Pickups for a Down style tone, going in an Agile AL-3100 Les Paul

[SamD92]

I've had EMG's in my Agile AL-3100 for probably around a year now, and I'm beginning to lose my taste for them.
I'm in a band that plays heavy music in C# and Drop B. I'm predominately the rhythm guitarist,
I play pretty hard and use 2mm picks and Ernie Ball Skinny top Heavy Bottom cobalts. Right now I'm stuck with a solid state
amp, but I'll be grabbing up a Bugera 1990 or 6262 when I find a deal.

I really want to take this guitar and set it up to be solely for this band.
I'll grab up an LTD or an Ibanez for all my other more "extreme" projects, and maybe put the EMG's or
something like a duncan distortion (Love the tones Ola Englund gets with those).

I'm thinking something with alnico magets, like the alternative 8, or custom custom, to go in the bridge.
Since I'm not doing a ton of leads I don't really need a bitey ceramic pickup. I want something that can be thick
and heavy while staying articulate, not too fizzy or boomy. Think the main riff from Corrosion of Conformity's "Stonebreakers"
or Pillars of Eternity by Down.

I really like the clean tones I've heard from the Jazz, so I believe I'll throw that in the neck with a coil split.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Pickups for a Down style tone, going in an Agile AL-3100 Les Paul

For what you're doing I'd try a C8 or JB8 in the bridge. Both are powerful, full-sounding PU's with firm low ends. CC's have A2's, which have loose low-ends, and their more 'organic' dynamics would make things muddy.

 

[tonello]

Re: Pickups for a Down style tone, going in an Agile AL-3100 Les Paul

I've heard the Custom will give you the closest sound to Pepper Keenan.

 

[xxxplorer]

Re: Pickups for a Down style tone, going in an Agile AL-3100 Les Paul

Invader. About as big a crushing as you can get.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Pickups for a Down style tone, going in an Agile AL-3100 Les Paul

Invader. About as big a crushing as you can get.

Ditto. Or the Custom 8 or JB 8 or the Alt 8.

 

[Franknfilms]

Re: Pickups for a Down style tone, going in an Agile AL-3100 Les Paul

I owned that same guitar model, I started with a Jazz neck, Custom bridge. My agile was exceedingly bright so I tamed down the custom with a UOA5 magnet. I think you should definitely consider the custom and get some extra magnets. When you are tuned to B I think you will really appreciate the custom stock ceramic. The custom 8 is always a winner as well if you can handle the thick lows and don't need as much treble. The custom UOA5 was my favorite, a really responsive pickup that can still sound very heavy with low tuning, none of the in your face lboominess of the C8, none of the ice pick highs of the ceramic.

 

[LatsMcGee]

Re: Pickups for a Down style tone, going in an Agile AL-3100 Les Paul

Invader or an Anderson H3....

 

[SamD92]

Re: Pickups for a Down style tone, going in an Agile AL-3100 Les Paul

Looks like my feelings were right about Alnico 8! Haha. I just checked youtube to see if I could find a decent demo of a JB8.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MelsT62aGHk
While this guy's style isn't quite what I'm going to be doing, I love the way the notes come out around :20 into the video.
Looks like JB8's at the top right now until I find some clips of an Alternative 8 or Custom 8. Thanks for the suggestions guys!

 

[ex-250]

Re: Pickups for a Down style tone, going in an Agile AL-3100 Les Paul

Pepper used an Anderson H3 for like 25 years. Then he went Invader by Down III. And now just uses Gibson stocks.
Kirk also had an H3 on Down II, Invader and EMGs on III, and is all EMGs now.
And if you like COC as well, Woody has always used an Invader in the bridge. Since forever. And still does.

If you want big fat thickness go Invader. If you want tighter, go Duncan Custom or Anderson H3. Don't relegate the Distortion to only more extreme styles though, it would sound great in this application as well.

 

[jacksontrader]

Re: Pickups for a Down style tone, going in an Agile AL-3100 Les Paul

Not to hijack the thread but I have a question for the OP. How is your intonation with the short scale and fairly light strings? I'm having a heck of a time getting a good setting with 25.5 in scale guitars and the same strings, with a Floyd mind you. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[XPAULPITT]

Re: Pickups for a Down style tone, going in an Agile AL-3100 Les Paul

Not to hijack the thread but I have a question for the OP. How is your intonation with the short scale and fairly light strings? I'm having a heck of a time getting a good setting with 25.5 in scale guitars and the same strings, with a Floyd mind you. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

I use the same gauge 52-10 as the OP on an SG at C#. I have no problems with intonation at all. Just make sure the strings are nice and stretched out before setting intonation. Iommi practically invented C# and he use 42-9 and doesnt seem to have any problems. You might not be able to get super low action. Thats why most people use tow cables for lower tunings.

 

[SamD92]

Re: Pickups for a Down style tone, going in an Agile AL-3100 Les Paul

Not to hijack the thread but I have a question for the OP. How is your intonation with the short scale and fairly light strings? I'm having a heck of a time getting a good setting with 25.5 in scale guitars and the same strings, with a Floyd mind you. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

No problem at all man! I believe my guitar is a 24 3/4 scale (according to a similar one on Rondomusic.com).
I had 46-10 gauge strings on it for a few days until I got to GC to pick up my regular 52-10 cobalts.
Intonation was okay, although I didn't really try to set it up for a light gague as I use the 52's. I have no issues with
my heavy strings and I keep my action kind of in the middle. I don't like super low or super high, because I play really hard
with 2mm picks, and 95% rhythm.

On another note, with your guitar being a floyd rose, I have to admit I don't have much knowledge on how intonation is set on those.
I had an LTD with a floyd in it for about 7 months, of which I probably played it about 5 times. I'd just go to a local music store or Guitarcenter
and get them to set it up for you, a local shop will probably be more hands on with you and help you learn about setting up your guitar.

 

[SamD92]

Re: Pickups for a Down style tone, going in an Agile AL-3100 Les Paul

Pepper used an Anderson H3 for like 25 years. Then he went Invader by Down III. And now just uses Gibson stocks.
Kirk also had an H3 on Down II, Invader and EMGs on III, and is all EMGs now.
And if you like COC as well, Woody has always used an Invader in the bridge. Since forever. And still does.

If you want big fat thickness go Invader. If you want tighter, go Duncan Custom or Anderson H3. Don't relegate the Distortion to only more extreme styles though, it would sound great in this application as well.

Thanks for the info man. I tried to find out what pickups Pepper used for a while with no luck. My only concern about the invader was it being really muddy in a Les Paul. And about the distortion, I may give it a look for this application
but it's the ceramic magnets in the Distortion and Invader that are making my decision iffy on those. I'm not trying to exactly replicate the mentioned artists tones, but they are the point I want to start from to develop my own.