Best pickup for Les Paul

[lowrider5]

How about PRS Tremonti Pickups?

[saturdaysaviour]

Try an Anderson H3+

The RioGrande BBQ is also good, similar to a JB supposedly.

[Tonemeister87]

How about:

Seymour Duncan?

or Dimarzio?

Need I continue :rolleyes

[tlbonehead]

Originally posted by IvIark Urghh. If you're going to sterilise the guitar there's no point in going for a Les Paul in the first place.

No sh*t! Why waste such a good guitar?

[tlbonehead]

Originally posted by derUbermensch I want a thick, beefy, chunky, brutal distortion in my LP. Which pickup is best?

Why on earth wouldn't you list your stock pickups and what you find lacking with them? That would give us an idea on where you aim you.

[keith2112]

When I got my LP standard, I knew I didn't want the stock pups. They shop didn't carry exactly what I may have wanted. They did carry Gibsons though. I got them to put classic 57/ classic 57 pluss pups in it. I just purchased a Rio BBQ for $40 bucks. I need a neck pup to go with it. It would be very hard to take classic 57 pluss out of the bridge position of my paul. The 57s are IMHO the best pup Gibson makes. I have Burstbuker 2&3 in my firebird. They, too, sound pretty good especially the 2 in the neck position. The other BBs are too tame for me. I'm actually thinking of holding on to the RIO until I get another Gibson with pups I don't like in it. Is the BBQ really voiced for les pauls?

[No Soul]

Originally posted by IvIark How can something as subjective as this be a myth? There is no right answer, only opinion. .

and your opinion is wrong, so get the {censored} over yourself

[Sonnilon]

Originally posted by IvIark Urghh. If you're going to sterilise the guitar there's no point in going for a Les Paul in the first place.

+1 EMG's sound like {censored}, IMO. I stick to Duncan and Dimarzio.

[No Soul]

I currently have 3 les pauls

in the bridge
one has a burstbucker pro
an EMG81
and a Duncan JB

and I do get asked, which is my fav?

I always tell people they might as well ask me if I prefer a screwdriver to a pair of plyers.

they are different tools which excell at doing different things well.
Its just a matter of application.

[tlbonehead]

I don't like the BBQ. I had four of them and got rid of them all. Not quite as bad as a JB,IMO,but similar with the upper mid spike. I like most stock Gibby HB's other than the Dirty Fingers and the 496/500. I think most PAF-ish to PAF-ish + pickups are fine for a LP. Fine tune their height and then dial in your amp. No reason you shouldn't get killer tones that way. Hot enough to hit your amp hard but still articulate enough to create pure tones too.

[Snakebite20]

Hey guys, most people think EMGs sound like {censored}e because the EMG-81 is the most popular and used guitar pickup.

The truth (well, my opinion), is that the 81 sounds like {censored}e in the bridge slot and should go in the neck slot or be totally avoided....preferably the latter!

In the neck slot, the 81 sounds middy, but it's a little more bearable.

The 81 is really {censored}ty, its voice mostly consists on a high mid wah-like vowel enhancement, tuned down bass and recursive brittleness.

The 81 is really just a high mid power house with lots of attack, which appeals to people using too much gain and/or doing rhythm acrobatics with overgained amps.

The EMG-85 is my fave bridge pickup, followed by the Tone-Zone, X2N and Invader (in no particular order).

My measurements have shown the output of the 81 is comparable to that of a Tone-Zone and lower than an X2N or Invader, but more than a JB.
It's the high-mid spike that makes this pickup sound louder.

Again, my measurements and tone tests have shown the output of the 85 is a little higher and it has a much more balanced frequency response.

In the neck slot, hard to go wrong with an EMG-60 or 60A.

In order to clarify the EMG myths, I need to do a little rant:

The following applies to all EMGs except the 81:

1) These pickups are not sterile
2) They don't rob the tone from the woods
3) The battery is not a problem at all. It drains very slowly, I change batteries when they go lower than 9V (new they are about 9.5V - depends on the brand) and I check the voltage every 6 months to a year!
4) Battery type makes a difference, because alkaline batteries drain really slow, so your tone goes from "great" to "okay" slowly and painfully. I recommend the use of heavy duty batteries with those, as they tend to discharge really quick and you don't loose much tone. Lithium batteries are also to be avoided.
5) Using an 18V setup improves the tone somewhat by increasing the headroom of the preamp inside the pickups.

