epiphone les paul +good pickups

always SD

New member
hello

so, sh1-classic 57 or pearly gates, sh2? i must have a good clean sound and a warm sound with distorsion
12th,15th for example

i don't know if classic 57 sound is different from a sh1

-for the bridge, i hesitate between sh4 or sh6
sh 4 seems to be good but sh6 too

so, i look for a good clean sound and split too and sh4 seems to have a better clean sound

is it true?
whitesnake-gary moore sound (he had bburstbuckers pro too)
 
Re: epiphone les paul +good pickups

Well, I'd suggest the Seth Lovers for a good clean sound, but unless you get a custom version they're all non splittable as stock.

I've had mixed luck with 59's, they're usually better with mag swaps

The two pickups for the bridge you've selected won't have a good clean sound - ever. You'd have more luck with the JB in parallel, but the JB can be picky in LP's, even in the Epi's which are actually poplar or similar.

I'd probably go the Custom in the bridge, maybe Pearly gates in the neck - both available 4-conductor, both will give you a crunchy tone.
 
Re: epiphone les paul +good pickups

I have an '01 Epi maple top LP, upgraded with Schaller tuning keys and a JB/59 combo. Great plank of wood, and it positively roars. Very agressive bridge sound, and a very raw/"vintagey" neck sound. The JB in this guitar sounds a lot more "in your face" than another JB I have in a basswood Ibanez RG (where it sounds a lot fuller and refined).

I have no use for split tones on this guitar (I have a strat for that), so I cannot help you with that.
 
Re: epiphone les paul +good pickups

I got some Epi LP's, and like PAF's best in them. There's nothing better than a pair of Seth's.

There's a big difference in '59's (A5 magnet = lots of bass and treble, scooped mids) and '57's (A2 magnet = lots of mids and not much treble). In my experience, '57's have a dull, rounded high-end in LP's (thick mahogany body). There's also potenial issues with '59N's (often bassy/boomy in LP's). Some guys like the PG set; to me the neck is too warm and mellow, and the bridge it bright and thin, kind of mismatched.

If you want a hotter bridge PU, a Custom or C5 is a better (and more reliable) choice in mahogany than a JB.
 
Re: epiphone les paul +good pickups

I got some Epi LP's, and like PAF's best in them. There's nothing better than a pair of Seth's.

There's a big difference in '59's (A5 magnet = lots of bass and treble, scooped mids) and '57's (A2 magnet = lots of mids and not much treble). In my experience, '57's have a dull, rounded high-end in LP's (thick mahogany body). There's also potenial issues with '59N's (often bassy/boomy in LP's). Some guys like the PG set; to me the neck is too warm and mellow, and the bridge it bright and thin, kind of mismatched.

If you want a hotter bridge PU, a Custom or C5 is a better (and more reliable) choice in mahogany than a JB.

As always....Great info Rick!
 
Re: epiphone les paul +good pickups

for gary moore's tone, sykes or sambora
perfect mix for me seems to be


classic 57 (for warm sound) +sh4 (for harmonics, not metal like sh6 and big outpout)
clean sound sould be clean for me too !


then, i have 2 old pickups with an old guitar: sh1 and sh6

i can put these pickups in my new epiphone

but
if you have tested that or have some ideas, i will listen to you !


guitar: les paul pro fx
mahogany body
floyd rose

you said that sh4 has not a good clean sound?
a lot of people said it's versatile= a lot of sounds

c5 = what's that?
 
Re: epiphone les paul +good pickups

C5 = Custom 5 (SH-14). Since you have a SH-1 and SH-5, you can try those (neck and bridge respectively) and if the tones aren't quite what you want, swapping magnets will probbaly get you close.
 
