Recommend pickups...for les paul

[Minty]

i want to upgrade my les paul with some new pickups. I'd like a Duncan Custom in the bridge, to stay in PAF territory, just that i need more output...can someone recommend a pickup for the neck that still PAF remiscent please?

I play Blues...Jazz...trying to stay with a nice clean tone, but still good distorted for blues and some punk...

 

[JeffB]

Re: Recommend pickups...for les paul

you need suggestions for both? (I was a little confused by your post's wording)

For the neck...59, PG, Alnico Pro.

If you are saying you want a bridge style PAF as well....I'd make the same three suggestions, altho I'm not a big fan of the PG in the bridge.


or perhaps a Seth Lover set.

 

[yeti]

Re: Recommend pickups...for les paul

I just put an Alnico Pro II in the neck of my Epi LP and it's phenomenal. Splits well with the Custom in bridge, and i especially like the it's tone in parallel for cleans. My fav Duncan so far.:

 

[ErikH]

Re: Recommend pickups...for les paul

If you get any hotter than the Custom, or any of the Custom series, you lose that PAF quality and to be honest, the Customs don't have all the PAF-ness to them anyway. So, that said, you're better off staying with what you have there and maybe try swapping magnets. Get an A2, A3, A4, A5 and an A8. In addition to the ceramic in it now, there's 6 different pickups with a simple magnet swap.

For the neck, Alnico II Pro, Jazz or PGn. An A4 59n/Jazz Hybrid I've heard sounds great. Look for the thread about it from STRATDELUXER97. He's pumped about that hybrid.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Recommend pickups...for les paul

I tend to agree with Eric on the bridge pickup, but let me say, the C5 romps in my LP. I am surprised because it seemed a bit flat in my Hamer Special FM, but it really came to life in the Lester.

The C5 sounds great for blues, classic rock, hard rock, and metal.
I have it set kind of low in the ring, and it surprisingly kept much of the openness ø

 

[Guitarist]

Re: Recommend pickups...for les paul

Put the Alnico II Pro in the neck. Believe the masses. It is a great match with the Custom.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Recommend pickups...for les paul

Jazz/59n Hybrid A4 in the neck,or 59N A4,or maybe a stock Jazz N

Bridge....59B/Custom Hybrid A2 or A5
Seth
59B
PGB
Antiquity..

 

[Children of Bodom]

Re: Recommend pickups...for les paul

neck- take someone elses advice here but I think 59, pearly gates or maybe a seth.

Bridge- imo the bridge should be the custom line, those were always nice in pauls... I had a CC in there and it could do classic rock to metal very nicely... But never played blues or jazz so im not sure.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Recommend pickups...for les paul

Another cool idea that worked out pretty cool in the bridge of one of my strats.....Put all standard nickel screws into both sides of a 10k Scremon Demon pickup?

Right here....SD A5

 

[Children of Bodom]

Re: Recommend pickups...for les paul

Another cool idea that worked out pretty cool in the bridge of one of my strats.....Put all standard nickel screws into both sides of a 10k Scremon Demon pickup?

Right here....SD A5

You really are a maniacal modman aren't you. Like almost all of the things you suggested were done with modding haha.

 

[Minty]

Re: Recommend pickups...for les paul

you need suggestions for both? (I was a little confused by your post's wording)

:laugh2: sorry about that.

I'm not sure if I'm going to get into building hybrids but how can change the magnets?

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Recommend pickups...for les paul

:laugh2: sorry about that.

I'm not sure if I'm going to get into building hybrids but how can change the magnets?

http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/barmagswap.htm

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Recommend pickups...for les paul

You really are a maniacal modman aren't you. Like almost all of the things you suggested were done with modding haha.

Yep...I usually can speak from my experiences and as a player for 30 years or better...I've tryed alot of things over the years and I've sure screwed up alot of stuff also! :laugh2:

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: Recommend pickups...for les paul

I am one boring dude here but...

Alnico 2 Pro or Dimarzio Virtual PAF (bridge model) in the neck

 

[Minty]

Re: Recommend pickups...for les paul

What about a 57 CLassic in the neck...would that make a good aftermarket PAF?

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Recommend pickups...for les paul

What about a 57 CLassic in the neck...would that make a good aftermarket PAF?

It would be OK, but for the money, the Seth, APH, or Pearly Gates will blow the 57 out of the water.

 

[theodie]

Re: Recommend pickups...for les paul

I would say the Alnico II pro and the Pearly gates in the neck are GREAT with a Custom bridge. BTW........you say you need more output than the custom????? What are you trying to play??? What kind of amp are you playing through? The Custom has tons of output and usually more than what most people want actually!

 

[chill]

Re: Recommend pickups...for les paul

I recently stuck an A4 in my Jazz neck in an Ibanez Artist. The A4 got rid of the boominess and most of the tubbiness on the wound strings with the Jazz n in that guitar. It still sounds like a Jazz, but with a more controlled low end and a bit less top end. The A4 Jazz n a good mate with the Custom bridge.

 

[Minty]

Re: Recommend pickups...for les paul

I would say the Alnico II pro and the Pearly gates in the neck are GREAT with a Custom bridge. BTW........you say you need more output than the custom????? What are you trying to play??? What kind of amp are you playing through? The Custom has tons of output and usually more than what most people want actually!

Okay, yeah. I meant, what do you think about a Custom as a good PAF pickup that has more output...my typing skills aren't to hot.

And what does it mean on the Seth Lover page that it isn't recommended for high-gain amps over 50 watts...will this limit me somehow?

And do you have to custom order your pickups to have gold covers or something?

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Recommend pickups...for les paul

And what does it mean on the Seth Lover page that it isn't recommended for high-gain amps over 50 watts...will this limit me somehow?

And do you have to custom order your pickups to have gold covers or something?

The Seth is unpotted, which might cause feedback problems with high volumes and gain. personally, I've never had a problem with my Seths in a semi hollow and I run 100 watts in stereo with plenty of gain.

You can get gold covers stock on a Seth, but you will have to special order them on a Custom, if I'm not mistaken.