Cheap Guitar, Good Pick-Ups

I'm not too sure if it's a good idea, but I've tought about buying a cheap Monterey Les Paul replica, which looks almost exactly the same as a Gibson LP Classic (not great finish's though but that's not what I want). Then I'd put a couple of good Dimarzio or Seymour Duncan pickups in it (both humbuckers and instillation would cost more than the original guitar) instead of buying a $1100 ($aus, which is about $850 US but I'm not too sure It's that price in US) Epiphone.

I'm not too sure the neck would be the same or it would have the same feel as an Epiphone/Gibson, which is the reason I'd do that.

Is this a reasonable idea or stupid?

It's a pretty good idea but make sure you know what you are doing before you get to work. Have you played the guitar before? Don't make a mistake into buying it and spending more money for pickups than the actual guitar.

Yea I'll admit I used to do it too.. but upgrading pickups on copies to make em sound like gibsons doesnt really work. I think people underrate gibson pickups for a start becuase even though my hero slash favours seymour duncans, I wouldnt touch em with a barge pole. Gibsons arent that pricy... esp if you live in the US. I just bought one for $900 off ebay, a les paul standard, 94, with a repaired neck!

What I would suggest is if you can get ahold of the Guitar you Mentioned, play it a little, see if it feels right.. If it does, I would go for it, and after the pickups the next things I would replace are the tuners unless they are adequate and the nut... then you may be in like flin.. I have a Knock off that sounds incredible and feels great, it has a set neck, good pick-ups, plays fantastic but it needs tuners. It goes out after about 3 songs, probably not enough to hear while in a band playing but enough to tell a lil bit when you are alone...I am searching for tuners right now on Ebay. not sure if I want Grovers or the original stlyes... Have fun...Oh yea, probably one more thing to check, which could be important is the shielding, nothin worse then the constant Bzzzzzzzzzzz or Hmmmmmmmmmmm... Of course this can be fixed to with a lil work..I think a big difference between the Gibsons and some of these knock-offs is that the Gibsons spend more time in teh shop before they hit the store, as in getting set to go so you can pretty much play em outta the box...Its all what your lookin for, about anything can sound good with the proper effects and such..

[Edited by Rainy River Madman on 01-11-2004 at 02:32 PM]

Play the guitar first and see if it has a good aucoustic quality to it and doesn't sound like a cardboard box.A/B it to an actual Gibson and see how it sounds in comparison.
PonyOne your a car guy too?I've got a 1958 Volvo PV444 with a built 350 chevy automatic and 4.56 dana rear.Nuttin better than a cranked amp than a lopey cam.