PU suggestions for all mahogany Les Paul

Dave Simpson

Dave Simpson

New member
If anyone has some experience with all mahogany guitars I'd appreciate any suggestions on a pickup combination for my new toy. I'm looking for something that's warm, good balance all the way around and decent output. 11k or more.

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Re: PU suggestions for all mahogany Les Paul

AIIPro or PG neck and Custom Custom bridge would do the trick...but mahogany can be a pretty warm wood without the traditional maple cap you see on a Les Paul to brighten it up, so it would depend on your particular guitar.

Nice looking ax!

Lew
 
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Re: PU suggestions for all mahogany Les Paul

C5 or a custom shop wind similiar to the Brobucker. I've got a Brobucker bridge and Seth Lover neck in my '57 Custom Historic (all mahogany) and it's thick and articulate. The CC may be a little too dark for an all mahogany Lester. The Custom may also be a good choice but the ceramic mag is a bit too sterile sounding for my tastes.
 
Re: PU suggestions for all mahogany Les Paul

C5 bridge or the Brobucker sounds like a good option.

For the neck things can get interesting. Anything with a paf type output or sound would do the trick, I suggest you listen to the audio samples on the tone chart to get an idea. I think a Pearlygates even though it uses an A2 magnet.

I'm thinking an A5 also in the neck to offset the darker sound of an all mahogany guitar. A real PAF uses an A5 magnet and mismatched coils. That would be a bright sounding pickup and maybe that's what you need. Even an Antiquity would really do the trick there if you like more of a vintage sound there. But they are not potted so if you use a lot of pedals or gain it might squeal.
 
Re: PU suggestions for all mahogany Les Paul

Thanks for the input guys.:bowdown:

I'll give the C5 bridge and '59 neck a shot first and see how that sounds. The Pearly Gates in the neck is also a good idea. I've had that pickup in another Les Paul of mine and it sounded sweet.:banana:
 
Re: PU suggestions for all mahogany Les Paul

I would go with a PG set, The extra top would balance the all mahog...but, consider this:

The original black beauties were all mahogany. And they sounded righteous! Which makes me think about Seths in that guitar...Lew? (Of course I'm not denying the beauty of a PG/CC rec ever...)

PS - there are NO 11k pups and don't ever ask for them here. It's like the Lambada: It's the FORBIDDEN TONE!
 
Re: PU suggestions for all mahogany Les Paul

I have had several pickups in my LP.. I mean several! :D

My current favorite combo, for rock/hard rock: CC in the bridge, and Jazz bridge in the neck position. That is a great combo in a 77 mohogany LP.

The center position has lots of character, a bit more bite than a normal setup. Both pickups clean up well, and sound great with quality distortion.
 
Re: PU suggestions for all mahogany Les Paul

Aceman said:
PS - there are NO 11k pups and don't ever ask for them here. It's like the Lambada: It's the FORBIDDEN TONE!
Click to expand...

PSSST!

It's not...TOTALLY forbidden...

(glances left and right)

Step into my office young man...
 
Re: PU suggestions for all mahogany Les Paul

I'd probably go with C-5/Jazz. It does a lot to tighten up the low end on solid mahogany, and the mids and highs are natural and clear in both pickups.
 
Re: PU suggestions for all mahogany Les Paul

pg with a-5 magnet bridge, seth lover neck
 
Re: PU suggestions for all mahogany Les Paul

pg with a-5 magnet bridge, seth lover neck
 
Re: PU suggestions for all mahogany Les Paul

I have just had a pair of seth lovers wax dipped and fitted to my Wine red Tokai Les paul which I assume is all mahogany(?) I am not sure but the chang was interesting from the origainal tokai pickups:-
1. there seemed to be a raise in level.
2. there seemed to be more treble.
3. it broke up faster when gain was aplied.

With these changes the guitar seems allot more of a hand full. But the nice thing is it sounds great for cruchy rock chord work like AC/DC type rythum because of how it breaks up early.
I use mine mainly for recording self indulgent extended solos over assembled backing tracks on my computer. If its of any interest to any one?
I use a Korg Tone zone effect (with the three big nobs on it) into a Art tube pre amp then into a M-Audio 24/96 sound card and into Logic Version 5.2
I kind of wish that I had got some thing more articulate. I wished I had seen the Peter Green pickups or gone for the custom custom or pearly gates or the jazz but what I wanted was character and tone that was organic enough to contol buy playing style and I hope that is what I have.
We shall see.
Best of luck in your search.
Tim. :-)
 
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