Best pickups to put in a Les Paul for metal?
- Thread starter Triangle386
- Start date
misterwhizzy
Well-known member
I like the Duncan Custom much better than the Super Distortion for your application. In fact, I strongly believe every guitarist interested in replacing pickups owes it to him or herself to try the Custom. It is truly wonderful.
fretburner
Well-known member
In this order:
1. Duncan Custom
2. Duncan 59/Custom Hybrid
3. Duncan Distortion
4.5 Bill & Becky L-500XL (if you prefer the brightest bridge pups)
4.5 Gibson 500T (if you prefer "normal" brightness pups)
1. Duncan Custom
2. Duncan 59/Custom Hybrid
3. Duncan Distortion
4.5 Bill & Becky L-500XL (if you prefer the brightest bridge pups)
4.5 Gibson 500T (if you prefer "normal" brightness pups)
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
I don't know if they changed the 500T throughout the years, but mine is from 2022 and it's brighter than my Custom. Had them both in the same guitars.
Both are pretty sizzly in the highs, but the 500T has a lot of those those Duncan Distortion high mids as well, so I feel it comes off as noticeably more aggressive. I wouldn't say it's BL levels of bright, but it is more aggressive than the Distortion or the Custom, IME.
I've often read the 500T being described as fat, and mine is the opposite of fat. It's a very focused aggressive pickup. The Custom has a way fatter low-end than the 500T to my ears. But maybe the old ones are different?
fretburner
Well-known member
I had to clarify: the 500T is "normal" compared the the L-500XL. The latter is the brightest HB I ever tried.
500T vs Custom? I would say they're about the same in terms of brightness, with the Custom having more low end. Mids are about the same. I don't agree with people saying the Custom is scooped.
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Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
I wouldn't say it's A5 Fender-style single coil levels of scooped, but I guess it depends what you compare it to.
I have a tendency to compare it to the JB family of pickups, because it is more or less around the same output level as the JB (lower DCR, but stronger magner). Compared to those, the mids are definitely more laid-back.
The Black Winter set FTW. The bridge pickup has plenty of mids and very tight bottom, a bit less sizzle than the Distortion but still very angry sounding, I can imagine it would kill into a tubescreamer set as clean boost into that Mesa. And the neck is amazing in its own way for both clean and high gain.
The stock Custom may sound a bit underwhelming for metal after playing the Distortion, it's a great pickup and everyone should play one, but it sounds a bit hi-fi, too rounded/polite maybe? I think I like it more with a double ceramic, it brings it really close to the Super Distortion, though still not metal ready
The stock Custom may sound a bit underwhelming for metal after playing the Distortion, it's a great pickup and everyone should play one, but it sounds a bit hi-fi, too rounded/polite maybe? I think I like it more with a double ceramic, it brings it really close to the Super Distortion, though still not metal ready
