Neck pickup - Les Paul Custom

[Ole]

I`m currently using a 59 with alnico 8 in the neck in my les paul custom.
While My Duncan Custom with alnico 8 in the bridge sounds killer, the neck pickup isn`t cutting enough ..It has too much of that typical round les paul sound in the neck that I don`t like.
I would like a more cutting neck pickup with more pick attack, more strat like. I know you can`t get it to sound like a strat, but more in that direction so to speak. I read many suggests the pearly gates in a les paul.
How is that one compared to a 59 ?

Other suggestions ?

Thanks!

 

[trevorus]

Re: Neck pickup - Les Paul Custom

PGn or my favorite, an Antiquity. Also, have you messed with pickup heights?

 

[Ole]

Re: Neck pickup - Les Paul Custom

Thanks, yes I`ve tried out different pickup heights.
Tell me about these two and how they differ from each other.
Btw I play metal so I need something that can keep up with speedy solos and have lots of bite.
Cheers!

 

[trevorus]

Re: Neck pickup - Les Paul Custom

You may just put a bridge pickup there if that is the direction you are going. I have heard a JB can retain a sharper clarity in the neck.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Neck pickup - Les Paul Custom

The PGn may be a good choice. It's an A2 pup, so if it isn't cutting enough for you you can always try A4, A5, or A8 mags in it.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Neck pickup - Les Paul Custom

For a cutting neck PU in an LP, I like an HB-sized P-90 with twin A5's. You definitely get an open, brighter single-coil sound that you can't get from any HB.

If you want an HB, I like '59N's with the bass side of the PU lowered to take off some bassiness. You get that A5 sharpness. While a PGN is relatively bright, it doesn't have a cutting top end because of the A2 magnet. PGN's have their own virtues, with a bigger, wider sound than a '59. Depends on what you want.

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Neck pickup - Les Paul Custom

Blueman is right. The PGn and the Jazz have too much mids to cut. My A5 Phat Cat N, a A5 Seth Lover N and a A4 59N (in that order!) did it for me so far.
I could also think of a humbucker wired with the coils in parallel for a strat like tone. Some like the Stag Mag or the JB for that.

 

[MikeM]

Re: Neck pickup - Les Paul Custom

Full Shred, maybe screamin demon

 

[JOEBACCA]

Re: Neck pickup - Les Paul Custom

Btw I play metal so I need something that can keep up with speedy solos and have lots of bite.
Cheers!

What you need is the Full Shred Neck it does exactly what your description says and then some !! It sounds bright and full for clean passages and then BANG hit the dirty channel and it is tight, bright, full, and your low notes will never mud up no matter how much gain you pump into it. You can get some nice pinch harmonics on it too unlike alot of neck pickups. Jazz Neck is a close second though.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Neck pickup - Les Paul Custom

Blueman is right. The PGn and the Jazz have too much mids to cut. My A5 Phat Cat N, a A5 Seth Lover N and a A4 59N (in that order!) did it for me so far.
I could also think of a humbucker wired with the coils in parallel for a strat like tone. Some like the Stag Mag or the JB for that.

I also like Blueman's suggestion for P-90s. I really love the P-90 sound.

But not for your reasonning... "The PGn and the Jazz have too much mids to cut". Actually, the PG is a scooped sound similar to the '59 (but not quite so scooped), and it is in fact the MIDS that really do the cutting. That's why P-90s are so great...they have great, full mids with that biting single coil edge...this is what cuts through.

The PG, however, is a really great all-around pup that can cut, can be mellow, can be ballsy, can be bright...just about anything you want it to do.

 

[LatsMcGee]

Re: Neck pickup - Les Paul Custom

Demon, Full Shred, or even an A8 Jazz....