Tighter and brighter bridge pickup for Les Paul

[arvida]

So, last year I made a post looking for a good neck pickup to go with a Gibson 498T in my 2022 Gibson Les Paul Classic.

Right now I have a project guitar, 1997 Japanese bolt-on Jackson King V, where I really want to try the 498T in.

In the LP, I installed a 59 neck and couldn’t be happier. I want to try a new bridge pickup, something tighter, brighter with possibly less mids overall.

I mostly play thrash, death metal and hardcore, most of the time in E standard, but go down to drop C from time to time, using 10-52 strings for all these tunings.

I don’t hate the 498T, I like the tone but find it lacks attack and sometime the palm mutes get a bit too soft. The LP has a Obsidian Wire solderless harness with 500K pots.
I tried the black winter but found it too sterile and uninteresting. I had a distortion in a very warm Gibson Explorer and hated it, but this time, the LP is relatively bright, I don’t know…

I’m thinking Custom SH-5 since it has less mids and is recommended for LP style 24.75 guitars, the thing is I’m yet to like a ceramic magnet pickup. I’m pretty sure the JB would not be a good idea since it has a lot of mids but I’m open to it since every time I listen to recordings with it I love the sound, it probably is too much of the same thing as the 498T.

Thanks guys,

(my english sucks)


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[Hsb]

You could try the 59 or 59/Custom, those are bright and scooped and would fit well with both the LP and the 59 neck. I was going to suggest the Distortion but since you have tried it previously and didnt like it. The 59/Custom is a little less output than the 59. Maybe even a Screamin Demon

What kind of tone/genre of music are you going for, who are some of your influences, bands, guitarist, etc?

By the way your English is just fine.

 

[nienturi]

Dimarzio Steve Morse Bridge: https://www.tonejourney.com/post/dimarzio-steve-morse-dp200-review
Seymour Duncan 59/Custom Hybrid

 

[arvida]

You could try the 59 or 59/Custom, those are bright and scooped and would fit well with both the LP and the 59 neck. I was going to suggest the Distortion but since you have tried it previously and didnt like it. The 59/Custom is a little less output than the 59. Maybe even a Screamin Demon

What kind of tone/genre of music are you going for, who are some of your influences, bands, guitarist, etc?

By the way your English is just fine.

My favorite tones are Megadeth’s countdown, Dissection’s storm of the lights bane, I also like old school death metal like early cannibal corpse, bolt thrower and Death.

thanks

 

[Hsb]

So early on, Dave Mustaine used a JB the time Countdown came out, Chuck Schuldiner used a Dimarzio XN.I put a ceramic in a JB and its kinda fun, have it in a LTD M-1000.

 

[nienturi]

So early on, Dave Mustaine used a JB the time Countdown came out, Chuck Schuldiner used a Dimarzio XN.I put a ceramic in a JB and its kinda fun, have it in a LTD M-1000.

You mean Duncan Distortion, right?

 

[Chistopher]

JB with a ceramic magnet is a "Distortion Lite" as it was known in the day. A Distortion has a double thickness magnet

 

[Hsb]

You mean Duncan Distortion, right?

Which one are you referring to?

 

[nienturi]

JB with a ceramic magnet is a "Distortion Lite" as it was known in the day. A Distortion has a double thickness magnet

He didnt say anything about the size

 

[nienturi]

Which one are you referring to?

If you swap the A5 in a JB with a thich ceramic, you get a Duncan Distortion, buddy

 

[Hsb]

Nope, Distortion and JB are not the same winds, there is a very common misconception they are the same but they are not. I think it was a former SD employee confirmed that on here, they wouldnt disclose the difference, trade secrets and all, but they said they are not the same wind.

I have both a JB and a Distortion, they do not sound the same.

 

[Hiwatts and Gibsons]

I have a pair of Bill Lawrence designed Gibson Tarbacks I have used in a '78 SG Custom and a '90s LP Studio, and they sound like exactly what you are describing.

While they are relatively low output, they have a nice bright grind to them that cuts through heavy distortion and fuzz with punch and teeth. They're essentially a PAF with ceramic magnets. Maybe try replacing a lower output PAF type, like a Duncan '59 or Dimarzio 36th Anni with ceramic magnets and see if you get what you're looking for.

 

[Mincer]

I came in here to say that a Distortion is probably what you are looking for.

 

[arvida]

I came in here to say that a Distortion is probably what you are looking for.

You may very well be right. The explorer I had an sh6 in was so warm and muddy that maybe it would be a different thing in that LP which is not muddy at all.

Im torn between the sh5 and sh6 right now.

 

[Masta' C]

Tighter and brighter than the 498T for thrash and hardcore?

Distortion or Dimebucker

You could also look into the 59/Custom, Nazgul, or Omega if you're looking for a different flavor to add into the mix

 

[arvida]

If I go with an SH6 and want to try different magnets will they fit because of the oversized magnet it already has, will other magnets be too loose inside? I must admit I know nothing about magnet swap but I’m curious.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I actually just pulled the Custom off my LTD EC. It was scooped, yes. It was clear, yes. It was aggressive and more attacky than the 498T, probably yes. But I wouldn't say the low-end was particularly tight.

Right now I have the JB in that same guitar, and I wouldn't say it's looser. It's a different kind of feel, though. It is very mid-forward, though. I'm not sure you'll like it as I'd lump the 498T and the JB in the same family of pickups.

Have you considered the Omega? Maybe the Full Shred?

 

[arvida]

I actually just pulled the Custom off my LTD EC. It was scooped, yes. It was clear, yes. It was aggressive and more attacky than the 498T, probably yes. But I wouldn't say the low-end was particularly tight.

Right now I have the JB in that same guitar, and I wouldn't say it's looser. It's a different kind of feel, though. It is very mid-forward, though. I'm not sure you'll like it as I'd lump the 498T and the JB in the same family of pickups.

Have you considered the Omega? Maybe the Full Shred?

The JB seems mid forwards, but the high mid push probably is a good thing especially for rhythm playing. Everytime I listen to recordings with JB and clips I abslotely love it, but I read so many posts saying it's a crap shoot in a Les Paul, it has me worried.

As for the Omega, it sounds nice and tight but I can't stand the flat black modern look. The full shred sounds bright but leaves me kind of mehh tonewise.

 

[jeremy]

Dimarzio Steve Morse Bridge: https://www.tonejourney.com/post/dimarzio-steve-morse-dp200-review
Seymour Duncan 59/Custom Hybrid

i had a steve morse bridge pup. well, i still do, but i had it rewound. that thing is all upper mids

 

[Seashore]

The JB is indeed a crap shoot. If your LP is on the brighter side it might really sing. Depends on your rig and your playing style too. It's not quite clear enough for me most of the time, but it's great for thick power chords and tremolo picked lines. It will cop those 90s death and and black metal tones you like. The Distortion could work too. It'll be edgier and isn't my first choice for the stuff you mentioned - the high end sounds more 2000s than 90s in my setup, if that makes sense - but that's splitting hairs.