All in all, there is NO reason you shouldn't go with EMGs.
If you don't like the EMG tone (as some do, it's only normal) then get back to Dimarzio.

I really hate Duncan pickups with a passion (except the Invader).,...they are AWFUL in every way, especially the JB which is the WORST POS pickup I ever heard. It doesn't cut through the mix at all and really has a flabby bottom end. Again, you might like this tone, many do but I never understood why stock Jackson come with those!

Dimarzios tend to sound a little "plasticky" but in a good way. For a Les Paul I'd suggest a Paf Pro in the neck slot and a Super Distortion in the bridge slot.

If you like THICKER than THICK tone, then go for a Tone-Zone in the bridge, there is nothing wrong with using a TZ in a LesPaul.

The EMG-85 sounds like a tighter, more focused TZ with less bass emphasis, a little less spiky presence and fuzz and more meaty mids (yeah more mids than a TZ...great!)

[IvIark]

Originally posted by No Soul and your opinion is wrong, so get the {censored} over yourself

Dick

[Most Banned]

get the dimarzio super distortion


those stock gibson pickups suck

[xbryanx]

i dunno. i dont really have a problem against EMGs. theyre deffinatly a different kind of tone but theyre not for everyone.

my take on it is, i feel that youve spent way too much money on a les paul to just throw emgs in it. if you want emgs, get this:



oh and some way back in the thread said to let the amp do the work, i deffinatly agree with you. if you have a {censored} amp, putting new higher output pickups in it really wont make a difference.

[Snakebite20]

Originally posted by xbryanx i dunno. i dont really have a problem against EMGs. theyre deffinatly a different kind of tone but theyre not for everyone. my take on it is, i feel that youve spent way too much money on a les paul to just throw emgs in it. if you want emgs, get this: oh and some way back in the thread said to let the amp do the work, i deffinatly agree with you. if you have a {censored} amp, putting new higher output pickups in it really wont make a difference.

I am strongly advocating against buying an LTD.

Why settle for the small boy copy instead of saving more for the real deal?

People should get the REAL thing, a real ESP ! I did....!

[No Soul]

Originally posted by Snakebite20 Hey guys, most people think EMGs sound like {censored}e because the EMG-81 is the most popular and used guitar pickup. The truth (well, my opinion), is that the 81 sounds like {censored}e in the bridge slot and should go in the neck slot or be totally avoided....preferably the latter! In the neck slot, the 81 sounds middy, but it's a little more bearable. The 81 is really {censored}ty, its voice mostly consists on a high mid wah-like vowel enhancement, tuned down bass and recursive brittleness. The 81 is really just a high mid power house with lots of attack, which appeals to people using too much gain and/or doing rhythm acrobatics with overgained amps. The EMG-85 is my fave bridge pickup, followed by the Tone-Zone, X2N and Invader (in no particular order). My measurements have shown the output of the 81 is comparable to that of a Tone-Zone and lower than an X2N or Invader, but more than a JB. It's the high-mid spike that makes this pickup sound louder. Again, my measurements and tone tests have shown the output of the 85 is a little higher and it has a much more balanced frequency response. In the neck slot, hard to go wrong with an EMG-60 or 60A. In order to clarify the EMG myths, I need to do a little rant: The following applies to all EMGs except the 81: 1) These pickups are not sterile 2) They don't rob the tone from the woods 3) The battery is not a problem at all. It drains very slowly, I change batteries when they go lower than 9V (new they are about 9.5V - depends on the brand) and I check the voltage every 6 months to a year! 4) Battery type makes a difference, because alkaline batteries drain really slow, so your tone goes from "great" to "okay" slowly and painfully. I recommend the use of heavy duty batteries with those, as they tend to discharge really quick and you don't loose much tone. Lithium batteries are also to be avoided. 5) Using an 18V setup improves the tone somewhat by increasing the headroom of the preamp inside the pickups. All in all, there is NO reason you shouldn't go with EMGs. If you don't like the EMG tone (as some do, it's only normal) then get back to Dimarzio. I really hate Duncan pickups with a passion (except the Invader).,...they are AWFUL in every way, especially the JB which is the WORST POS pickup I ever heard. It doesn't cut through the mix at all and really has a flabby bottom end. Again, you might like this tone, many do but I never understood why stock Jackson come with those! Dimarzios tend to sound a little "plasticky" but in a good way. For a Les Paul I'd suggest a Paf Pro in the neck slot and a Super Distortion in the bridge slot. If you like THICKER than THICK tone, then go for a Tone-Zone in the bridge, there is nothing wrong with using a TZ in a LesPaul. The EMG-85 sounds like a tighter, more focused TZ with less bass emphasis, a little less spiky presence and fuzz and more meaty mids (yeah more mids than a TZ...great!)

