Thinking of modding this

[Aceman]

So I have a 1979 Gibson The Paul. Rather minty as they go. I have always thought of doing two things to this:

#1 Blacking it out: Black Grovers, Black Bridge, Black Stop bar. All of that easily reversible.

#2 New pickups: The T-Tops are ok. And we all know I am not a fan. This guitar is Walnut body/neck and an Ebony fretboard. I have always thought a pair of plain old 59's might be nice. But what do you suggest.

Would you do this? Wouldn't you? What might you do instead. Any brand/specific suggestions?

 

[Aceman]

Wow - that pic sucked...

 

[Chris Pile]

I'd go with gold hardware instead of murdering it out. Maybe some double zebra Alnico II Pro units.

 

[marcello252]

a Seth Lover set, the nickel covers would also fit

 

[Seashore]

I usually like black hardware but I think it would be kinda plain Jane on a piece of wood like this. Nickel or chrome covers and black/silver top hat knobs would look nice.

 

[ErikH]

Cosmo black hardware would look good on that. But, at the same time, I'd leave it be. One sold on Reverb 2 month ago for $1795.

 

[Securb]

You have a bunch of vintage-speced LPs. You should black out the hardware, as you said, and put a set of BWs in it to have one firebreather LP.

 

[Aceman]

You have a bunch of vintage-speced LPs. You should black out the hardware, as you said, and put a set of BWs in it to have one firebreather LP.

Black Winters you say?

I do love a Distortion style. Might be better than a Distortion with Walnut/Ebony. Hmmm....

 

[solspirit]

Go for the gold

 

[Securb]

Black Winters you say? I do love a Distortion style. Might be better than a Distortion with Walnut/Ebony. Hmmm....

I am getting ready to move the Blackened Black WInters into the Les Paul Lite because I got a set of Peg City Angry Widows on the way for the SG.

 

[GuitarStv]

That guitar screams for lots of stickers all over it to hide the ugly.

 

[ehdwuld]

black out the hardware

spray it some fluorescent color (Pink or Orange or Yellow)

if you are going to destroy its value
have gusto

 

[Aceman]

You know, going Gold/Cream would be kinda like the Smartwood Exotic series...

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Black Winters was an interesting suggestion.
I figure your other guitars mostly are higher output than this one, and BWs could bring The Paul up to match them better.

I'm not a fan of T-tops either, especially in bridge position. They can work for me in neck position though.
But I will say, IME a T-top at the bridge sounded beefier in a The Paul than they have anywhere else.

 

[ehdwuld]

that walnut is super brown
you want it to sound brown but with cremie top end
creme plastics and black hardware for the win

 

[Wattage]

Stay with nickel and yes to a set of 59's, if you can find a DA-59 for the bridge give it a shot. SD slightly overwound them for D'Angelico, one of my fave pickups ever.

 

[beaubrummels]

If it were me, I'd likely only do reversable mods. But if it just doesn't sound good and you're going to rock it for a while, then any of the suggestions in thread I would try.

 

[Chistopher]

Yeah nothing that's not reversible. Good time to experiment with Deathbuckers if you ask me.

 

[Mincer]

I like the color scheme as is. But I’d get some better pickups. Either Seth’s or an Alnico 2 set.

 

[Aceman]

I don't think this one is gonna be a rocker. My main three (Two with SD's and one with a DD) handle that well enough.

Seths or A2's but not 59's?