customize a Les Paul

[Cri-Su]

hey Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am building another guitar. This time it is going to be a Les Paul style in terms of woods and thickness.
I want it to be singing and rocking but I also want to come as close to a good Fender clean as possible.
So far the best bet I've come up with is "Slash's" APH-1 in the neck because he definitely does have a singing tone. In the bridge position I am thinking about the JB Jr. and another single coil (maybe the antiquity hot texas strat).
I appreciate any kind of input on this!!! please, people, tell me your experiences with these and other pickups. Help me build a smoking guitar )
Post your joices if you were in my situation!
thank you, Chris

PS: who has experience with a piezo bridge like the fishman. I have a really nice Larrivee at home, but I hate carrying it into bars and other gigs, so are the piezo bridges any good alternative???

[Benjy_26]

Re: customize a Les Paul

Welcome to the forum!

Personally, I'd stick with a pair of humbuckers. I like the Pearly Gates in the neck and the Custom or Custom 5 at the bridge. Add a pair of push/pull pots for splitting, and you'll get close to the glass and chime that a Fender style guitar gets you. Another thing to consider would be sound chambers built into the body, like on the 335, Tele Thinline, and Guild Bluesbird. It'll give you more complexity to the mids and highs, helping you get a bigger, richer sound in both clean and distorted situations.

[rspst14]

Re: customize a Les Paul

Piezo bridges work well if you have the proper equipment. For the best results, you need to run the piezo through a PA system or an acoustic amp. If your amp has a really nice clean channel, you may be able to get away with running the piezo through that, but it probably won't sound its best through an electric amp. I like the LR Baggs and the Graphtech systems much better than the Fishman system.

Ryan

[Cri-Su]

Re: customize a Les Paul

hey, yes! thank you! I have been thinking about the sound chambers. but to be honest. I have never really played a guitar with them, so I was doubting a lot that it would be any good for my sound. Maybe I have to re-think this
what about the fishman bridges? you know anything about them? they come decently close to an acoustic guitar sound?
thanks, Chris

[hurricanebob]

Re: customize a Les Paul

I'm no expert on piezo pickups, but I do have two Fishmans, one in a Hoffman six-string, the other in a Gallagher 12-string, both handmade guitars, both with Fishman Matrix pickups, and they both sound fine. I'm currently running them through a Polytone MiniBrute II, which is really a jazz amp, but they sound okay (the Heritage 150 sounds better, which is what I got it for, a solidbody Les Paul type guitar), and yes, they'll sound better with an acoustic amp or a PA system.

[hurricanebob]

Re: customize a Les Paul

Now for something a little different. I have a Heritage 150. Heritage is the guitar company formed by the luthiers who wouldn't relocate when Gibson moved to Nashville in the mid-80s. So my guitar is very much like a Les Paul. I would like to make the tone warmer, more jazz-like. Has anyone done this, and, if so, how well did it work? I'm new to the electric side of things (read: completely ignorant) and am to suggestions.

[theboatcandream]

Re: customize a Les Paul

[Cri-Su]

Re: customize a Les Paul

like that "theboatcandream"!!

what is a single coil size alternative to the APH-1??? anything really sweet n singing in a single coil size out there??

[rspst14]

Re: customize a Les Paul

like that "theboatcandream"!!

what is a single coil size alternative to the APH-1??? anything really sweet n singing in a single coil size out there??

Duncan makes an Alnico 2 Pro single coil, you might want to check that out.

Ryan

[Cri-Su]

Re: customize a Les Paul

right, but do they also sound similar or is it just that they use equal magnets?

[rspst14]

Re: customize a Les Paul

The APH-1 is essentially a humbucker version of the Alnico II Pro single coil. The single coil model was available first, then Duncan made a humbucker version of it due to overwhelming demand. They won't sound exactly the same because one is a single and one is a humbucker, but the single coil model is the closest you will get to the APH-1 sound without using a humbucker.

Ryan

[Luke Duke]

Re: customize a Les Paul

I really like my Jazz N and APH B. I get a very potent midrange kick from my bridge position and a nice strum or picked notes from my jazz. The bridge is fat and full and screams with distortion.

Luke

[Cri-Su]

Re: customize a Les Paul

what about the 59' or the Seth Lover? they ought to give true honest rock n roll sound... what do you think?
thanks luke duke, I have been thinking about the Jazz too since it is very popular!