Formerly boring Gibson.

[ThunderLizard]

I think I have finally found a pickup that "works" in my fairly unique Gibson!

When I first got this Gibson it was a mostly stock "The Paul". A walnut body and necked guitar that looked to be made of different thickness's of scrap wood. When I got it, had a Lawrence L500 in the bridge and what looked like a Super Distortion in the neck. Only one problem...it refused to rock.

I tried a bunch of pickups and added a Kahler trem, a 3rd pickup and put on some paint. Usable but nothing that good.

Now I have finally gotten a JB in it and it came to life! Pinch harmonics come flying out now and chugging rhythms are actually tight and aggressive.

Has anyone else had a guitar they couldn't get to find its identity?

 

[trevorus]

Re: Formerly boring Gibson.

I've had a couple. A Karl Hoyt bass that had some pickups in it that by all accounts were amazing, but it never sat in a mix properly. The next owner put in a Bartolini system, and it really came alive.

I used to have an early Korean Reverend that was built excellently, but the pickups just never quite had it. Traded it off, and eventually I'll have to try to get a USA one...

My Les Paul studio seems to just punch so hard with any pickups I have put in it, so I'm still looking for something to make it a little more polite, or a band that it fits better with!

 

[Big Flannel]

Re: Formerly boring Gibson.

My ibanez arx300.

Some days I love it, others I have to play a different guitar. Formula73 did some work to it when we were hanging out and its definitely better... maybe I'm just not gelling the custom in the axe.

 

[formula73]

Re: Formerly boring Gibson.

I think BF has it right. I think if you have to struggle and struggle and struggle to make a guitar what you want...


...maybe it isn't what you want.

 

[Big Flannel]

Re: Formerly boring Gibson.

Anither important thing to check is how evenly the strings rings when playing unplugged. If it sounds like a mess, cut your losses and move on. A resonant and clear guitar can always be shaped with new pickups or wiring, but a piece of wood with strings on it won't always be a guitar.

 

[DreX]

Re: Formerly boring Gibson.

Has anyone else had a guitar they couldn't get to find its identity?

I bought a couple Fender FMT HH Teles because they were dirt cheap, supposedly mahogany, and otherwise very nice. What I found when they arrived is that they are not very dense and have very thin bodies, and the sound that comes out is more pickup and less guitar, and I think certain pickups, like Pearly Gates, need to paired up with a heavier body in order to sound the way they're expected to. One came pre loaded with Super Distortions, and it sounds pretty good, but I go more for the PAF tones. I don't know if any PAFs will work well with such a light body. The dryness makes for a nice crunchy, punchy distortion, but the cleans aren't as rich.

 

[80's_Metal]

Re: Formerly boring Gibson.

My explorer took at least ten different pickups until I found the right set.... Detonators of all things!
But hey, it's worth the trouble when you can get it to sound just right.

My humble .02 cents worth.

 

[Wattage]

Re: Formerly boring Gibson.

Glad the JB worked out so well!

My explorer took at least ten different pickups until I found the right set.... Detonators of all things!
But hey, it's worth the trouble when you can get it to sound just right.

I really like the Detonator, I used it in a TD sig Squier for a bunch of rhythm tracks a while back, worked so well I was very surprised. They were just supposed to be scratch tracks but much to my surprise...

 

[Aceman]

Re: Formerly boring Gibson.

That skinny walnut axe is a challenge….

I honestly always think 59's would be great in there.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Formerly boring Gibson.

Not exactly the answer to the question at-hand... but MOST of my axes over the years have seemed to be Jekyles and Hydes. One day, they are singing, vibrant, mojo-laden works of art that seem to almost play themselves. Other days... they are dead dogs that don't want to give-up the inspiration no matter how hard I try to beat them into submission.

And of course... I long ago came to the conclusion that the REAL Jekyle and Hyde, variable/weak-link in the chain was ME! :laugh2: