Pups for classic rock les paul

M

Mark Le Comte

New member
Hi, Im down to picking pickups for my last guitar. Its an orville les paul custom. I have a super D/Paf les paul for my hard rock/70s-80s metal which is about as heavy as I get (Maiden, Priest, some metallica). I have a SG with 59/custom and 59 for brighter rock like ACDC.

In this guitar im looking for that raunchy vibe e.g. guns and roses, ZZ top, aerosmith.

Im not going to buy pickups, but have the following available. Seth set, PG Set, Brobucker, Custom. Which one would you go with and why?

Im leaning towards A2 brobucker/PG, or A2 custom/PG hybrid and PG.

I mainly play through a JCM800 4010 combo (50w 1x12 with 1x12 extension) and sometimes a fender blues deluxe. Also use TS, MXR D+, ratt, MXR 10 or 6 band eq or metal muff as the mood takes me.
 
Re: Pups for classic rock les paul

I'd say either Pearly Gates and Custom Custom (the PG is known for being raunchy) or the Brobucker bridge and Custom 5 in parallel in the neck. The PG/CC combo fit's your requirements better, but I'd do the second one if you felt like experimenting.
 
Re: Pups for classic rock les paul

I might go Seth neck & Brobucker bridge. Brobucker is great in a Les Paul. Or if you want more juice, the Custom. Then again, the PG bridge has raunch. But since you have one, my first choice would be the Brobucker.

Does your Orville have a maple cap, or is it all mahog like some of the other MIJ Customs?
 
Re: Pups for classic rock les paul

For me, Seth's are an obvious choice. But for something raunchier in the bridge, I'd go with an A2 or UOA5 Brobucker (great PU!). The SethN would be good in the neck as is, but some members have been pleased with mag swaps in it.
 
Re: Pups for classic rock les paul

If they are available just start popping them in the guitar and see what you like.
 
Re: Pups for classic rock les paul

Well, I love Seths, but they are more refined than raunchy. I'd opt for something like a PG & Custom set. You won't have the buttery GnR thing, but you will get the mean ZZ Top thing.
 
Re: Pups for classic rock les paul

Mark Le Comte said:
In this guitar im looking for that raunchy vibe e.g. guns and roses, ZZ top, aerosmith.
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Raunchy vibe is what the PG set does. For the 3 bands you mentioned, among your choices, the PG set is far and away the best tool for the job.

The others are very good pickups, but better suited for other applications.
 
Re: Pups for classic rock les paul

Mark Le Comte said:
In this guitar im looking for that raunchy vibe e.g. guns and roses, ZZ top, aerosmith.

have the following available. Seth set, PG Set, Brobucker, Custom. Which one would you go with and why?

I mainly play through a JCM800 4010 combo (50w 1x12 with 1x12 extension) and sometimes a fender blues deluxe. Also use TS, MXR D+, ratt, MXR 10 or 6 band eq or metal muff as the mood takes me.
Click to expand...

I'd use Pearly Gates bridge, Seth neck and use the tone control for Guns, maybe a little bit of tone roll off for Aerosmith and wide open for ZZ Top. Why? My experience playing that music through a Les Paul with those pickups and a JCM 900 and TS and various other distortion boxes .

Other combos should work also, like a Custom bridge PG neck.
 
Re: Pups for classic rock les paul

I'm gonna rule out the custom bridge, well at least with the stock ceramic. If I want that much more it's over to the Super D.
 
Re: Pups for classic rock les paul

To my ears, PGN's in LP's have a more rounded, mellow high-end, and were too warm for my tastes. I like a neck HB with some bite & a sharper high-end, and for me, there's no raunch or sizzle there. PGB's on the other hand, are brighter than I expected, especially for having an A2 magnet. Nothing for me (PAF fan) to get excited about. But, those same PG's in a Strat would sound different, and better, but I'm not a Strat guy. If I played Fenders and owned guitars with bright woods, my choices of PU's would be different.
 
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Re: Pups for classic rock les paul

Take the PG set and buy an A8 and A4. Stick the A8 in the bridge and the A4 in neck.. and you got it.
 
Re: Pups for classic rock les paul

Mincer said:
Well, I love Seths, but they are more refined than raunchy. I'd opt for something like a PG & Custom set. You won't have the buttery GnR thing, but you will get the mean ZZ Top thing.
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The Seths sound much ballsier with the covers removed. They've become my favorites.

I'd try the Seths...but remove the covers.
 
Re: Pups for classic rock les paul

How do you hear the lack of covers affects the sound of the Seths?
 
Re: Pups for classic rock les paul

Mincer said:
How do you hear the lack of covers affects the sound of the Seths?
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Lew makes a valid point. There was a member here a few years ago,, Nick (RockStarNick, or something to that effect). He sent me clips from the same guitar, same amp settings, of a guitar of his with and without covers. There is a difference. You lose a little high end, a little clarity, a little liveliness to the sound. Nothing radical, and you may not be able to hear a difference listening to a band play on stage (in a room with poor acoustics and people talking & laughing). After hearing it side-by-side, if you're playing in a more controlled situation, or recording, you'd probably go the coverless route.
 
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