Alnico 2 Pro in a Les Paul Custom (maple neck)?

[CustomCustom]

Would it be a good choice? or 59s?

Its a '78 LPC, maple neck with stock pickups. I do like em, but for the gig im playing they are a too weak. I'd like something more powerful but without going into JB/Custom territory.

I just use a boost/EQ pedal for lead playing and directly into a JMP.

 

[chadd]

Re: Alnico 2 Pro in a Les Paul Custom (maple neck)?

I used to have one in the bridge of my 76 deluxe that had been routed and it sounded fine. I only replaced it because the previous owner had damaged it a bit and I went with a 57/57+ combo.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Alnico 2 Pro in a Les Paul Custom (maple neck)?

AIIP's aren't exactly what id call "powerful."
They are fairly low output and won't push your amp very hard. They let your amp do all the work

Id look into something a little hotter like the Whole lotta humbucker or '59/Custom hybrid. They are hotter, but not stupid, mega hot

 

[dystrust]

Re: Alnico 2 Pro in a Les Paul Custom (maple neck)?

I had a Custom Custom in the bridge of my '77 LPC. Spec-wise it looks as hot as a JB or regular Custom, but IME it was a bit less. It pushed my Jubilee pretty well, and it may work well with your JMP depending on what tones you're after. You could probably leave the stock T-Top in the neck position, though I swapped mine for a Jazz. I used that combo for about a year in that guitar before having to sell it to help pay rent.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Alnico 2 Pro in a Les Paul Custom (maple neck)?

the CC has an AII mag, which is super low output, the JB has a V, which is a stronger magnet and the Custom has a Ceramic, which is a much stronger magnet.

 

[CustomCustom]

Re: Alnico 2 Pro in a Les Paul Custom (maple neck)?

AIIP's aren't exactly what id call "powerful."
They are fairly low output and won't push your amp very hard. They let your amp do all the work

Id look into something a little hotter like the Whole lotta humbucker or '59/Custom hybrid. They are hotter, but not stupid, mega hot

"not stupid, mega hot" sounds like what im looking for lol

Never heard about the "whole lotta humbucker", are those A5?

So the AIIpro are just as weak as the T-Tops then?

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Alnico 2 Pro in a Les Paul Custom (maple neck)?

"not stupid, mega hot" sounds like what im looking for lol

Never heard about the "whole lotta humbucker", are those A5?

So the AIIpro are just as weak as the T-Tops then?

They are low(er) output, Alnico II pickups. If you want hot, id look into the custom series: custom custom, Custom 5, Custom or '59/Custom Hybrid.

 

[chadd]

Re: Alnico 2 Pro in a Les Paul Custom (maple neck)?

They are low(er) output, Alnico II pickups. If you want hot, id look into the custom series: custom custom, Custom 5, Custom or '59/Custom Hybrid.

I would agree with that, the A2P will not be much (if any) hotter than what you have now. A custom custom would probably where I started my journey if I were in the OP's position.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Alnico 2 Pro in a Les Paul Custom (maple neck)?

If you want hot, high output that will push your amp.....get the Custom

 

[jeremy]

Re: Alnico 2 Pro in a Les Paul Custom (maple neck)?

the whole lotta humbuckers are rough cast a5. strong paf style pups but not anything like a distortion class pup or even a custom. they have a nice honk for an a5 pup. the neck pup is warm and balanced, the bridge has more upper mid snarl

aph is going to be weaker than a t-top in some ways. less treble, more mids, about the sameish output. the bottom of the t-top will be tighter. its a much different sounding pup and got a bigger mid push but isn't very hot

 

[Aceman]

Re: Alnico 2 Pro in a Les Paul Custom (maple neck)?

What amp are you playing? And what style of Music? And as always, it depends on the sound of the guitar itself. But I like the bright factor from the m,apple neck. I have a couple of 70's LPs.

That LP has T-tops. They aren't weak per se, but nothing to write home about either. They are similar to the Jazz, but IMO have some A2P characteristics as well.

A2P's, Pearly Gates, and 59's are all similar in output to the T-Tops, however, The PG's will DEFINITELY cut through more, and the 59's will likely do so also. A2P isn't exactly a cutting through pup except in the mid/lower mid area. Don't think it is what you want.

Duncan is not so much about the middle zone in output. They go mostly classic or mostly high output. DiMarzio has a larger number of mid-output pickups.

What I'll suggest is a Pearly Gates neck and a 59/Custom hybrid for the bridge. That might really get you what you want without too much volume, but will cut through.

Or - get a PG neck and a Custom bridge, but put 500k pots in there and do a 50's mod so you can roll down the volume without treble loss.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Alnico 2 Pro in a Les Paul Custom (maple neck)?

I would try the aph1 or aph2. A 78 LP can have these tarback pickups that can be extremely weak. I had one below 7K. It would help to post a picture of the back of the old pickups or (even better) an ohmmeter reading.

The aphs will still be "sharp", not fat.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Alnico 2 Pro in a Les Paul Custom (maple neck)?

whole lotta humbuckers. 500k pots. may the gods of rock smile upon you.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Alnico 2 Pro in a Les Paul Custom (maple neck)?

whole lotta humbuckers.

I haven't seen anyone who wasn't thrilled with them.

 

[audiocheck]

Re: Alnico 2 Pro in a Les Paul Custom (maple neck)?

Set of pearly gates gets my vote.

Works in my 79 custom.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Alnico 2 Pro in a Les Paul Custom (maple neck)?

Set of pearly gates gets my vote.

Works in my 79 custom.

Better than WLH's?

 

[symptom]

Re: Alnico 2 Pro in a Les Paul Custom (maple neck)?

I haven't seen anyone who wasn't thrilled with them.

I know youtube demos are not the ultimate stuff in checking tone, but I didn't really like the WLH demos I've seen.

 

[audiocheck]

Re: Alnico 2 Pro in a Les Paul Custom (maple neck)?

Better than WLH's?

Not sure!

I know my PGn in my 79 is exactly what I want a LP to sound like.

The bridge PG has plenty of bite, although it may not be traditionally a LP tone. The '59 for the bridge would be closer, maybe.

I never cared for T-tops. They get no love from me, poop.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Alnico 2 Pro in a Les Paul Custom (maple neck)?

Better than WLH's?

Different

 

[Aceman]

Re: Alnico 2 Pro in a Les Paul Custom (maple neck)?

Not sure!

I know my PGn in my 79 is exactly what I want a LP to sound like.

The bridge PG has plenty of bite, although it may not be traditionally a LP tone. The '59 for the bridge would be closer, maybe.

The Rev Billy G. disagrees, and so do I. But noted - that 79 isn't exactly a trad sound either