Changing my Les Paul's pickups - in need of help

Mike D

Mike D

New member
I've had my antiquities in my '59 Reissue for a while now and have loved them, but now that I've reduced my guitar collection I'm in need of a guitar with a more powerful rock tone. I was ideally hoping for something along the lines of John Sykes' tone he got from his '78 Custom. I believe he used a Dirty Fingers bridge. I'm not looking for a spot-on match, but something in the ballpark. I know the guitars themselves are different in woods too. Ideally I'd also like to keep nickel covers on the pickups. I'm playing through a 50w Jubilee. Any help would be wonderful. Other brands are welcome too.
 
Re: Changing my Les Paul's pickups - in need of help

Go for a Custom 5/PGn. That will take you into a better rock tone, that also happens to jive very well with the Jubilee. The C5 is like a hot 59, and the PG and Jazz always sound great in the neck. Jazz is clearer, and PG is a bright Alnico 2, like a hot old PAF.
 
Re: Changing my Les Paul's pickups - in need of help

Would the C5 be better than the Custom for this application? Which is brighter? I also wonder how the new Alternative 8 would sound.
 
Re: Changing my Les Paul's pickups - in need of help

I kind of hear the C5 as having a slightly more open and snappy high end, with neutral mids, and a big tight bass. Think VH/Angus/Lifeson territory.

The Custom is also great sounding, but is a bit more pushed sounding with a tad more compression on top and bottom. The mids are a little thicker than the C5.
Think Zakk Wylde/Scorpions/KISS territory.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top