Pickup Advise for a Les Paul - w/ PICS

[Niloy63]

Hi all,

This is my first post here at the Seymour Duncan forum. I look forward to learning a lot from you guys!

I recently bought a Gibson Les Paul Studio Swirl (Black/Silver) and have been playing it for about three weeks. The pickups that came stock on the guitar are the 498T/490R combo. I'm very impressed... they sound great, and are very capable of a wide range of tones. But I'm looking for something with slightly more punch in the bridge... slightly more aggressive output, with a deeper low end response and clarity. For the neck, I'm looking for something with versatility that will be able to handle cleans/leads/crunch.

What do you guys think about this combo... Alternative 8 in the bridge and Pearl Gates in the neck? I've also considered a JB/'59 combo, but I'm leaning more towards the Alt 8/Pearly Gates option.

Target Sound
Rhythm (bridge): Increased bottom end clarity & "chugging" ability (Tool/Alice in Chains; IMO, Jones and Cantrell have some of the best tones in the business).
Lead/Cleans (neck): Silky blues tones that sing & cut (Billy Gibbons/Joe Bonamassa)
Gear
Guitars: Gibson Les Paul
Amps: Bugera 333XL (all tube), Fender Princeton Chorus

Here's some pictures of a couple of my guitars (including the Les Paul):

Thanks for your time guys,
Niloy

ps - the Strat has been fitted with Hot Rails (b), Vintage Rails (m), and Cool Rails . I love these pups!!! I never knew a Strat could sound so throaty! :headbang:

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Pickup Advise for a Les Paul - w/ PICS

Dig the silver swirl isnt that one of the ones that gibson called the "flood" guitars? Sweet piece

My for 2cents I'm not a huge fan of the alt8 it has a texture in the mids i dont like its hard to put my finger on but its like a scratchyness. You might dig it though just saying my experience. For a versatile LP tone I would actually go SH5 custom with the PG in the neck. I would also consider the JB but you will get about 3 or 4 guys who will stampede into here yelling how the JB is "Hit or miss" in mahogany. I dunno it worked in my LP and SG it worked for Alex Skolnick and a few others but whatever they will be along to tell you how terrible it is.

 

[Niloy63]

Re: Pickup Advise for a Les Paul - w/ PICS

Dig the silver swirl isnt that one of the ones that gibson called the "flood" guitars? Sweet piece

My for 2cents I'm not a huge fan of the alt8 it has a texture in the mids i dont like its hard to put my finger on but its like a scratchyness. You might dig it though just saying my experience. For a versatile LP tone I would actually go SH5 custom with the PG in the neck. I would also consider the JB but you will get about 3 or 4 guys who will stampede into here yelling how the JB is "Hit or miss" in mahogany. I dunno it worked in my LP and SG it worked for Alex Skolnick and a few others but whatever they will be along to tell you how terrible it is.

Thank you! Don't quote me on this, but I believe they never released a black/silver flood. But you're right! The "Flood" series were swirled finishes as well. They actually called this the "Gibson Les Paul Studio Swirl." So much for being creative with the name !nder: lol

I think I follow what you're saying. I wish there were guitars that came stock with Alt 8 at stores so I could try one out. I've heard great things about the SH-5 Custom pups. The appealing part of the Alt 8s from what I read was their retention of clarity in the lower range, and their crisp chugging abilities. I guess my next question for you is whether or not the SH-5 can retain the same low end as the Alt 8? I apologize if I start to sound like a buffoon explaining this. :smack: "Chugging?" lol I should just say palm-muting.

I appreciate your advise! I can't believe I never payed attention to this huge, intriguing world beyond just strumming the instrument! But at the same time, it has been rather overwhelming trying to decide what to get. So I came to this forum looking to better educate myself with some proper guidance.


-Niloy

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: Pickup Advise for a Les Paul - w/ PICS

FWIW, Adam Jones of Tool has used a JB in the bridge of his LP Customs since the beginning I believe. I personally don't like the way they sound w/ my setup and how I play, but they work for a lot of people and a lot of people get really good sound of theirs. Pearly Gates neck is my favorite neck pickup in an LP, but it's middy vs. the bassy character of a 59 neck. Just depends which way you want to go.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Pickup Advise for a Les Paul - w/ PICS

Thank you! Don't quote me on this, but I believe they never released a black/silver flood. But you're right! The "Flood" series were swirled finishes as well. They actually called this the "Gibson Les Paul Studio Swirl." So much for being creative with the name !nder: lol

I think I follow what you're saying. I wish there were guitars that came stock with Alt 8 at stores so I could try one out. I've heard great things about the SH-5 Custom pups. The appealing part of the Alt 8s from what I read was their retention of clarity in the lower range, and their crisp chugging abilities. I guess my next question for you is whether or not the SH-5 can retain the same low end as the Alt 8? I apologize if I start to sound like a buffoon explaining this. :smack: "Chugging?" lol I should just say palm-muting.

