50's or Modern wiring for a chambered LP , help me decide please

[JB6464]

I have an 07 Chambered Rain Forest Gibson LP that's on the bright side no matter what pickups I install in it .
I am now going to change the pups again (4th time ) and I will be using a 59n and a 59/custom hybrid .
I will not be splitting the bridge pickup , it's going in full hot at 11.25 dc output .
The guitar is slightly on the airy bright side which I think is because it's chambered out pretty hard and only weighing in at 7.9 # but it's a blast to play with 9.5-44 strings on it .
I will admit I don't use the neck tone pot at all , just the bridge tone pot if I need it but I want to go ahead and wire it up complete as for my taste may change over time .

Can someone explain what I would hear between the 50's and Modern wiring in my chambered LP ?

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

50s wiring keeps more of the brightness as you turn down the volume. That’s the only difference. With everything on 10 you won’t hear it.

This video explains it well with actual comparisons. Check out his tone cap tests which proves there’s no difference between a ceramic and paper-in-oil and even a paper clip (when the control is on 10).

https://youtu.be/uRUobVmNKko


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Chistopher]

If you've never tried 50s its pretty fun to play around with, but it's pretty tough to adjust on the fly if you use both your volume and tone controls regularly. If you only use volume and never touch the tone control, there isn't really a downside to it.

 

[beaubrummels]

If your guitar is bright, I would stick with modern wiring. IME a 59/C is brighter than a 58B, so already you won't need the benefit 50's wiring brings.

 

[SwedishHumbucker]

I prefer 50s wiring on the neck pickup and modern on the bridge pickup in a Les Paul. Its a very good combo if you like to play heavier music with the bridge pickup.

 

[AlexR]

Quite literally the difference is 1 solder joint. So I can't see why a final decision has to be made before you even wire the pickups in. Try both ways and see what you like rather than deciding based on the opinions of people who have never ever heard you or this guitar in action.

 

[GuitarStv]

If you've never tried 50s its pretty fun to play around with, but it's pretty tough to adjust on the fly if you use both your volume and tone controls regularly. If you only use volume and never touch the tone control, there isn't really a downside to it.

Yes, this. '50s wiring makes the tone control behave strangely. Sometimes it acts as a tone control (when the volume is full up) and sometimes it acts as a volume control (when the volume is half down).

My own preference is for modern wiring - with a treble bleed if you're having problems with brightness. This way the volume acts as a volume control, and the tone acts as a tone control.

 

[DonP]

I have an 07 Chambered Rain Forest Gibson LP that's on the bright side no matter what pickups I install in it .
I am now going to change the pups again (4th time ) and I will be using a 59n and a 59/custom hybrid .
I will not be splitting the bridge pickup , it's going in full hot at 11.25 dc output .
The guitar is slightly on the airy bright side which I think is because it's chambered out pretty hard and only weighing in at 7.9 # but it's a blast to play with 9.5-44 strings on it .
I will admit I don't use the neck tone pot at all , just the bridge tone pot if I need it but I want to go ahead and wire it up complete as for my taste may change over time .

Can someone explain what I would hear between the 50's and Modern wiring in my chambered LP ?

What pickups have you tried so far? I have a 2009 CR8 that sounds similar to yours. Airy, chimey, etc. It still has the original BB1&2 in it.

 

[JB6464]

What pickups have you tried so far? I have a 2009 CR8 that sounds similar to yours. Airy, chimey, etc. It still has the original BB1&2 in it.

1) Came with BB1&2 , neck was ok but the bridge I could'nt bond with .
2) Next up was a set of stock 59's , love the 59n but a stock 59b was to thin , output was fine but not enough mids .
3) 59n / Duncan Distortion , I wanted a hotter bridge and experiment to see what would happen with a high gain pickup . It had tighter low end with sizzling highs but in the end it was to hot for me .
4) 59n / 59/Custom Hybrid , closer to what I wanted but still a little to hot and i'm still on the fence with this setup .
5) Back to the 59 set now with a stock A5 in neck and ready to try an A4 in the bridge , I also have an A8 standing by .

One thing is for sure is I like the stock 59 in the neck position , 59 in the bridge is close but still missing something .
But no matter what I try though that airy , hollow chimey midrange continues to slap you in the face 24/7 and seems to make the guitar to bright with no tight low end .

 

[JB6464]

I prefer 50s wiring on the neck pickup and modern on the bridge pickup in a Les Paul. Its a very good combo if you like to play heavier music with the bridge pickup.

