Keep my SD WLH or Gibson BB Pro

[taylor]

Need some help. First, the backstory - wanted a hotter bridge pickup on my Greco Les Paul so I swapped the original for a SD WLH. Sounded great and paired really well with the Greco Dry-82 neck pickup. Unfortunately, the neck pickup shorted out. someone was selling a Gibson BB neck pickup locally and I thought it would be a suitable replacement.

According to Gibson's specs, DCR is 7.85 but the Gibson BB Pro is really "hot" and loud (shouldn't it be a low output pickup?). I have the SD WLH pickup set high and the BB Pro set as low as I can, and the neck pickup is still louder. I usually keep the neck volume at 8 to balance things out. On hindsight should I have gotten the SD WLH neck pickup? Yes. but I needed to replace the neck pickup urgently and my cheap a** preferred to buy a cheaper used pickup.

Right now, I'm loving the tones from the BB Pro - doesn't do sparkling cleans but its great for searing/creamy leads. Is there any pickup that is tonally similar to the WLH but louder/gainer? or is there any pickup tonally similar to the BB Pro but lower gain?

[freefrog]

I've measured BB pro's as spitting more than 600mV where most Duncan P.A.F. clones tested in the same conditions would deliver 400mV +/- 10%...

If memory serves me, it was on par with the magnetic fied measured by our lab Teslameter: Gibson seems to put extremely powerful magnets in their BB Pro's.

On this basis, I'd try another magnet in the BBP neck before to change the pickup. An A3 , for instance, might suffice to tame it.

FWIW. Do what you want and be happy.

[GuitarDoc]

An A3 in the BBP and/or an A8 in the WLH.

[jeremy]

a3 in the bbpro neck will probably sound great! if you want to keep the a5, then a8 in the bridge might suit you well, a thicker more muscular louder sound is what id expect

[Securb]

An A3 in the BBP and/or an A8 in the WLH.

Wouldn't an A8 in the WLH sound a bit raw and grainy?

[skelt101]

I agree with others that a magnet swap should get you there. In my Les Paul, I have a BB2 with A3 in the neck and a WLH with UOA5 in the bridge. They sound pretty balanced to me!

[beaubrummels]

IME a Duncan Seth Lover is like a clearer version of a BBPro. For a louder WLH bridge, my JB with an A2 magnet sounds exactly like my WLH bridge but freakin' loud. Great rock and roll pickup. I've done these swaps in a Les Paul Studio, so that's my guitar reference.

[taylor]

I actually do have an A3 magnet! Thanks for the suggestions I'll give it a try.

Didn't know anything about "mV readings" until now.... it all makes sense now, the WLH bridge is churning out 440 mV. If the BB Pro is doing 600 mV it explains the huge mismatch...