Need help choosing pickups.
- Thread starter fenderguy12
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PINKBITS
New member
Re: Need help choosing pickups.
I think Duncans are excellent. The good old 59 is hard to beat in the neck of a Les Paul.
However, in my search for something a little different from the norm, I stumbled across Guitarforce pickups. http://www.guitarforcepickups.com/home
I currently use a Rockdriver bridge and a custom wound neck. These are fantastic pickups and certainly worth consideration.
I have not used it but his Rebelfire is very well regarded.
I think Duncans are excellent. The good old 59 is hard to beat in the neck of a Les Paul.
However, in my search for something a little different from the norm, I stumbled across Guitarforce pickups. http://www.guitarforcepickups.com/home
I currently use a Rockdriver bridge and a custom wound neck. These are fantastic pickups and certainly worth consideration.
I have not used it but his Rebelfire is very well regarded.
Re: Need help choosing pickups.
You can't be serious...AC/DC on a Les Paul type guitar?
You are NOT going to get that no matter what pickup you use.
No pickup is going to make an LP sound like an SG. This is a clear case of wood first, pickup last.
You can't be serious...AC/DC on a Les Paul type guitar?
You are NOT going to get that no matter what pickup you use.
No pickup is going to make an LP sound like an SG. This is a clear case of wood first, pickup last.
fenderguy12
New member
Re: Need help choosing pickups.
After reading some reviews of the custom i think i found my bridge. My only question about it is if it can get a good classic rock tone. (mainly led zeppelin)
After reading some reviews of the custom i think i found my bridge. My only question about it is if it can get a good classic rock tone. (mainly led zeppelin)
Re: Need help choosing pickups.
+1 to this. I don't think you can go wrong with this combo, although I have the Custom and an AII Pro in my Hamer and I like that a lot too. If you're looking for lower output, you may want to try a PG set. I haven't delved too far into the low output arena myself, but many people rave about that combo.
I play a lot of Zepplin and harder classic rock with my Custom and you can definitely get good classic rock tones from it. It is hotter than anything Page used, but has that PAFish vibe, especially on the higher strings.
Just keep in mind, it is a fairly hot pick up. (14kish I believe) As a result, for some applications you may have to lower the pup or just back off on your volume a bit. I've never found this to be a problem because as soon as I turn it all the way up...ROAR!
+1 to this. I don't think you can go wrong with this combo, although I have the Custom and an AII Pro in my Hamer and I like that a lot too. If you're looking for lower output, you may want to try a PG set. I haven't delved too far into the low output arena myself, but many people rave about that combo.
I play a lot of Zepplin and harder classic rock with my Custom and you can definitely get good classic rock tones from it. It is hotter than anything Page used, but has that PAFish vibe, especially on the higher strings.
Just keep in mind, it is a fairly hot pick up. (14kish I believe) As a result, for some applications you may have to lower the pup or just back off on your volume a bit. I've never found this to be a problem because as soon as I turn it all the way up...ROAR!
Last edited:
Christopher Caruana
New member
Re: Need help choosing pickups.
There is no way you can play zeppelin and ACDC type stuff with a custom in the bridge. Yes it is a hot PAF type pickup, but it reads about 14K and has a ceramic magnet. Page always used real PAF's and Ttops. and they could measure anywhere from 7k-8.5k and he also used anything from A4, A2, A3 and A5 magnets. Angus used Ttops back in the day also
Something with a vintage output would be better, like a: PG, '59 or A2P.
I think the amp is more important. Page and Angus both used cranked up Vintage Marshalls to get their sound.
There is no way you can play zeppelin and ACDC type stuff with a custom in the bridge. Yes it is a hot PAF type pickup, but it reads about 14K and has a ceramic magnet. Page always used real PAF's and Ttops. and they could measure anywhere from 7k-8.5k and he also used anything from A4, A2, A3 and A5 magnets. Angus used Ttops back in the day also
Something with a vintage output would be better, like a: PG, '59 or A2P.
