Which Pickups for Les Paul?

[blueman335]

Re: Which Pickups for Les Paul?

Haha, every time I see a thread titled "les paul pickups", I think: just get a pearly gates set and be done with it. There isn't a person here who will call the PGb dark, and yes it can do metal if you have the right amp (Jolly posted a few clips a while back demonstrating this). Seriously versatile, undeniably les paul, sweet and snarly, beauty and the beast. That is the pearly gates set.

But then there's always a guy like me that says the '59 pair sounds better. You can't push PG's without expecting to hear from me JimiJames. Fair and balanced, my man. Equal time for us A5 boys.

 

[dr. ad]

Re: Which Pickups for Les Paul?

a 500T has a big ceramic bar mag in the middle and 2 smaller (same thickness) ceramic mags on the sides; people have reported good results doing mag swaps on them, i haven't had the chance to try this or a pearly gates as yet.

if you're going custom though, i'd recommend the full shred as it's the same wind with 2 rows of screw poles so you can swap mags of different thicknesses as you're not limited by slug pole heights, and try different combos of allen/fillister/invader pole screws. this is what i'm doing next anyway... have tried a lot of pickups in my LP...

 

[Aceman]

Re: Which Pickups for Les Paul?

A few sets of pups that sound awesome in the LP - depending on the LP a little, and mostly your taste (n/b):
Seths - Ultimate Classic
59's - Classic, good for everything with right amp
A2P's - Classic fatness, better for jazz or GnR! (with the right amp)
PG's - Classic snarl, better for cutting blues or dark LP's
Jazz/JB - Classic rock, 80's metal
PG/Custom - RAWK! Everything from blues to metal
Distortions - Metul, of all types
Jazz set - Very cool, balanced all around everything set (highly under-appreciated)
Phat Cats - P-90 Goodness!

Really, if one of those doesn't work, you need to go try DiMarzio, or take up Nylon Classical...

 

[Curt]

Re: Which Pickups for Les Paul?

rockfield SWC.

 

[HighGain]

Re: Which Pickups for Les Paul?

I've just put PG's in my LP and couldn't be happier.

Same here. I can't believe how much more articulate the PGs are than the BB Pros. They force you, and at the same time inspire you, to play better. That's a good thing for me because I get lazy sometimes.

That said, I'd imagine any of the forty eleven SD combos would sound good in a LP. I need a bunch more LPs so I can cover them all.

 

[Schappy]

Re: Which Pickups for Les Paul?

I have a Peavey Classic 30 with some decent distortion pedals.

Set of 59's?

Would they do metal if needed?

 

[Aceman]

Re: Which Pickups for Les Paul?

I have a Peavey Classic 30 with some decent distortion pedals.

Set of 59's?

Would they do metal if needed?

Nicely toned amp + gobs of chip based fuzz? A 59 is absolutely the ticket.

Best distortion tones with uber-gain from amp/pedals comes from low output IMO. 59 is just the ticket.

And remember - PAFs did ALL the metal until the SuperDistortion became available.

 

[HighGain]

Re: Which Pickups for Les Paul?

I just got out my Strat with a Lil' 59 in the bridge, plugged up to a clean amp with my Jekyll & Hyde set on "gain for days", and dug in.

As far as nu metal, probably not, but you could get there with the right pedal maybe. It'll do everything else for sure, especially classic metal like old Priest and Maiden, Saxon. It'll cover all the hard rock stuff, blues, and it cleans up nice. Really mellow with some chorus, delay, phaser, tremolo...name it.

Granted, that's in a strat, so it'll probably be fatter and warmer in a LP.

I can only tell you about 59s (love the 59 neck, too), Pearly Gates, and JBs. I'm sure some of the Customs would be good, as well. The 59 covers a lot of ground, though. I'm loving the PG set in my LP, so, hey...flip a coin.

 

[Curt]

Re: Which Pickups for Les Paul?

i have a peavey classic 30 with some decent distortion pedals.

Set of 59's?

Would they do metal if needed?

...

rockfield swc.

 

[dr. ad]

Re: Which Pickups for Les Paul?

Set of 59's? Would they do metal if needed?

can you elaborate on metal? i saw lamb of god play recently and i'm fairly sure they were using 59s at the time; it worked, just had more top end and grit in the tone. i'd also wager that mastodon had a 59 or 2 in the mix on 'crack the skye', but i'm totally guessing on that...

do bear in mind though that some LPs are much darker than others

 

[Schappy]

Re: Which Pickups for Les Paul?

