Wanting to change out pups in a 1984 Les Paul Custom...

[Nev]

Greetings to the forum,
I recently picked up a 1984 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty. Compared to my 2006 Flying V which has the 500T 496R, it just doesn't have as much bite. Both guitars are made of Mohagany and have ebony fretboards. I was thinking about putting something else in it. I want to get something that will be like "wow, listen to that!!" but still be comparable to my other guitars and not require me to tweak the amp too much for just that one guitar.
I've got a few guitars, and even though they're made of different woods and construction, ideally I'd like to have them sound somewhat close to each other.
So for the Les Paul....Suggestions? (High Gain amps, mostly metal music played)

I've got a Duncan SH6 in my Ibanez RG (Basswood, and Ebony fretboard) which is nice, I've heard the Custom Custom in another V which I thought was nice too. I've heard the Invader, seems hard to control, lot's of feedback.
Thanks,

 

[AlexR]

Re: Wanting to change out pups in a 1984 Les Paul Custom...

Well, if the pickups are original, then they are Shaws. These have pretty low output.

I'd say you could definitely look at the Custom. That will have the same ceramic bite as the 500T.
Perhaps the PATB 1, that would certainly scream 'look at me', but also have good tones for metal - they don't mush out under high gain.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Wanting to change out pups in a 1984 Les Paul Custom...

Get another Distortion. That's basically what the 500T is anyway.

The CUstom also sounds great in a Les Paul. But if you dig the 500T in 24 3/4 Mahogany, put a Distortion in there.

It will be hard to figure out what to put in each guitar without a serious tonal description.

 

[dr. ad]

Re: Wanting to change out pups in a 1984 Les Paul Custom...

not to contradict these guys, but the 500T has 3 ceramic magnets and a different wire type to the custom, the custom and distortion both have 1 ceramic mag, the distortion's a different gauge and type, and from trying both the stock 500T and a duncan custom in the same LP through, i can guarantee you that the custom does not have the same bite and punch. custom's too smooth and big-sounding overall; and the 500T sounds dirtier, less musical, and hits the amp noticeably harder.

obviously the guitars you're comparing here are pretty different, too.
an 80s LPC should have a lot more wood in it than your V, and you've probably noticed the difference the ebony makes playing acoustically;
i'd look at something like a PATB or a demon; not necessarily going to rock your amp off its castors, but either is excellent for teh chug, will give heaps of cut and clarity, and possesses the most devil-worshipping down-tuned sounds in hell

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Wanting to change out pups in a 1984 Les Paul Custom...

These are two very different electric guitars. Why would you want them to sound identical?

 

[blueman335]

Re: Wanting to change out pups in a 1984 Les Paul Custom...

These are two very different electric guitars. Why would you want them to sound identical?

Good point.

 

[CountFeedback]

Re: Wanting to change out pups in a 1984 Les Paul Custom...

“close to each other” and identical are two different things. I can dig what the OP is saying. Sometimes you want different flavors but you don’t want to feel a letdown, like you’re stuck in second gear when you switch to a les paul, especially at a gig.

 

[toneseeker74]

Re: Wanting to change out pups in a 1984 Les Paul Custom...

If you're looking for more bite and output then I second the vote for a Distortion. You can find a used one pretty cheap. If you don't like it you can probably sell it for little or no loss.

Of course you could put a 500T in your Les Paul for the same reasons. Plus you'll get a better apples-to-apples comparison (at least pickup wise) between your two Gibbos. Then give us a report on whether you like the 500T better in the Paul or the V

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Wanting to change out pups in a 1984 Les Paul Custom...

I have an '83 Black Beauty that is one of the darkest, muddiest, worst sounding guitars I've ever played. It's typical of that era's Gibsons IME. The only pickups that ever worked in it were single coils. I always wanted to try the Humbucker From Hells, though.

 

[XPAULPITT]

Re: Wanting to change out pups in a 1984 Les Paul Custom...

Dimebucker.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Wanting to change out pups in a 1984 Les Paul Custom...

These are two very different electric guitars. Why would you want them to sound identical?

Billy Gibbons goes to great lengths to make all his guitars sound the same... different strokes and all that.

 

[agentzero12]

Wanting to change out pups in a 1984 Les Paul Custom...

I haven't played the distortion, but I swapped the 500t from my explorer with an alt 8 and I think it was similar but still and improvement. Haven't put the alt 8 in my lp yet. The lp is going to be way fatter and darker sounding than the v. I assume you will have a hard time getting them real close to each other. You should be able to get them closer though.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Wanting to change out pups in a 1984 Les Paul Custom...

Ebony Custom? Demon-Pearly set. Demon8-Pearly8 (since you're new and might not know - 8 being the designation for an A8 = AlNiCo8 mag swap). Pearly8 Bridge, Pearly stock neck. Good ol Super 70s (the original A8 pup). Heck, even just SuperD - PAFPRO.

And no, not spamming A8 cuz it's fashionable. I've liked A8 in LP Customs specifically for a long time before I knew it was A8, or what A8 was for that matter )) And A8 *rules* with brightener boards like ebony or maple.