I think the amp is more important. Page and Angus both used cranked up Vintage Marshalls to get their sound.
fenderguy12
New member
Re: Need help choosing pickups.
I dont understand how i wouldnt be able to play zeppelin or ACDC at all with the custom. Like Jeff said just roll back on the volume.
I dont understand how i wouldnt be able to play zeppelin or ACDC at all with the custom. Like Jeff said just roll back on the volume.
Christopher Caruana
New member
Re: Need help choosing pickups.
sorry i worded that wrong, you can play that type of stuff with the custom, but your not going to get a real vintage tone and bite that page and angus get because they use low output pickups. With the custom being so hot, the sound is going to be much more compressed and less "open" than a low output pickup.
With high and low output pickups, its more of a "feel" thing then a "hear" thing. When you play, you can just fell the difference in the responce you get from your guitar and your sound with high and low output pickups.
sorry i worded that wrong, you can play that type of stuff with the custom, but your not going to get a real vintage tone and bite that page and angus get because they use low output pickups. With the custom being so hot, the sound is going to be much more compressed and less "open" than a low output pickup.
With high and low output pickups, its more of a "feel" thing then a "hear" thing. When you play, you can just fell the difference in the responce you get from your guitar and your sound with high and low output pickups.
FuseG4
Our Neighbor Totoro
Re: Need help choosing pickups.
I know what you DONT want... a Custom Custom. I had a C8 in my other axe and swapped it into my agile (it was a pain in the ass because of the SUPER short leads!!!).
I'm gonna try the c5, c8 next. Sorry I don't have a ceramic so I can't say how the Sh-5 would sound in it.
Anyways the CC just has no bass. It's makes it sound so wimpy in my agile. Save the CC for Fender-scale instruments or something.
I hope the c5 works better. I'll report back tomorrow with my findings.
I know what you DONT want... a Custom Custom. I had a C8 in my other axe and swapped it into my agile (it was a pain in the ass because of the SUPER short leads!!!).
I'm gonna try the c5, c8 next. Sorry I don't have a ceramic so I can't say how the Sh-5 would sound in it.
Anyways the CC just has no bass. It's makes it sound so wimpy in my agile. Save the CC for Fender-scale instruments or something.
I hope the c5 works better. I'll report back tomorrow with my findings.
super rad stuff
Skaforlifeologist
Re: Need help choosing pickups.
for the two main bands you mentioned, i think suggestions are going a bit astray for what you're going for. angus, though he played an SG, used mostly ttops and a5 PAFs and only ever ever ever played the bridge pickup, while page's les pauls were pretty much always equipped with an a5 PAF in the bridge. the key ingredient to both of those tones is pretty much just a low output pickup in a gibson into a cranked marshall plexi. that, and playing with the right kinda attitude
knowing that, i'd say your best bet would be a set of '59s.
for the two main bands you mentioned, i think suggestions are going a bit astray for what you're going for. angus, though he played an SG, used mostly ttops and a5 PAFs and only ever ever ever played the bridge pickup, while page's les pauls were pretty much always equipped with an a5 PAF in the bridge. the key ingredient to both of those tones is pretty much just a low output pickup in a gibson into a cranked marshall plexi. that, and playing with the right kinda attitude
knowing that, i'd say your best bet would be a set of '59s.
FuseG4
Our Neighbor Totoro
Re: Need help choosing pickups.
^ yes.
However, I'd say don't discount anything high output just because it's not what one artist you like uses. If something like a sh-5 wind with whatever magnet gets the OP "in the ballpark" of a page tone, and gets him close to a number of other sounds too, it's win-win, right?
I'm trying the custom custom, the c5 and c8 to see if they screw up the whole vibe. So far the CC kinda.. does.
^ yes.
