Les Paul Bridge

[grolschie]

Hiya. I have a Japanese Daion Les Paul. I play through a Laney LC50-II with 12AX7-EH's. I have after something that is a bit more focused than the very vintage sounding but messy pickups. When I crank up the grain to where my single and double notes sound grunty enough, the bass notes are flabby. I like to play The Cult, Satriani, ZZ Top, Extreme (Nuno Bettencourt), as well is some blues on occasion. I like pinch harmonics. I have no idea what wood my guitar is made of (perhaps someone can tell me), except that it looks like a cherry sunburst LP and has a set neck. Here is a pic:

http://radel.inet.net.nz/daion.jpg

I didn't use the IMG tag, because the picture is very wide. Guitar has an amazing low action. What bridge pickup will be the ticket?

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Les Paul Bridge

I just dumped a Pearly Gates in to my Moderne...I love it, and I couldn't be amy happier...infact I'm gonna change the neck pup too...to a Pearly Gates as well...it's like a PAF...but with just a little more sizzle in the top end!

 

[grolschie]

Re: Les Paul Bridge

I am told the JB/Jazz combo is great. What kind of wood does a LP need to be made out of so that the JB doesn't sound like an ice-pick?

 

[Stevo]

Re: Les Paul Bridge

From the influences that you mentioned, I suggest the JB or the Custom. Both have lots of punch and are great for harmonics.

 

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: Les Paul Bridge

I have 3 Les Pauls and have gone through a LOT of bridge pickups. JB's are nice, and Ihave used them in the past but they don't speak to me. I tried the Custom Custom and Custom5 (did my own magnet swapping) and decided on the Custom5 in the bridge of my Les Paul Classic. It just works in my opinion.

My other Pauls (both standards) have Lindy Fralins, one has a 9K Unbucker bridge and the other has a 9k Humbucker.

This is a duncan forum so I'm not going to go overboard but I cannot say enough good things about the Fralins (my wallet felt it though) come to think of it I cnt think of enough good things to say about the Custom5 either

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Les Paul Bridge

JB. If the tone is too shrill (I've heard rumors, never experienced it first hand, though) install a 250k pot for the JB's volume.

 

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: Les Paul Bridge

JB. If the tone is too shrill (I've heard rumors, never experienced it first hand, though) install a 250k pot for the JB's volume.

I used to use a JB with a 250K pot in a strat. Sounded fantastic.

 

[grolschie]

Re: Les Paul Bridge

Cheers guys.

 

[italic zero]

Re: Les Paul Bridge

I think you'd like the Custom. It has a bit more bass than the JB, I wouldn't say that the JB has undefined or little bass, but it doesn't have quite the same low end punch that the Custom (and Custom 5) has.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Les Paul Bridge

You should just buy a JB or Custom, and if it doesn't do the trick, send it back & try another. Keep going until you find something you like, or have tried the whole damn Duncan line :laugh2:

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Les Paul Bridge

I've split hairs with Duncans on Les Pauls. I'd say Custom 5, Pearly Gates, or CC will make you happy. C-5 is like a powerful vintage sounding pickup and tends to sound the best over a wider range of instruments and wider variety of tones from clean to full-on gain.

 

[grolschie]

Re: Les Paul Bridge

Led left the decision for a while, now have come back to it. I'd like the custom for rhythm, but read is not good (too harsh) for lead? I read that the JB is great for lead and harmonics, but flabby in the bass dept? I need a one-size-fits all. My current humbuckers (originals) are low output, but have a nice sag in the leads (not enough pinch harmonics though), but tooooo flabby/fuzzy on the bass notes at high gain. Chords are fuzz unless I turn down the gain alot. I need some chug-chug-chug and squeal-squeal-squeal, as well as a nice blues sound too.

I live outside the US (in NZ) and the distributor wouldn't be happy about me returning pickups or doing swaps.

 

[theodie]

Re: Les Paul Bridge

I am with Gearjoneser on this one. The Custom 5.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Les Paul Bridge

Pearly gates, all the way, neck and bridge

 

[grolschie]

Re: Les Paul Bridge

No sounds samples or tone specs for the Custom 5. :-(
The Pearly Gates seems ideal, but I might need a tigher bottom end with more output? Or is the pearly gates ok with high gain palm muting? The last thing I want is flabby fuzzy bottom end with high gain.

Thanks fellas!

 

[grolschie]

Re: Les Paul Bridge

Oh and I am not a fan of huge mids, so custom custom seems out to me. Know where I can hear a Custom 5 sample? TIA.

 

[Buckcherry]

Re: Les Paul Bridge

I am told the JB/Jazz combo is great. What kind of wood does a LP need to be made out of so that the JB doesn't sound like an ice-pick?

Driftwood :32:
That pup is brutal in a Les Paul, at least to my ears. I've got one in a 69' custom right now and it's a bit bright. I liked that sound 10 years ago but my tastes have changed a little. I'll be swapping that sucker out for something with less output and more warmth. A 59', Pearly gates, Alnico 2 Pro maybe. I am also curious to hear what a C-5 or Custom Custom would sound like. Gearjoneser turned me on to the C-5 and it does sound killer in my darker sounding 84' V. I've got an EVH in a 68' gold top and it sounds fantastic. Lots of choices with a Les Paul. Time to break the piggy bank. :yell: