Pickups for Gibson LP classic

M

Mayhem

New member
I currently have a pair of duncan antiquity's in my LP Classic installed by previous owner, but I feel they are to week, to thin, to clear. My strat has more balls. I play a lot of Black Metal, and even though I like vintage sound, I would like some more fuzz over it. My flying V with rusty 500t sounds more overdriven in the bands rehearsalromm without the RAT connected when playing loud on a a jmc800 (1987 bass without distortion channel or mastervolume) than with the antiquity's+rat!

I consider a 2'h deal on Burstbucker 1 and 2. I like keeping it original. But could those be to similar? I do not mind vintage, but those antiquity's are ridiculously thin sounding. THe high freq is not good for my ear.

I feel the SH-14 custom custom in the mexico strat is a little thin and ****ty as well when played clean, but better than the stock one distorted. I did not like the invader when I was a teenager with a jackson, so I'm a little afraid of SD's. Could 59 neck and sh5 in bridge be something?

The vintage look of the antiquity's is great though... Makes it harder to get rid of them, but I guess sound has to go before looks!

I guess i look for something warm and thick sounding that can sound a little distorted, but I do already have another guitar in my Gibson V who sounds like the pits of hell..
 
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Re: Pickups for Gibson LP classic

Mayhem - I mean this with all due respect/love: You sound like you have no idea what you want or what you are talking about. Personally - the thick/meaty distorted sound you seek makes me think you want DiMarzio's overall. They are more your personality.

But if you can't get thick/meaty from a Rat/JCM 800 - there is no pickup that can help. An A2P would absolutely rule for what you want. I can't believe that the custom custom isn't working.

Of course - the custom is ceramic and hot, so clean would be questionable...which, by the way, is going to be a problem with any ceramic pup as distorted and thick and hot as you you want.

As for the keep it 'original' - it's a classic (read junk) it is not an investment LP in any way shape or form. And who cares, if it sounds like crap who would want it anyway!!!!

You just really seem like you need to spend some time reading the descriptions of the pup sounds to get it right. Your complaints/dislikes seem surprising.

I'm not trying beat you down bro, but you just seem really confused/unsatisfied with things that are exactly what they should be.

Let's work though this. Let me throw this your way: DiMarzio ToneZone. Hot, thick, compressed. Really - it's you.

(The LOOK of the antiquities is great!?!?!? WTF??? <= Intended slam, no apologies for that one)
 
Re: Pickups for Gibson LP classic

I'm going to sound like a broken record here, but I have an SD-made EVH Frankenstein in my LP Classic and it kills. Not thin, ballsy, a little more "oomph." I think that or a Super D and you should be fine.

Aceman -- Nice pic! Is she painted..uh..down below too?
 
Re: Pickups for Gibson LP classic

It does to me seem a bit strange of a post..
But I do understand it.. ;)
I run an Eppiphone LP Custom with a JB at the Bridge, and a 59 at the neck..
Its a heck of a rock and roll guitar..
I dont see myself parting with it..
One memorible night I walked threw a campfire with it..
It screamed nicely..
And I do Have a 1960 Classic LP..
I dumped the stockers, and they shared alot of what I have in the Epi...
But I wanted a more Classic tone with more range..
The Antiquitys do give me just that..
One has to appreaciate that the lower output of them can seem to be a hinderence.
But the trade off in usable range is the reward..
I dont plan on walking the Classic threw the fire...
But I sure can start one with it.. ;)
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I probebly would not get away with those gain and volume levels with my DSL 100 and the Eppi...
May have to try it just for giggles.. ;)
 
Re: Pickups for Gibson LP classic

Haha, I wrote this quickly before running to work being a little broken after handing inn a draft for a thesis. Maybe I should have waited, and maybe I do not know what I talk about.

The Classic (premium plus)is nice. Better than the standard I owned. Great neck! And yes, the aged buckers in there at the moment goes very well with the yellowish fret inlays:grumble:

The strat sound cool with CC distorted, but fragile clean. I think I will get a tech to do the installation for me with the more expensive Gibson instead of fumbling around with the solder again.

For cleans, I will use the neck PU probably, so maybe a hot one in bridge would work good after all. SH-5 PAF on steroids sound promising.
 
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Re: Pickups for Gibson LP classic

Mayhem said:
Haha, I wrote this quickly before running to work being a little broken after handing inn a draft for a thesis. Maybe I should have waited, and maybe I do not know what I talk about.

The Classic (premium plus)is nice. Better than the standard I owned. Great neck! And yes, the aged buckers in there at the moment goes very well with the yellowish fret inlays:grumble:

The strat sound cool with CC distorted, but fragile clean. I think I will get a tech to do the installation for me with the more expensive Gibson instead of fumbling around with the solder again.

