Pickups for a Les Paul style / sound
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beaubrummels
Well-known member
This is totally different from your original request. You say WLH sounds old, but that IS a Les Paul sound. Then you talk about JB/Jazz which is NOT a Les Paul sound, and in a Les Paul is typically not the clearest and DOES NOT respond to volume changes well. This is NOT a Gibson Les Paul sound. Then you say this is for an AC/DC tribute project, which IS an OLD Gibson sound, not beef, umph and mega teeth. Pearly Gates or a Jazz set is the closest AC/DC Gibson sound for that, and WLH is like a hotter smoother sounding version of a 59 set which also does AC/DC very well, while the beef and screaming leads part comes from the amp, not the pickups.
In my opinion the A2P and PG allow for more sustain because of the lower string pull A2 mags while letting the unplugged, neutral acoustic sound of the LP more than A5 HBs.
every A5 HB I have used sounds much different than A2 HBs. A5 has its pluses but as far as projecting the sound of the guitar transparently to the amp....A2 HBs any day and A5 rods in single coils.
again everyone has their preference with their style. And A5 HBs are powerful and tight but I generally find they are scooped in the mids and have less sustain.
every A5 HB I have used sounds much different than A2 HBs. A5 has its pluses but as far as projecting the sound of the guitar transparently to the amp....A2 HBs any day and A5 rods in single coils.
again everyone has their preference with their style. And A5 HBs are powerful and tight but I generally find they are scooped in the mids and have less sustain.
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beaubrummels
Well-known member
FWIW I've never experienced string pull with humbuckers. Didn't think it was possible.
Well that' the thing- with higher output pickups like a JB, you tend to get a compressed sound which is not nearly as responsive to dynamic playing as vintage-output pickups. If you want both- a dynamic pickup and one that can scream, I'd get a vintage output pickup with a good boost or overdrive pedal for the screamy stuff.
Don't take my word for it. Here's an excerpt from the SD site on the A2P:
"The Alnico 2 Pro Humbucker neck uses the soft treble attack and low string pull of an alnico 2 bar magnet, combined with a special vintage output coil wind to create a warm, sweet tone that is smooth and full, with tons of natural sustain."
to me string pull is another way of expressing sustain. Low string pull = high sustain.
einstein has an equation about it or something. Stronger magnet, more pull. It may not seem like much but those strings are really thin.
Snake Aces
Singlecut Slut
I love the WLH set. It is not just for rock, but it sure can pump out the jams.
There are so many great offerings from Duncan, that it doesn't seem as fun just to get a set of 59's, but they are excellent pickups, and IMO you can cover damn near any style (with the right amp/rig) with them. AC/DC, for sure. I will give another vote, too, for the Saturday Night special. I have them in an SG, and same thing. Through a Marshall (or a Peavey Classic 30 in my case) with no pedals or anything, they do 70's flavored Classic rock perfectly. Through a Soldono model on a Helix, they can do 80's and metal just fine.
I personally think it's tough to beat a 59n in the neck of a les paul. That's just my opinion. (I have a Jazz in the neck of a Jackson Kelly and in that guitar, it's just wonderful, I bet it'd be great in the les paul, too.)
I have a 59/Custom Hybrid in the bridge of the Les Paul, and really like it. Typically, I keep the bridge tone on about 9, and the vol down just a hair, and the two blend together perfectly, and then I can juice up the vol on the bridge for a little extra kick on a solo.
I personally think it's tough to beat a 59n in the neck of a les paul. That's just my opinion. (I have a Jazz in the neck of a Jackson Kelly and in that guitar, it's just wonderful, I bet it'd be great in the les paul, too.)
I have a 59/Custom Hybrid in the bridge of the Les Paul, and really like it. Typically, I keep the bridge tone on about 9, and the vol down just a hair, and the two blend together perfectly, and then I can juice up the vol on the bridge for a little extra kick on a solo.
Just dive on a floyd set to very low action and watch the strings stick on the pole pieces
Mag pull is real and pretty noticeable
Moreso with bigger and/or stronger magnets like double thicks, ceramics, A8, etc
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Of course, if you slack the strings completely with a Floyd, what else would you expect; metal near magnetized metal. I would argue that's not "string pull" but just plain magnetism, as when the strings are completely slack, there's no string resistance to begin with. "String pull" would be a reduction of sustain with the strings at tension - which I haven't noticied significantly with humbuckers. But yeah I don't have double-thick ceramics or A8 in the neck of anything. Bridge yes, but not in the neck.
misterwhizzy
Well-known member
I agree. I hear a lot of talk about it, but I've never experienced it being a problem. It's much more likely my heavy picking will knock the string into a pickup that's close to the strings than a strong magnet will.
beaubrummels
Well-known member
That is true. Single hum guitars do sound different in the bridge. I thought it was because of the reduced weight. But could be some magnetic effect.
