Help Replace LPaul Pickups: No More BB3 and Classic 57!

[Securb]

Re: Help Replace LPaul Pickups: No More BB3 and Classic 57!

All of the LP's I've had and/or played have been on the warm side of the fence to some degree, but Zhang's got one that he's said is very bright.

What are you using for an amp? There are many factors when it comes to tone. Including your approach to the instrument.

 

[lkr]

Re: Help Replace LPaul Pickups: No More BB3 and Classic 57!

I started a thread last week on the Jazz Neck being a little strong on the bass. My electronics are spot on and I also think the Jazz could use less bass in the neck. My Les Paul is a 2012 Traditional Plus. I could live with the Jazz Neck but that isn't why I changed the 57 classic +. I am currently exchanging for a Full Shred Neck with nickel allen pole pieces. I won't know for a few weeks if it is an improvement. I currently play through a JVM 205H with a Splawn 2x12 cabinet. So, for me I find the Jazz usable but just a little bassy in the neck as well.

 

[Gooch]

Re: Help Replace LPaul Pickups: No More BB3 and Classic 57!

Thanks for all of the replies, guys. ...The LP Traditional is a HEAVY guitar; it's not weight relieved at all, which I like, but it sounds heavy and I'm sure that contributes to the woofiness of the neck pup. There's a noticable difference when I go between my strat and my LP. I have to turn the amp's bass down quite a bit, but I still have the problem of it not being articulate enough.

Keep 'em comin'!

 

[JeffB]

Re: Help Replace LPaul Pickups: No More BB3 and Classic 57!

I'm with Rick on this one.

I have had the JazzN in several guitars including awesome, great, and not so awesome. Mostly Les Pauls, but also Explorer style and 335s.

Because the Jazz has a dearth of midrange, like for example, the Custom 5, the bass and treble frequencies seem to the ear to be much more prominent, almost in a strat or P90 kind of way and I find the bass can get overbearing in the neck. Its not "boomy" per se, its just an unbalanced sound. A2 Pros can do the same, because even with the a2 mag , it still has a pretty moderate midrange. It's not as bad as the Jazz, but it's an issue on some guitars.

My suggestion, if you try a Jazz, either try a Jazz Bridge in the neck, or more importantly, USE A COVER on it. It will sound a little less sharp on the extreme high and low end compared to without a cover.

Les Paul neck positions are finnicky beasts.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Help Replace LPaul Pickups: No More BB3 and Classic 57!

If you swapped magnets then it is no longer a Jazz set.

It started life as a Jazz set, and since I prefer warmer mags with more mids, it has become a transgender set.

One of the great things about this forum is the way people blow up when someone says something they disagree with.

 

[Gooch]

Re: Help Replace LPaul Pickups: No More BB3 and Classic 57!

OK, thanks. What about the Pearly Gates Neck or a Pearly Gates Bridge in the neck? Some clips I heard of this compared to the Jazz made the PGn seem like a brighter, punchier and more articulate pickup, but this was in a clean amp setting.

 

[lkr]

Re: Help Replace LPaul Pickups: No More BB3 and Classic 57!

Once I have the Full Shred neck I will post my findings. On the wiring section of the Duncan web site, there is a section specifically for a neck that has to much bass. I didnt get to try it before I exchanged my Jazz but it sounds easy to do. It states to simply wire a .047 cap on the hot lead(black) and then to the appropriate lug on the potentiometer. In my Traditional, I like the SH-5 in the bridge. Like you have mentioned, the Traditional is a heavy Les Paul without the weight relief and maybe why it seems to have more bass than others have experienced with their setups.

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: Help Replace LPaul Pickups: No More BB3 and Classic 57!

OK, thanks. What about the Pearly Gates Neck or a Pearly Gates Bridge in the neck? Some clips I heard of this compared to the Jazz made the PGn seem like a brighter, punchier and more articulate pickup, but this was in a clean amp setting.

The Pearly Gates is a warmer pickup with less articulation than the Jazz. It has sizzle but it is not brighter than the Jazz. I like the Pearly Gates but it has a lot more mids, a little more bass and a little less treble than the Jazz.

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: Help Replace LPaul Pickups: No More BB3 and Classic 57!

Once I have the Full Shred neck I will post my findings. On the wiring section of the Duncan web site, there is a section specifically for a neck that has to much bass. I didnt get to try it before I exchanged my Jazz but it sounds easy to do. It states to simply wire a .047 cap on the hot lead(black) and then to the appropriate lug on the potentiometer. In my Traditional, I like the SH-5 in the bridge. Like you have mentioned, the Traditional is a heavy Les Paul without the weight relief and maybe why it seems to have more bass than others have experienced with their setups.

I have played the Traditional and have played LP's with even more warmth than they have. I always use the Jazz in the warmest LP's I have owned. It is my go-to neck humbucker for "boomy" guitars. The problem with a warm LP is finding a way to get the articulation to come through over the "boom". In my experience it is best to use a no-load tone pot with a .010μf cap on the neck humbucker. This allows the clear articulation of the Jazz to ring clearly over the mud of the neck position of the warmest of the warm Les Pauls. It works every time with a Jazz. No magnet swaps needed and no other pickups needed.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Help Replace LPaul Pickups: No More BB3 and Classic 57!

