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changing my les paul traditional pickups


denis-brazil

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hello guys...i have one les paul traditional 2014 ocean blue...as everybody knows this guitar pickup have a low output..

i was considering to change it to try to get a 70´s les paul sound (like steve jones and randy R). what do you think? is it possible?

the les paul randy signature got super 74 pickups. anybody ever tried it?

 

cheers.

post-69084-061651400 1432664036_thumb.jpg

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hello guys...i have one les paul traditional 2014 ocean blue...as everybody knows this guitar pickup have a low output..

i was considering to change it to try to get a 70´s les paul sound (like steve jones and randy R). what do you think? is it possible?

the les paul randy signature got super 74 pickups. anybody ever tried it?

 

cheers.

 

Hey Denis

 

I have a 2014 Traditional as well. And yes compared to the 2013 Traditionals the 59 tribute humbuckers (in the 2014 models) are very low output and aggressive on the top end, but I wonder if that has more to do with the 500K pots in these guitars another mod change in 2014.

 

Sounds like you are looking for a hotter sounding LP.

You may want to check out dirty fingers pickups (which were a 70's model if I am correct)

Or you can always switch to the classic 57 and classic 57 plus combo if you are looking for more of the gibson traditional combo. Or if you want more output from your pickup with more mids try a Gibson 498T model pickup.

 

I have learned to work with my 59 tributes (they aren't the best pickups on the market) try rolling down your tone to flatten some of the top end off! I fairly dislike the 59 tribute neck pickup (way muddy) but the bridge I can at least work with.

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thanks guys!

gibson reissued 1974 gibson les paul; they put a new 1974 super humbuckers... but after these 1959 tribute pickups im really afraid..

 

so do you think the pot may be the problem? 500

 

if i change my pickups i need to change pot too?

 

should i try a seymour? uou guys already heard about lollar?

 

cheers!!

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I would first try to play with the ones you have in it. Try different heights on your pickups, bring them closer to the strings. Just a little bit can affect your tone a lot. And of course play with the settings on your amp too. This can save you some money.

And if it doesn't work you can always swap PU's and pots.

Saludos!

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thanks guys! but my doubt is: replacing only the pickups my guitar will sound like a custom model?

im concerned about this "pot" thing..

 

by the way, insted to use technology to auto-tune, they should make ease to change pickups....

 

great week mates!!

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Hello Denis!

 

I can get very nice Randy Rhoads-ish tones out of my Classic Custom (basically a Traditional) with it's stock '57 Classic pickups.

 

Amp and overdrive settings will get You there without pickup swaps.

 

Cheers... Bence

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You are welcome!

 

But really, before You mod the guitar try some settings.

 

As a hint, here is Randy's amp settings:

 

100_3230.jpg

 

His pedal chain:

 

ozzy_rhoads_1981.jpg

 

His EQ settings:

 

RREQ002.jpg

 

With the proper multi-effects processor or pedal-chain settings, I am quite sure You can get close to His tonal character with any Gibson pickup.

 

Good luck... Bence

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thanks Bence! i will try to explore my amp settings..

in fact i have one ac15 vox... its cool, but great for clean tones in my opinion... i do have ts 808, proco rat and a great pedal called "brownie" (do u know it?) who can help me to go for something more have...

maybe i need a marshal combo... i definitily cant havr a jcm800 in my apartment! lol

so is there any combo model that should sounds close to legendary 808? if u knows it also pls let me lbow, afyer all you know a lot about gear man!

 

cheers

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Hi Denis! Yesterday came the Trad14 I ordered. And I don't know what you don't like about the 59 Tribute PU's.

But well you got your taste I've got mine. I love the sound of 57's, my favorite PU's. But now I have to admit the 59's could become #1!

I'm with Bence here maybe changing the settings of overdrive can make the difference in tone you are searching.

If not I first would take your Trad to a store plug it into the same/similar amp and try some distorsion/overdrive pedals. But if your guts tell you to swap them do it man. The salesguy in my authorized shop tried to convince me that it wouldn't make a big difference between the stock 490R/498T combo snd the 57 Classic/Angus Young I wanted. I already knew the 57's sound and loved it. With the Angus it was all gut's, and a bit of ouput compairing. My gut was right it made a huge difference, and my LPJ is now a tonemonster. Listen to your guts!

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Hello Denis!

 

What You have now is perfect to begin with.

 

I would connect the pedals this way: TS-808 > Proco Rat > any chorus pedal.

 

I would set the tone pot of the overdrive units at around 70%. Gain for TS at 75%, for the Rat at 30-40%. Chorus depth and rate both at 35%.

 

Since I don't know the amp, I can't recommend anything, but to begin with, set as it can be seen on Randy's rig picture above.

 

Also, You might consider a good noise gate when playing at such gain levels.

 

Cheers... Bence

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Hello!

 

The Zoom R24 recorder unit has lots of effect presets. One of them is called "RR". Pretty accurate. Too bad they didn't put it into the Zoom MS-50G multi. I will look up what effects it is made of in the recorder, and transfer it into the multi.

 

Cheers... Bence

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thanks guys! i will try to explore more my gear...

as i said i guess 59 tribute pickus "weak"... i do love the colour ocean blue.. so mayve i get a lollar imperials in cream to get a special look as well..

 

someone told me that vox ac15, valve, is a low amp...the pickups are low as well...so it sounds like early gibsons.

 

thanks

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thanks guys! i will try to explore more my gear...

as i said i guess 59 tribute pickus "weak"... i do love the colour ocean blue.. so mayve i get a lollar imperials in cream to get a special look as well..

 

someone told me that vox ac15, valve, is a low amp...the pickups are low as well...so it sounds like early gibsons.

 

thanks

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  • 7 months later...

Amp and overdrive settings will get You there without pickup swaps.

 

Cheers... Bence

 

I like this,,, I've seen you say it before to adjust your amp. A friend of mine has a 2016 trad (57 pups) with a Marshall tube amp, I have the 2012 and 2014 customs (498,490's)with a Marshall solid state amp... Different pups, different amps (for the most part)... And with Afew MINOR adjustments on either amp they sound exactly the same!!!! I see a lot of people complain about thier pups, I find with some adjustments to your amp you can pretty well have any sound you want!!! Most gibson pups sound relatively close to me, an if they just don't sound right I can adjust my amp to make em scream!!!

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Amp and overdrive settings will get You there without pickup swaps.

Cheers... Bence

 

I agree too.

 

But when I was younger (the 1970s) I wanted the most powerful pickups I could get; still have them, Schecter Z Plus.

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Hello Denis.

 

It's as loud, as loud You set the controls on Your amp.

 

The moral of the post was, that Gary Moore sounded quite the same on the Tele, on the ES and the Les Paul. The tonal differences of the guitars were small.

 

Note that, the Les Paul's volume pot was turned down too achieve that relatively thinner tone.

 

That's it! Play with the pots.

 

Cheers... Bence

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