Epiphone
Guitar wizard from Electar Labs makes net debut in "Ask Dr. Epiphone" columns.

What's the difference between a humbucker and a single-coil pickup?
What makes one guitar have more sustain than another?

Dr. Epiphone, Epiphone's in-house expert on guitars, has all the answers in a new series of columns called "Ask Dr. Epiphone." Column # 1 (pickups) and Column #2 (sustain) can be found in magazines or in the new Epiphone calendar, as well as here on the Epi website.

"Dr. Epiphone is from Electar Laboratories, Epiphone's research and development center in Nashville, Tennessee," said Epi president Jim Rosenberg. "He's our resident 'doctor' of all guitar things."

[ Dr. Epiphone Before the Accident ] Dr. Epiphone is reported to have been part of the research team at the original Electar Labs in New York, where he acquired his nickname "The Human Voltmeter." (His current photograph seems to confirm that he has a hands-on approach to electronics.)

The very first Epiphone electric guitars were designed in the Electar Labs and introduced in 1937 under the Electar brand. Among the Lab's most famous inventions are the Frequensator tailpiece and the first pickup with adjustable polepieces. In honor of the Electar Labs tradition, all the current Epiphone amps are equipped with Electar speakers.

In Column #1 of "Ask Dr. Epiphone," the good doctor explains why humbucking pickups are superior to single-coils (hint: they're noise free and they can acheive both the powerful humbucking sound and the thin single-coil sound through coil-tapping). He expounds in technical detail but he also provides a simplified version for those who don't have enough time to read. For example: "negative hum + positive hum = zero hum."

In Column #2, Dr. Epiphone expounds on the subject of sustain and how to get the most of it. He goes on at length about the transfer of vibration at the tailpiece, bridge and nut/headstock. And he draws pictures for those who need them.

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