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What pickups should I get for my les paul!?


iivv145ceo

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I had a Hot Rod Deluxe in my place for a while and it sounded great with a strat but muddy and even a bit ugly with the LP Studio. When I swapped it out for the Blues Deluxe, The Les Paul sounded a lot better and the strat, although nice and sparkly sounding, did not have enough output to really drive the Deluxe.


Maybe you could try your LP through a few different amps before you decide - some of the muddiness you don't like might be from the amp.

 

 

Thats maybe true. I like my amp through my strat, its sounds fine, but the lp sounds like mud, AND dirt. lol. I'm getting a deluxe reverb within the next couple of weeks so I'll see then.

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I think I'm going to try a seth lover in the neck, and something a little hotter and a little less bright in the bridge... Question how much gain do u need for the seth's to feedback since the are unpotted?

 

 

About 1/2 what you can get away with using potted pups. I have a set of unpotted buckers that sound great but were replaced by the Jazz/JB combo because of the feedback issues.

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I had a 36th Anniversary bridge in this Viper until I installed P90s in it. It's a solid pickup and I tend to be pretty picky. It's about as hot as a 57 Classic Plus or a little hotter than a standard 57 Classic, BB2 or a Seth Lover. The 36th Anniversary lacks the complexity of the Seth Lover and isn't as smooth as the 57 Classic. I guess I'd say it's most similar to the BB2, but I'm not saying it is as good as any of them. Having said that, in a band setting, at gig levels, I doubt you'd ever notice a tremendous difference and since the Dimarzio is potted, it would be better suited to some playing styles than the unpotted Burstbucker or Seth Lover.

 

Basically, if you gig, I'd consider the 36th Anniversary. If you play at home and go all ga-ga over the tiny differences, I'd get the Seth Lovers or Burst Buckers.

 

DSC_6628a1.jpg

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That's one sexeh SG-ish guitar there! ^

 

Another vote for BGs. I've done the rounds with Seymour Duncan, Gibson, and DiMarzio and I've settled on BG Pickups. Always has what I want, and if he doesn't, had can make it. Never heard a BG I didn't like. There's at least one BG in more than half of my guitars. My best/favorite has both.

 

AAAAaaaand I just ordered a BG Lizard (neck) and BG Smoke Stack (bridge) for my '90 Gibson LP Standard this morning :thu:

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my laye 1990s lespaul classic came stock with 490-t and 500-t? i was like you,wantin to change em,BUT they sounded sooo good i left em alone!! i play classic rock,try my best at blues, and the heavy metallz,and these pups to my ears did the job on all of the music i playrd.i swear if i pick up say, a used schecter,i DEFINATLEY wanna buy the same pups that are in the lp-classic for my next solidbody!! i eaven tryed the active ones,batterys are not it fopr me. also the DIMARZIO SUPER DISTORTIONS outta the early 80s guitars sound baad-assed!!! good luck..

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my laye 1990s lespaul classic came stock with 490-t and 500-t? i was like you,wantin to change em,BUT they sounded sooo good i left em alone!! i play classic rock,try my best at blues, and the heavy metallz,and these pups to my ears did the job on all of the music i playrd.i swear if i pick up say, a used schecter,i DEFINATLEY wanna buy the same pups that are in the lp-classic for my next solidbody!! i eaven tryed the active ones,batterys are not it fopr me. also the DIMARZIO SUPER DISTORTIONS outta the early 80s guitars sound baad-assed!!! good luck..

 

 

I play clean alot for a soul band that I play in, and also in a gospel band that I play in. The picks aren't working in my set up. Hey when I take them out I'll sell them to you for dirty cheap. from one gentleman to another.

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I have the EJ set in one of my LP knockoffs - very nice pickups. I got them used on the bay.

 

I was very close to buying them, but I noticed the that the treble on dimarzio sound chart was at 9!!! I'm not a huge fan of bright sounds in a les paul, clear.. yes, but strident idk about. I already play fender amps, I don't need anymore high-end. I also thought I can use the tone control if anything but I want to be able to use my control at 10 and at 0.

 

How are they working out for you?

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I was very close to buying them, but I noticed the that the treble on dimarzio sound chart was at 9!!! I'm not a huge fan of bright sounds in a les paul, clear.. yes, but strident idk about. I already play fender amps, I don't need anymore high-end. I also thought I can use the tone control if anything but I want to be able to use my control at 10 and at 0.


How are they working out for you?

 

 

Love them almost as much as the BG Lizards!

 

Here's my demo:

 

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Great demo. They are a little too bright for my taste. lol. I like a much darker tone, kinda like bonamassa, not like I'm trying to sound like him at all. The EJ's are very clear which is very nice. When I get the blacktop strat that I want, I might try them out.

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Great demo. They are a little too bright for my taste. lol. I like a much darker tone, kinda like bonamassa, not like I'm trying to sound like him at all. The EJ's are very clear which is very nice. When I get the blacktop strat that I want, I might try them out.

 

your amp is a much more important part of that equation...:wave:

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Is the OP still around?

 

 

I had a Hot Rod Deluxe in my place for a while and it sounded great with a strat but muddy and even a bit ugly with the LP Studio. When I swapped it out for the Blues Deluxe, The Les Paul sounded a lot better and the strat, although nice and sparkly sounding, did not have enough output to really drive the Deluxe.


Maybe you could try your LP through a few different amps before you decide - some of the muddiness you don't like might be from the amp.

 

 

I agree that different amps are worth investigating. I also agree that the Blues Deluxe is a fine, fine amplifier.

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A lot of Studios came from the factory with 300k pots, which tend to dull the sound. 500k pots will get rid of a lot of the murkiness. Much cheaper than a set of new pickups, and you'll likely end up doing it anyway.

 

For PAF clones, I like Duncan Antiquities, Burstbuckers and 57's. The Antiquities and BB's sound extremely similar to my ear.

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