Pickup Choice for my '58 Reissue LP

[SouthernShred]

Yeah, another "What's the best pickup for me" thread. I'm not unfamiliar with aftermarket pickups. I just sold my Tim White "Timbuckers" out of my '58 Reissue...they just didn't do it for me...call me weird.

Anyway, my initial thought was "I'll buy some Duncans...I'm a gigging musician with a family, I don't know if I should buy another $250 -$300 set of pickups", but I've been looking at a few of the WCR (www.crcoils.com) sets as well. I'd say this guitar is a bit of a "biter". It's about 8.5 pounds, standard mahogany, maple cap configuration.

I play blues / blues rock ranging from Howlin Wolf, Albert King, Johnny Winter to newer stuff like SRV, ZZ Top, Scott Holt, Joe Bonamassa, Warren Haynes (Mule/ABB) etc. I'm pretty much a pick, guitar, cable, amp type of guy with the exception of a wah and rotovibe.

I really don't like neck pickups that lose clarity (to the extreme) or mud up unless I want them to, thereby making chord work impossible. I also don't want my bridge pickup to get ice picky or shrill.

Some of my favorite LP / two humbucker tones are:

Warren / Derek
Billy Gibbons
Billy Duffy
Paul Kossoff
Slash
JB on Blow by Blow
Robben Ford
Duane / ****ey

I know this sounds like, "You like PAFs! You should have kept your Timbuckers", but in some respects, they failed to yield what I wanted in a pickup. I want the versatility to make it sweet and buttery one minute and tear your head off the next.

Second part of this is, are those WCR's significantly better than anything Seymour puts out? I like Duncan pickups and am usually pretty happy with something off the prod. line, but it's been a few years since I've had any and since I fell victim of boutique tone snobbery.

The pickups I'm considering:

WCR Darkbursts
PGn / C5 or CC bridge
PGn / PGb
Seth Lovers (had these in a hollow body and liked them, but never in a solid body)
Antiquity
JN / JB
Alnico Pro II set or combo with a CC or C5 bridge

I don't know where to begin...Help!

Shannon

So

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Pickup Choice for my '58 Reissue LP

I have 2 sets of timbuckers and another neck HB that he did for my 24 fret guitar. Why did you sell them! :banghead:

I am sure you got a good price on them, no?

Anyway I am also a proud owner of a set of Rolph's 59's.

One of the timbucker set is in my #1, a 95 LP standard; the other in my 03R8, and the Rolphs are in my 04R7.

Tim's did not work in my R7 which is brighter and quite alive. Rolph's did it, his 59 bridge is darker than the timbucker bridge. The necks are quite different tho, tim's neck is woody, but rolph's is quite thick even tho it is quite clear, 8.00K vs 7.70K you know .

You gotta try the antiquities, if you have not done so. They are great pickups, I own two of sets of them with the a5 bridge and a3 neck magnet mod.

PG's are great as well especially for what you are looking for. They are simply the best non-custom shop/boutique PAF clones out there. Nail warren's and gibbons' tones with the right amp and a LP. Still I feel ants have more 3d harmonics to them, even tho they don't have PG's deep a2 growl, them extra uppermids, texas sizzle I suppose.

Good luck.

B

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Pickup Choice for my '58 Reissue LP

I'd install either a set of PG's or Seth's and call it a day. :burnout:

 

[strat_master]

Re: Pickup Choice for my '58 Reissue LP

if i had a 58 reissue i would have left it stock! If you dig slashes tone then maybe AP2 humbuckers are the way to go?

 

[Surgeon]

Re: Pickup Choice for my '58 Reissue LP

I second the PG set or Seth Lover seth mention....

PGs if you want a little grit on your PAF tone

Seths if you want just great creamy paf....

 

[mrfjones]

Re: Pickup Choice for my '58 Reissue LP

if i had a 58 reissue i would have left it stock! If you dig slashes tone then maybe AP2 humbuckers are the way to go?

you can't let a good guitar like that stay stock with burstbuckers when there are so many good choices out there.

I think a set of antiquities is what you need in there. I just installed a set myself and somewhere on this forum i have a review and some questions about the antiquity buckers

 

[SouthernShred]

Re: Pickup Choice for my '58 Reissue LP

I have 2 sets of timbuckers and another neck HB that he did for my 24 fret guitar. Why did you sell them! :banghead:

I am sure you got a good price on them, no?

Anyway I am also a proud owner of a set of Rolph's 59's.

One of the timbucker set is in my #1, a 95 LP standard; the other in my 03R8, and the Rolphs are in my 04R7.

Tim's did not work in my R7 which is brighter and quite alive. Rolph's did it, his 59 bridge is darker than the timbucker bridge. The necks are quite different tho, tim's neck is woody, but rolph's is quite thick even tho it is quite clear, 8.00K vs 7.70K you know .

You gotta try the antiquities, if you have not done so. They are great pickups, I own two of sets of them with the a5 bridge and a3 neck magnet mod.

PG's are great as well especially for what you are looking for. They are simply the best non-custom shop/boutique PAF clones out there. Nail warren's and gibbons' tones with the right amp and a LP. Still I feel ants have more 3d harmonics to them, even tho they don't have PG's deep a2 growl, them extra uppermids, texas sizzle I suppose.

Good luck.

