The ultimate Def Leppard pickup combo?

weepingminotaur

weepingminotaur

Well-known member
Thinking about swapping pickups in my Les Paul and making it primarily a hard rock machine, mostly playing Def Leppard (eras: Hysteria, Pyromania, and Adrenalize, in that order of priority, with a bit of High 'n' Dry thrown in). I realize that their tones varied a lot during that period, especially with the change from Pete Willis to Phil Collen on guitar, but if you had to pick, what bridge and neck pickups would allow you to get the best of their sound?

I'm thinking DiMarzio Super 3, X2N, or the original Super Distortion for the bridge, given the recent rig rundown Premier Guitar did with Collen and Vivian Campbell. No idea about the neck. All suggestions welcome.
 
Steve Clark used a SD in his burst Les Paul I am not sure what he had in the tobacco one. Pete played stock Hammer pickups IIRC, but he modded the electronics. He ran a cap between the vol and tone controls that gave him that nasally parked wah type of tone. Kind of like the PRS sweet switch.

 
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I suggest you hit the gym and have an earring that drags your earlobe down to the floor.
 
Securb said:
Steve Clark used a SD in his burst Les Paul I am not sure what he had in the tobacco one. Pete played stock Hammer pickups IIRC, but he modded the electronics. He ran a cap between the vol and tone controls that gave him that nasally parked wah type of tone. Kind of like the PRS sweet switch.

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Thanks! I'm mainly after the Collen-Clark Hysteria tones first, but it's good to know for the purposes of overlap with the other eras.
 
weepingminotaur said:
Thinking about swapping pickups in my Les Paul and making it primarily a hard rock machine, mostly playing Def Leppard (eras: Hysteria, Pyromania, and Adrenalize, in that order of priority, with a bit of High 'n' Dry thrown in). I realize that their tones varied a lot during that period, especially with the change from Pete Willis to Phil Collen on guitar, but if you had to pick, what bridge and neck pickups would allow you to get the best of their sound?

I'm thinking DiMarzio Super 3, X2N, or the original Super Distortion for the bridge, given the recent rig rundown Premier Guitar did with Collen and Vivian Campbell. No idea about the neck. All suggestions welcome.
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You know the ones they use. For the classic tone = Super Distortion, for the current live tone = Super 3. Campbell used the X2N when pllaying with Dio, but Collen uses it live on some of his live guitars. I use the Super Distortion / PAF Pro combo.

Check here...
https://www.premierguitar.com/videos/rig-rundowns/def-leppard-2022

I see Vivian has one with a Super Distortion in the bridge and Super 3 in the neck. Doesn't seem like a pickup changing guy.
 
This thread has me wanting to try the Pete Willis mod. I could set it up on a push-pull. I found this online about it.

That's an easy mod. Just attach a .0047uf-.0068uf cap from the same lug of the bridge volume the pickup hooks to and ground the other end and you have instant wah.
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OsvyRock said:
You know the ones they use. For the classic tone = Super Distortion, for the current live tone = Super 3. Campbell used the X2N when pllaying with Dio, but Collen uses it live on some of his live guitars. I use the Super Distortion / PAF Pro combo.

Check here...
https://www.premierguitar.com/videos/rig-rundowns/def-leppard-2022

I see Vivian has one with a Super Distortion in the bridge and Super 3 in the neck. Doesn't seem like a pickup changing guy.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I posted that same link earlier. That's really what convinced me that either the SD or Super 3 is the way to go, but I wanted to check with you fine folks to make sure.

How would you describe the PAF Pro from a tonal standpoint?
 
In fact, let me ask everyone: how would you compare the Super Distortion to the Super 3? Is the latter just an SD on steroids? Any caveats or nuggets of wisdom would be appreciated.
 
weepingminotaur said:
Yeah, I posted that same link earlier. That's really what convinced me that either the SD or Super 3 is the way to go, but I wanted to check with you fine folks to make sure.

How would you describe the PAF Pro from a tonal standpoint?
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For me, it's like a modern Seymour Duncan 59' with more output, darkness, and that can sound fluid for shredding at times. It does well on the neck of my Flying V, but since you're looking for the Def Leppard tone, I got a friend that does have experience with both the Super Distortion and the Super 3: Juankyman Are you looking for something specific about the Def Leppard tone?
 
OsvyRock said:
For me, it's like a modern Seymour Duncan 59' with more output, darkness, and that can sound fluid for shredding at times. It does well on the neck of my Flying V, but since you're looking for the Def Leppard tone, I got a friend that does have experience with both the Super Distortion and the Super 3: Juankyman Are you looking for something specific about the Def Leppard tone?
Click to expand...

Looking to nail their classic tones: Hysteria (mostly), Pyromania and Adrenalize (some). Sugar, Armageddon It, Animal, Hysteria, Photograph, Tonight, Billy's Got A Gun, Stand Up, Women, Love Bites. I've already got a setup I like on my amp. It's just a question of getting the pickup choice right.
 
Regular SuperD would be the best bet IMO. Super3 came out later than most of their hits, but it's still a great choice if the guitar is naturally very bright and/or tinny-toned.
 
dave74 said:
Regular SuperD would be the best bet IMO. Super3 came out later than most of their hits, but it's still a great choice if the guitar is naturally very bright and/or tinny-toned.
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The guitar is an Epiphone Les Paul Standard PlusTop Pro with a mahogany neck and body.
 
Fora all around tones....you have to go with a SuperD in the bridge and a Super 2 in the neck. For Steve Clark...it's Dirty Fingers and 59's in the neck.

Overall, Super D is the way to g,o though, unless you can play two guitars at once.

And killer Delay/Chorus/Reverb patches.....
 
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