Epi Les Paul Tribute: Choice of PUs

[sombersoul]

I've recently added an Epiphone Les Paul Tribute 60 to my collection. As always, I'm not enjoying the Gibson PUs ('57 Classics, in this case), so I want to give the guitar the Duncan treatment.

So far I've been an SG player (although I've played and had various LPs over the years). My current favourite SG (SG-400) has a DDb and PGn setup, which is about perfect. I used to own a Gibson SG Standard and tried several combos such as DD/'59n, C5/'59n and Alt8/'59n. In the end, I sold the guitar because I always had the impression it was a lemon soundwise and never really bonded with it.

Back to my new EP Les Paul Tribute. At the moment, I find it too nasal and muddy. I play through a Diezel Einstein and an Orange PPC 212 cab. Here's what I've been considering as far as PUs are concerned:


Bridge:

DD: A friend has a full DD setup in his EP Les Paul Standard. There's something about it which bothers me. Maybe it's too harsh or shrill.

C5: The number one recommendation for this kind of guitar. As mentioned above, I used to have a C5 in an SG Standard. I did not like it. It was too thin sounding, even brittle and somehow empty (or "scooped", if you will). The Les Paul is a different animal, but I hesitate to give the C5 another try, not having enjoyed it the first time.

Alt8: The good thing is I have one lying around unused. I wonder if it works well with the Les Paul, so I'd be happy about specific comments. I quite liked it in the SG Standard. It has lots of presence and bite without sounding harsh. The cleans are better compared to the DD. Maybe this is the PU I need to get some clarity into my Les Paul Tribute while retaining a fat, modern sound suited for high gain playing.

C8: I have no experience with this PU at all but all the positive posts on here make my mouth watery. How does it work in a Les Paul?

Custom: Also a classic recommendation for Les Paul guitars. Definitely worth considering.


Neck:

PGn: I very much enjoy the PGn I have in my SG-400. It sounds warm, full and sweet. It borders on boominess, though (at least in that guitar). I know it's a frequent recommendation for Les Paul necks but I'm a bit concerned. Otherwise, this would be my #1 choice.

'59: While I didn't like the C5 in the bridge of my SG Standard, I actually didn't mind the '59 in the neck. So maybe it's worth trying in the Les Paul.

Jazz: Recent posts I read mention that it can sound thin and a bit lifeless. If so, it's not the sound I'm after in the neck.


I usually play huge chords and palm mutes with high gain, so that's the number one criterion. However, I also use the bridge PU for cleans (usually with some delay added) and what I'm not enjoying is a lifeless, dull, metallic sound here.

The easiest way for me would be to try the Alt8 and get a neck PU. However, I'm not so much into experimentation, since I don't swap the PUs by myself (nor am I able or willing to swap magnets). I have professionals take care of the technical side of things, and I don't want to bring in my guitar every other week. So I'd like to make a choice I can live with for some time.

Any advice/suggestions would be very appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Aceman]

Re: Epi Les Paul Tribute: Choice of PUs

A PG is IMO (and many others), the ultimate LP neck pup period. Unless there is something specific you really need, I say do that by default everytime with an LP and don't look back.

After that - I have to say, I love me some LP style custom. I think it's just what you need to tame that honky mid.

I have this combo in my Caddy (just a sexy hawt bich LP, really). Sounds fantastic, and is flexible. Not as strident as the DD.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Epi Les Paul Tribute: Choice of PUs

How much gain do you want in the bridge? the gibson dirty fingers is a pretty sick pickup.

load of gain when distorted, chimey when clean. DEFINED.

 

[sombersoul]

Re: Epi Les Paul Tribute: Choice of PUs

A PG is IMO (and many others), the ultimate LP neck pup period. Unless there is something specific you really need, I say do that by default everytime with an LP and don't look back.

After that - I have to say, I love me some LP style custom. I think it's just what you need to tame that honky mid.

I have this combo in my Caddy (just a sexy hawt bich LP, really). Sounds fantastic, and is flexible. Not as strident as the DD.

