. I get the message: "This video is unavailable on this device" ?? BTW, in case it matters, I'm in Canada.

I did this with my Casino last year - Lollar 50s wind P90s in there really make a big difference. New electronics/wiring set up, new bridge, swapped the trapeze for a frequensator tailpiece and also upgraded to locking tuners. It. Is. Sickkkkkkkkk.

I upgraded my Casino with Lollar 50s Wind P-90s and a Tone Man casino wiring kit with orange drop capacitors. It sounds incredible. I’m glad you did almost the same exact thing to good results as well!

I would have liked to see what the old pickups sound like with a new harness.

Anyone else getting a KZfaq error that says, “This video is unavailable on this device?” I’m on an iPhone XS Max using the KZfaq app. The same thing happens when I try playing this video with iOS Safari. All other videos are playing. Did Rhett accidentally click something that prevents mobile viewing in his settings when he uploaded?

Cool video Rhett. Thanks for sharing.

So cool! Way better sound with the new wiring and pickups!

The Lollars sound amazing! The stock ones are a vibe though.

"This video is unavailable on this device" when I watch on my computer.

Very cool! A noticeable difference, awesome! The black looks much better!

great video! I did something similar. I bought a new Epiphone Melody Maker E1, and put 2 Lindy Fralin stock p90's and new CTS 500 pots with Emerson PIO cap, selector switch, and it sounds absolutely beautiful. I chose the Melody Maker because: 1-the nostalgia of the name, the look of the classic sunburst satin finish; 2-the mathematics were true to scale and the neck is 42.67mm almost 43mm, but slim contour; mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard, poplar body, which is actually weighty enough. 3-all the electronics are on the pickguard, so I just bought a new pickguard and built everything on it, then swapped out the old to the new. The old can be put back in no problem. I put Kluson locking tuners on, kept the wraparound bridge(for now), classic gold knobs. It has that perky yet mellow jazz sound at the neck, chimey sound with both, and the classic bridge p90 from the 50's-60's. I call it my Poor Boy 50's Les Paul. For about $600 total I have a classic sound that is easy to play, very stylish looking, and....I love it. Coming from cheap 60's Japanese and foreign guitars as a teen, they have really improved the general quality, but they still can't beat a good set of electronics. Better electronics + a new foreign made guitar and you have a killer combination for half the cost. It would be nice if America would make even the same quality for a competetive price, but they are always more.

upgrading things that already work is fine if it satisfies you psychologically. In the case of pickups, I would tend to learn how to work with what I already have in order to find an acceptable compromise. I'd put more emphasis on pickup height, guitar/amp settings, pickup tone blend, etc... before buying a new set to solve the problem

The Casino sounds great with the Lollars thinking of a set to replace the stock pickups on my Korean Sorrento reissue. I am looking into purchasing your slide course since Josh Scott doesn’t offer one even though his slide tone is far superior 😂

Love the upgrade Rhett!

Love love love ! Definitely now making the swap on mine

Definitly sounds much better. I think the vintage lower output p 90's sound best!

Anyone else getting an error message when they try to watch?

Definitely better now! Thanks for sharing!

Lotta fun watching that technician go thru his paces. So many good tips and pointers, but I think I will still wait for the expert. Good show.

Well, tried to watch it, but KZfaq keeps telling me "!This video is unavailable on this device." Ah, well...

Why is this video unavailable on my device? Is it broken somehow?

Sounds Fantastic! I have changed pickups in many guitars, usually a great upgrade although not always. Get to really know your guitar as it comes before you make a decision on what if any changes to make. Great Video!

WOW!! That was a *HUGE* difference!! The A/B stock-vs-Loller portion of the video totally blew me away! I honestly don't think I've ever heard such an impressive difference like that!

The Casino sounds beautiful with the Lollar's, but, to be fair, the tone with the original pickups is definitely usable, so I would probably have two Casino's, one stock and one modded. It could be useful for recording purposes (I'm talking like I could actually afford two Casino's 😄).

Very cool, Ben did a very nice job, clearly a worthwhile upgrade visually and sonically. Almost makes me want one...You didn't play any Beatles, what the heck! :+)

Thanks for the video. This project speaks to my soul and takes me back to some of the first guitars I owned fifty years ago. I may follow in your footsteps with this Casino purchase and upgrade.

Great video! I just ordered some Wolfetone Dr Vintages and new electronics for my Epiphone Sheraton. This video is helpful. 🤘

I love when you can take an affordable guitar and easily make it A LOT better. Would you bring this one on tour? I always worried about P90s in a live setting because they can be a bit noisy. Speaking of tours...are we getting any tour vlogs sometime soon?

This video is unavailable on this device. Getting this message on all of my devices (TV, phone, laptop) 😞

Sounds great! I have an old Squire I’ve always wanted to upgrade the pickups. I’m inspired now! Thanks!

The difference is night and day! Congrats on your upgrade! Ever forward!

What happened? The "video is unavailable on this device"?? It's a PC for crissakes :D Everything should be available, right?

Anyone else getting a, "this video is unavailable on this device"? All his other stuff will play without any issues

Excellent upgrade. Now it sounds awesome !!

I like the Lollars but I prefer the wamer sound of the stock pups. Adjusting your tone knobs can make a difference, too.

Sweet guitar! Pretty attainable for many. Also.... MISSING PLUGIN haha, had to replay that part a few times as I thought my computer was messing up.

Im currently going through a hollowbody thing right now too! I just picked up a Gretsch, S. Korean made Electromatic singlecut and I love it! The only mod I made was I swapped the Bigsby for a stop tail.

I did the same thing with an Epiphone Dot. Came out fantastic! Tysontonelabs Preacher set with a Mojotone 50s wiring harness and it was transformed. Those stock pups are overwound and midrange muddy.

Well yes, it sounds much better. But I wonder how much of the difference is that the new pickups are just louder? It's a little late for this, but a volume matched comparison would be helpful.