 

 

well I dont agree with you, since youve pressented your points in a logical fashion I can definitely say I respect your point of view.

 

I can say without a doubt that the most popular after market bucker by is is the JB, not the EMG-81.

 

Another thing to point out is, what amp is being used?

Of the amps I own, the two I typically use the most are both Mesa Boogie. Im sure most folks know that a lot of Boogies are known for having massive low-ends, and a strong low mid emphasis, to which I find the EMG81 ballances out very nicely with.

 

I originaly had an EMG85 in the bridge of one of my Les Pauls, and I honestly just hated it for it my style and set up. It wasnt anywhere near as tight or articulate as an 81 in the bridge. Maybe if I was playing some more classic rock oriented it would have worked out for me.

[Snakebite20]

Originally posted by No Soul well I dont agree with you, since youve pressented your points in a logical fashion I can definitely say I respect your point of view. I can say without a doubt that the most popular after market bucker by is is the JB, not the EMG-81. Another thing to point out is, what amp is being used? Of the amps I own, the two I typically use the most are both Mesa Boogie. Im sure most folks know that a lot of Boogies are known for having massive low-ends, and a strong low mid emphasis, to which I find the EMG81 ballances out very nicely with. I originaly had an EMG85 in the bridge of one of my Les Pauls, and I honestly just hated it for it my style and set up. It wasnt anywhere near as tight or articulate as an 81 in the bridge. Maybe if I was playing some more classic rock oriented it would have worked out for me.

 

The amps I used are/were a Mesa Single Rectifier and a Marshall DSL50. I also tried out the EMG's through some Bogners, a Triaxis and a CAA OD-100.

The 81 really needs GOBS of gain to shine, maybe that's your bag.

[No Soul]

Originally posted by Snakebite20 The amps I used are/were a Mesa Single Rectifier and a Marshall DSL50. I also tried out the EMG's through some Bogners, a Triaxis and a CAA OD-100. The 81 really needs GOBS of gain to shine, maybe that's your bag.

 

 

these days my gain is rarely set past noon

::shrug::

[No Soul]

Originally posted by Snakebite20 The amps I used are/were a Mesa Single Rectifier and a Marshall DSL50. I also tried out the EMG's through some Bogners, a Triaxis and a CAA OD-100. The 81 really needs GOBS of gain to shine, maybe that's your bag.

 

 

these days my gain is rarely set past noon

::shrug::

[No Soul]

Originally posted by Snakebite20 The amps I used are/were a Mesa Single Rectifier and a Marshall DSL50. I also tried out the EMG's through some Bogners, a Triaxis and a CAA OD-100. The 81 really needs GOBS of gain to shine, maybe that's your bag.

 

 

these days my gain is rarely set past noon

I do have a habbit of playing at ear splitting volume though

::shrug::

[do art]

DiMarzio super distortion, Duncan JB, or the EMG-81.

[do art]

DiMarzio super distortion, Duncan JB, or the EMG-81.

[do art]

DiMarzio super distortion, Duncan JB, or the EMG-81.

[Tonemeister87]

Originally posted by Snakebite20 Hey guys, most people think EMGs sound like {censored}e because the EMG-81 is the most popular and used guitar pickup. Incorrect especially the JB which is the WORST POS pickup I ever heard. It doesn't cut through the mix at all and really has a flabby bottom end. Are you kidding? Give me a break

[Snakebite20]

Originally posted by Tonemeister69

 

Yeah, it should have read "the most popular EMG pickup"

Sorry for that...!

 

And the JB still doesn't cut through despite this mistake...