B

Note whate I bolded above...that's the case with my R8. They just didn't work in my guitar. Not a knock on the Tim's, but just didn't work for this guitar. Yes, I got a great price for them.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Pickup Choice for my '58 Reissue LP

First off, there is NOTHING wrong wit hburstbuckers. I can get great tones with burstbuckers as to countless other guitarists. I think the Pearly gates recommendation is a great one! I have not used one myself, but the highly knowledgable guys on this forum think very highly of this pickup. There are lots of pros who use the PG from everything blues to classic rock to metal! That is one pickup I need to try!

You may also consider the C-5/PG neck set! I really like the C-5 and would recommend it for most styles.

You could also consider the Rio Grande BBQ/Texas set but they can be dark big time. Some guys love that and I do at times but lately I've been considering replacing mine with Pearly Gates.

I don't think you need to spend an arm and a leg for good pickups. I know guys who own Wagners (I am sure great p'ups), but these same guys tell me to just stick with Duncans, Rios, etc.

Also, look here:
http://www.truetonetechnologies.com/

 

[SouthernShred]

Re: Pickup Choice for my '58 Reissue LP

Well, I ordered some PG in Zebra from Lew. If I don't like them, I get to play with more pickups LOL. I love pickup GAS...now to concentrate on my strat. Thanks for the links guys, I'll check out some of those other pickups as well.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Pickup Choice for my '58 Reissue LP

Thanks man! I appreciate it. Lew

 

[badco33]

Re: Pickup Choice for my '58 Reissue LP

I have a 58 reissue that tends to be on the bright side as well. I ended up keeping the 57 classics in it because I liked the thick tone I get from them, but those same pickups sounded horrible in my Gary Moore sig and studio.

I've tried a Pearly Gates set and I noticed a lot of similarities between those and the burstbuckers. The PG's just seem to have a little more personality. Maybe it's the sizzle that the other guys were talking about. They are a great choice and very versatile. The PG neck is also a good combo if you want to go with a hotter bridge like a CC or C-5.

My favorite Duncan PAFs are the seth's. They sound great in all of my guitars. I currently have them in my ES333 and they just seem to be made for that guitar.

I think you're on the right track with all of the suggestions you are getting. I would favor the seth's or the PG's. In fact I still have my Pearly's and I'm gonna put them back into the Gary Moore.

The great thing about the Duncan PAFs are they won't cost you an arm and a leg and they have an exchange program so if you don't like what you hear you can trade it in. I've never traded one in cause I usually like everyone I try. Even if it's not perfect for the guitar I bought if for it will usually find a home in one of my other ones.

 

[SouthernShred]

Re: Pickup Choice for my '58 Reissue LP

Thanks man! I appreciate it. Lew

Hey man, you need to get out to The Foundry on this date:

10/23/2004 The Foundry Boulder, CO

A good friend of mine is playing there. Scott Holt (previously of Buddy Guy fame) is playing there and he's a Seymour Duncan endorser and he also endorses the amps I play (I work for that company too).

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Pickup Choice for my '58 Reissue LP

Saturday night? OK....I'll be there. It'll be fun!

I'll be in Moab, Utah this saturday night, but next saturday works!

Thanks, Lew

 

[SouthernShred]

Re: Pickup Choice for my '58 Reissue LP

Saturday night? OK....I'll be there. It'll be fun!

I'll be in Moab, Utah this saturday night, but next saturday works!

Thanks, Lew

Tell him Shannon sent you. He's a really cool guy and fun to talk to.

 

[mrfjones]

Re: Pickup Choice for my '58 Reissue LP

what kind of amps are you playing?

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Pickup Choice for my '58 Reissue LP

I like to push the amps a little, so my Pauls are setup with nickel covered Custom 5/59 and Custom Custom/Seth Lover. I'd say the C-5/59 is the most versatile high output humbucker combo, since the C-5 is like a tight bottomed and hot 59B. The note clarity is great on clean, midgain, and highgain.
The CC/Seth in my Prem Plus honeyflame is pure Kossoff to Billy Duffy and will make your hair stand up on your neck through the Bogner.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Pickup Choice for my '58 Reissue LP

I know I'm late on this one, but I'm going to plug the Alnico II Pro's. For an even better option on them, order them from the custom shop, and have MJ wind them like she does for Slash. Scatter wound on Antiquity hardware.

That's what will go into my LP when I buy it.

 

[tone4days]

Re: Pickup Choice for my '58 Reissue LP

i was gonna say alnico 2 pro neck and JB bridge for the tones you say you like

good luck
t4d

 

[SouthernShred]

Re: Pickup Choice for my '58 Reissue LP

I appreciate all the advice. Like I said, I hope I like the PG's. If not, I'll experiment with some more. I like messing with pickups...

 

[Tweed]

Re: Pickup Choice for my '58 Reissue LP

Jason Lollar's Imperial Humbuckers. Compared to my Tims, they don't have the overly-aggressive top end, have more clarity, and are much more complex and musical. The Imperials have a wonderful airy quality about them, that reminds me of Ants. They have that sizzle that surrounds every note. I have a set in a '02 R8. 500k audio tapers, 50's wiring. I have a .015 cap in the neck and believe me...there is no mud, only clear, round, beautiful LP tone. They articulate everything with great detail. The bridge gets magical for me at a tone setting of around 6. Fat, punchy, with plenty of woody tone. Big sound. I'm going to work with my Tims a little more (heck it took 14 months to get them), but I'm not overly optimistic that they are going to do it for me. I may sell them and try a set of Holmes. I find it hard to believe that I'll like anything more than the Lollars tho.