Lamb of God use Mesa Dual Rectifiers and Im not sure what Mastodon uses.

I have a Peavey Classic 30 run through the clean channel with pedals.

I was thinking of doing a magnet swap but I think Im going to go with the 59 or
C5 in the bridge and 59 or PG in the neck.

 

[excaljde]

Re: Which Pickups for Les Paul?

Haha, every time I see a thread titled "les paul pickups", I think: just get a pearly gates set and be done with it. There isn't a person here who will call the PGb dark, and yes it can do metal if you have the right amp (Jolly posted a few clips a while back demonstrating this). Seriously versatile, undeniably les paul, sweet and snarly, beauty and the beast. That is the pearly gates set.

First time posting!!

I have been watching youre post for a few weeks,i have been looking for a new set of pickups for my R9 Murphy/Yamano. It sounds GREAT, until i plug it in, i beleive it has BB 1&2!<GRIN> We seem to be on the same page about the Pearly Gates. I just spoke with some cat at Duncan and after a 15 minute description of my rig and set up he asked if i have every considered PG? LOL!! I was leaning toward Antiquity or Seth Lover. You seem to know the PG pickups are they this good?
FYI- I love Warren Haines when he flips that 59 into the neck!!

Peace,
Jeffrey

 

[HighGain]

Re: Which Pickups for Les Paul?

First time posting!!

I have been watching youre post for a few weeks,i have been looking for a new set of pickups for my R9 Murphy/Yamano. It sounds GREAT, until i plug it in, i beleive it has BB 1&2!<GRIN> We seem to be on the same page about the Pearly Gates. I just spoke with some cat at Duncan and after a 15 minute description of my rig and set up he asked if i have every considered PG? LOL!! I was leaning toward Antiquity or Seth Lover. You seem to know the PG pickups are they this good?
FYI- I love Warren Haines when he flips that 59 into the neck!!

Peace,
Jeffrey

A lot of what you hear from Warren Haynes is PGs, too. I have them in my LP, and they definitely are all that.

Welcome to the forum, BTW.

 

[raistlin]

Re: Which Pickups for Les Paul?

If you want classic rock and 60s era blues rock (Clapton/Page), 59s will do the job.

For anything more polite (Bloomfield, Green) Seths will do it nicely.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[excaljde]

Re: Which Pickups for Les Paul?

A lot of what you hear from Warren Haynes is PGs, too. I have them in my LP, and they definitely are all that.

Welcome to the forum, BTW.

Thanks, i'm sold on the PG'S!! I just passed on a set of Tom Homes PUPS, I just couldn't pull the trigger in $700.00 OUCH!!

Any thoughs on the SKATTERBRANE PUPS??

Peace,
Jeffrey

 

[HighGain]

Re: Which Pickups for Les Paul?

$700 for a set of pickups? They can't be that much better, can they?

Some of the Skatterbrane sound clips are impressive. Great for blues. The Gutpile clips are killer, absolutely nails early KISS. The Van Halen clip is good, too. They have some nice LPs posted on there. Pups are a little pricey, though.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Which Pickups for Les Paul?

Thanks, i'm sold on the PG'S!! I just passed on a set of Tom Homes PUPS, I just couldn't pull the trigger in $700.00 OUCH!!

Any thoughs on the SKATTERBRANE PUPS??

Peace,
Jeffrey

PG's - GREAT CHOICE!

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: Which Pickups for Les Paul?

if your 500t is too over the top and not focused enough, have you thought of just removing the mini spacer magnets? that would bring down the output a bit, while focusing the magnetic field of the pickup, along with the sound. just a thought of course....

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Which Pickups for Les Paul?

I have two Classic Plus LPs, one from 1996 and the other from 1997. I put Antiquitys in the 1997 Honeyburst; and I put a set of the Musician's Friend 50th Anniversay A2 Seth Lovers in the 1996 HCSB. I couldn't be more pleased--both guitars sound great.

I actually liked the tone of the 496R and the 500T, but they had too much power for my Mesa amps. They're great for non-Master Volume amps like BF Fender Twins and old Marshalls.

I have several LPs with various pickups, including BB 1 & 2, Classic '57s and the Classic '57/57 Plus combo. I think all of them sound great.

I've noticed that a lot of the metal guys use stock LP Customs with the 490R/498T pickups. They are not my favorites, but for that type of music they seem to work very well. I have these in one LP--and I am replacing them with....

....a Pearly Gates set.

Bill