I appreciate your advise! I can't believe I never payed attention to this huge, intriguing world beyond just strumming the instrument! But at the same time, it has been rather overwhelming trying to decide what to get. So I came to this forum looking to better educate myself with some proper guidance.


-Niloy

Well called flood or not its a sweet looking axe The SH5 is great for chugging it stays pretty tight doesnt get boomy or flubby. I didnt have the Alt8 in a guitar that I also had a SH5 in so I cant give a direct comparison but from my expierence the difference was the alt 8 has more push in the mids with the lows about the same while the SH5 has more top end they are both about the same in output but where they hit the amp is a bit different the alt 8 has more low mids and SH5 has more character in the upper mids.

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Pickup Advise for a Les Paul - w/ PICS

That is one Gorgeous LP. And I am not a LP fan. WOW dig that finish. Jones and Jerry do use the JB.

 

[elelpe]

Re: Pickup Advise for a Les Paul - w/ PICS

I think you're on the right track. Custom - PG and Alt8 - Screamin' Demon are my favorite combos in LP. Both Custom and Alt8 deliver nice bottom end and chugging ability with the former gives you tighter low end and the later gives you more clarity and crispness. Both PG and Screamin' Demon deliver silky smooth and clear sparkle tone that great for lead and clean. The funny thing is in the neck position, PG has nice A5 pup qualities: clarity and sparkle (without the boominess) while Screamin' Demon has nice A2 pup qualities: full and smooth (without mushiness). Overall PG is middy and Sceamin' Demon is mid scooped. Custom - PG gives you somewhat raw and rude attitude while Alt8 - Screamin' Demon combo has slightly more articulation. Just my 2 cents. Nice LP you have there!

 

[Niloy63]

Re: Pickup Advise for a Les Paul - w/ PICS

Thank you! Great advise from everyone so far! I think I have the bridge pup down to the SH-5 Custom or the Alternative 8.

I forgot to address a concern I have for the Custom SH-5. I like that it has a tight low-end response (which most people tend to agree on). But in the same vein, I've read that it has a significant high-end boost, some going as far as describing it as "bright, harsh, and brittle." This is what steered me towards the Alternative 8, initially (thicker tone, less high-end dominance).

My oh my... choices, choices, choices. For a pickup novice like myself, it would almost make this decision much easier if one existed without the other. I'm sure I'll sing a different tune once I [hopefully] figure out which one suits me better. lol

As for the neck, I think I'm set on getting the Pearly Gates. Perhaps my next pickup upgrade will go to the PRS Tremonti SE Custom that I was given as a present. I personally would have never bought it, but I was fortunate enough to get another axe in the collection. It plays much better than I thought it would. I may throw a JB/'59 or throw in whatever I don't pick for the Les Paul bridge (Custom of Alternative 8) with a '59 neck. But I'll save that future shenanigan of a decision for another day.

 

[LatsMcGee]

Re: Pickup Advise for a Les Paul - w/ PICS

Just my 2 cents but I've always felt the Duncan Distortion does it's best work in Les Pauls....I'm sure you'd get your moneys worth out of a set of distortions....

 

[blueman335]

Re: Pickup Advise for a Les Paul - w/ PICS

Actually, all you need to do is swap magnets to get the tones you want. I have a couple 498T/490R sets and put an A8 in the bridge to add more output and midrange punch (which is the same magnet an Alt 8 has), and an A5 in the neck which gives it more clarity and bite. Only takes a few dollars, a few minutes, and no previous skills required (there's online video instruction). We get our magnets at Addiction FX, which has a big assortment and low prices.

Magnets are made out of different mixes of materials, which alters their magnetic fields, and how they 'read' string vibrations. That changes the EQ and output. Very handy when you don't want to keep buying PU's and crossing your fingers.

 

[elelpe]

Re: Pickup Advise for a Les Paul - w/ PICS

I've read that it has a significant high-end boost, some going as far as describing it as "bright, harsh, and brittle."

No matter how much info you've got about pickups, there's always a gamble in pickup choice (put in different guitars/rigs etc). I'd say just use the tone knob. Or you can mod it to C8 later if necessary.

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Pickup Advise for a Les Paul - w/ PICS

The JB is a strange pickup, it works really well in some guitars and horrible in others. When it works it sounds amazing though.

Case and point.



