NGD - Les Paul Standard, now 59'd
- Thread starter Les PaulBearer
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Les PaulBearer
New member
Re: NGD - Les Paul Standard, now 59'd
When I bought this guitar it had BK PG Blues pickups installed, I gave them a good play and wasn't sure. I decided to reinstall them after changing to 50's wiring and the bridge and tailpiece upgrade and I'm glad I did, they are great and suit the guitar much better in the new configuration. They were aged by Bare Knuckle but looked improbably old to fit this guitar, which has light wear and a few dings from being played but I think looks great for it. I don't keep guitars pristine and expect them to get buckle rash and playing wear. When I removed the pickups I cleaned them with a light rubbing compound (did one corner of the side first as an experiment) they came up like this, half shiny and a little oxidised. I think they look more correct to the rest of the wear on the guitar now. I haven't aged pickup covers before but if you can find out what BK do to the PG Blues and you like this look then why not give it a go.
When I bought this guitar it had BK PG Blues pickups installed, I gave them a good play and wasn't sure. I decided to reinstall them after changing to 50's wiring and the bridge and tailpiece upgrade and I'm glad I did, they are great and suit the guitar much better in the new configuration. They were aged by Bare Knuckle but looked improbably old to fit this guitar, which has light wear and a few dings from being played but I think looks great for it. I don't keep guitars pristine and expect them to get buckle rash and playing wear. When I removed the pickups I cleaned them with a light rubbing compound (did one corner of the side first as an experiment) they came up like this, half shiny and a little oxidised. I think they look more correct to the rest of the wear on the guitar now. I haven't aged pickup covers before but if you can find out what BK do to the PG Blues and you like this look then why not give it a go.
Les PaulBearer
New member
Re: NGD - Les Paul Standard, now 59'd
I worked in a guitar shop and he was located nearby for a few years. It was a nice shop with great up to date stuff, all the pedals you could want, new and vintage guitars too. He had a reason for coming in a lot but also he was very into his gear and loved discussing guitars, old and new. Always interested in new amps and pedals. Sometimes he'd come in and spend an hour chatting and sometimes he'd buy some pedals or an amp and spend a couple of hours just playing. Pretty funny when a customer wonders over and asks if they've been listening to Gary Moore play for the last half hour. Very cool guy, super friendly and enthusiastic to talk about his playing and guitars. Watching him playing and thinking about how to get sounds from an amp was incredible, always had a completely different set of licks for different feels. He obviously played a lot, all of the time, crazy skills.
Jeff_H
Dean Hardtail Fanologist
Re: NGD - Les Paul Standard, now 59'd
That sounds like such a great time, and I'm glad you had good experiences with him. Not all have, but like you said he likely didn't suffer any fools.
It also good to hear that you like the PG Blues set. I've been really curious about those and if I ever buy any Bare Knuckles pickups they are on the short list, along with The Mule and the Stormy Monday. One day I'll decide to try a pair.... in double cream of course.
That sounds like such a great time, and I'm glad you had good experiences with him. Not all have, but like you said he likely didn't suffer any fools.
It also good to hear that you like the PG Blues set. I've been really curious about those and if I ever buy any Bare Knuckles pickups they are on the short list, along with The Mule and the Stormy Monday. One day I'll decide to try a pair.... in double cream of course.
Les PaulBearer
New member
Re: NGD - Les Paul Standard, now 59'd
I was ready, or at least prepared, not to love these as I didn't pick them. They were on the long list I had been looking at and they came with the guitar so they got to stay. I'm still not 100% decided but I do think they suit the guitar. I'm sure they vary so what I'm saying may not be true exactly of another set... They are "old" sounding but they are also quite chunky. The guitar is not light, one piece back (probably Swiss cheesed, 9 holes because of the year of manufacture - would love to X-ray it but I don't have an X-ray machine) though also not the heaviest Les Paul I've picked up. I can't exactly attribute the sound to any individual pieces so I'll say the whole thing has a tight beefy bottom end, is mainly mid focussed, smooth and open. The highs are not sibilant at all and remain calm even if you turn amp tone decently toward treble. It sounds very Les Paul (not surprising I suppose), very Gibson, oddly similar in core character to my CS336 (which is very different in construction) and then very different to my Tokai LS150 (which is constructed in a much more similar fashion). I'll qualify that as well by saying that the Les Paul sounded really chunky and chuggy before I changed all the hardware and electrics - I said this earlier in the thread but it seemed like a real brute originally - definitely less Gibson like, more aggressive bass heavy and compressed sounding in the amp, more metal less rock a bit flabby too. This is possibly why I was sceptical about the BKs but I guess they much prefer the lighter metal parts which are much better fitting - I'm sure this is what has cleaned up the sound most - and nicer electrics. The PG Blues pick ups must sound quite PAF-like and very Gibson-like because they seem very right, they definitely accentuate the ooowah sound of a nice bend. I'll have to have a very good reason to change them as it might easily unbalance what is a very natural and obvious sound. If I could make them a tiny bit drier I would, maybe I'll find that in an amp though, looking at something at the moment. They are definitely worth a try if you want a classic old Gibson sound with balls.
I was ready, or at least prepared, not to love these as I didn't pick them. They were on the long list I had been looking at and they came with the guitar so they got to stay. I'm still not 100% decided but I do think they suit the guitar. I'm sure they vary so what I'm saying may not be true exactly of another set... They are "old" sounding but they are also quite chunky. The guitar is not light, one piece back (probably Swiss cheesed, 9 holes because of the year of manufacture - would love to X-ray it but I don't have an X-ray machine) though also not the heaviest Les Paul I've picked up. I can't exactly attribute the sound to any individual pieces so I'll say the whole thing has a tight beefy bottom end, is mainly mid focussed, smooth and open. The highs are not sibilant at all and remain calm even if you turn amp tone decently toward treble. It sounds very Les Paul (not surprising I suppose), very Gibson, oddly similar in core character to my CS336 (which is very different in construction) and then very different to my Tokai LS150 (which is constructed in a much more similar fashion). I'll qualify that as well by saying that the Les Paul sounded really chunky and chuggy before I changed all the hardware and electrics - I said this earlier in the thread but it seemed like a real brute originally - definitely less Gibson like, more aggressive bass heavy and compressed sounding in the amp, more metal less rock a bit flabby too. This is possibly why I was sceptical about the BKs but I guess they much prefer the lighter metal parts which are much better fitting - I'm sure this is what has cleaned up the sound most - and nicer electrics. The PG Blues pick ups must sound quite PAF-like and very Gibson-like because they seem very right, they definitely accentuate the ooowah sound of a nice bend. I'll have to have a very good reason to change them as it might easily unbalance what is a very natural and obvious sound. If I could make them a tiny bit drier I would, maybe I'll find that in an amp though, looking at something at the moment. They are definitely worth a try if you want a classic old Gibson sound with balls.
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