revamping my rig - starting with new pickups

[Woody777]

My rig: Gibson LP Studio -> Marshall TSL 100 -> Marshall 1960A cab

All in all, I'm happy with my rig. However, I really want to improve and fine-tune my tone. I plan to start with replacing the stock 490R/498T in my LP.

My band plays a very versatile blend of modern, edgy rock and I need a nice range of tones to cover what we do. We play songs as soft as Matchbox 20, Goo Goo Dolls, Counting Crows, 3 Doors Down, all the way up to modern rock like Audioslave, Stone Temple Pilots, Alice in Chains. We play just about anything in the realm of rock except for punk and metal - in other words, I don't need massive amounts of gain.

I definitely need a great clean tone from both the neck and bridge pickups - looking for a nice warm fat jazzy tone on the neck and a brighter more open tone on the bridge (amp clean channel). And I need a nice medium gain tone that breaks up nicely but is still smooth enough for open chords on the neck and maybe some AC/DC type sounds on the bridge (amp crunch channel). And of course, a heavier modern rock tone that is not overly saturated and that is articulate and tight on the bridge (amp lead channel).

With clean, crunch and lead channels, my amp definitely gets me in the ballpark for every tone I mentioned - but I think the proper pickup selection will only improve and help me dial in exactly what I'm after. I have a few ideas on pickups, but I want to hear what you guys think first. Thanks!

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: revamping my rig - starting with new pickups

I'd say a Custom/59 or Custom/Jazz.

 

[jeremy]

Re: revamping my rig - starting with new pickups

i was thinking jb/jazz. great clean and dirty tones from both pups, stronger output from the bridge and a tight bottom end with good clarity

 

[Woody777]

Re: revamping my rig - starting with new pickups

Thanks for the suggestions so far - anybody else?

 

[Woody777]

Re: revamping my rig - starting with new pickups

bump for some more suggestions!

 

[joelap]

Re: revamping my rig - starting with new pickups

We play songs as soft as Matchbox 20, Goo Goo Dolls, Counting Crows, 3 Doors Down, all the way up to modern rock like Audioslave, Stone Temple Pilots, Alice in Chains. We play just about anything in the realm of rock except for punk and metal - in other words, I don't need massive amounts of gain.

Custom/59.

 

[ledzepp29]

Re: revamping my rig - starting with new pickups

the custom might be a little too much don't you think? if the heaviest he's going is audioslave(strat), stone temple pilots(p-90s,stock les paul), alice in chains(JB bridge) then I think something like a JB in the bridge and a jazz or 59 in the neck would cover all that nicely.

 

[Bones]

Re: revamping my rig - starting with new pickups

Dimarzio fred bridge, jazz neck

 

[joelap]

Re: revamping my rig - starting with new pickups

the custom might be a little too much don't you think? if the heaviest he's going is audioslave(strat), stone temple pilots(p-90s,stock les paul), alice in chains(JB bridge) then I think something like a JB in the bridge and a jazz or 59 in the neck would cover all that nicely.

Tom Morello of Audioslave uses a custom built guitar with EMG-81s. The strat you are thinking of has Hot Rails in it, or at least thats what it looked like when I saw him live. He runs into a JCM800 50watt halfstack cranked.

Dean DiLeo of STP plays mainly Gibson Les Paul standards into Vox AC30's. I've seen him use a Tele once.

Jerry Cantrell uses Bogner Amps. I'll leave it at that.

Even though their pickups may not be Dimebuckers or Distortions, their amps give them their distortion. And it can get heavy. I saw audioslave live, STP is one of my favorite groups, and Alice in Chains is from the 90's and I love 90's rock. For the guitar he;s using, the '59 is great for the neck while I think the Custom is amazing in a Les Paul.

 

[mrfjones]

Re: revamping my rig - starting with new pickups

for all of that i think a C5/59 combo would be the best. nice and clear but gets nice distortion with the tsl. good luck

 

[Woody777]

Re: revamping my rig - starting with new pickups

Thanks everybody. I'm not trying to nail any particular band's tone, just trying to emphasize that I don't use gobs of gain.

Here is what I was thinking before I started this thread:

bridge: JB
neck: Jazz or '59

Now I will also consider a Custom in the bridge.

Any other suggestions?

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: revamping my rig - starting with new pickups

My bland plays very much in the same musical style as yours. I mostly gig with my LP with a PG set and a Sheraton with a Phat Cat set, and sometimes my strat. Most of the time, I play the Paul with the Pearly Gates set and it covers it all well.