Pickups for Les Paul Custom?

[omboy]

Please offer suggestions. I have an Orville Les Paul Custom, all-mahogany, ebony fretboard. The stock pickups are fairly low output ( ±7.5K?); I think they sound pretty good in an overdrive situation, but when playing clean they just lack "liveliness," for lack of a better term. The tone's not objectionable, they just are kind of dead.
So, what's a good pickup/pickups for a mahogany guitar? Would Pearly Gates by too mid-rangey? Do 59s have enough "sparkle" clean? Any ideas appreciated, tia.

 

[Luke Duke]

Lots of people like to go with the PG's because of the midrange. Customs are brighter than standards so the mids wouldn't hurt. My custom had a muddy neck sound so a 59 with the A5 bar couldn't hurt. I used something akin to a 59 I put an A5 bar in a 57 classic which gave the brighter effect. Some would think this sounds crazy but I'd reccomend a 59 PG combo for your guitar IF you have fairly tight bass already due to the guitar and amp. If not the PG in the bridge might sound a bit loose for you. In which case another 59, C5, or JB might foot the bill.

Luke

 

[Gearjoneser]

Order a Custom 5 bridge and 59 neck in nickel covered from
Lew or Blackrose, since they always stock that combo.

Install it in your Custom and listen to an Orville that sounds better than a stock Gibson. I have that combo in a LP Custom
all mahogany, 2 LP stds, and a McCarty. Kicks butt in all.

 

[dr.barlo]

I'd say C5/59 for what you are after.

 

[sooperunkn]

You may also want to consider a Jazz neck. I just put one in my '78 Custom with a C5 bridge and it sounds unbelievable! Especially blended with the C5 .

I've never tried the PG or the 59 so you may want to A/B/C them using the SD sound bytes like I did. That's the next best thing to actually swapping each of them into your axe. They all sound good so as always it really comes down to the kind of tone your looking for from your neck. Good luck!

 

[Lewguitar]

For what you're describing, I think the guys are right! 59N (or Jazz N for 5% less bass and 5% more highs and clarity...but still a very ballsy tone!) and a Custom 5 for what you're describing. It's hard to beat a JB bridge pickup too, but the C5 seems to be the favorite of the guys who've tried the JB and found it to be a little hard and/or "peaky". Warren Haynes sure seems to like the Pearly gates set...and a set of 59's would also be excellant. But for a hot bridge/vintage neck the C5/59N (or Jazz N) would probably make you very happy. Lew

 

[papersoul]

Maybe also consider the PGn because the 59 can be bright in situations.....I think the PGn would work well with the C-5. The C-5 is like a cross between vintage and modern.

You might want to go with open coil because there is a difference. I find the tone opens up and is more in your face with an open coil rather than covered. The notes bloom better.

 

[jeremy]

i had a c5/pgn set in my sg and it sounded great!!
it should work well in a lp custom as well since the ebony will make the tone brighter than a lp std

 

[Luke Duke]

I have never understood how gearjonser gets good tone from a C5 in a LP custom. In mine it sounded awful. You know it had to otherwise I would have NEVER put the 498 back in. lol

Luke

 

[Lewguitar]

I have never understood how gearjonser gets good tone from a C5 in a LP custom. In mine it sounded awful. You know it had to otherwise I would have NEVER put the 498 back in. lol

Luke

It's easy to get a great tone from a Custom 5, Custom Custom or 59B in a Les Paul! The secret is: plug it into a great Boogie or Marshall or vintage Fender and crank that amp up to "patent applied for"! When your bell bottems are flappin' in the breeze when you're standing in front of the amp, that's about the right volume...

Lew

 

[sooperunkn]

Hey Luke Duke and gearjonser, what are you guys running for a rig? I'm curious to see the differences because I think we all have LP Customs with C5s. I've only had mine in for a week but I was expecting more output/ooomph than I'm getting and I'm running it through a Dual Rectifier!!!! I haven't tried adjusting the pickup height yet but that's going to be my next move.

 

[Luke Duke]

at the time I was using a fender 64 vibro champ, and sliverface twin reverb. I was using a BP8 digitech (my buds but capable of good guitar tones) big pig fat distortion, super overdrive,

Now the LP is gone and in it's place I have a Dr. Z which might like a C5 but right now I'm on a big time mids kick

Luke

 

[Gearjoneser]

To me, Les Pauls have their own midrange. I don't want a pickup masking the mids of my guitar or amp. I'm much more of a fan
of the Alnico 5 sound than Alnico 2.

The reason I love the C-5 is because it's balanced sounding, powerful, but still retains that vintage clarity. I can see why
some people may want more mids, but if that's the case, you
gotta examine what amp you're plugged into.

All my C-5 loaded guitars sound good through virtually any amp,
at least to my ears, but plugged into my Bogner, Marshall Jubilee,
Matchless Chieftain, or Fender Bassbreaker, the tone is everything you could ever want. Granted, those are very good amps, but they're very revealing of a poor pickup choice.
The C-5 is in the top 3 of Duncan's best humbuckers IMO.

 

[papersoul]

The C-5 might be just perfect. I am liking the BB Pros in my LP...especially after last night's gig......but man the C-5 in my Dean Evo just sings!!!!!! Great deep heavy tone and amazing lead tone. It may have to go in my LP!

I find the 5nn muddy for lead....so I might look at the PGn.

 

[BlueSnMettle]

C5/PGn. Heaven.

Peace,

Darrin

 

[omboy]

wow, thanks for all of the input, gents. i'll try to find a C5-loaded LP to test drive, though i think at this point i'm leaning toward 59n, PGb. the clips of the C5 sound a little dark for my taste.

 

[BlueSnMettle]

I think with the Ebony fretboard the C5 will serve you well. Check it out, it's not dark.

Peace,

Darrin

 

[brisk]

Seth!

 

[dr.barlo]

C5/PGn I think is the SD version of the 498T/490R. That said, they are different. 498T has a mid spike that C5 misses (and that is a good thing believe me). And 490R which is not a bad pickup at all does not have the uppermids of the Pgn which helps to cut through. Don't get me wrong, PGn is a smooth PAF neck pickup, but has that extra uppermids that makes it perfect among the wax-potted PAF clones. One thing tho, PGn,s are generally very cool, like 7.40 and lower, whereas 490R's are around 8.00K. That is why I use cool PGb's in the neck.

I am with GJ on this one tho. I am inclined to try for all mahogany guitars (I know the ebony fretboard adds some highs but still) A5's first. That is either a 59 set or a C5/59 set. If you would have to have a maple cap, my recommendation would change. Then the clear winner among the wax-potted pickups is a set of PG!

B