sombersoul
New member
It's that time again, I'm about to get a new LP Studio Pro (Manhattan Blue). As always, Gibson PUs come out, SD PUs get in. I've used a variety of SD PUs before, but I'd like to hear suggestions on which route to go with the new Studio Pro.
I'm playing post rock with a heavy edge, so what I really need is a huge, chunky, chugging, thick rhythm tone from the bridge and a sweet-sounding, vintagey, chimey clean, presumably from the neck.
I currently own an older, higher quality EP SG-400 (very much like the '61 Reissue) and EP LP Traditional 60s. The SG has DDb and PGn, the LP is equipped with the C and PGn. I used to own a Gibson SG Standard with DD, Alt8 and C5 alternating in the bridge with a 59n...this was until I realized the guitar itself was a dud and I just couldn't bond with it, after which I immediately sold it.
I have two unused brigde PUs lying around, namely a DD and an Alt8. I don't do PU swaps or magnet swaps myself, so that's the only limitation.
Any suggestions are as always highly appreciated! Thanks!
***
Read below for a few comments on the PUs I have already used (longer read):
Bridge:
Custom: It's a good fit for the LP but I feel it sounds somewhat bland. That's not a big deal, really, and the C would be my first choice for the LP Pro if I was unsure about which other PU to get. I wouldn't mind a non-ceramic PU in the bridge for a change, though.
Duncan Distortion: It's a great fit in the bridge of the SG-400 and cuts through really well. To me it's got more character than the C, possibly ruder. The cleans are somewhat honky. While it's great in my SG-400, I disliked in the SG Standard. Weird. I'm unsure about putting it in the bridge of an LP. My friend has one in an EP LP Standard, and it cuts through but there seems to be a big mid-spike here. I don't want to end up in "mid-hell", as I'm already using a rather mid-oriented setup.
C5: I got it for my ex-SG Standard after reading this forum, but I was unimpressed. The cleans were pretty nice (not honky), but overall I felt it was too thin and bright-sounding for my taste. In an LP this might be a totally different story, though.
Alt8: I have only very little experience, but from what I remember having it in the long-gone SG Standard, the cleans definitely sounded more organic. It also seemed to have a high-mid focus, at least in my setup. I have no idea how it would sound in an LP, and if it would be a good fit for what I want to do.
Of course, I'm more than open for PUs I haven't used before.
Neck:
Pearly Gates: As you can see from my description at the beginning, I have PGns in two guitars. I mostly use them for my cleans. They are great on the higher strings but, at least in my setup, they tend to get boomy on the lower strings with little definition. Sometimes this makes me compete with the bass player.
What surprises me is that I almost invariably read about the PGn that it is bright, and yet I wish it was more defined and sparklier on the lower strings. Under higher gain, the PGns in both the SG and LP muddy up and compress too much with the bass walking all over, the higher strings sustain like a violin (which I like!) in a thick and rather wooly way.
I've been wondering if there's a PU with a similar sweet sound as the PGn but with a little more chime and definition, esp. on the lower strings. Would a Jazz neck be what I'm really looking for?
'59 neck: This PU is always described as boomy, but I wonder how that might sound like, if I already find the PGn a bit boomy? Unfortunately, I don't remember the '59 I had in my ex-SG very well, but I know I liked it much better than the C5, so perhaps I want to try it in an LP? I'm thinking that perhaps because it seems to have more relaxed mids (compared to the PGn), the sound will come across as less muddy, more brilliant in the top end?
I'm playing post rock with a heavy edge, so what I really need is a huge, chunky, chugging, thick rhythm tone from the bridge and a sweet-sounding, vintagey, chimey clean, presumably from the neck.
I currently own an older, higher quality EP SG-400 (very much like the '61 Reissue) and EP LP Traditional 60s. The SG has DDb and PGn, the LP is equipped with the C and PGn. I used to own a Gibson SG Standard with DD, Alt8 and C5 alternating in the bridge with a 59n...this was until I realized the guitar itself was a dud and I just couldn't bond with it, after which I immediately sold it.
I have two unused brigde PUs lying around, namely a DD and an Alt8. I don't do PU swaps or magnet swaps myself, so that's the only limitation.
Any suggestions are as always highly appreciated! Thanks!
***
Read below for a few comments on the PUs I have already used (longer read):
Bridge:
Custom: It's a good fit for the LP but I feel it sounds somewhat bland. That's not a big deal, really, and the C would be my first choice for the LP Pro if I was unsure about which other PU to get. I wouldn't mind a non-ceramic PU in the bridge for a change, though.
Duncan Distortion: It's a great fit in the bridge of the SG-400 and cuts through really well. To me it's got more character than the C, possibly ruder. The cleans are somewhat honky. While it's great in my SG-400, I disliked in the SG Standard. Weird. I'm unsure about putting it in the bridge of an LP. My friend has one in an EP LP Standard, and it cuts through but there seems to be a big mid-spike here. I don't want to end up in "mid-hell", as I'm already using a rather mid-oriented setup.
C5: I got it for my ex-SG Standard after reading this forum, but I was unimpressed. The cleans were pretty nice (not honky), but overall I felt it was too thin and bright-sounding for my taste. In an LP this might be a totally different story, though.
Alt8: I have only very little experience, but from what I remember having it in the long-gone SG Standard, the cleans definitely sounded more organic. It also seemed to have a high-mid focus, at least in my setup. I have no idea how it would sound in an LP, and if it would be a good fit for what I want to do.
Of course, I'm more than open for PUs I haven't used before.
Neck:
Pearly Gates: As you can see from my description at the beginning, I have PGns in two guitars. I mostly use them for my cleans. They are great on the higher strings but, at least in my setup, they tend to get boomy on the lower strings with little definition. Sometimes this makes me compete with the bass player.
What surprises me is that I almost invariably read about the PGn that it is bright, and yet I wish it was more defined and sparklier on the lower strings. Under higher gain, the PGns in both the SG and LP muddy up and compress too much with the bass walking all over, the higher strings sustain like a violin (which I like!) in a thick and rather wooly way. I've been wondering if there's a PU with a similar sweet sound as the PGn but with a little more chime and definition, esp. on the lower strings. Would a Jazz neck be what I'm really looking for?
'59 neck: This PU is always described as boomy, but I wonder how that might sound like, if I already find the PGn a bit boomy? Unfortunately, I don't remember the '59 I had in my ex-SG very well, but I know I liked it much better than the C5, so perhaps I want to try it in an LP? I'm thinking that perhaps because it seems to have more relaxed mids (compared to the PGn), the sound will come across as less muddy, more brilliant in the top end?