The Pearly Gates is a warmer pickup with less articulation than the Jazz. It has sizzle but it is not brighter than the Jazz. I like the Pearly Gates but it has a lot more mids, a little more bass and a little less treble than the Jazz.

Agree, except for the 'sizzle' part; to me PGN's are too warm for sizzle, at least in my LP's.

 

[allbutromeo]

Re: Help Replace LPaul Pickups: No More BB3 and Classic 57!

Suprised no one has said Demon in the neck, maybe with a Custom in the bridge

 

[Gooch]

Re: Help Replace LPaul Pickups: No More BB3 and Classic 57!

Suprised no one has said Demon in the neck, maybe with a Custom in the bridge

I've thought about this. I have a few Customs: C8, Custom, and 59/C Hybrid. I think I want this guitar to have good medium output pups and let my amp's gain do the work. Hence, looking at the WL set. My LP is more of my classic to hard rock guitar, not so much metal.

I have the demon in a 24 fret Mockingbird and it didn't wow me. BUT, I have the hex coils facing the fretboard, so maybe I didn't install it the right way. It was not as defined as I was hoping.

So, maybe the WL set, or a Duncan Custom/JazzN combo?

 

[blueman335]

Re: Help Replace LPaul Pickups: No More BB3 and Classic 57!

maybe the WL set, or a Duncan Custom/JazzN combo?

Custom/JazzN is great for hard rock and metal, not what I'd want for any other genres. WLH is a an excellent PAF set if you like a fairly warm neck; I prefer neck HB's with more high-end bite.

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: Help Replace LPaul Pickups: No More BB3 and Classic 57!

Custom/JazzN is great for hard rock and metal, not what I'd want for any other genres. WLH is a an excellent PAF set if you like a fairly warm neck; I prefer neck HB's with more high-end bite.

Believe it or not the WLH neck is not as warm as you'd think and it's slightly hotter than PAF. Honestly it has more attitude than any PAF set I've ever played or heard. They are awesome!

 

[blueman335]

Re: Help Replace LPaul Pickups: No More BB3 and Classic 57!

Believe it or not the WLH neck is not as warm as you'd think and it's slightly hotter than PAF. Honestly it has more attitude than any PAF set I've ever played or heard. They are awesome!

I agree, they're great PU's, I've got a WLH set, and the neck is too warm for my tastes. I've got it with two 500K's and wired for spin-a-split now, and am going to swap out the pots for 1megs to get more high-end. The WLH neck is one PAF that I could use in the bridge slot.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Help Replace LPaul Pickups: No More BB3 and Classic 57!

Agree, except for the 'sizzle' part; to me PGN's are too warm for sizzle, at least in my LP's.

Yeah…Seymour and everyone else are full of $h!t.

Blueman really know what he is talking about!

 

[Aceman]

Re: Help Replace LPaul Pickups: No More BB3 and Classic 57!

A2 Pros can do the same, because even with the a2 mag , it still has a pretty moderate midrange. It's not as bad as the Jazz, but it's an issue on some guitars.

No they can't. Blueman says A2P's can do anything. It's the pickup everyone needs for everything. You don't know what you are talking about. He recommends them for all kinds of things. The bass is awesome, the miss are great, and the highs are really there and amazing. Seriously.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Help Replace LPaul Pickups: No More BB3 and Classic 57!

It started life as a Jazz set, and since I prefer warmer mags with more mids, it has become a transgender set.

One of the great things about this forum is the way people blow up when someone says something they disagree with.

Yeah. I mean, sometimes people totally disagree with you, and people go ape$h!T over it. I mean, really - you speak for the masses Blueman. Most of your advice, if not all of it, has been really consistent, and really representative of everyone over the years.

I think it is great that someone like you is allowed to speak his mind. I know you have to keep repeating yourself, because the doubters and the haters try to shut you down. But you just keep preaching what you preach! Say it enough and they'll understand it to be true!

 

[Securb]

Re: Help Replace LPaul Pickups: No More BB3 and Classic 57!

I play the same guitar, music and have a similar amp as the OP. I also had a simular problem with my Les Paul Traditional. The WLH set worked out perfect for me. No swapped magnets, no new pots, I just dropped them in and I was good to go. I think the key here is I play the same types of music as the OP.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Help Replace LPaul Pickups: No More BB3 and Classic 57!

I play the same guitar, music and have a similar amp as the OP. I also had a simular problem with my Les Paul Traditional. The WLH set worked out perfect for me. No swapped magnets, no new pots, I just dropped them in and I was good to go. I think the key here is I play the same types of music as the OP.

Bruce - just because Blueman doesn't play metal, or anything close to what we'd call hard rock, and has probably never played through a Splawn doesn't mean he doesn't know his stuff or what he's talking about.