OK, I think I'll go with the PGn. It was my first choice anyway. It also sounds great with an eBow in my SG.

I hear you on the Custom. I am only concerned about how it sounds clean. How does it compare to, say, the DD, whose cleans I don't find particularly good but at least usable?

I'm also still interested in hearing more about the C8 (over the C, for instance) and the Alt8 in the Les Paul...

How much gain do you want in the bridge? the gibson dirty fingers is a pretty sick pickup.
load of gain when distorted, chimey when clean. DEFINED.

That's a PU I haven't considered, as I am generally not fond of Gibson PUs. I think I would prefer a Seymour Duncan one but I'm naturally not saying that this is the only good choice.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Epi Les Paul Tribute: Choice of PUs

I'm also still interested in hearing more about the C8 (over the C, for instance)

That's a PU I haven't considered, as I am generally not fond of Gibson PUs. I think I would prefer a Seymour Duncan one but I'm naturally not saying that this is the only good choice.

The C8 is a great PU, the power and aggression of a ceramic with the warmth of an alnico. C5's are very good in LP's as the thick slab of mahogany fills in some mids.

That being said, keep this in mind, maybe you can do this better and cheaper:

-Switching from '57's to PG's is going from one A2 PAF to another, and the change may not be enough for your liking.

-I have a number of Gibson PU's, and have changed the magents in almost all of them. I find the A2's in the neck HB's to be a little dark & not as well-defined as I would like; an A5 or A4 takes care of that. Problem solved. In the bridge, using an A4 or A8 likewise give me what the stock PU's seemed to lack. If I didn't swap magnets, I'd have almost no Gibson HB's. They do make very good PU's. You may need to swap a couple magnets. But before anyone says no to that, many guys here are swapping magnets in Duncans too. If you want your ideal tones, you need to keep the door open to mag swapping, or be prepared to buy a number of PU's to find the lucky one.

-I have an Epi LP Std upgraded with a pair of '57's Classics in it. The neck sounds good as is. The bridge I'm not thrilled with. I'm going to try either 250K's or a mag swap, or both. I will get the bridge tones I want from that '57. There's too many stories here about guys buying PU after PU and still not getting the tones they want. After several hundred dollars, they either get lucky, or give up & settle for one of the half dozen PU's they bought. I've been thru that myself, but it stopped when I started changing magnets. Magnets and pots have given me great tones from PU's I'd have sold otherwise.

-The 498T/490R PU's that Gibson puts in so many models, is a questionable pairing that frustrates a number of players. Neck seems very dark, bridge seems very bright. One amp setting rarely works for both. That is solved by putting an A5 in the neck. Yet how many guys have yanked them out of their Gibsons & sold them? (Which is how I got mine). My 498T/490R's sound great with a mag swap or two. The A5 490R is as good a PAF as anyone makes. Unfortunately some poor guys didn't know that for $5 or $10 they could of done what I did, and they didn't have to spend $200 on another set. I'd like you to avoid that.

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Epi Les Paul Tribute: Choice of PUs

To sombersoul:

change the p'up magnets. Get an AlNiCo 4 bar for the neck and an AlNiCo 8 bar for the bridge p'up. NOW you can start enjoying those p'ups.

You can order from here: www.wymoreguitars.com.

John Wymore is a fellow forumite and he'll give you a discount for being a forumite too. If you use the search engine you'll find the instructions to change the magnets yourself, not a big deal either.

You can thank me later!

HTH,

 

[sombersoul]

Re: Epi Les Paul Tribute: Choice of PUs

Thanks for the suggestions so far! Right now, I'm strongly leaning towards the C8, simply because I've been reading so much about it that I finally have to try it out. I can always order one from Wymore Guitars.

As far as the neck is concerned: Which A4 or A5 PU is recommendable for Les Pauls, esp. in combination with a C8?

All this PU changing makes me want to buy more guitars to have as many combinations available as possible...