Good Les Paul pickup set - replace 57/57+

[Scatitude]

I'm a hard rock guy and am a fan of the classic and hair metal Les Paul tones. I dig classic tones like Jimmy Page, Brian Robertson, Billy Gibbons and the hair metal stuff like Dio, Whitesnake, Van Halen, -- the high gain Marshall tone ...

I have a JVM 410H and the Classic 57's in my LP have that classic tone in spades but lack on metal stuff. I am comparing it to my PRS Custom 24 with a Duncan Custom in bridge and Jazz in neck (which is coming out for a 59 neck). That guitar is a firebreather with the Custom in bridge but I think that pickup is too brittle sounding for the classic sound.

Am I dreaming thinking I can find something in between. I think I'll keep the 57 in the neck of the LP - is there a good bridge pickup anyone has come across like this? Perhaps just put a Tube Screamer in front of my Paul and leave it alone? Thanks in advance.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Good Les Paul pickup set - replace 57/57+

Welcome to the forum!

My first thought is a JB, which does the hair metal stuff really really well. A less obvious choice (but works really well in an LP) is a Full Shred, which has more dynamics than more high output rock & metal pickups.

 

[audiocheck]

Re: Good Les Paul pickup set - replace 57/57+

if by this statement, -- the high gain Marshall tone ..., you mean Pre-Amp gain?

Then go vintage output: 59b, PGb or even SH-10 Demon.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Good Les Paul pickup set - replace 57/57+

Please tell me you have this JVM410h:



Anyway, I say go for a Pearly Gates in the neck and Custom Custom in the bridge. They both have bold mids, rounded highs, and loose bass, which tends to work well for Marshall sourced Classic Rock tones.

 

[smitty302]

Re: Good Les Paul pickup set - replace 57/57+

It's hard to beat the 57/57+ combo, especially for stock pickups. With my SG, I can get everything from Page tones to hair metal out of them. I also have a sh-5 custom in another SG, and I think it's awesome also, especially playing metal.

 

[Scatitude]

Re: Good Les Paul pickup set - replace 57/57+

if by this statement, -- the high gain Marshall tone ..., you mean Pre-Amp gain?

Then go vintage output: 59b, PGb or even SH-10 Demon.

Yes, the sounds of a JCM800 pushed hard - think Dokken, Maiden, Priest, ect.

The SH-5 gets me there, but doesn't get me the Plexi - PAF sound (THIN LIZZY !!) when I back down the gain. That is why I mentioned just putting a Tube Screamer in the signal chain when I want the Classic 57+ to snarl.

I'm a reformed bassist that moved to guitar a few years ago so I'm a rookie when talking tone chasing.

 

[audiocheck]

Re: Good Les Paul pickup set - replace 57/57+

Yes, the sounds of a JCM800 pushed hard - think Dokken, Maiden, Priest, ect.

The SH-5 gets me there, but doesn't get me the Plexi - PAF sound (THIN LIZZY !!) when I back down the gain. That is why I mentioned just putting a Tube Screamer in the signal chain when I want the Classic 57+ to snarl.

I'm a reformed bassist that moved to guitar a few years ago so I'm a rookie when talking tone chasing.

Well understanding the characteristics of the 2 types of gain will get you closer to the sound you are chasing. The vintage Thin Lizzy tone has more to do with Power Tube distortion/gain. with large Pre-amp gain (12AX7 not EL34), it will be hard to obtain cleaning up by rolling down the guitar volume.

if you do have the amp that is pictured above, try setting one channel for classic rock gain and the other for modern high gain. on the classic channel, set the volume on 10, then dial up the gain knob to where it distorts nice with your guitar volume on 10. of corse this will be WAY TOO LOUD. back down the volume to say 6-7 and it should be more manageable. at this point the you should be able to roll down the guitar volume and get what you want.

I never liked the SH-5 in my LP. too compressed for me, not enough dynamic range. thats why the hottest pup I go is Screaming Demon.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Good Les Paul pickup set - replace 57/57+

I’d say a Super Distortion but you might not get the classic Page-y type stuff as easily with that pickup.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Good Les Paul pickup set - replace 57/57+

I’d say a Super Distortion but you might not get the classic Page-y type stuff as easily with that pickup.

Please, it's not that hard to get a Page tone. I bet you could nail his tone with nothing more than a Tele direct into a soundboard.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Good Les Paul pickup set - replace 57/57+

Please, it's not that hard to get a Page tone. I bet you could nail his tone with nothing more than a Tele direct into a soundboard.

Ok

 

[blueman335]

Re: Good Les Paul pickup set - replace 57/57+

Have you looked at WLH? As far as '57's, they're the worst sounding PAF I've ever owned, and I've owned a lot of makes and models of PAF's over the years. Just about any other PAF is an upgrade.

 

[Mez Cal]

Re: Good Les Paul pickup set - replace 57/57+

I love the 57' classic - in the neck position only...with a good big muff clone you can get the coolest, smoothest violin tones on single note runs

Are the WLH's in the 57' classic Ballpark? Is it even the same sport?

 

[stratguy23]

Re: Good Les Paul pickup set - replace 57/57+

To do both classic rock and hair metal in an LP, I'd recommend the Screamin Demon. The JB is hair metal personified, but to me has too much output to do classic rock well. The Screamin Demon is like a midpoint between the 59 and JB, and, being George Lynch's pickup, was purpose built for hair metal.

Another candidate might be the Perpetual Burn, which output-wise is in the same neighborhood as a Screamin Demon, i.e., between vintage and high output. However, to me, its flat EQ is more of a blank slate, whereas a Screamin Demon is voiced more with that upper midrange bump that lends itself to hair metal.

The Full Shred could perhaps do the job also, but IMO its attack is too stiff to do classic rock well. If one wanted an even more precise attack after trying the Screamin Demon, the Full Shred would be the way to go.

 

[chadd]

Re: Good Les Paul pickup set - replace 57/57+

I would just leave things as they are. You have two guitars that each gives you one of the tones you want, trying to get either guitar to do both will likely result in a compromise. If you're going to compromise, I would just use an OD pedal to get the Les Paul into the higher gain ballpark.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Good Les Paul pickup set - replace 57/57+

From the 57's, I would actually go something like 59' in the bridge and APH or PG in the neck. The Seth Lover is my favorite neck humbucker. I don't have any issues with squeal for blues or hard rock, but it "might" squeal under metal type gain.

The Whole Lotta Love set gets great reviews for classic rock through 80's stuff. They're a bit hotter than vintage.... but not a lot. They are still open and vocal.... not compressing like higher gain pickups. The other set that has me really intrigued is the Saturday Night Special Set. I have one of the bridge models, but I only had it in for an afternoon, as I was rotating some pickups through my Dean Hardtail. I did like the sound quite a bit, but I want to pick up a neck version to install them as a set, to really evaluate them. They do classic rock great, but not 100% sure about Metal. Hard Rock.... yes.

Normally for a Les Paul my default suggestion is the Seth Set. I just haven't tried them for metal tones. They rule for everything else though. Oh, one more bridge HB to consider is the Brobucker. 10K so it's hotter but not too hot. It's supposed to be the perfect in between vintage and hot HB. I have one of those also, but I haven't installed it yet either.

Those are my thoughts.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Good Les Paul pickup set - replace 57/57+

PG neck, and 59/Custom hybrid in bridge.

The PG is an A2 mag, like the 57's, and it can get nasty if you want. The 59/Custom is like a custom light. Bring down volume and tone a touch and you'll be in 57 territory, or turn it up rawk out.


Why did nobody else say this?????? OP asked for IN BETWEEN 57's and Jazz/Custom. Seriously guys....pay attention!


He is gonna play Zeppelin AND Kingdom Come on this axe!!!!

 

[evan47]

Re: Good Les Paul pickup set - replace 57/57+

I am getting pretty good thin lizzy-esq tones from a JB in an ec1000 through a blackstar combo.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Good Les Paul pickup set - replace 57/57+

PG neck, and 59/Custom hybrid in bridge.

The PG is an A2 mag, like the 57's, and it can get nasty if you want. The 59/Custom is like a custom light. Bring down volume and tone a touch and you'll be in 57 territory, or turn it up rawk out.


Why did nobody else say this?????? OP asked for IN BETWEEN 57's and Jazz/Custom. Seriously guys....pay attention!


He is gonna play Zeppelin AND Kingdom Come on this axe!!!!

The difference in eq might make the bridge too thin when the neck is dialed in and the neck too muddy when the bridge is dialed in. I put an A2 in my 59/C to remedy the issue with this set.

 

[Scatitude]

Re: Good Les Paul pickup set - replace 57/57+

Thanks for all the input. I decided to try the easiest route possible first ..

I added a new TS808 with the gain at 0, level maxed, and tone at noon ..... POW -- I found it extra snarl I was looking for and didn't have to change pickups. That's a relief as I love the classic Les Paul / Plexi sound and feared I would lose that with a pickup swap. The TS808 seems to take the weaker signal from the PAF style pickups and boost it as hot if not hotter than the SH-5 I love in my PRS, but it keeps that PAF/Les Paul warmness the SH-5 lacks. It even sounds good on the JVM high gain modes this way. The sound is not as compressed as the SH-5 either. I'll keep playing around with it but I am happy so far.

If a pickup swap is in order, I think I'm going to try the Custom 5 in the bridge and keep the 57 in the neck. If the neck isn't a good match, then I'll throw in a 59. The Bare Knuckle Mules also have me curious.

 

[Nagisa]

Re: Good Les Paul pickup set - replace 57/57+

Thanks for all the input. I decided to try the easiest route possible first ..

I added a new TS808 with the gain at 0, level maxed, and tone at noon ..... POW -- I found it extra snarl I was looking for and didn't have to change pickups. That's a relief as I love the classic Les Paul / Plexi sound and feared I would lose that with a pickup swap. The TS808 seems to take the weaker signal from the PAF style pickups and boost it as hot if not hotter than the SH-5 I love in my PRS, but it keeps that PAF/Les Paul warmness the SH-5 lacks. It even sounds good on the JVM high gain modes this way. The sound is not as compressed as the SH-5 either. I'll keep playing around with it but I am happy so far.

If a pickup swap is in order, I think I'm going to try the Custom 5 in the bridge and keep the 57 in the neck. If the neck isn't a good match, then I'll throw in a 59. The Bare Knuckle Mules also have me curious.

That sounds good.

Don’t bother with a stock custom 5 in an lp - did that, was too scooped, and went to uoa5. Custom custom or the hybrid, or custom uoa5 or maybe a8. But try to get used to your current pups