Les Paul - Cleans to Hard Rock??

Janglin_Jack

Janglin_Jack

New member
I am looking for a set of humbuckers for my Les Paul that can retain the PAF tones, (currently have Seth Lovers). I have several other guitars with PAF style pickups and I want something that can handle a bit more distortion for rock.

I still want to retain the PAF honk and the twang of the middle position, so I think I want to keep Alnico mags. I just want something that can handle from Allman Brothers to say GnR, Van Halen, AC/DC, ZZ Top, Robben Ford. I want to retain the warmth of the Seths, but get some additional note clarity with higher distortion.

The reason I ask, is a buddy cranked my Mark IV with a metal sound. His Duncan Distortions had lots of note clarity and sounded great. My PAF's were a little flat. I wouldn't say muddy, but not much clarity. While I will not be using that kind of gain, I am looking for a pickup that can do the clean stuff, light OD to some rock distortion. Alnico II Pro and Pearly Gates are the two I am leaning toward. I hear Warren Haynes uses Pearly Gates and Slash uses Alnico II Pro.

Thanks,
Jack
 
Re: Les Paul - Cleans to Hard Rock??

I read the thread and I am little confused as to what actual pickups you are suggesting. Pearly Gates Neck and an Alnico II Pro bridge? Or is there some custom hybred pickup that you are suggesting? Just want to be sure I understand what is being suggested.

Jack
 
Re: Les Paul - Cleans to Hard Rock??

I play everyrthing with a Pearly Gates in the neck and a Pearly Gates + in the bridge of my LP.
 
Re: Les Paul - Cleans to Hard Rock??

It's a custom made pickup... one coil from a 59 and one from a Custom Custom.
 
Re: Les Paul - Cleans to Hard Rock??

Janglin_Jack said:
I read the thread and I am little confused as to what actual pickups you are suggesting. Pearly Gates Neck and an Alnico II Pro bridge? Or is there some custom hybred pickup that you are suggesting? Just want to be sure I understand what is being suggested.

Jack
Click to expand...

I took the screw bobbin from the PGB pickup and mated it with the slug bobbin from a Custom,CC,or C5 pickup and used an A2 magnet..
 
Re: Les Paul - Cleans to Hard Rock??

STRATDELUXER97 said:
I took the screw bobbin from the PGB pickup and mated it with the slug bobbin from a Custom,CC,or C5 pickup and used an A2 magnet..
Click to expand...

Sounds interesting. Without getting a custom set, what would you guys recommend for an out of the box pickup. Pearly Gates or Alnico II Pro? Combo of the two.

I do appreciate the responses. If I had some spare pickups, I would experiment. I sold off my others and settled on the Seths. I just want guitar with a little more rock tone to it. Benjy seems happy with his Pearly Gates. How do those sound clean?

Jack
 
Re: Les Paul - Cleans to Hard Rock??

Janglin_Jack said:
Sounds interesting. Without getting a custom set, what would you guys recommend for an out of the box pickup. Pearly Gates or Alnico II Pro? Combo of the two.


Jack
Click to expand...

They're both great choices: a set of PG's or a set of AIIPro's.

Or you can mix them.

Personally, I'd start with a set of the PG's if you lean towards a tone with a little sizzle or bite to the highs or go for the AIIPro's, which are just as nice, but the highs seem a little sweeter, more bell like or single coil like.

I don't think you could go wrong with either. Since you're mentioning clean tone, I think you might favor the AIIPro's over the PG's.
 
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Re: Les Paul - Cleans to Hard Rock??

I really like the sound of AII's. I'm just gonna throw the JB in there, take it or leave it. I really like the sound of the JB(bridge), then again i play a little different style of music, but it is very versatile. Might be a bit over the top for what you're after, just another suggestion.
 
Re: Les Paul - Cleans to Hard Rock??

I'm always the odd man out on these threads, but if note clarity under higher gain (at times) is what you are looking for I'd be more inclined to go with something Alnico V or ceramic vs. AII.......59.. Custom-5, Custom....

The SH-5 (Custom) doesn't have the best cleans by itself, but in the middle toggle position with a "vintage" neck bucker it works well...and it will handle alot of gain or just a little or.... anything inbetween.
 
Re: Les Paul - Cleans to Hard Rock??

Janglin' Jack,

I'm a Tele (Single-coil) and P-90 vintage tone kind of guy. However SD '59's were a big improvement over my old ES-335's stock "Dirty Fingers" HIGH output Ceramic p/u's! My ES-335 sounds like it should now.
There's little of those precous mids I like, but plenty of Bass and treble for those who like humbuckers. Good luck!

Eggman
 
Re: Les Paul - Cleans to Hard Rock??

Lewguitar said:
They're both great choices: a set of PG's or a set of AIIPro's.

Or you can mix them.

Personally, I'd start with a set of the PG's if you lean towards a tone with a little sizzle or bite to the highs or go for the AIIPro's, which are just as nice, but the highs seem a little sweeter, more bell like or single coil like.

I don't think you could go wrong with either. Since you're mentioning clean tone, I think you might favor the AIIPro's over the PG's.
Click to expand...


Actually Lew, most of the time I preffer the PG's for clean tones. That extra bit and sizzle makes funk riffs and country pickin' jump out of the guitar with an authority missing from the APH.

For clean jazz and blues from the neck pickup though, I like the APH a bit more. The PG is a bit too edgy to get those really smooth, even tones.

Dirt, the PG has more bark to the mids than the APH and has that great "sizzle" on top. The APH has a tendency to sing where the PG screams. You can smooth out the PG, but they do have more apod a 'tude than the APH. :)
 
Re: Les Paul - Cleans to Hard Rock??

Janglin_Jack said:
I still want to retain the PAF honk and the twang of the middle position, so I think I want to keep Alnico mags.
Click to expand...
The CC is fatter than the Seth Lover but you get a similar tone, which still sounds sorta PAF to me.
 
Re: Les Paul - Cleans to Hard Rock??

APH set is great for a classic rock!
You may like a tighter Duncan Custom (SH-5) for the bridge! It got more ballz than CC & C5. As many say, you can do everything with this pup, from blues to death metal! Splitting & cleans are decent too.
 
Re: Les Paul - Cleans to Hard Rock??

Stevo said:
The CC is fatter than the Seth Lover but you get a similar tone, which still sounds sorta PAF to me.
Click to expand...

Steve...In my LP I had loved the CC,but I found it too be very smooth,warm,and round in my guitar,but it lacked enough cut in the bridge...I even tryed a 500k No Load tone pot that I made and it still just was too dark in my guitar...In a strat the CC is phenomenal though! My ears have a loss in the highs and this might explain why I percieved the CC as being too dark?
 
Re: Les Paul - Cleans to Hard Rock??

I decided to go for the Pearly Gates, (thanks Lew and Benjy-26). I put them in my 1982 Les Paul XR-1, (since it has a DPDT on-on switch I wired the neck series/parallel). WOW. I love them. Played them through my Mark IV and my JCM800, (and my buddies Plexi). Woo Hoo! All the Alnico mojo of my Seths with some added bite and clarity with the overdrive/distortion. I love them!

Thanks again Lew - you are 3 for 3 with me. Surfers in my Strat with Twangbanger in bridge and now the PG's.

BTW - for anyone interested, I just ditched my Mark IV for a Mesa Lonestar - Heaven!!!

Jack :beerchug:
 
Re: Les Paul - Cleans to Hard Rock??

A bit late - but I was gonna say PG's. Just don't be afraid to actually use the volume knob! I knock it back 2 notches and PG just tames right up!
 
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