pickup suggestions for Les Paul

[Woody777]

I play a Gibson Les Paul Studio and I've been thinking about experimenting with different pickup configurations. My guitar is a '93 model, mahogony body with maple cap (I believe) and an ebony fretboard. Right now I just have the stock 490R neck and 498T bridge installed. The bridge sounds pretty good, it's about the right amount of "hotness" I'm looking for, but the neck is too muddy for my tastes.

Right now I'm thinking either a '59/JB or Jazz/JB combo. I play hard rock (currently using a Marshall TSL but I really want a Bogner Shiva) but I also play a lot of clean parts. I love the fat tone my LP and the humbuckers provide, I'm just looking to improve upon that tone if possible. Any ideas/suggestions?

Also, a few other questions: how much of a difference do different pickups make in your tone? And are there any tonal differences between covered and uncovered pickups?

Sorry if all of this has been asked before (I'm sure it has). Thanks!

 

[Metalman_666]

Re: pickup suggestions for Les Paul

welcome to the forum, woody!

I think you can't go wrong with a JB/Jazz combo, it's quite popular for hard rock and metal! The cleans on the JB are excellent. But you might find it a little thin in the lower mids; I think it's geared to be a more upper-middy tone. GO FOR IT. If you don't like 'em, you can exchange 'em, so it's all good.

I'm not quite sure how much of a difference pickups can make for sure. I think it depends on your setup, and your guitar. But in a Les Paul, generally there's a noticable difference. You can ask the many other LP owners who have used JBs in this forum. Good luck with your tone quest!

 

[Thames]

Re: pickup suggestions for Les Paul

Jazz/JB or '59/JB... you cant go wrong. I believe this is the best combo to start with. The JB can do almost any styles, when you know how to use your volume and tone pots. Then, when you settle for a certain sound, you exactly know what you need.

 

[Woody777]

Re: pickup suggestions for Les Paul

Thanks guys! So, are JBs pretty versatile? I use pretty heavily distorted modern rock tones but I also like a bright shimmering clean. Can it cover that kind of ground?

And should I go for a Jazz or a '59 in the neck? I'm leaning toward a '59 because I love warm classic tones. I don't really play jazz (although I'm sure the jazz is suitable for other styles as well) but I do play spankin' clean parts sometimes. I would love to be able to do leads on the neck pickup as well. So, would you suggest a jazz or a '59 to go with the JB?

 

[lpstudio]

Re: pickup suggestions for Les Paul

I have a set of 59's in my les paul and I like the neck but the bridge is too crisp sounding for me not smooth like the stock gibson pickup. I am planning on tring a custom custom I have heard good things about it

good luck

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: pickup suggestions for Les Paul

If I were you I'd go over the other JB thread, the one asking why everybody does not love JB!

B

 

[MrHeavyMetal]

Re: pickup suggestions for Les Paul

I play a Gibson Les Paul Studio and I've been thinking about experimenting with different pickup configurations. My guitar is a '93 model, mahogony body with maple cap (I believe) and an ebony fretboard. Right now I just have the stock 490R neck and 498T bridge installed. The bridge sounds pretty good, it's about the right amount of "hotness" I'm looking for, but the neck is too muddy for my tastes.

Right now I'm thinking either a '59/JB or Jazz/JB combo. I play hard rock (currently using a Marshall TSL but I really want a Bogner Shiva) but I also play a lot of clean parts. I love the fat tone my LP and the humbuckers provide, I'm just looking to improve upon that tone if possible. Any ideas/suggestions?

Also, a few other questions: how much of a difference do different pickups make in your tone? And are there any tonal differences between covered and uncovered pickups?

Sorry if all of this has been asked before (I'm sure it has). Thanks!

I'd go with a Custom(b)/Pearly Gates or 59.

MrHM.

 

[Guitarist]

Re: pickup suggestions for Les Paul

Both of those combo's would be great. JB is defintely a very versatile pickup, and with your style range it is a very solid contender. If you want a little more punch, try a 59/59 combo. That would also work well you for.

And about pickups, they are some of the most tone altering factors in tone. You get the basic gist of your sound with the guitar itself, but the pickups really fine tune that tone and accentuate their own highlights.

 

[Oldslowhand]

Re: pickup suggestions for Les Paul

Why not try a jazz and see how it blends with the bridge pup that you already have if you are happy with the 498 T, it might be the combo your looking for and you could always add a JB later if you wanted to.

 

[Kelsey]

Re: pickup suggestions for Les Paul

You also might want to try lowering the stock 490R neck pickup and adjusting the polepiece screws to match the neck radius (or to please your ears). That really cleaned up the muddiness in my guitars with 490R's. If that doesn't work, then the SD options are excellent.

 

[MattPete]

Re: pickup suggestions for Les Paul

You also might want to try lowering the stock 490R neck pickup and adjusting the polepiece screws to match the neck radius (or to please your ears). That really cleaned up the muddiness in my guitars with 490R's. If that doesn't work, then the SD options are excellent.

Thanks for the tip, and it worked -- kinda (SG Special). I lowered the neck pickup flush with the pickguard, and raised the pole pieces so that there is a gap between the bottom of the screw heads and the bobbin. It made things better, but it's still muddy and inarticulate.

 

[Spankadelphia]

Re: pickup suggestions for Les Paul

An EMG 81 in the bridge and an EMG 85 in the neck would sound great on your LP. A bit pricy though.

 

[Woody777]

Re: pickup suggestions for Les Paul

You also might want to try lowering the stock 490R neck pickup and adjusting the polepiece screws to match the neck radius (or to please your ears). That really cleaned up the muddiness in my guitars with 490R's. If that doesn't work, then the SD options are excellent.

That's excellent advice. I did that a while back and it helped some, but the pickup just sounds bad. I think the pickup might not be working properly or something. I had a set of 490R/498T in an Epi LP a few years ago and the neck sounded better in that guitar than it does in my Gibson. How can you tell if a pickup is damaged?

And can someone describe the tonal differences between a Jazz and '59 neck? I can't decide which one I want.