Les Paul for hard rock & metal

[ibanezrocks]

I recently got back into playing and picked up a Les Paul Classic Antique. The guitar is pretty well balanced acoustically. I'm not digging the loose/spongy low end of the classic 57's and would like to replace them with something a little hotter in the bridge and something clearer in the neck. Maybe a custom/jazz set?

I'm looking for more of a thrash/hard rock sound. My amp situation currently is a Mesa Boogie Subway Rocket and a Yamaha THR10X.

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[gsammo79]

Re: Les Paul for hard rock & metal

The Custom/Jazz set is a good place to start. The Custom 5 is another I'd recommend. I recently played a mahogany back-maple top bodied guitar with a C5 in it. It's a very scooped pickup, but I really liked it.

 

[357mag]

Re: Les Paul for hard rock & metal

Do not use a Jazz pickup in the neck. It's for Jazz. Not Rock. Duncan's advertising is misleading. It sucks in the neck of a rock or metal guitar.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Les Paul for hard rock & metal

I guess it depends on definition of rock and whether you are using the neck for distortion or cleans. The best all around Les Paul neck pickups I've used were the Jazz, the Seth, and a 496R. I don't know how to play jazz at all, names don't mean anything. It's just a pickup with a frequency response to it. For heavier but clear there's a number of other choices from Black Winter to Parallel Axis etc. I'll have to defer to others for the heavier choices.


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[blueman335]

Re: Les Paul for hard rock & metal

Do not use a Jazz pickup in the neck. It's for Jazz. Not Rock. Duncan's advertising is misleading. It sucks in the neck of a rock or metal guitar.

Where have you been? There's been many posts here saying that Duncan Jazz PU's aren't really jazz-type PU's. They're bright & clear, which makes them a good choice with a lot of distortion, which is what the OP is playing.

A Custom and JazzN would be a good choice in an LP for playing metal.

 

[STLMTLHD79]

Re: Les Paul for hard rock & metal

I picked up a 1995 LP Studio with a very well repaired headstock for very cheap a few months back. I plan to do something similar to this. I was looking to do a full-metal passive pickup crushing tone monster with it. I am looking to do an Alternative 8 in the bridge and Screamin Demon in the neck. I was going to do a Custom 5 in the bridge but i want something with even more output.

Thoughts?

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Les Paul for hard rock & metal

^ Sounds good!

Op: there's the Dimebag set.

 

[elelpe]

Re: Les Paul for hard rock & metal

Re: Les Paul for hard rock & metal

I picked up a 1995 LP Studio with a very well repaired headstock for very cheap a few months back. I plan to do something similar to this. I was looking to do a full-metal passive pickup crushing tone monster with it. I am looking to do an Alternative 8 in the bridge and Screamin Demon in the neck. I was going to do a Custom 5 in the bridge but i want something with even more output.

Thoughts?

I had that exact combo in my LP and it works great in rock - metal spectrum. And the middle position is brilliant. I've paired Alt8 with '59/Jazz/A2P and also combined Demon with JB and Custom family. I like Alt8 - Demon the most.

 

[EmiAba]

Re: Les Paul for hard rock & metal

If you are mainly focused on thrash I'd suggest the mahyem set. If you want an allround set it is better a sentient in the neck and one incarnation of custom (it depends on how you dig the scooped sound of the C5 or the midrange of C8 ect.)

 

[Discharged]

Re: Les Paul for hard rock & metal

Do not use a Jazz pickup in the neck. It's for Jazz. Not Rock.

Wow! Say whaaattt?????

For the last 40 years, the JazzN, as a part of the Hot Rodded Humbucker set, it's been Duncan's greatest cash cow, put on the greatest number of Rock/Metal-oriented guitars as OEM in the history of Modern Music. And that makes it the most used neck p'up for Rock and Metal in the history of modern music.

I don't think the poster could've chosen a worse example to be wrong about.

I just can't avoid to shake my head in disbelief... :smack:

/Peter

 

[Aceman]

Re: Les Paul for hard rock & metal

Not being sure how you will use the neck...I'm answering anyway.

#1. Jazz/Custom is a solid answer. More hard rock than thrash. The Custom is probably the better of all rock to metal hot pickups. Tight thumping bottom.

#2 Jazz/Distortion. More thrash than hard rock. Personally love the distortion for all kinds of rock. Tight chunking bottom.

#3 Demon / Distortion is also an excellent suggestion.

#4. Whoever said 59/Dimebucker - definitely a Thrashy Metal go to! I have not went to the Dimebucker ever - but a lot of good word on it. See Pantera for examples.

We can go on. Ignore the Jazz comment guys - they are just funnin' with you. (I hope!). Jazz is a bright, evenly EQ'd modern sounding clear pickup in a Les Paul neck slot. By the way - freaking highly underrated all round killer bridge pup in there. Jazz/Jazz is a cool Les Paul!

 

[Aceman]

Re: Les Paul for hard rock & metal

A Custom and JazzN would be a good choice in an LP for playing metal.

So Rick, just to clarify, which of these would you suggest that combination is best for?

Like which albums from these:

Metallica; RTL, MOP, AJFT, Black, Load/reload, Deth Magnetic, etc....
MegaDave; So Far So good, Peace Sells, Rust In Peace Countdown, Trust
Anthrax; Among The Living, Spreading the Disease, Persistence of Time, White Noise

Or which Bands?

Overkill
Slayer
Nuclear Assault
Merciful Fate
Pantera

Or even which of these hard rockers would say the Jazz is best for: Maiden, Priest, Scorpios, Dio, Ozzy (Rhoads), Ozzy (Jake), Ozzy (Wylde), Crue, Skid Row, GnR

Metal covers a lot. Which of those have you had good experience using a Jazz Neck in a Les with??? Or which of them would you say the Custom Bridge really nails and which ones not so much?

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Les Paul for hard rock & metal

I'd suggest 59 neck and Bill Lawrence L500XL. Its as close as makes no difference to the Dimebucker, only $50, and it's what Mr. Darrell himself.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Les Paul for hard rock & metal

Id put 500k volume pots in there first before you change the pickups

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Les Paul for hard rock & metal

I play hard rock and a couple of "thrash type" songs.

My #1 has a JB/ Jazz set. I typically use the Jazz more for cleaner tones, but not always.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Les Paul for hard rock & metal

Distortion set.

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[AlexR]

Re: Les Paul for hard rock & metal

Do not use a Jazz pickup in the neck. It's for Jazz. Not Rock. Duncan's advertising is misleading. It sucks in the neck of a rock or metal guitar.

Holy hell.....I'm not sure what to say about this post apart from how dreadfully misinformed it is.

I do know that the Custom/Jazz combo is used by EMPPU VUORINEN from Nightwish.....and that is operatic metal with heavy guitar - and his neck tone for a lot of people doesn't suck in any way.

 

[dave74]

Re: Les Paul for hard rock & metal

I've always liked the 59n better for cleans and better as a lead-blend with bright-tight ceramic bridge-models.
The Jazz I like better for a lead-blend with most alnico-bridges and I definitely prefer the Jazz for neck-only leads, especially metal or shred-style leads.

 

[risingforce]

Re: Les Paul for hard rock & metal

My PRS Custom 22 has Custom 5 ( bridge ) and 59 ( neck ). I'm very happy to play classic hard'n'heavy with this monster. Also you can try for your Les Paul.

 

[Jeff5]

Re: Les Paul for hard rock & metal

Custom/Jazz in an LP and for the music you want to play? You can't go wrong. Don't let the Jazz name fool you, it shreds great and is great for cleans too.