Re: epiphone les paul +good pickups

C5 = Custom 5 (SH-14). Since you have a SH-1 and SH-5, you can try those (neck and bridge respectively) and if the tones aren't quite what you want, swapping magnets will probbaly get you close.

and for everybody, there are THE VIDEOS!
i think that 498T in bridge pickup has a better distortion sound (clean trebles) than sh4 in the video
 
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Re: epiphone les paul +good pickups

here

classic 57 has a warmer sound with distortion (more high mids) than the sh1 in neck
although i like sh1 and sh4 too :))
 
Re: epiphone les paul +good pickups

I have the hot rodded humbucker set in my Epi LP..(Sh2n+Sh4).. It gave my guitar the rock sound I was looking for. I actually hated the guitar (except for the looks) before I put this set in it. Both pickups have a good clean sound to me, and distorted they are awesome!

I say give what you have a shot. If they don't do it for ya... Try, Try, Try til you get what you like.
 
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Re: epiphone les paul +good pickups

good sound in neck here ! lp trad

This Vid shows that you can get great crunch with PAF strength pickups.....in both bridge and neck. The Trad has 57/57 + pickups. The SD equivalent would be the Slash A2pro, or the Pearly Gates
 
Re: epiphone les paul +good pickups

This Vid shows that you can get great crunch with PAF strength pickups.....in both bridge and neck. The Trad has 57/57 + pickups. The SD equivalent would be the Slash A2pro, or the Pearly Gates


the guitar is great too

the sound is one of my favorite sound in neck position

i don't know why the sh1 is famous because it's not that sound

i can't try a lot because i must give my guitar to a professional for him to put these pickups together in my guitar

it seems the classic 57 gives a fatter sound than pearly gates
maybe a seth lover or other = classic 57

i really dont' understand if the big outpout of the sh4 is useful compared to most of gibson pickups with 7-8k

so, we can make hard rock with classic 57+ and with sh4 too

the problem seems to be : the level of my amp !
 
Re: epiphone les paul +good pickups

it seems the classic 57 gives a fatter sound than pearly gates

maybe a seth lover or other = classic 57

In the bridge slot, '57's are warmer than PG's, but not so much in the neck.

Seths blow away any Gibson PU, especially '57's. '57's are a middle-of-the-pack PAF tonewise, priced at boutique levels, but they can't compete with boutiques for tone quality. The more PAF's you try, the less you'll be impressed with '57's.
 
Re: epiphone les paul +good pickups

another example i like is mark knopler's tone
like gary moore but without the heavy metal style

brother in arms live for example

he played with 58,59 lp with original PAF
so, i don't think a sh1 59 will be close to that
no?
 
Re: epiphone les paul +good pickups

i don't think a sh1 59 will be close to that
no?

How do you know? Original 1950's were wound inconsistently, often with unbalanced coils, and used 4 or 5 different kinds of alnico magnets. The resistances ran from 7K to 10K. They're all over the map tone-wise.
 
Re: epiphone les paul +good pickups

The 57 classics give a fat low output tone, but there are pickups that do this with much more depth of tone. The vid has a pretty driven/saturated tone, so the nuances of a nice pickup get lost. But quality low output will do the subtle 'on the verge of breakup' like Brothers in Arms, as well as this higher gain stuff similar to Gary Moore blues on steroids - both of which were recorded with real Bursts.

The 59's are an early wind of PAF clone from before a lot of work was done on what made these pickups so nice, and also so variable.

The Seth's have the original designer's input and, short of going for boutique PAF clones, will get you the closest you'll get from SD. They will also tend to enhance or expose the shortcomings of your guitar and amp - so beware. PAF clones can sometimes be extremely intolerant of poor technique or equipment!!
 
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Re: epiphone les paul +good pickups

so which pickups can give a very warm sound in neck (gary moore, john sykes, santana) with trebles too

out of phase knob

and heavy metal style with bridge position

a lot of people and shops said to put some classic 57 with les paul epiphone

i think the sound is dark so pickups with clean sound will be good

classic 57 + sh4 ?
pearly gates +sh4 ?

classic 57 + class 57 +?

sh1 + sh6 ?
seth lovers + sh4 ?

classic 57 are a bit expensive too
 
Re: epiphone les paul +good pickups

I'm shocked noone's mentioned teh WLH set...

Wouldn't that be about it,as in /thread?

Or am I missing something?
 
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