Need Opinions On Replacing Les Paul Stock PUs with APHS-1 and APH-2, JP Wiring

[Average Joe Guitarist]

Hey, everyone! Long time SD user here, but first time poster. I’d love to get folks' guidance on this…

I own a Gibson Slash Appetite Burst Les Paul, which came with Gibson “Custom Burstbucker Alnico II” pickups in it. Love the guitar, but the pickups are too “spongy” (for lack of a better word) for my tastes. After listening to lots of pickup comparisons online, I have decided that I would like (in theory) to replace the stock pickups with an APH-1 Alnico II Pro HB in the neck position and an APH-2 Slash HB in the bridge position.

My plan is to order both in 4c, and wire them up using this schematic:

Mod Garage: “Jimmy Page” Les Paul Wiring

With 21 switchable sounds, this mod can turn any LP-style guitar into a veritable tone monster.

www.premierguitar.com

Any thoughts or suggestions on this? For example, any concerns with volume balancing issues with these coming from slightly dissimilar pickup lines? Any experience doing the same or similar with your own LP? Any experience splitting either one of these?

Thanks, everyone!

Average Joe

 

[jeremy]

welcome to the forum!

ive not tried those gibson pups, and i think the aph1n/aph2b would be a sweet combo, but they might be a little spongy too?

 

[Average Joe Guitarist]

Thank you, Jeremy!

I left out one additional fact about my stock Gibson PUs: they are un-potted. Surprised me, because with the volume Slash plays at (which I witnessed myself once), it's hard for me to imagine him being able to use un-potted on stage without issues. I realize that just because Gibson installed them in a signature guitar of his doesn't mean Slash himself uses them, but it was still kinda surprising to me that Gibson would go with un-potted in a signature guitar for him. But hey, I have no doubt Slash himself gave Gibson his blessing on that.

 

[Mincer]

My thought is that you'd be more into A5-based pickups. Slash's sound has a lot to do with the magnets in his PAF-based winds, and that is the thing many people find a little too chewy.
Non-potted pickups are fine (and unlikely causing the issue), as they really only feed back with tons of volume and gain.

 

[Average Joe Guitarist]

Thank you, Mincer for your insight on the un-potted stock PUs. I never meant to imply it had an impact on what I was hearing (or not hearing) with the stock PUs. I just found it kinda interesting that Gibson used them in the this particular signature model. They have not gone microphonic on me or anything like that so far. That hadn't happened to me since the early 90's, which involved only low budget stock PUs. Not sure I ever fully recovered from that experience, though!

 

[Mincer]

I bet Gibson resisted using Duncans in Slash's signature. Which is a shame, because they had to re-invent the wheel with their take on pickups he likes.

 

[ehdwuld]

I think, if I am not mistaken, that slash uses the APH pickups you want to swap in

And the ones that are in the guitar are Gibsons version of these

I dont think you will see a significant difference between the OEM pickups and the APH ones you plan to install

I agree with Mincer, you may want the same pickups you have just with A5 magnets

Maybe before buying new pickups
You try swapping magnets .....

 

[ehdwuld]

I bet Gibson resisted using Duncans in Slash's signature. Which is a shame, because they had to re-invent the wheel with their take on pickups he likes.

I was right in the middle of typing this when you posted

 

[beaubrummels]

I think, if I am not mistaken, that slash uses the APH pickups you want to swap in

And the ones that are in the guitar are Gibsons version of these

I dont think you will see a significant difference between the OEM pickups and the APH ones you plan to install

I agree with Mincer, you may want the same pickups you have just with A5 magnets

Maybe before buying new pickups
You try swapping magnets .....

I think a Jazz set would tilt too far to the scooped side of things. Maybe RCUOA5 would be better, tighter, but still has the vocal mid-bump in it. (Or a Whole Lotta Humbucker set would be similar; heat of a Slash, but a tighter version of the APH tones)

That said, if the OP was after JP tones rather than Slash, the best poor-man's JP set I tried was a Jazz neck with a 59N in the bridge.

 

[Average Joe Guitarist]

I think, if I am not mistaken, that slash uses the APH pickups you want to swap in

And the ones that are in the guitar are Gibsons version of these

I dont think you will see a significant difference between the OEM pickups and the APH ones you plan to install

I agree with Mincer, you may want the same pickups you have just with A5 magnets

Maybe before buying new pickups
You try swapping magnets .....

Thanks for the suggestion! Actually, I currently own three or so guitars that use A5 pickups and that I like very much. Swapping the stock magnets in this LP would certainly be an option, but the stock PUs are two conductor only, and would not allow me to use the schematic linked above.

 

[chadd]

I had A2 Burstbuckers (BB1/BB3, not BB Slash)in my my R7 until I swapped the first Slash set into it. The guitar was less nasal and sounded better overall. I prefer my pickups to be a little loose/spongy and didn't notice a big difference in that regard.

 

[d1dsj]

As you want to go with the JP wiring and assuming you haven’t already, why not try SD WLH’s, great pick ups.

 

[Panzer45]

Hey, everyone! Long time SD user here, but first time poster. I’d love to get folks' guidance on this…

I own a Gibson Slash Appetite Burst Les Paul, which came with Gibson “Custom Burstbucker Alnico II” pickups in it. Love the guitar, but the pickups are too “spongy” (for lack of a better word) for my tastes. After listening to lots of pickup comparisons online, I have decided that I would like (in theory) to replace the stock pickups with an APH-1 Alnico II Pro HB in the neck position and an APH-2 Slash HB in the bridge position.

My plan is to order both in 4c, and wire them up using this schematic:

Mod Garage: “Jimmy Page” Les Paul Wiring

With 21 switchable sounds, this mod can turn any LP-style guitar into a veritable tone monster.

www.premierguitar.com

Any thoughts or suggestions on this? For example, any concerns with volume balancing issues with these coming from slightly dissimilar pickup lines? Any experience doing the same or similar with your own LP? Any experience splitting either one of these?

Thanks, everyone!

Average Joe

I love the Lindy Fralin Pure PAF's in my #1 Les Paul.