Is it wrong to want my les paul to sound...well...more stratty

[Young Angus]

Re: Is it wrong to want my les paul to sound...well...more stratty

Hmmm all very good suggestions.

I think i mighthave accidentally put too much emphasis on the "more stratty" comment, where im not at all trying to make my les paul sound like a strat, i think what i shouldhave written was that i wanted some lower output and less boomy pickups in it, but still retaining that humbucker quality which would be versatile enough to play cleaner rock'n'roll and jazz through the right amps and then heavier chunky rock through other heavier amps. Sorta a more open clear humbucker sound, as opposed to the thick chunky heavy sound i used to want for my les paul....

awww i feel all grownsed up

 

[Lu_B]

Re: Is it wrong to want my les paul to sound...well...more stratty

First thing is to change out the 300 pots for push/push 500s (push pulls are more robust, but frankly bloody awkward and almost unusable on stage when you are in a hurry and want more beef now) to split the buckers (or parallel, less noise but not as bright) - you might find that it's enough.

I've got a Yamaha 80's SG with stock pickups that are as beefy has hell but the previous owner added a little switch that splits I think splits them and this gives me a more stratty tone.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Is it wrong to want my les paul to sound...well...more stratty

i think what i shouldhave written was that i wanted some lower output and less boomy pickups in it, but still retaining that humbucker quality which would be versatile enough to play cleaner rock'n'roll and jazz through the right amps and then heavier chunky rock through other heavier amps. Sorta a more open clear humbucker sound, as opposed to the thick chunky heavy sound i used to want for my les paul....

That, sir, sounds like an exact description of how the Seths perform in my LP Standard (with 500k pots).

I've just received a set of APH-1s that are going in my LP Classic, so I hope to be able to report on those soon.

 

[Young Angus]

Re: Is it wrong to want my les paul to sound...well...more stratty

That, sir, sounds like an exact description of how the Seths perform in my LP Standard (with 500k pots).

I've just received a set of APH-1s that are going in my LP Classic, so I hope to be able to report on those soon.

Cool, i really am interested to see what you think of the APH's compared to seths.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Is it wrong to want my les paul to sound...well...more stratty

Cool, i really am interested to see what you think of the APH's compared to seths.

I put the APH-1s in the Classic last night. By the time I'd finished it was quite late so I only tried them through headphones, but I am initially very impressed! :approve: They are similar in output and tonality to the Seths (I had the same amp settings and didn't feel I needed to re-dial anything), but I'll need some time with them to fully appreciate the differences. Beautiful chimey clean tones, plenty of punch when distorted, bright but not harsh (that's the A2 "musical magnets" thing IMO). Just the right amount of everything.

Where the APH-1s might benefit you over the Seths, assuming you want to go from clean to high gain, is that they are potted - so you are less likely to hit any squealing problems at high/gain volume. Having said that, I have never had any problems with the Seths squealing, but I usually play at medium gain.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Is it wrong to want my les paul to sound...well...more stratty

The Seths are also covered pickups whereas the APH-1 is usually sold without a cover. So it should have a little more "kiss" and presence to the tone...more highs. Lew

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Is it wrong to want my les paul to sound...well...more stratty

I'm going to recommend a set of Duncan Pearly Gates, BTW.

Or Seth Lovers.

Or Antiquitys.

Or 59's.

Or Jazz...though I've never used a Jazz in the bridge position. Jolly does though and gets a great tone.

Those are my five favorite vintage output Duncan HB's.

I'd start with the PG's since they were designed specifically to sound great in a Les Paul.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Is it wrong to want my les paul to sound...well...more stratty

Plus: replace all of your pots with CTS 500K pots.

Use Sprague .02 Orange Drop capacitors.

Do the 50's mod: simply solder your tone cap to the output/middle terminal of the volume control instead of to the input/first terminal. That'll help retain highs and make your guitar seem brighter.

 

[big_black]

Re: Is it wrong to want my les paul to sound...well...more stratty

Is it wrong to want my les paul to sound...well...more stratty?

In a word, yes.

 

[Young Angus]

Re: Is it wrong to want my les paul to sound...well...more stratty

Bob Spencer, former guitarist of the skyhooks and friend of mine from my local music shop suggested last night that i try some Lindy Fralin PAF's. He said that he usually doesnt go nuts over pickups but these things sounded great apparently.

Any comments there, ive never heard much about fralin humbuckers.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Is it wrong to want my les paul to sound...well...more stratty

Bob Spencer, former guitarist of the skyhooks and friend of mine from my local music shop suggested last night that i try some Lindy Fralin PAF's. He said that he usually doesnt go nuts over pickups but these things sounded great apparently.

Any comments there, ive never heard much about fralin humbuckers.

Try using the Search facility at the Les Paul Forum. There are loads of pickup discussions there involving non-Duncan pickups!

 

[Dills]

Re: Is it wrong to want my les paul to sound...well...more stratty

I dont think u should change anyhting in that Les Paul, just appreciate the tone it gives you (its a les paul for goodnes sake) and play your strat to give you the "other" tone that you want. As soon as u replace the pickups even if theyre duncan still humbuckers will sound like the meant to be and you will probably regret the sound of your lespaul becuse you changed the pups. So I reckon you let the lespaul be a lespaul and a strat be a strat. Sometimes I wish i neva spent the money upgrading yhe pickups in my sg cos i kind of liked the tone of it orginally it made it more authentic in a way.

 

[gripweed]

Re: Is it wrong to want my les paul to sound...well...more stratty

Bob Spencer, former guitarist of the skyhooks and friend of mine from my local music shop suggested last night that i try some Lindy Fralin PAF's. He said that he usually doesnt go nuts over pickups but these things sounded great apparently.

Any comments there, ive never heard much about fralin humbuckers.

If you scroll back to my post on the previous page, I made that very same suggestion.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Is it wrong to want my les paul to sound...well...more stratty

I'm going to recommend a set of Duncan Pearly Gates, BTW.



I'd start with the PG's since they were designed specifically to sound great in a Les Paul.

I was surprised nobody had recommended these earlier.

I too highly recommend the Pearly Gates in a LP. No mud, lots of cut, but still sounds like a good Lester should.

 

[Tweed]

Re: Is it wrong to want my les paul to sound...well...more stratty

I'd try Seths and split the coils. Experiment with your cap values a bit, especially the neck. A .015 will brighten things noticeably. 50's wiring, as was already mentioned, is a must.
Or, try the Phat Cats. Or try the new Fralin P92, which is a humbucker-sized single coil. Or the Fralin Twangmaster, which is a 'bucker-shaped sc with fixed rod polepieces. I haven't tried the Fralins yet, but they're on my list.
Of course, the other side of the equation is the amp you're running into. A LP with P90s (and maybe split 'buckers), with the right amp (IMO a BF or SF Fender) can get pretty bubbly.

 

[Oldslowhand]

Re: Is it wrong to want my les paul to sound...well...more stratty

It might be worth trying coil splits before you change your pups It will cost al lot less and will get a "stratish" tone then if you decide to change the pups the wiring will already be there and of course you can switch between the classic LP tone and the new tone any time you wish

 

[Maximusgordon 2.0]

Re: Is it wrong to want my les paul to sound...well...more stratty

Phat Cats would do it real good. They have a less bassy sound than humbuckers and more attack in the mids. I love that sound, you get the openness and clarity of Strats but just with more punch and fatness that just KILLS for good old riff rock. In other words they let your LP still sound like an LP just with a different character.