Recommendations for replacement pups in a Gibson LP Shred?

[Jack_TriPpEr]

I recently scored a used Gibson LP Shred in mint condition and a great price. I like how the guitar sounds a lot - easily it's already become my best sounding floyded git.

BUT ... it would be nice to replace the stock 498T with something else that is not as grainy sounding when high gain is applied... something that is tighter sounding but also still breathes at the same time.

Separately, I'd like to replace the stock neck 490R for something that doesn't sound as flat on clean tones, also pairs well w the bridge in the middle position for clean tones, and serves up good lead tones with high gain. Might be a tall order, but I don't know til I ask. By the way, I don't blame the flatness in the clean tones as originating in the 490R, but as originating from the mahogany in the body wood. I've noticed that characteristic before in mahogany bodied gits before. For high gain settings, that is an asset in my book - helps tighten up the high gain tone - but I find that tightness can be a little much in the clean settings, yielding a flatness... I guess I am trying to say. Or it could be this mysterious Richlite material used in the fretboard that's dulling the tone even further - don't know. I don't know if a pup change can do anything about that, but I guess you'll tell me.

Thanks!

P.S. I already utilize a graphic equalizer in my clean signal chain, and a separate graphic equalizer in my high gain signal chain. I've already tried using these EQ tweaking options to get the tones I'm after, but it still falls short.

[Inder_Cine_Mann]

Re: Recommendations for replacement pups in a Gibson LP Shred?

What tuning and gear?

[dr. ad]

Re: Recommendations for replacement pups in a Gibson LP Shred?

interesting!
totally grandstanding here, but have you considered a PATB1? you could even pair it with a fugly in the neck.
a 59n and a JB could be a good ones to try in a floyded LP too.

[Inder_Cine_Mann]

Re: Recommendations for replacement pups in a Gibson LP Shred?

Tight and breathes. C8 or Alt 8?

Have not spent enough time with an Alt 8 tho..

[Jack_TriPpEr]

Re: Recommendations for replacement pups in a Gibson LP Shred?

What tuning and gear?

Standard tuning.

Signal chain is currently reduced (i.e. pulled out the modulation and delay effects to ensure I am hearing what the guitar can offer), so it currently goes:

LP Shred -> BOSS TU-3 -> BOSS LS-2. Send 1 of the LS is my clean signal chain, and it just has a BOSS GE7 in the loop. Send 2 is my high gain signal chain, and it has a BOSS MT2 followed by a separate BOSS GE7. The output of the LS2 goes to my Fender Blues Deluxe Reissue amp that drives a Marshall 1960A 4x12 cab (loaded w the stock G12T-75s)

On each of those GE7s, the only frequency I've altered a lot is the 400 band, reducing it to about -10 decibels. All the other frquencies I've toyed with, I've lowered only moderately, -3 decibels at most. And that was after first starting w all at unity and then tone chasing from there.

** EDIT: I was just playing around with settings again, and dropping the 800 band on high gain's GE7 to about -7 decibels tightened up tthings pretty well w/o overdoing it, but the tone is still a little more grainy than I'd like.

[MkIII Renegade]

Re: Recommendations for replacement pups in a Gibson LP Shred?

I've never even heard of a Les Paul Shred before today.....

If you want to stay with passives, I'd consider the JB or Distortion (DD can be a little TOO hairy in a LP) at the bridge and a covered PAF at the neck (the contrast is interesting to me). For the DiMarzio route, a Super Distortion at the bridge and PAF Pro at the neck.

But honestly, for a hotrodded LP, I think the EMG 81/60 seriously kicks. It will specialize that guitar a bit more, but then again, it is the Shred model, right? The 81 at the bridge of a LP owns and clean tones are much better with the 60 at the neck compared to the 85.