2000 Les Paul 59RI New Pickups And Triple Shot System

HyBr1d

New member
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Just got my 2000 59RI back from the shop today, couldn’t be happier!! First the pickups...A Seymour Duncan 59 Custom for the bridge. For the neck, a Seymour Duncan Custom Shop build your own. Did the hybrid method...A 78 Model screw coil and Pearly Gates neck slug coil, rough cast, degaussed A5 for the magnet :) Doyle Coils full vintage harness. But the big big pull in my mind(and ears) is the Seymour Duncan Triple Shot system!! Still learning the in’s and out’s of the system, but the options are just awesome in my mind! Coil Splitting, deciding which coil to split...And also all the really different kinds of tones that can be had from such an easy systen. I’m so very happy to have gone with the hybrid neck pickup alone, the Triple Shot is just icing on the cake...If you have a 4 wire pickup, I’d highly recommend giving the system a try, I think it’s definitely worth every penny!!

Who else has given this a try and what guitar/pickups!!?
 
Re: 2000 Les Paul 59RI New Pickups And Triple Shot System

i have a set of prails and triple shots in a prs. very versatile guitar, i mostly use the p90 sounds but having the other options is very nice
 
Re: 2000 Les Paul 59RI New Pickups And Triple Shot System

I have the triple shot rings on two of mine with JB/Jazz pickups
And it's almost too many options

Have you noticed the slight variations in the sound of the screw coil versus the slug coil

To me the slug coil is a bit warmer
 
Re: 2000 Les Paul 59RI New Pickups And Triple Shot System

Good choice on the hybrid neck. I've made neck hybrids of my own ('59B+'59N, etc). The unbalanced coils give them more treble & less midrange, and eliminates any mud.
 
Re: 2000 Les Paul 59RI New Pickups And Triple Shot System

Thank you blueman335, I’ve absolutely loved the neck hybrids!! This is the 2nd neck hybrid I’ve had made by the Custom Shop, the first was a 78 model screw coil with a Jazz neck slug coil, with an Alnico 2 mag :) I have that in the neck of a 2001 CS 57 RI LP Custom Mahogany Top(lol the names!)and live it...Nice and creamy, but can get a bit rude with od/distortion/fuzz! I wanted to try something similar, but slightly different for the 59(didn’t want the same exact pickup, lol have to experiment!!)
I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment of mismatched coils, tbh you definitely know more about it than I do! I always could tell there was a difference, but the way you put it into words really hits the nail right on the head!! Both of these hybrids have been slightly hot for neck pickups(8.40 for the 78/PG and 8.53 for the 78/Jazz) but I believe that the coil mismatch definitely cures any of the perceived ills of higher output neck pickups!
ehdwuld I like the combo of yours!! As far as determining which coil is warmer, I think it really depends on what the specific coil’s specs are...On mine, you can definitely hear that the 78 coil and Custom coil are definitely louder! Though, I actually like the sound of the Pearly Gates coil when split more...With it being a less powerful coil, it sounds more “single coil-y to me...Almost Strat or Tele like...The 78 coil has much more mid range, so it doesn’t really get the “single coil sparkle” as much...Haven’t really paid as much attention to the bridge differences, I’m going to have to do that now!
And to Jeremy, I think the p rails were what the Triple Shot system was designed for, so I’m sure it rocks on yours!! I personally haven’t gone P-Rails because I have a 1958 LP Special, absolutely love vintage p90’s! I really want to sell it and buy a cheaper one, or buy a Early 90’s LP Special reissue and just buy a set of 50’s era p90’s...I hate saying it because I don’t like bragging, but the 58 is in such great condition that you’d swear it was a recent reissue...It just doesn’t feel right playing it, as I don’t want to scratch or ding anything!!

Thank you all for the reply’s, keep on going! I’d love to hear of others experiences with the Triple Shot system!!
Oh yeah...I’m really considering asking the Custom Shop if they can make a Custom Phat Staple with Different Alnico’s for each string..Was thinking of A5 for the low E ,A4 for the A&D strings, and then A3 for the remaining strings...Just think it could be really cool!! Or if they could just do a Phat Staple w/all Alnico 3..Got a set of Klein pickups in a tele and both are A3, and they sound amazing!! Like I seriously never thought I would like a Tele bridge pickup, but it’s a Klein Epic Esquire and it’s just great, especially when you get some distortion going!(whether amp, fuzz or distortion pedal, the thing just has a “sizzle” that is so surprising!!) I seriously thought I was just going to give it a try and then get a single coil sized hb for it, but it’s made a believer out of me!! Maligning me wonder if I should try the Epic 69 bridge pickup in my G&L Legacy...Though I’m in love with the SD CS Little 78 that I’ve got in the bridge! Sorry for off topic stuff, but it’s just so much fun to talk gear with people who understand just why you’d go through the trouble of having the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop make a pickup exactly how you want, instead of going for an “off the shelves” model(not that there is anything wrong with that, sorry if that came out as a dis, wasn’t meant to be!!) Rock on everyone!! Thanks for the discussion!!
 