Now that's interesting , never though of that setup , Thanks .

 

[beaubrummels]

5) Back to the 59 set now with a stock A5 in neck and ready to try an A4 in the bridge , I also have an A8 standing by .

One thing is for sure is I like the stock 59 in the neck position , 59 in the bridge is close but still missing something .
But no matter what I try though that airy , hollow chimey midrange continues to slap you in the face 24/7 and seems to make the guitar to bright with no tight low end .

Whole Lotta Humbucker bridge. It's like a sweetened 59, fuller in the mids, softer on the top end, and a little more heat, but not a hot pickup.

 

[jeremy]

59b with uoa5 softens the high end and has a little more mids than a typical a5. might lose a touch of output though

 

[AlexR]

1) Came with BB1&2 , neck was ok but the bridge I could'nt bond with .
2) Next up was a set of stock 59's , love the 59n but a stock 59b was to thin , output was fine but not enough mids .
3) 59n / Duncan Distortion , I wanted a hotter bridge and experiment to see what would happen with a high gain pickup . It had tighter low end with sizzling highs but in the end it was to hot for me .
4) 59n / 59/Custom Hybrid , closer to what I wanted but still a little to hot and i'm still on the fence with this setup .
5) Back to the 59 set now with a stock A5 in neck and ready to try an A4 in the bridge , I also have an A8 standing by .

One thing is for sure is I like the stock 59 in the neck position , 59 in the bridge is close but still missing something .
But no matter what I try though that airy , hollow chimey midrange continues to slap you in the face 24/7 and seems to make the guitar to bright with no tight low end .

Most of your choices have been 'scooped' pickups, or ones with really strong treble. The 59 in the bridge is the most scooped Duncan has.
An A2 magnet is really the better choice for more mids, as would be the A2pro as another pickup option.

 

[alex1fly]

1) Came with BB1&2 , neck was ok but the bridge I could'nt bond with .
2) Next up was a set of stock 59's , love the 59n but a stock 59b was to thin , output was fine but not enough mids .
3) 59n / Duncan Distortion , I wanted a hotter bridge and experiment to see what would happen with a high gain pickup . It had tighter low end with sizzling highs but in the end it was to hot for me .
4) 59n / 59/Custom Hybrid , closer to what I wanted but still a little to hot and i'm still on the fence with this setup .
5) Back to the 59 set now with a stock A5 in neck and ready to try an A4 in the bridge , I also have an A8 standing by .

One thing is for sure is I like the stock 59 in the neck position , 59 in the bridge is close but still missing something .
But no matter what I try though that airy , hollow chimey midrange continues to slap you in the face 24/7 and seems to make the guitar to bright with no tight low end .

#4 is too hot how? Are you running your guitar volume at 10 all the time? Try running it at 7-8 for "normal" playing and then bumping it to 10 for a boost when you need it. This cleans up my SG/PAFs sound significantly.

Options for more mids - a2 magnet, sink the polepieces down into the pickup and raise the pickup if needed, throw a 10 band EQ in front of your amp.

 

[JB6464]

#4 is too hot how?

No , I have'nt tried the #4 yet .
I thought I had one but it's a RCA5 , so I am going to have to order some more mags now .
I will get some RC A2's and A4's and see where it takes me from there .

 

[pskorz]

1) Came with BB1&2 , neck was ok but the bridge I could'nt bond with .
2) Next up was a set of stock 59's , love the 59n but a stock 59b was to thin , output was fine but not enough mids .
3) 59n / Duncan Distortion , I wanted a hotter bridge and experiment to see what would happen with a high gain pickup . It had tighter low end with sizzling highs but in the end it was to hot for me .
4) 59n / 59/Custom Hybrid , closer to what I wanted but still a little to hot and i'm still on the fence with this setup .
5) Back to the 59 set now with a stock A5 in neck and ready to try an A4 in the bridge , I also have an A8 standing by .

One thing is for sure is I like the stock 59 in the neck position , 59 in the bridge is close but still missing something .
But no matter what I try though that airy , hollow chimey midrange continues to slap you in the face 24/7 and seems to make the guitar to bright with no tight low end .

I have a Les Paul with a 59 neck and a 59/custom hybrid in the bridge. I feel the same, I think there may be a better bridge option out there for me, but I'm sold on the neck position. Typically I run with the neck vol on full, and I have the brige vol (not '50's style) at about 8 or so. For me that seems to tame it down to be the perfect match for the neck.