JB, Custom or Distortion for Epi Les Paul

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VanrvR

New member
Been thinking of replacing the bridge pickup in my new Epi Les Paul Classic and was wanting some input on which one. I play mostly Classic Rock (Bad Company, Free, CCR etc.) through a Marshall DSL100/1960BV. All my other guitars have EMG's in them but not the Les Paul it is going to stay passive. In fact I'm thinking I might ditch all my EMG's and go back to passive pickups on them all. Also recommend a bridge humbucker for my Yamaha Pacifica 412V alder body.

Also what do you guys think of the Dirty Fingers or the 500T?
 
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Re: JB, Custom or Distortion for Epi Les Paul

The Dirty Fingers and 500T might be too hot for the styles of music you mentioned. For what you're pl;aying, a set of Pearly Gates would be great, as would the Seths and perhaps the 59's.

For your Pacifica, I'd stick a CC in there and call it a day. :burnout:
 
Re: JB, Custom or Distortion for Epi Les Paul

Benjy_26 said:
The Dirty Fingers and 500T might be too hot for the styles of music you mentioned. For what you're pl;aying, a set of Pearly Gates would be great, as would the Seths and perhaps the 59's.

For your Pacifica, I'd stick a CC in there and call it a day. :burnout:
Click to expand...

I have three Strats with single bridge humbuckers: one with a Duncan Custom, one with a Duncan Custom Custom and one with a 59B.

The Strat with the Duncan Custom has become my #1.

The Duncan Custom combines alot of the best things about both the 59B and the Custom Custom.

It has a little more sizzle to the treble (like the 59B) and more bass than the Custom Custom and more mids (like the CC) than the 59B and more output than the 59B.

Compared to the Custom 5, the Custom has a fuller tone with more mids and the treble is not so steely...I like the Custom more than the C5.

And it splits beautifully if you want to use the Custom as a single coil.

Some people hear the JB as having a little bit of a penetrating presence that hurts thier ears unless used with 250K pots...the Custom doesn't have that quality and sounds fine with a 500K volume pot.

Lew
 
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Re: JB, Custom or Distortion for Epi Les Paul

For Bad Co, Free and stuff like that, of the 3 mentioned, the Custom would work nicely. I've been pulling it off with a CC in a Strat and LOVE the tone.
 
Re: JB, Custom or Distortion for Epi Les Paul

When I think of Bad Company though, I think of an alnico 2 humbucker like the Seth Lover or Antiquity...more so than a hot humbucker like the Custom, JB or Distortion.
 
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Re: JB, Custom or Distortion for Epi Les Paul

A 500T and Custom are fairly similar in tone and output. Either would work OK, but for the music you described they are IMO, way too hot. Key to the 500T is to keep it low. You do that and it loses it's harshness. Run it high, and.... blech.

Any of the PAF styles would work better tho for you, IMO...59/PG/Seth, etc
 
Re: JB, Custom or Distortion for Epi Les Paul

Yeah, the Custom or CC may be too hot but that doesn't mean you can't use 'em. Just roll the gain on the amp back or roll the guitar volume back. Works for me. Although I like to have a little more drive than the originals myself giving them my own personal touch. :)
 
Re: JB, Custom or Distortion for Epi Les Paul

Well we do play some more modern tunes also. 3 Doors Down, STP. I like the sound of the stock bridge pup just want more output. I'm thinking SD Custom. Keep in mind my other 2 guitars have EMG 85/SA/SA on them, but I don't want to go EMG's on my Paul.
 
Re: JB, Custom or Distortion for Epi Les Paul

I play STP & 3 Doors Down tunes with a Pearly Gates set in my Lester. ;)
 
Re: JB, Custom or Distortion for Epi Les Paul

It sounds like your musical tastes are pretty close to mine and I have been very happy with my CC/A2P setup. The bridge has all the output I could want for hard and alternative rock but is still useable for blues or classic rock. The neck pickup is smooth and sweet. It can get a little muddy if you crank up the overdrive, but as long as you don't get carried away it's allright.

The Custom might work for you but I'm not a big fan of ceramic magnet pickups so I would be more inclined to go with a set of PG's, 59's, JB/Jazz, etc.

I've also been very pleased with my Dimarzio Breed neck pickup in the bridge of my Epi LP. It has a very open sound that doesn't seem as compressed as other pickups I've tried. It's a little hotter than a PAF style pickup but not quite as hot as the CC or JB. I think this one is a great jack-of-all-trades pickup.
 
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