I need Pickups to tame a bright Les Paul!
- Thread starter J.LaGrassa
- Start date
Mr. B
New member
Re: I need Pickups to tame a bright Les Paul!
The Pearly gates is definately no cure for an overly bright guitar. I would go with 2 300k pots (vol & tone) for the bridge and leave the 500k's in the neck so its not too muddy. That would be the cheapest fix since you already have the PG pickups. A2pros would be your best bet in pickups if you don't want the 300k pots.
The Pearly gates is definately no cure for an overly bright guitar. I would go with 2 300k pots (vol & tone) for the bridge and leave the 500k's in the neck so its not too muddy. That would be the cheapest fix since you already have the PG pickups. A2pros would be your best bet in pickups if you don't want the 300k pots.
Fiesta Red
Member
Re: I need Pickups to tame a bright Les Paul!
I had a Fillmore bridge in a Les Paul Custom that I used to own. I replaced it with a Darkburst, not because it sounded bad, but because I wanted a different sound out of that particular guitar.
I have not had a Fillmore in my bright LP. I can tell you that having the Goodwood in it has improved the guitar 1000 percent. I was all ready to sell it because I couldn't get it to sound right because it was so bright. The Goodwoods cured it, and now it is my favorite LP. It's like Jim Wagner designed them specifically for this particular guitar. I don't think he could have done a better job had he had this guitar in his shop to try them out. Here is a list of what I tried before the Goodwoods:
Burstbucker Pros (stock)
59s (twice)
Alnico 2 Pros (twice)
Pearly Gates
Custom
Custom Custom
Custom 5
Screamin' Demon
Frailin
Seth Lovers (interesting)
JB
57 Classic Plus
WCR Darkburst
WCR Crossroads
Wolfetone Marshallheads
The Goodwoods sound incredible. They are pricey, but worth it to me.
My two cents.
-Mark
I had a Fillmore bridge in a Les Paul Custom that I used to own. I replaced it with a Darkburst, not because it sounded bad, but because I wanted a different sound out of that particular guitar.
I have not had a Fillmore in my bright LP. I can tell you that having the Goodwood in it has improved the guitar 1000 percent. I was all ready to sell it because I couldn't get it to sound right because it was so bright. The Goodwoods cured it, and now it is my favorite LP. It's like Jim Wagner designed them specifically for this particular guitar. I don't think he could have done a better job had he had this guitar in his shop to try them out. Here is a list of what I tried before the Goodwoods:
Burstbucker Pros (stock)
59s (twice)
Alnico 2 Pros (twice)
Pearly Gates
Custom
Custom Custom
Custom 5
Screamin' Demon
Frailin
Seth Lovers (interesting)
JB
57 Classic Plus
WCR Darkburst
WCR Crossroads
Wolfetone Marshallheads
The Goodwoods sound incredible. They are pricey, but worth it to me.
My two cents.
-Mark
J.LaGrassa
New member
Re: I need Pickups to tame a bright Les Paul!
Man you went thru quite a few pups! Maybe I will keep an eye open for some used Goodwoods!
thanks
Man you went thru quite a few pups! Maybe I will keep an eye open for some used Goodwoods!
thanks
Fiesta Red
Member
Re: I need Pickups to tame a bright Les Paul!
I tried some Wolfetone Dr. Vintages in the bright Les Paul as well. These also mellowed the brightness out quite a bit. Very nice.
Not sure if I like these or the Goodwoods better in this guitar.
-Mark
I tried some Wolfetone Dr. Vintages in the bright Les Paul as well. These also mellowed the brightness out quite a bit. Very nice.
Not sure if I like these or the Goodwoods better in this guitar.
-Mark
Fender_Punk
BerriesAndCreamologist
Re: I need Pickups to tame a bright Les Paul!
A bright Les Paul? Sounds like an oxymoron to me. How did you come across such a thing?
A bright Les Paul? Sounds like an oxymoron to me. How did you come across such a thing?
J.LaGrassa
New member
Re: I need Pickups to tame a bright Les Paul!
Well maybe my Les Paul isnt as bright as I thought I think now it was just the pickups making it worse, I had a set of 59's and a set of PG's (Bridge pickups) both making the guitar thin and bright especially with high gain, when trying the C5, CC the guitar was definitely getting the chunk back with out biting your head off.
I'm giving the PGn & C5 combo another I will spend a little more time tweaking these!
Well maybe my Les Paul isnt as bright as I thought I think now it was just the pickups making it worse, I had a set of 59's and a set of PG's (Bridge pickups) both making the guitar thin and bright especially with high gain, when trying the C5, CC the guitar was definitely getting the chunk back with out biting your head off.
I'm giving the PGn & C5 combo another I will spend a little more time tweaking these!
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Re: I need Pickups to tame a bright Les Paul!
That's definitely possible from my experience....the Customs can be and usually are fairly bright due to the ebony fingerboard. I definitely put much darker pickups in those.
That's definitely possible from my experience....the Customs can be and usually are fairly bright due to the ebony fingerboard. I definitely put much darker pickups in those.
Fender_Punk
BerriesAndCreamologist
Re: I need Pickups to tame a bright Les Paul!
+1 IME. The brighttest Les Paul I ever heard would be about as bright as the middle position on my Tele (which currently has stock pups). Even with a maple top and ebony fingerboard, the mohagony body and neck matched with those - IMO - horribly warm and mellow pups keep it from ever achieving Strat bite or Tele twang.