However, I'd say don't discount anything high output just because it's not what one artist you like uses. If something like a sh-5 wind with whatever magnet gets the OP "in the ballpark" of a page tone, and gets him close to a number of other sounds too, it's win-win, right?
I'm trying the custom custom, the c5 and c8 to see if they screw up the whole vibe. So far the CC kinda.. does.
FuseG4
Our Neighbor Totoro
Re: Need help choosing pickups.
Custom 5 in the agile:
It does feel like a 59b with the output turned up, but it ends up compressing everything a little bit. Turning the volume down does NOT turn it into a 59, though. It still doesn't wanna be as dynamic.
Anyways, with those two pickups, you get awesome dynamics with the 59b and awesome sustain with the c5. The difference is all about feel. If you only have one LP and you want it to excel at blues and blues-rock, get a vintage output pickup. You need to feel the whole attack of the note to get as expressive as you need to be for that stuff.
So now my official recommendation to you is a set of 59s. They work great in a set.
If you feel like your ebony fretboard is making things brighter and you wanna balance it, I'd go for a PG set or A2P set, whichever sounds more like your thing.
Custom 5 in the agile:
It does feel like a 59b with the output turned up, but it ends up compressing everything a little bit. Turning the volume down does NOT turn it into a 59, though. It still doesn't wanna be as dynamic.
Anyways, with those two pickups, you get awesome dynamics with the 59b and awesome sustain with the c5. The difference is all about feel. If you only have one LP and you want it to excel at blues and blues-rock, get a vintage output pickup. You need to feel the whole attack of the note to get as expressive as you need to be for that stuff.
So now my official recommendation to you is a set of 59s. They work great in a set.
If you feel like your ebony fretboard is making things brighter and you wanna balance it, I'd go for a PG set or A2P set, whichever sounds more like your thing.
fenderguy12
New member
Re: Need help choosing pickups.
I realized that getting the custom was stupid. The only reason i wanted it was so i could MAYBE do metallica. Then i realized I already get a pretty convincing metallica tone with my strat. So im gonna stick with lower output PUs, PG in the bridge, undecided on the neck.
I realized that getting the custom was stupid. The only reason i wanted it was so i could MAYBE do metallica. Then i realized I already get a pretty convincing metallica tone with my strat. So im gonna stick with lower output PUs, PG in the bridge, undecided on the neck.
FuseG4
Our Neighbor Totoro
Re: Need help choosing pickups.
I'm sure the best match for a PGb is a PGn. I haven't played em but it just makes so much sense.
edit: I want a set now, too! The custom 5 thing is cool but not for my agile. Leave high output to my $25 baswood strat-o-copy.
I'm sure the best match for a PGb is a PGn. I haven't played em but it just makes so much sense.
edit: I want a set now, too! The custom 5 thing is cool but not for my agile. Leave high output to my $25 baswood strat-o-copy.
Re: Need help choosing pickups.
I agree with what everyone else here said with regards to lower ouput pick ups. If you really want to nail that vintage, classic rock vibe, you need lower output humbuckers. Personally, I like too much speed/thrash/insane/aggressve music to use something that's too low output, but if you only want to do the occasional Metallica, you're probably okay.
I agree with what everyone else here said with regards to lower ouput pick ups. If you really want to nail that vintage, classic rock vibe, you need lower output humbuckers. Personally, I like too much speed/thrash/insane/aggressve music to use something that's too low output, but if you only want to do the occasional Metallica, you're probably okay.
super rad stuff
Skaforlifeologist
Re: Need help choosing pickups.
ya know, you can have your cake and eat it too with a set of pearly gates, they're low enough in output to get the vintage thing going but voiced well enough that they won't mush out with a ton of gain
ya know, you can have your cake and eat it too with a set of pearly gates, they're low enough in output to get the vintage thing going but voiced well enough that they won't mush out with a ton of gain
fenderguy12
New member
Re: Need help choosing pickups.
^ Same problem im having.
^ Same problem im having.