Re: 2000 Les Paul 59RI New Pickups And Triple Shot System

Sorry I’m advance, I’ve got all my guitars back from the shop and all modified in some way, first pic of them all together at home at one time!

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And I may be crazy, but went for the wooden knobs, Tortoise Shell Imperial Buttons and a black MoP selector tip on the Custom...Thinking of similar things on the LP Elegant
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Ok sry for talking so much, time to play!!
 
Re: 2000 Les Paul 59RI New Pickups And Triple Shot System

Nice R9 and digging your other guitars. I'm currently playing around with the thought of using a triple shot in a '60 Melody Maker. It was modified for a bridge humbucker. I have it on hand, but with fires and now mudslides in the Santa Barbara area, I doubt I'll be getting my custom set soon. I went with a sentient neck and S Deco humbucker with some added "tele on steroids PAF" vibe .

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Re: 2000 Les Paul 59RI New Pickups And Triple Shot System

I really like the idea of the modded Melody Maker!! I really have been interested in finding one of the 3 pickup SG style Melody makers! Talking probably to Hoagland for a Custom vintage style harness, and talking to SD Custom Shop to have some custom pickups made! Not like the wimpy low output ones of the originals, but maybe a “StratBro” type for the bridge and then either a Hendrix style set like they make that would fit, or a 59-62 Strat clone for the neck and middle :) Or thought it’d be cool to find a refin early 60’s type SG Junior and having a neck p90 routed in by a good guitar tech...Then try to find a 50’s p90(Something about the pre 60’s p90’s that I really like!! Anyways, a few pics of my 58 Special, as you’ll see, I really have a hard time playing it because of the condition!
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Lol too hard to tell what I selected, but should be good ones :) Eventually I’ll sell it, but definitely going to be going for top dollar for it :)
 
Re: 2000 Les Paul 59RI New Pickups And Triple Shot System

https://youtu.be/xSkYZgTIPQE
Ended up doing a vid of the guitar, demoing the Triple Shot System :) Done on a Marshall jvm1c with nos tubes and a Celestion G10 Greenback instead of the inadequate 8 inch stock speaker! Just did the clean channel since I thought it’d give a much clearer “picture” of the tonal differences while going through the different settings...The neck pickup though, seriously impressed me...Seems like the perfect neck Blues Humbucker...Great punch and clarity, combined with grit and a bit of rudeness... Anyways, I just spent like 20-30 seconds per setting, still ended up with like 12-14 minutes! Hope it’ll be enjoyed, and maybe convince someone skeptical to give it a try!(I sure was, now I wasn’t to put them on my lp Custom!) please excuse any playing errors, as this was to showcase the different tones, not my playing!
 
Re: 2000 Les Paul 59RI New Pickups And Triple Shot System

Wow, cool video! Thanks for doing that!
 
Re: 2000 Les Paul 59RI New Pickups And Triple Shot System

Oh yeah...I’m really considering asking the Custom Shop if they can make a Custom Phat Staple with Different Alnico’s for each string..Was thinking of A5 for the low E ,A4 for the A&D strings, and then A3 for the remaining strings...Just think it could be really cool!! Or if they could just do a Phat Staple w/all Alnico 3



I have a Duncan Staple neck, and it is bright and clear, just what I hoped it would be, more than any other PU I've owned or played, except maybe a DiMarzio HFH. I don't think one would work in the bridge slot. Since the magnets are cut extra short, I doubt Duncan has them in anything but A5. It's also a very tall PU, and you need a extra deep hole for it, or you'll have to route out some wood to make it fit. I think the stock neck Staple is fine as is. But it's expensive (they went for half price when Duncan had a forum member sale when they first introduced them), and could cut the manufacturing costs down if they did away with adjustable heights for each magnet. It's a very specialized PU, and pricey, so I doubt they sold many.
 
Re: 2000 Les Paul 59RI New Pickups And Triple Shot System

Mincer, thanks for the kind words, you’re always great!! No prob, thought it’d be a good idea to do a quick vid of as many combos as possible! Thanks for noticing :) Oh yeah, hate to plug another thread, but I did a vid with this guitar demoing the Pigdog Party Favor Fuzz...A quick search and I’m sure you’d find it, both pickups take to Fuzz EXTREMELY well!! Thought you might enjoy that!! Thanks again!