+1 IME. The brighttest Les Paul I ever heard would be about as bright as the middle position on my Tele (which currently has stock pups). Even with a maple top and ebony fingerboard, the mohagony body and neck matched with those - IMO - horribly warm and mellow pups keep it from ever achieving Strat bite or Tele twang.
Markk
New member
Re: I need Pickups to tame a bright Les Paul!
+1
I've heard good things.
Try switching pots for a cheaper alternative than buying a whole new pickup.
+1
I've heard good things.
Try switching pots for a cheaper alternative than buying a whole new pickup.
S
shogunlegend
Guest
Re: I need Pickups to tame a bright Les Paul!
custom custom
custom custom
Fender_Punk
BerriesAndCreamologist
Re: I need Pickups to tame a bright Les Paul!
If you want a DECENT sounding guitar that isn't a bright, twangy machine (which to me are great machines) then get a Gretsch. IMO a WHOLE lot better than ANY Gibson. Corvettes are awesome guitars, but the true beauty is the White Falcon *drools*. But that's my 2 cents.
If you want a DECENT sounding guitar that isn't a bright, twangy machine (which to me are great machines) then get a Gretsch. IMO a WHOLE lot better than ANY Gibson. Corvettes are awesome guitars, but the true beauty is the White Falcon *drools*. But that's my 2 cents.
master_o_pupetz
New member
Re: I need Pickups to tame a bright Les Paul!
the gibson burst buckers were really dark in my explorer with 500k pots
the gibson burst buckers were really dark in my explorer with 500k pots
Zhangliqun
Questionologist
Re: I need Pickups to tame a bright Les Paul!
You just haven't played enough LP's. I had an LP Elegant that made all Tele's within earshot insanely jealous.
You just haven't played enough LP's. I had an LP Elegant that made all Tele's within earshot insanely jealous.
Eddie J.
New member
Re: I need Pickups to tame a bright Les Paul!
Thicker picks always shave some treble and darken the sound.
Pretty much the cheapest tone mod.
Thicker picks always shave some treble and darken the sound.
Pretty much the cheapest tone mod.
Re: I need Pickups to tame a bright Les Paul!
This is the key RIGHT here. My Les Paul Custom that I purchased in 1988 always sounded huge and warm, even with pickups that most people consider bright/harsh like the Gibson 500T or Duncan JB. I always assumed that this is a humbucker equipped guitar and must have come equipped from the factory with 500K pots, so I later installed a custom wiring harness with all 500K pots. I never put 2 and 2 together, mainly because I did a p'up swap at the same time, but after these changes my guitar started to sound bright and thin. I fixated on the p'ups and swapped them numerous times to no avail. I then fixated on my amps and had them serviced, re-tubed/biased - still to no avail.
Then the other day I learned that this guitar shipped with 300K linear volume pots.....so back in they are going as soon as I get a chance.....
JQ
This is the key RIGHT here. My Les Paul Custom that I purchased in 1988 always sounded huge and warm, even with pickups that most people consider bright/harsh like the Gibson 500T or Duncan JB. I always assumed that this is a humbucker equipped guitar and must have come equipped from the factory with 500K pots, so I later installed a custom wiring harness with all 500K pots. I never put 2 and 2 together, mainly because I did a p'up swap at the same time, but after these changes my guitar started to sound bright and thin. I fixated on the p'ups and swapped them numerous times to no avail. I then fixated on my amps and had them serviced, re-tubed/biased - still to no avail.
Then the other day I learned that this guitar shipped with 300K linear volume pots.....so back in they are going as soon as I get a chance.....
JQ
disturb
New member
BRHGM
New member
Re: I need Pickups to tame a bright Les Paul!
I'd try nickel strings first before altering my set up. You may try lowering the pickups also to get less brightness. I have not personally played a bright Gibson LP, I would suspect the pickups are kind of PAF and Alnico if they are bright. I don't see that as a problem. Just roll back the tone and maybe switch to the neck pickup like Eric Clapton did in the 1960's.
I'd try nickel strings first before altering my set up. You may try lowering the pickups also to get less brightness. I have not personally played a bright Gibson LP, I would suspect the pickups are kind of PAF and Alnico if they are bright. I don't see that as a problem. Just roll back the tone and maybe switch to the neck pickup like Eric Clapton did in the 1960's.
Buckeyedog
New member
Re: I need Pickups to tame a bright Les Paul!
My LP is bright really on the B and E strings. The other 4 sound great! I've swapped out a few pickups and the bright two strings are pretty consistent. I think you guys may be onto the pot thing. I think you can put a 1 Meg resistor across the 500k pot and get a 333k? Is that correct? I may try that first to see. And should this be on the volume pot only? Thanks guys.
My LP is bright really on the B and E strings. The other 4 sound great! I've swapped out a few pickups and the bright two strings are pretty consistent. I think you guys may be onto the pot thing. I think you can put a 1 Meg resistor across the 500k pot and get a 333k? Is that correct? I may try that first to see. And should this be on the volume pot only? Thanks guys.
BRHGM
New member
Re: I need Pickups to tame a bright Les Paul!
That could be an intonation problem or a problem of the treble side of the pickups being too high. I would expect the g string to be bright also since it is the loudest string. Try changing cap values before doing a drastic pot change. 300k pots can be really muddy. Every 70's Les Paul I played with 300 pots was muddy.
That could be an intonation problem or a problem of the treble side of the pickups being too high. I would expect the g string to be bright also since it is the loudest string. Try changing cap values before doing a drastic pot change. 300k pots can be really muddy. Every 70's Les Paul I played with 300 pots was muddy.