Replacing pickups on a Gibson Les Paul Gothic Guitar.

[havocdragon]

Hey all. So there are 2 parts to this post

Part 1: Need some suggestions on pickups for my guitar and playing style.

So for my bridge pickup, I want a pickup that will provide me with an incredible distortion tone that is 'dark' sounding, but also precise (not muddy). It also needs to have a good amount of high end and low end, but mid isnt very important.

For my Neck pickup, I wan't something that will be crisp and clean sounding for clean channel playing, with the same characteristics. I do not want the 'warm or fuzzy' tones that are normally accompanied by the neck pick up or the "rhythym" sound. I want my guitar to sound like a lead on both pickups =).

Part 2: What will I need to know and get other than the pickups to install them on my Gibson Les Paul Gothic guitar?

Im not highly educated on the electronics of a guitar, so I am not sure if I will need new electronics or pots, for Duncan pickups to work?

[deftgala]

Re: Replacing pickups on a Gibson Les Paul Gothic Guitar.

500k pots are a must if you havent tried them. It strictly preference as some players still like 250k or 300k pots. But 500k pots are a little more defined and cut through the mix in band situations a little better, IMO.

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Replacing pickups on a Gibson Les Paul Gothic Guitar.

You don't ask for much do ya? Well, here is the deal, Pauls tend to vary a lot...what might sound dark but defined in this LP might be muddy in the next one. As for bridge pickups that will provide a killer crunch I would shoot for Distortion, Custom, JB, Invader these are al;l pretty high output pickups that will push your amp to some serious crunch. As for a Dark sounding bridge pickup, it is really gonna depend on the guitar...I like a Custom Custom a lot, and it tends to be a very dark pickup, and I do not have problems with it being muddy but because it used an Anlico II magnet it doesn't really feel or act like a high output pickup. I would just pick something to use as a starting point...maybe a Custom would be a good place to start. As for the neck you said "crisp and Clean" then you said "like the bridge pickup" which was "dark and distorted", so I am a bit confused...for starting points for a neck pickup I would try either a 59n or a Jazz. Keep in mind that you do not have to have high output pickups to get a killer crunch. A simple pair of 59 can be down right nasty if you want them to be!

Good luck

[havocdragon]

Re: Replacing pickups on a Gibson Les Paul Gothic Guitar.

Cool, how and where do I get 500k pots for my guitar then?

Also, sorry on the neck pickup, I meant dynamically like the bridge one, I don't want to use it for distortion, just for clean channel, but I want it 'dark' sounding as well. I don't like too much of the full bodied warm sound that most neck pickups get I think is what Im trying to get at =). As far as the custom custom...is it something that will sound very dynamic with power chords, as well as clarity when playing very fast and technical riffs?

Maybe the sound in my head isnt translating well into what im saying =)

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Replacing pickups on a Gibson Les Paul Gothic Guitar.

Cool, how and where do I get 500k pots for my guitar then?

Also, sorry on the neck pickup, I meant dynamically like the bridge one, I don't want to use it for distortion, just for clean channel, but I want it 'dark' sounding as well. I don't like too much of the full bodied warm sound that most neck pickups get I think is what Im trying to get at =). As far as the custom custom...is it something that will sound very dynamic with power chords, as well as clarity when playing very fast and technical riffs?

Maybe the sound in my head isnt translating well into what im saying =)

any good guitar shop will have 500k pots, as for the pickups, you are riding a fine line...you are playing a Les Paul (which are known to be muddy from time to timw), tou want a hot pickup (also known to be muddy) and you are looking for a dark tone, which often times becomes muddy...This is what I would do...I would get a 59 in the neck and get a Cistom in the bridge...the good thing about a custom is that you can swap the magnet and make it a Custom 5 or a Custom Custom...that gives you 3 shots at the bridge pickup right there...good luck

[havocdragon]

Re: Replacing pickups on a Gibson Les Paul Gothic Guitar.

Thanks for the info =). After reading through the reviews and sites, I am kinda up in the air on the custom custom, and the Distortion as far as the bridge. How does the 59 sound in the neck? They have a dual pack at musicians friend for a decent price for 2 distortions, though i not sure how it would sound in the neck?

I do have quite the dark tone with my guitar already, but I am unhappy with the pickups. So I think I need a more higher quality pickup, that wont alter that sound but make it better =)