Anyway, I think the Custom or Distortion are both pickups you would find would work well for you. Good luck in your tone quest.

 

[CountFeedback]

Re: Pickup Advise for a Les Paul - w/ PICS

The SH5 Custom is tight; I didn’t feel it was harsh. I would say the only fault I found with it, for myself as a lifelong alnico5 guy, is the ceramic seems to give more emphasis to the attack and presence or crispness in the notes. I guess for myself I found it to be too tight for cleans but perfection for distortion.

I luv the JB, I like it clean I like it distorted, the lows are not inherently “modern metal” tight.
The JB works great for me in two all mahogany gibson scale USA guitars, but sounded like it was stuck in a drain pipe in a MIJ “Asian mahogany” guitar and a long scale mahogany USA guitar.
Tool/Alice in Chains = JB

super clean neck + singing lead tone I would say JAZZ SH-2n

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Pickup Advise for a Les Paul - w/ PICS

Of the Distortion, JB, and Custom in a Les Paul, my favorite is the Custom. After that, I stopped looking because it just worked perfectly. And it sounds HUGE.

 

[Niloy63]

Re: Pickup Advise for a Les Paul - w/ PICS

Thank you so much for all the information and help you've given me guys. Every post in this thread along with an analogy in another thread helped me decide on the Custom/PGn combo. There's still just a hair of indecision regarding the Custom/Alternative 8 for the bridge, but I'm pretty sure I'm gonna run with the Custom.

As for the JB, I'll hold off on that for a while. I'll borrow an analogy that a fellow Forum Member, gibson175, made comparing the JB and the Custom in another thread. And I feel it clicks well in my head, if that makes any sense...

JB = hot rodded marshall
Custom = mesa recto

And besides, I'm going to be replacing my PRS SE Tremonti Custom stock pickups soon. I know I want the '59n for that. I just have to decide between a JB and an Alternative 8 for the bridge.

Again... thank you so much everybody!

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Pickup Advise for a Les Paul - w/ PICS

Lovely looking axe. i cant comment on the gibson set that's in it, but i reckon a custom/59 combo would be the way to go. Both pups sound great with pretty much any magnet you care to put in them too, so if its not killer right off the bat, then you can tailor your sound that way.

 

[Niloy63]

Re: Pickup Advise for a Les Paul - w/ PICS

Lovely looking axe. i cant comment on the gibson set that's in it, but i reckon a custom/59 combo would be the way to go. Both pups sound great with pretty much any magnet you care to put in them too, so if its not killer right off the bat, then you can tailor your sound that way.

:thanks: gibson175! I hope you don't mind that I quoted you in my previous post. Being well versed with both those amps, and since I consider the Alt 8 and the JB similar (GENERALLY SPEAKING), your analogy cleared some of my hesitation in choosing a Custom bridge! :bigthumb: As for the neck, I'm pretty set on getting the PG. I'd like to pick your brain about something as well (I hope you don't mind). This may sound redundant because I've said a couple times already, so I apologize for that... but I think I'm going to get an Alt 8/'59n or JB/'59n on another guitar soon:

Guitar - PRS (mahogany body, maple flame top, maple neck)
Amps - Bugera 333XL tube, Fender Princeton Chorus
Genre - Metal to Rock to Blues (anything from Metallica to Nirvana to ZZ Toop)
Tone - looking for well-defined palm-muting, tight low end, cutting lead tone, crisp cleans (overall, something without overpowering high end)

What are your thoughts on those two combos with this gear/style of music? Or do you feel that strongly about the Custom/'59 combo? B/w the Alt 8 and the JB, palm-muting wise, the Alt 8 seems to be a better choice. But for leads, I've read that the JB 'sings.' Would the '59n do an adequate job for leads if paired with an Alt. 8?

 

[CTN]

Re: Pickup Advise for a Les Paul - w/ PICS

Duncan Custom in the bridge
'59n in the neck

definitely.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Pickup Advise for a Les Paul - w/ PICS

The 59 or PG in the neck will sing very well. In the bridge I've tried 3 versions of the custom with A2,UOA5, and A8. I currently use the C8 but would be just as happy with a C5. I kept the C8 because I liked the cleans better with the C8 over the C5. I've never used the Alt 8 but always wanted to try one but it should suit you well. If you want even more output you might even want to take a look at the Invader.

 

[Niloy63]

Re: Pickup Advise for a Les Paul - w/ PICS

Solid suggestions. Thank you!!! I think the Invader may be a bit too hot. At that point of output, wouldn't you lose a lot of texture from the sound? But then again, Synyster Gates is obviously doing "ok" (facetiously said, of course) with the Invader.