Les Paul Classic Pick up change

[Alby]

I have a Les Paul Classic , and although I love the feel of the guitar I have never been entirely happy with the sound from the hot ceramic pickps , after much reading and listening I have settled on Gibson 57 classic and classic plus ( nearly chose classics only) , I was wondering whether any one had done this , and also changed the wiring loom to "50s style" , and had noticed an improvement in tone. I spoke to a seller of these looms in the UK and he said he was happy to sell me one , but I should be aware that employees in his company with Gibsons tend to stick with modern wiring , the change is more about authenticity than improved tone.

 

Views and comments appreciated

[kidblast]

I don't have a set in either of my LPs but, my brother inlaw has a traditional that has that identical pairing in his.

 

I LOVE them. If I ever decided to swap either set out in my 2 LPs, this would be exactly what I'd do.

 

IMHO they are excellent. The sound great clean, they sound great railed, and they sound just perfect if you're just looking for that edged out blues sound.

 

 

 

PS: I don't really like the Gibson ceramics either, just a bit too much for me.

[pippy]

I'm going to throw caution to the wind and make the assumption you are after more of a 'Classic' (pun) Les Paul humbucker sound.

Please correct me if this assumption is incorrect.

 

In the opinion of many the '57 Classic (and Classic +) p'ups are very close to the sound of the original PAFs and Pat No. p'ups.

If you are looking for the abovementioned tone and you fit these then you (probably) won't be disappointed.

 

Two further points;

Firstly, and to state the Bleeding Obvious, '50s wiring works in a different way - and produces a slightly different effect - in comparison with modern wiring.

If you are even half-way competent with a soldering iron it's very much worth your while to find out which style best suits your playing style.

It should only take 10 mins or so to swap over. I happen to prefer the way '50s works - especially the way how small adjustments of the Vol knob alters things.....

 

Secondly;

A swap to good quality PIO caps has often (but not, oddly enough, always) been noted to improve the tone of a dull-sounding LP.

I don't know what you have in yours but in one of my '1960 Classic' Lesters I changed the 'unbranded' (they were 3M) ceramic caps to Luxe 'Grey Tigers'.

The LP has a pair of (the very highly regarded) SD 'Antiquities' fitted yet sounded mediocre. The cap swap transformed the instrument into a truly great vintage-sounding guitar.

 

P.

[JAddison]

I have a Les Paul Classic , and although I love the feel of the guitar I have never been entirely happy with the sound from the hot ceramic pickps , after much reading and listening I have settled on Gibson 57 classic and classic plus ( nearly chose classics only) , I was wondering whether any one had done this , and also changed the wiring loom to "50s style" , and had noticed an improvement in tone. I spoke to a seller of these looms in the UK and he said he was happy to sell me one , but I should be aware that employees in his company with Gibsons tend to stick with modern wiring , the change is more about authenticity than improved tone.

 

Views and comments appreciated

 

Alot of people rave about the 57/57+... I have a bit of a love hate relationship with them.

 

I think they are great for classic rock with the gain dialed back and they are really quite balanced and creamy. Great for Hendrix type stuff.. blues/rock. IMO they don't handle gain very well past that stage. They get mushy quickly... not like BB3's for example which have real bite and remain articulate under a good amount of gain. Man I love BB3's.

 

I have taken Pippys and some other members advice and bought a 50's wiring loom with 500k pots and some NOS Russian cap's. I will see how they sound after the wiring change before swapping them out.

 

Personally I think the 57 in the neck is too muddy with a 300k pot and I think the 500k pot will brighten it up nicely. Not sure what will happen with the bridge! The 57+ is rather thick/creamy so I am hoping it will also improve it. If not, I have a BB3 to go in the bridge. Either that or a Mule.

[pippy]

Alot of people rave about the 57/57+... I have a bit of a love hate relationship with them.

 

I think they are great for classic rock.....(but)......they don't handle gain very well past that stage. They get mushy quickly... not like BB3's for example which have real bite and remain articulate under a good amount of gain.

This is also my experience, JA.

Until we know what change the OP hopes to effect we're giving advice pretty much in the dark.

 

The OP described his existing p'ups as being the 'hot ceramic' ones. If it's the 'hotness' he doesn't like then he'll find the '57s better suited to his needs.

If it's the overall tone of the 496 / 500s he finds objectionable then we need to know more...

 

My own preference is for '57 Classics - but then I rarely play with much in the way of high-gain. I'm much more of a 'Brit-Blues-Boom' kinda guy so they suit me to a 'T'.

But I'm also fortunate enough to have a 496/500 equipped '1960 Classic' on those occasions when I do feel the need to 'Cry Havoc and Let Slip the Dogs...'.

As Tman describes his similarly laden Classic; these p'ups are 'Incendiary Devices'.....

 

P.

[Alby]

I have read through your comments and thanks for your help.

 

As some have surmised I am not a high gain guy , more of a creamy crunch and this is why i settled on the classic 57s

 

From my geeky interest in HIFI I am aware that I should do one change at a time and get used to the change in sound before moving on to the "next upgrade", even though it would be easier to make all of the changes in one go.

 

 

As for 50s wiring , i think i might have a go at that after the pick up change and report back

 

regarding cap changing , possibly after the pickups and wiring change

 

Best wishes Alby