Gibson-izing a shredstick. How would you go about that?

[Diego]

I know this goes against all common sense, years of knowledge and pickup swapping practice, but let's see what we can do.

So I've got a cheapo Jackson, yes? A Kelly. Bolt-on neck, TOM bridge, made of poplar, speedy maple neck with 24 frets and not the greatest of tones from it's stock pickups.
It's not bad at all, it's kinda snarly and angry but it lacks detail in the high-end and it definitely sounds thin.
Like it was made to make a passable 80s Thrash Metal impression, and nothing else.

Now, I'm using this guitar as a downtuner mostly. Drop C and from time to time, Drop A.
And being a Mastodon nut, I like the idea of having a medium to high-output passive bridge pickup that will punch in some serious mids and lows, but with definition in the high-end, something this guitar kinda does with it's own natural resonance.
They do use Les Pauls mostly, and I'm looking to get a semblance of that somehow with this guitar. Now I know a Strat is a Strat, a Les Paul a Les Paul and there's things that just won't happen, but close-ish is good enough.

I have a JB around I haven't even bothered testing, it will probably be a bit too soft in the highs and spongy in the low end. And an A8 magnet will darken it even further.
And also with an A8 the output goes to ****. Way too goddamn high for my taste.

I also have a Screamin' Demon which is crazy good for low tunings in my mahogany Ibanez, but I think it will sound way too scoopy and thin in the Jackson.

Given this situation, what pickup would you consider?
I thought of the Custom but I don't think the midrange is too strong in that one.

Who knows. Maybe I'll end up selling the Jackson and buying an Epiphone Les Paul or something.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Gibson-izing a shredstick. How would you go about that?

How about the Demon with the ceramic magnet from the Custom swapped into it?

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[AlexR]

Re: Gibson-izing a shredstick. How would you go about that?

PATB 3

Thats its design brief

 

[stratguy23]

Re: Gibson-izing a shredstick. How would you go about that?

It is really hard to turn one guitar into another. I've tried to go down this road before. Just because a 25.5" scale bolt-on has a rosewood fretboard and humbuckers doesn't mean it's going to sound or feel like a Les Paul. It may head in that direction, but it's never going to get all the way there.

There are a lot of 25.5" scale bolt-ons with humbuckers out there, and I've played tons of them. Not once did I feel that the experience approximated that of playing a Gibson. The experience can certainly be good or even great, but I find that 25.5" scale bolt-ons have a twang/clarity to them that Gibsons just don't have. With Gibsons, I want the mahogany and rosewood and set-neck construction and humbuckers all coalescing into a smoldering, greasy fireball of midrange.

Despite all that, PATB (I believe specifically the 3 model) was designed with your specific purpose, so you may want to try it.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Gibson-izing a shredstick. How would you go about that?

+1 on the PATB-3, a great pickup; it did wonders for one of my Floydcasters and is never coming out of there. For extra rage, there's also a PATB Distortion that might suit you.
As a first option, you could try that mag swap in your Demon though. Ceramic or A8, both worth a shot.
DiMarzio's The Breed is also worth considering; it's a beast with big non-spongy lows, thick mids & nicely defined high end. Just the thing for fattening up a trem guitar.

(Full disclosure- I haven't used any of these in drop C myself.)

 

[Mincer]

Re: Gibson-izing a shredstick. How would you go about that?

I would think the Custom, which has the right EQ, but more power would help. But there are just so many differences in body types and construction that it is a road which never ends, and doesn't go anywhere. I think if you abandon your original goal and just make that guitar an inspiring one to play, you can nail it.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Gibson-izing a shredstick. How would you go about that?

You could also try a UOA5 in the Custom. Or, if you have a thick ceramic laying around, slap that in and make a Big Custom.

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[Jocelyn]

Re: Gibson-izing a shredstick. How would you go about that?

The first thing that came to my mind is the PATB.

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[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Gibson-izing a shredstick. How would you go about that?

I would also like to know more about the PATB-3 you guys are posting about. I've read it can be a bit dark-sounding and lacking attack... is this true? How would it compare to something like a '59 bridge or a Whole Lotta Humbucker as far as EQ and output goes?

 

[daenius]

Re: Gibson-izing a shredstick. How would you go about that?

A huge part of the Les Paul's characteristic sound is the 24.75" scale length

Personally, if I want a 25.5" guitar to sound somewhat close to that, I'd get a Dimarzio Tone Zone. That thing has the deepest bottom end ever with a serious mid punch and very sweet rolled off highs.

That pickup in particular is very sensitive to height adjustment though, so use your ears carefully when adjusting the height. Other than that, it's the pickup to add depth to any guitar.

The Custom is a great choice too! I have one and that thing does NOT lack mids man, it's got some serious mid muscle and a strong yet focused low end.

 

[jonsick]

Re: Gibson-izing a shredstick. How would you go about that?

PATB-3 - It sounds effin great! BUT it needs a bit of fettling with height and if you have a bad set up will tell you ALL about it.
Custom - Not my initial reaction, but would be on my contenders list if you think the guitar is tame enough in the low-end to be OK.
JB Antiquity - On the provision you intend to use a real amp with a bit of volume, this would be my go to and is leaps and bounds over the stock JB
EMG 81 - Actually my first reaction. Though it's a high gain pickup it will get Mastadon easily. I don't know why it gets such a bad rep in these modern times, to me it's still one of the best pickups out there. I think because a lot of manufacturers are slapping them on their import line guitars. Who knows?