Pickup upgrade for Epiphone Les Paul (hard rock/metal)

[RowRowRowsYourBoat]

Hi,

I have a Korean Epiphone LP from the 90s and I'm looking to upgrade the bridge pickup. The stock one has its pros - it's pretty high output - but it does get pretty muddy. I'd like to play metal like Lamb of God and Tool but still be able to play some lighter stuff like Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver. I usually play with 10-52s or 10-48s.

Initially I put in a Seymour Duncan Custom (SH-5) but I've been very disappointed with it. It sounds flat and characterless, almost like the stock pickups but from a distance? And it lacks sustain. I've tried adjusting the height every which way but no dice. I'm almost tempted to put the stock one back in.

I've heard people like the JB but all the samples I've heard on YouTube leave me underwhelmed, they sound muffled and like they've been recorded in a closet. Another common suggestion is finding Gibson stock pickups like a 498T or Burstbucker but my concern with that is that the 498T has the exact same DCR as my stock Epi pickup (14.2k) so it might have the same sound profile.

I'm tempted to put in a DiMarzio Dominion because it's what Mark Morton used after all, but I don't know if that sound would match with the other music I want to play with it.

I would appreciate recommendations from others who have upgraded their LPs!

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I use JB's in my Les Paul to play Melodic Death Metal. It doesn't sound muffled to me, but the Custom does have more bite and aggression, so maybe not what you want if you found the Custom to sound distant.

Maybe consider the Distortion or the Black Winter. People here often find the Black Winter to be pretty versatile, so that might cover your lighter Rock applications. Maybe even the Dimebucker.

I've had the Dominion, but I found it to have a similar (kinda) sound as the JB, just a bit more modern, tighter, and faster.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

You might want to take a look at the Suhr SSH+ too. It has a JB-ish vibe, just with a bit more lively top-end and less midrange emphasis.

 

[RowRowRowsYourBoat]

Those are good suggestions, thank you!

What do you think of a slightly better stock Epiphone pickup, like a ProBucker?

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Those are good suggestions, thank you!

What do you think of a slightly better stock Epiphone pickup, like a ProBucker?

They're well-regarded. People who use them think they're good PAF-types. I had them briefly in a Les Paul Custom that I had some years ago, but I didn't really give them a chance, honestly, so no comment on them. I'm more into mid/high output pickups, but that's just me.

 

[Mincer]

I'd say the Black Winter too. If you need something more cutting, look at the Sentient.

 

[RowRowRowsYourBoat]

The reason I ask about the ProBuckers is that they're cheaper, and have an Alnico II magnet and therefore close to that 'Slash-like' sound but are they high-output enough for metal?

I'd say the Black Winter too. If you need something more cutting, look at the Sentient.

The Black Winter is tempting. How is it for more hard rock/classic rock sounds?

 

[Mincer]

The reason I ask about the ProBuckers is that they're cheaper, and have an Alnico II magnet and therefore close to that 'Slash-like' sound but are they high-output enough for metal?



The Black Winter is tempting. How is it for more hard rock/classic rock sounds?

Honestly, it is pretty good, despite the name. It is more versatile than the name leads you to believe, and if you need it, the chug is there.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

The reason I ask about the ProBuckers is that they're cheaper, and have an Alnico II magnet and therefore close to that 'Slash-like' sound but are they high-output enough for metal?

You can play Metal on vintage output pickups for sure. Bill Steer from Carcass used '59's at some point. So did Mark from LOG.

It's about preference, though. If you're used to high output pickups, sometimes those lower output pickups come off as tinny and weak. You have to adjust your settings, but they can be made to work if that's what you're into.

 

[MikeS]

What kind of amp are you playing through? If your amp has enough gain on tap to cover the heavier styles without needing that extra oomph from the pickups and you want a versatile pickup that can cover a lot of ground, I'd consider something like the 59 Custom Hybrid. It has a little more hair than vintage output humbuckers but stays tight enough for heavier styles, and the output works great in the hard rock arena.

 

[RowRowRowsYourBoat]

What kind of amp are you playing through? If your amp has enough gain on tap to cover the heavier styles without needing that extra oomph from the pickups and you want a versatile pickup that can cover a lot of ground, I'd consider something like the 59 Custom Hybrid. It has a little more hair than vintage output humbuckers but stays tight enough for heavier styles, and the output works great in the hard rock arena.

I have a BOSS Katana 3 50W.

 

[AdrianSD]

The reason I ask about the ProBuckers is that they're cheaper, and have an Alnico II magnet and therefore close to that 'Slash-like' sound but are they high-output enough for metal?



The Black Winter is tempting. How is it for more hard rock/classic rock sounds?

I have 2 BW sets in 2 guitars, while I really love them there is a chance you might find them stiff. They're super tight.

 

[freefrog]

FWIW and TBH, MIK Epi LP's as I know them were well made and reliable instruments but not designed / built to sound like "real" LP's. When a luthier and I did "dissect" one of these, we discovered a kind of multiwood sandwich under the finish, explaining why its acoustic resonance evoked a Fender guitar rather than a Gibson.

It doesn't mean that such guitars won't take advantage of Duncan's: the last one that I've sold had Duncan's in it and was bought almost immediately.
What I mean is that the lutherie of the instrument is to take in account IMO/IME and that some "adaptative" strategies might be to apply to the electronics (strategies to define after the pickups will have been mounted: if you're lucky, there will be nothing to add. But some adjustments of LRC specs might be useful if a well known model ends as "flat" sounding like the Custom in your guitar... more later maybe).

 

[weepingminotaur]

I have a BOSS Katana 3 50W.

I play through a Boss Katana Gen 3 100W, and I'd say that if you don't like the JB, the Black Winter will cover a lot of ground for you. It can do a lot more than just metal, and it splits really well (assuming you have coil-splitting on your LP). I'd recommend the Winter first.

 

[Securb]

I play through a Boss Katana Gen 3 100W, and I'd say that if you don't like the JB, the Black Winter will cover a lot of ground for you. It can do a lot more than just metal, and it splits really well (assuming you have coil-splitting on your LP). I'd recommend the Winter first.

Agreed. The BW also responds very well to the VOL knob; rolling it back gives you a more classic vibe.