For cleans, I will use the neck PU probably, so maybe a hot one in bridge would work good after all. SH-5 PAF on steroids sound promising.
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:kabong:

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http://home.comcast.net/~jroscoe/emg.html
 
Re: Pickups for Gibson LP classic

Mayhem said:
I feel the SH-14 custom custom in the mexico strat is a little thin and ****ty as well when played clean, but better than the stock one distorted... Could 59 neck and sh5 in bridge be something?
Click to expand...

God invented replacement magnets for a reason son. If you have a C5 (SH-14) that's too thin, try an A8, A4, or A2 to get some mids. I've done that with mine. Or try a ceramic and make a "Custom" yourself.
 
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Re: Pickups for Gibson LP classic

Burstbucker 2 in neck and 500T in bridge, do anyone know how that would balance? 500t's goes for CHEAP over here.
Sort of vintage neck, pluss the over the top mudy distorted sound I guess I do love in bridge... Being in another guitar, it will not be completely similar to my V, but hopefully still as satisfying. I have good gut feeling about this PU, I even decided on it for my Jackson back in the days but whent for the invaders for a reason I do not remember(good 2hand deal maybe?).

It's kind of ironic to put a cheaper 500t back in there though.. But price is not the equalant of giving the tone you want.
Would the cover neck open bridge J Page look get old quick? Any experiences haha? Looks are a factor, do not slam me on this!

I will do some websearches on magnet swaping, but the sound on the strat is good distorted, and the neck PU is great clean, so I'm good.
 
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Re: Pickups for Gibson LP classic

the 500T in an LP will do black metal all day. if gibson p/ups are cheaper where you are and you want to keep it all-gibson, that's the best option.
if i was going for a black metal tone i wouldn't want anything lighter than a demon or full shred.
i'd recommend against the customs on this one.
DD, dimebucker, invader, FS, demon should all work; i haven't tried a dimebucker yet though myself...
there's either something wrong with the way the guitar's set-up, or you really like the other guitars more, IMO. antiquitys weren't designed to play really distorted speed metal, but the LP-RAT-JCM800 combo should still be capable of doing the job.
good luck!
 
Re: Pickups for Gibson LP classic

I have ants in one of my Classic Plus guitars. If you don't want them, I would love to buy your Ants.

If you don't like the Ants, you won't like the Burstbucker 1&2. Thinner and edgier than the Ants.

You might like the '57 Classic/Classic Plus set. The Classic Plus is a nice bridge bucker that has a thicker midrange. You might even like the sound of the JB in the bridge. Using a 250 or 300K pot gives it a rounder tone.

You don't mention what amp you use, but you might want to consider a clean boost to use with the Les Paul. That can really fatten up the tone.

If you can't work it out, I'd love to have your Ants.

Bill
 
Re: Pickups for Gibson LP classic

Aceman said:
As for the keep it 'original' - it's a classic (read junk) it is not an investment LP in any way shape or form. And who cares, if it sounds like crap who would want it anyway!!!!
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This has got to be the stupidest thing I've heard.

The Classic was an upgrade to the Standard when it first came out in 1990, and it was a better guitar until the 2002 Standard came out.

Here, go educate yourself.

http://www.lespaulforum.com/finalframes/frameset.htm

Go to the Articles link, the "Gibson Les Paul Classic Premium Plus: Flametop Wonder
By Mike Slubowski " at the bottom.


Mayhem,

Go get the 496R/500T set and call it a day. Even better, if you find a 4 conductor set and some push/pull pots to coil tap like I did, you'll have a kick ass guitar.
 
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Re: Pickups for Gibson LP classic

Everytime I see the word "Black Metal" I reply with the same 3.....in order....
Invader
Distortion
Custom 5 (if you drop tune C or lower)
 
Re: Pickups for Gibson LP classic

DonP said:
How do you fit P90's in a humbucker route? I guess you could, but it wouldn't look pretty...

And P90's for Death Metal?
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If you're playing metal, it doesn't need to look pretty! Plus, I think there are more than a few players out there doing P-90s and metal.
 
Re: Pickups for Gibson LP classic

a safe bet is the jb/jazz or 59 combo. I have the JB/Paf joe in my lp classic. I like it better than the C5 or CC. Just a preference. If you buy them new that's usually a safe bet. If you don't like it? try something else with the 21 day exchange.
 
Re: Pickups for Gibson LP classic

cradlefish said:
a safe bet is the jb/jazz or 59 combo. I have the JB/Paf joe in my lp classic. I like it better than the C5 or CC. Just a preference. If you buy them new that's usually a safe bet. If you don't like it? try something else with the 21 day exchange.
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The JB is legendary for being picky about the wood it's in, sounding terrible in some, so it's far from a 'safe bet.' The JazzN is considered by many here to be a very bland PU, and I just can't see it as a good match with a JB in most guitars.

For LP's, a set of good PAF's or a C5/'59N is a safer bet.
 
Re: Pickups for Gibson LP classic

Don't let the silly name and description fool you......the Invader does melodic Death/Black Metal with Ease, bro........
 
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