Re: best pickup for classic rock
I personally think the JB is too hot and has and upper midrange peak that bothers me....but that's just my opinion. I think other pickups do "classic rock" much better than the JB.
The first thing you have to ask yourself is this. How does your guitar sound accoustically? Is it naturally bright, naturally dark or what? Then you can make a better choice about what to put into it.
59's - A5 magnets. Will be brighter on the top end and have an overall tighter sound in both the bass and treble frequencies. It is not scooped, but some percieve it that way because of the tightness of highs and lows. This should not be a problem in the LP. These will work well if your guitar is a little dark.
PG's - A2 magnets. Will be smoother on the highs and lows, but the mismatched coils give a midrange tone that can sound bright to some ears, or muddy and unclear to others. Many say this is one of the best sets of HB's you can put in a Les Paul. They are not to my taste, but are excellent pickups. My opinion is these work best in a guitar that has an inbetween sound...not to dark, but not too bright. The only one they may not work well in is one that is overly bright.
APH - A2 magnets. These are the smoothest, most well balanced and articulate PAF type pups SD makes, IMO, and sound the best...again IMO. They will work well in all but a dark guitar. They smooth out the sound, retain articulation under even the higest of gain and are never boomy or harsh. With that said, some feel they do not have enough bite....again YMMV.
There is also the Seth Lover and the Antiquity. The Seths are a smoother version of the 59', but they have somewhat of a PAF midrange honk. You either like this or not. I personally like the tone...but it has to be in the right guitar.
The Antiquities take the best of the 59' and the Seth, roll them into one, and then lay you gently on the pillow while they blast out classic rock sounds. Smooth, airy, delicate yet clear...not too smooth, not too harsh...just right. I played a Gibson V with Ants thru a JCM 900 1/2 stack, and these pups were incredible. Expensive, but incredible...worth every penny.
Hope that helps a little
