Pickups for a Les Paul Custom

JCOURTJR

JCOURTJR

New member
I am very happy with a Custom/Jazz combo with my Les Paul standard with rosewood fingerboard.

I put a JB in the bridge of my Les Paul Custom and I am not sure I like it. It is a little shrill. It was ok in the Standard but the custom sounds better in the Standard so I am going to keep it there.

Should I get a custom for the custom? hehe

I heard that ceramic was not recommended by seymour for guitars with ebony fingerboards. Thanks for any help.
 
Re: Pickups for a Les Paul Custom

JCOURTJR said:
I am very happy with a Custom/Jazz combo with my Les Paul standard with rosewood fingerboard.

I put a JB in the bridge of my Les Paul Custom and I am not sure I like it. It is a little shrill. It was ok in the Standard but the custom sounds better in the Standard so I am going to keep it there.

Should I get a custom for the custom? hehe

I heard that ceramic was not recommended by seymour for guitars with ebony fingerboards. Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...

By the way I like hard rock, metal, classic rock.
 
Re: Pickups for a Les Paul Custom

The custom seems a good choice to me... the massive mohogany body should be the main influence in tone, and relatively small mass of ebony fretboard shouldn't make all the difference.
 
Re: Pickups for a Les Paul Custom

If it were me a DD/DD or DD/59 would get thet Paul Rock'in.
 
Re: Pickups for a Les Paul Custom

I had a Les Paul Custom and I had a tough time finding the right match for it...cause of the ebony fretboard....made certain pickups that sounded good in the Standard Les Paul sound shrill.

I had the JB in there first with the same results you had....then the DD which was more shrill then the Custom which was better but still too shrill for my tastes. Now I LOVE these pickups in other guitars I've had....just didn't want to work with the LP Custom though.

I ended up with a regular Super Distortion from Dimarzio....the top end is rolled off so it didnt' sound shrill but was very big and punchy. Only thing with that pickup was the bottom end was a little loose so I would have gone with the Super3 but I traded the guitar before I had a chance to do so.
 
Re: Pickups for a Les Paul Custom

Maybe a customcustom could do well, I'm not sure but you could always buy other mags afterwards to switch to a c5 or custom if it doesn't fit you... The custom will sound punchy but still has a lot of top-end.. A lot of people will tell you to go with a c5 but I'm not a fan, didn't cut through the mix enough for my tastes... a CC would be smooth and warm without too much top end...
 
Re: Pickups for a Les Paul Custom

a set of Pearly Gates ... Alinco 2 magnet with 500k volume and tone pots

Another suggestion would be a set of 59 with 250k volume pots and 500k tone pots

JB would need 250k volume and tone pots
 
Re: Pickups for a Les Paul Custom

I just installed a 59n in the custom. Now I like the JB and the 59 sounds too dark. What is wrong with me?

Well now I think I want a bridge to match a JB any suggestions there.

Sorry......for wasting time.
 
Re: Pickups for a Les Paul Custom

^^ it's cool, your not wasting any time

i was thinking about maybe an sh-14 Custom 5 for bridge and the 59 for neck. alot of people have a C5 in their les pauls and they swear by it.
 
Re: Pickups for a Les Paul Custom

Hmmm how would a 59/59 combo do in a LP????? I know its a low PAF set but it could sound pretty good. Alot of people like the JB in their LP's. Personally if it was my gibson LP custom i'd leave it stock. same goes for the standard LP. BUt if your changing pick ups, how about the c5/59? Alot of people tend t liek that these days.
 
Re: Pickups for a Les Paul Custom

I've been through the same thinking, having a Standard and a Custom, and I've decided to put AP2's in the Custom, both neck and bridge. Sound great in the Standard, and should sound pretty much the same, but slightly brighter in the Custom, which is resolvable through eq'ing...

Another factor though - is your Custom maple or mahogony necked? Those with maple necks will be brighter again than the mahogony. Something to consider...
 
Re: Pickups for a Les Paul Custom

Duncan said:
I've been through the same thinking, having a Standard and a Custom, and I've decided to put AP2's in the Custom, both neck and bridge. Sound great in the Standard, and should sound pretty much the same, but slightly brighter in the Custom, which is resolvable through eq'ing...

Another factor though - is your Custom maple or mahogony necked? Those with maple necks will be brighter again than the mahogony. Something to consider...
Click to expand...

I have a mahogany neck in my custom.

The cool thing is that I have a 59b and a AP2n coming in so I could go with at 59/59 setup or a jb/ap2. I think I will try the jb/ap2 combo first and if i like it, i wont try the 59 combo because i will be soldering more than playing :) .
 
Re: Pickups for a Les Paul Custom

I have Custom/APH-1 in my Standard and I had CC/Jazz in my Custom before I had to sell it. My Explorer (ebony fretboard) has Custom/Jazz in it and it sounds great. The top end cuts through very well without being overly bright, and the Jazz sounds very strat-like thanks to the clear and articulate highs.
 
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Re: Pickups for a Les Paul Custom

\m/(00)\m/i was thinking about maybe an sh-14 Custom 5 for bridge and the 59 for neck. alot of people have a C5 in their les pauls and they swear by it.[/QUOTE said:
That's my combination in my 79 LP Custom, and I love it.

I have used the Duncan Distortion and Custom in that guitar too, and both were great for getting heavy metal tones. The Custom was good for 80s hair band stuff, while the Distortion was better for Judas Priest/Metallica tones. I never found the ebony board to add any extra shrillness, as I used both of these pickups on rosewood neck guitars too.

But for my current tastes, the Custom 5 gets the sound I want. Highs are bright but never thin, lows are tight but still warm. The 59 neck is a perfect compliment, smooth and warm alone but gutsy and punchy with both pickups on.
Click to expand...
 
Re: Pickups for a Les Paul Custom

cvansickle said:
\m/(00)\m/i was thinking about maybe an sh-14 Custom 5 for bridge and the 59 for neck. alot of people have a C5 in their les pauls and they swear by it.[/QUOTE said:
That's my combination in my 79 LP Custom, and I love it.

I have used the Duncan Distortion and Custom in that guitar too, and both were great for getting heavy metal tones. The Custom was good for 80s hair band stuff, while the Distortion was better for Judas Priest/Metallica tones. I never found the ebony board to add any extra shrillness, as I used both of these pickups on rosewood neck guitars too.

But for my current tastes, the Custom 5 gets the sound I want. Highs are bright but never thin, lows are tight but still warm. The 59 neck is a perfect compliment, smooth and warm alone but gutsy and punchy with both pickups on.
Click to expand...

have you checked out the JB?
Click to expand...
 
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