Les Paul Pup's - great for blues, classic rock, versatille enough to harder sometimes

[clearance]

Hey everyone!
Happy to become a member
These are my final thoughts about getting new pickups for my MIJ Les Paul standard (mahogany body, maple cap,mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard).
I've went through a lot of ideas and read a lot of threads around here. Could you guys see if it makes sense to you?
My primary target is blues, classic rock and occasionally hard rock (Zeppelin, AC/DC, Black Sabbath style).The priority is to work great with cleans, blues and rock moderate crunch and lower classic gain. But i'm searching for something versatile enough to go harder if needed (just for fun) and be good enough at it. I mean hard rock and hard as it gets with Randy Rhodes for example.
Some guys already made me go away from any unpotted pickups. I thought SH-1 '59 in the neck and JB SH-4 or Duncan Custom SH-5. Never got sure with any of those options. Now it seems to be SD PG in the neck paired with either SH-5 or SH-14 in bridge position. I heard SH-5 is more versatile than other ceramic magnet pickups, but i'm still not sure. Thanks for reading

 

[Varg]

Re: Les Paul Pup's - great for blues, classic rock, versatille enough to harder somet

I would go for a pair of 59s or a pair of DiMarzio PAFs.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Les Paul Pup's - great for blues, classic rock, versatille enough to harder somet

welcome to the forum!

a pair of 59's would be nice. if you need more output from the bridge look at the sh14. the sh5 is more versatile than most ceramic pups but its still not the best clean tone.

the pearly gates is a great choice too if you want a rounder alnico II flavor

 

[Varg]

Re: Les Paul Pup's - great for blues, classic rock, versatille enough to harder somet

Cant believe I forgot the A2Pro as well! I dont like the neck pickup, but the bridge can be fantastic in the right Les Paul.

 

[Laughing Kookaburra]

Re: Les Paul Pup's - great for blues, classic rock, versatille enough to harder somet

Welcome!

Your choice of the SH-14 in the bridge and PG neck is a great way to go!

 

[blueman335]

Re: Les Paul Pup's - great for blues, classic rock, versatille enough to harder somet

Welcome aboard!

A set of PAF's is always good in an LP. Duncan makes soem of the best ('59, PG, etc). If you want a hotter bridgge, a C8 is great in mahogany.

 

[Jeff5]

Re: Les Paul Pup's - great for blues, classic rock, versatille enough to harder somet

I have to echo the SH-14. I love the SH5 (same pup with a ceramic mag) and Custom 8 (same pup with an Alnico 8) but I also play mostly heavier and faster stuff than you're referring to. The Custom 5 (SH-14) would be great for your applications, as would the Custom Custom. (same pick up with an Alnico 2 magnet) Both would work, just depends on what you prefer. I think the cleans on the Custom Cusotm are better than the Custom 5.

 

[Push to Shuv]

Re: Les Paul Pup's - great for blues, classic rock, versatille enough to harder somet

Im gonna have to recommend the Pearly Gates. Excels at blues, classic rock, and hard rock.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Les Paul Pup's - great for blues, classic rock, versatille enough to harder somet

Let us not forget Seths and Antiquitys!

Bill

 

[droneblack]

Re: Les Paul Pup's - great for blues, classic rock, versatille enough to harder somet

i am using the sh-1 '59 neck and custom sh-14 bridge ,i play same staff like y (+metal sometimes as y said ) with the same wood configuration for les paul .i am in love with those pups even i never tried something else ,if i ll go for another pup i ll have to buy a guitar too,this one stays as it is!

 

[elelpe]

Re: Les Paul Pup's - great for blues, classic rock, versatille enough to harder somet

Cant believe I forgot the A2Pro as well! I dont like the neck pickup, but the bridge can be fantastic in the right Les Paul.

Yup, I love the crunch of A2Pro in the bridge. Pair it with Jazz in the neck, versatile combo for great clean and classic gain.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: Les Paul Pup's - great for blues, classic rock, versatille enough to harder somet

Duncan A2Ps . . . want prove . . . SLASH !


Or even better yet . . . the Slash sig set - slightly, very slightly hotter wounded !!!

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: Les Paul Pup's - great for blues, classic rock, versatille enough to harder somet

Cant believe I forgot the A2Pro as well! I dont like the neck pickup, but the bridge can be fantastic in the right Les Paul.

