I think i'm not normal...

G

GURU1979

New member
This morning i went to my local shop and played few les paul...

Firs of all...these are my guitars:

1984 Yamaha SG3000 Custom
2002 Yamaha SA2200
2003 Epiphone G400 Faded with a set of 59
PRS Santana SE 2
Washburn MG400 DeLuxe (better than a strat)

so i like very much the vintage sound...

Now tried 6 or 7 les paul...standard, slash, studio, custom..and a classic..with 496R and 500T.

Is now possible that the one i like more was the classic with hot ceramic pick ups?
I find that is the most "les paulish" in sound..also if is quite bright and with a lot of output..but very dinamic and you can always lower the volume or the pick up...
it's very strange to me after all i 've read on gibson ceramic pick up..but i find them very equilibrate throug the entire spectrum...not muddy and not harsh.. just clear...both neck and bridge...and the 500T does not have that exagerate quantity of bass that the 498T has..so the 496R it's very clear...

and repeat..if you lower the volume you can do a vintagey clean pretty well...

so...am i mad?

for the story...the most similar to the classic in sound was the slash with alnico II pro from SD...probably because of 500k pot..
i'm not sure but think that all the les paul (not the custom shop series) came with 300k pots except the slash..don't think that alnico II can be so loud and bright with 300k pots...
 
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Re: I think i'm not normal...

Of course your not normal!.....

Seriously though, sound is massively subjective, so of course it's possible that you like the sound of that guitar and pup combination. Why wouldn't it be? =). If it's you, and you like it, get it.
 
Re: I think i'm not normal...

yes..but i think the best pick up is a 59...or '60 gibson paf...
i like santana and clapton of cream..
now i know that an alnico magnet is softer rounder and better to ears..but i find that les paul extremely interesting...and versatile...
 
Re: I think i'm not normal...

Ya know man, I got a couple Gibsons. There's something to be said about Gibson, their pickups, and blah blah blah. I'm not a big fan of the 500T, which is the pickup you're speaking of in that guitar. However, sometimes a magical thing happens with a certain Gibson and that pickup. I've got two Gibson's that I just love with the 500T in it. One of em's my V and another is a Les Paul. If I had to go by my ears, I'd probably have to say that for every 20 Gibson's out there with a 500T in it, about one of them sounds great. The rest of em need a pickup change. However, when you can find that Gibson that actually has "that" tone with a 500T...it's almost magical man. It sounds fantastic.

It seems to me you might have found one of those "magical" ones that actually sounds good with the stock 500T ceramic pickup man.
 
Re: I think i'm not normal...

The 500t sounds good in every guitar I've put it in. It's just a bit too much power for me.
Strangely, though, I've really been digging the X2N7 in my Ibanez....For any style, even country twang.

More power than the 500t, but doesn't feel as clunky. I guess I'm strange too.
 
Re: I think i'm not normal...

I had a Les Paul Classic for a while. I sold it and kept two Les Paul Standards w Burstbucker pros. Honestly can't say the Classic sounded any les Les Paulish than the my standards at all. I would go as far as to say that the stock ceramics were impressive but too hot for me. I don't like hot pickups.

I think Gibson has the pickup thing down just as good as Seymour Duncan & Dimarzio & Fender. I love all Burstbuckers, classics and 498 & ceramics.
 
Re: I think i'm not normal...

I had a nice honeyburst Classic about 8 years ago that sounded downright woody/jazzy with the 500T and especially that 496R. Not a fan of that pickup combo but they were sure right for that guitar. Also had an LP Elegant that worked well with the 500T/496R.

Could be just a case of you finding a Classic made with some unusually good wood. But I think a lot pu's would make it sound even better.
 
Re: I think i'm not normal...

Normal people don't post in guitar pickup forums. We are special here.
 
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