Thank you for the information, blueman335, I’ve always been interested in the Staple pickup!(Really wanted a 53/4-56 Custom, but tbh the conditions of the ones that ere in my “price range,” had some family help...but the deal was if I took it, the guitar had to basically be as flawless as possible for a 50’s guitar...A Les Paul Custom with the Staple was a bit too far out of reach...I don’t know, right now isn’t the time because I’m definitely playing catch-up with money, but if theyan make individual mags for Strats and Teles, they have the tooling to make magnets for the Staples...I personally wouldn’t think it’d matter what type of mag it would be!(at least that’d be my hope, and was hoping a lil extra $ for the modifications could help make it work!!) The only prob I’d have with routing is that it’d be going into a LP Elegant, they were weight relieved, so wouldn’t want it to hit a “void!” In actuality, I’ll probably just have another hybrid coil pickup made...Was thinking about A3 though...Was thinking 78/Full Shred w/a3? Lots of mids w/the 78 coil, and great treble w/the full shred coil...Could maybe make for the right combination to make Alnico 3 have some more treble bite! Don’t want to go A2...Personally(I’m sad to say this) the pickups in there now are Custom Shop Pearly Gates, and I’m honestly not very impressed with the set...The neck isn’t too bad, but the bridge is quite lackluster in my opinion...And having experienced an A5 neck pickup, I think I should either take a chance on the 78/FS A3(prob would be the greatest coil mismatch, which would help the magnet out I would think?) Or go some other Direction with a mismatched A5...I’ve done the 78 in 2 pickups now, lol and have a Little 78 in the bridge of my G&L Legacy, think it may be time to have something truly different as a neck pickup.Surprisingly has the SBS neck in there and “underwhelmed” is an understatement, sounded like the tone was set to zero right from the beginning...That was w/the stock Gibson harness though...Shouldn’t make that much of a difference, but I wonder if it’d sound like it actually had treble if I tried putting it back in since it’s got a better harness! Or...What REALLY intrigues me would be to take a chance and put the Pegasus I had in the bridge(again, just sounded blah, though not as significantly as the SNS!) and put the Pegasus in the neck? And then maybe do a “build your own” hybrid for the bridge! Any suggestions on that? Ehhh...Forget the Pegasus idea...Just realized I have a WLH and 78/Jazz A2 Hybrid Combo in the LP Custom RI(both mid to high 8ks...)Then the 59/Custom Hybrid and 78/PG Hybrids(11.2 and 8.4) So maybe it’s time to do a more “vintage,” low output hybrid...Like maybe the Seth Lovers(bridge coil) and Full Shred neck coil for the neck...ehhh never mind that, gotta think too much... I think I’d try to see if they could do a straight A3 Staple for the neck(tho technically pretty hot, definitely vintage) and then maybe a WLH neck screw coil and Jazz bridge slug coil, and have one coil underwound, or one under and one over...Just not sure about the magnet..Don’t like the A2 Custom Shop Pearly Gates, but have had great luck with rough cast, degaussed A5(went crazy and had a Custom Shop JB built that way for a G&L Jerry Cantrell tribute Rampage, and adore it...Like the 78/PG neck...Amizing string separation and punch...but not boomy and definitely no “icepick” highs... Anyways, I’ve done so much Custom work to guitars, amps and pedals that it’ll be a while until I can get the Elegant the way I want it to sound(Vintage LP, but with no “mud.” Like some of the best original PAF’s...Expressive, dynamic, clear...But with just a little extra grit and attitude...maybe it’s because of some have such mismatched coils that it happened?) Anyways, long again as usual, Sorry!
 
Re: 2000 Les Paul 59RI New Pickups And Triple Shot System

There's always a less expensive option, like a normal ebony LP Custom of whatever brand, with a Staple in the neck & a HB-sized P-90 in the bridge. Epiphone actually has a '54 LP Custom with 2 P-90's. The neck could be routed for a deep Staple. Throwing the idea out there. If nothing else, one of those you tide you over until you got a Gibson '54.
 
Re: 2000 Les Paul 59RI New Pickups And Triple Shot System

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Just got my 2000 59RI back from the shop today, couldnÂ’t be happier!! First the pickups...A Seymour Duncan 59 Custom for the bridge. For the neck, a Seymour Duncan Custom Shop build your own. Did the hybrid method...A 78 Model screw coil and Pearly Gates neck slug coil, rough cast, degaussed A5 for the magnet :) Doyle Coils full vintage harness. But the big big pull in my mind(and ears) is the Seymour Duncan Triple Shot system!! Still learning the inÂ’s and outÂ’s of the system, but the options are just awesome in my mind! Coil Splitting, deciding which coil to split...And also all the really different kinds of tones that can be had from such an easy systen. IÂ’m so very happy to have gone with the hybrid neck pickup alone, the Triple Shot is just icing on the cake...If you have a 4 wire pickup, IÂ’d highly recommend giving the system a try, I think itÂ’s definitely worth every penny!!

Who else has given this a try and what guitar/pickups!!?

Gorgeous guitar.
 
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