I read that alot about the A2P neck, but Slash does almost all of his solos on the neck ony.
Works for him, and his tone is deff not muddy.
A2Ps most deff work for me, and i play from Muddy Waters to The Sonics to Led Zeppelin to GNR to Soundgarden to Electric Wizard with mine.

 

[Varg]

Re: Les Paul Pup's - great for blues, classic rock, versatille enough to harder somet

I read that alot about the A2P neck, but Slash does almost all of his solos on the neck ony.
Works for him, and his tone is deff not muddy.

I never said it was muddy, I just said I dont like the neck A2P. :28: Im not so sure he does almost all of his solos on the neck only either.
I just dont like the neck version of that pickup, any guitar Ive had them in its sounded weak. Replace it with a neck 59 or DMZ PAF and THERE you have a much closer representation of Slashs neck tone.
Thats just my experience, obviously Slash uses A2Pros and gets that tone, but Im using way cheaper gear lol :friday:

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: Les Paul Pup's - great for blues, classic rock, versatille enough to harder somet

I never said it was muddy, I just said I dont like the neck A2P. :28: Im not so sure he does almost all of his solos on the neck only either.
I just dont like the neck version of that pickup, any guitar Ive had them in its sounded weak. Replace it with a neck 59 or DMZ PAF and THERE you have a much closer representation of Slashs neck tone.
Thats just my experience, obviously Slash uses A2Pros and gets that tone, but Im using way cheaper gear lol :friday:

Ahhh, sorry mate, i never meant to say that YOU said the neck is muddy.
But i do read that alot. Sounds really nice in my Gibbo SG.

Slash is well known for doing his solos on the neck.
I also noticed it on the various live GNR videos/DVD's that i have.
No idea if his is still doing it, but untill about '93/'94 he was.

 

[clearance]

Re: Les Paul Pup's - great for blues, classic rock, versatille enough to harder somet

Thanks very much for all your replies. I see PG has AII magnet and SH-1 is AV. Could somebody say what the main, biggest difference would be between those two. The clean tones aren't as important as blues crunch. I'm still not sure whether to go with SH-14 or SH-5. The thing is i'd rather not to go ceramic but i'm not sure how hard the SH-14 can go.

 

[Laughing Kookaburra]

Re: Les Paul Pup's - great for blues, classic rock, versatille enough to harder somet

Foe everything you mention, withe the possible exception of Randy Rhodes, the Custom 5 is great...I've used one for those styles. I have not used the Custom, and maybe that would have a slight edge for the RR material, not that the Custom 5 couldn't handle it well.

I'll leave the PG to someone else, as I have not used it.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Les Paul Pup's - great for blues, classic rock, versatille enough to harder somet

Thanks very much for all your replies. I see PG has AII magnet and SH-1 is AV. Could somebody say what the main, biggest difference would be between those two. The clean tones aren't as important as blues crunch. I'm still not sure whether to go with SH-14 or SH-5. The thing is i'd rather not to go ceramic but iąm not sure how hard the SH-14 can go.

There's a lot of factors in why a PU sounds the way it does, but here's what the magents bring to the party:
A2's: a lot of mids, a rounded high-end, looser low-end, and low output.

A5's: a lot of treble and bass, scooped mids, tight low-end, relatively high output.

So A2 PAF's can be bright if they're wound right, but they have a softer high-end, as opposed to an A5 PAF which will have a shaper top (steak knife vs a butter knife). A '59 will have more bass, and a tighter bass. A2's are unoriented and have a lot of vintage dynamics and response, and the mids give it a 'big' sound. The middle ground of these two magnets is an UOA5, which has the best of both. If you get a PGB and want more bite, or a '59B and want more warmth and mids, an UOA5 will do that.

 

[gripweed]

Re: Les Paul Pup's - great for blues, classic rock, versatille enough to harder somet

My first thought was the PGs, although '59s are a personal favorite of mine.

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Les Paul Pup's - great for blues, classic rock, versatille enough to harder somet

First of all, Gibson 57 Classic/Classic Plus or Burstbucker 3/Classic Plus or Burstbucker Pros are unbeatable combinations. From there the next best choice is either Dimarzio PAF 36th or Seth Lovers. I do not like 59's although they did sound pretty good in the ESP Navigators. I can't think of anything that would sound better besides some of those expensive boutique pickups like Bareknuckle and WCR. I tried the new Slash Set in a strat and they are really nice. I traded them because they were single conductor, but I wish I would have kept them. That's a set I would recommend too.