Pickup Question

[ttg4572]

I just picked up the following LP DC:

 

http://www.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Les-Paul-Classic-Double-Cutaway.aspx

 

I have to say that I don't really care for the Burstbuckers that came stock with it, so I was wondering what you would suggest for replacement pickups? I play rock, classic rock, blues, and hard rock mainly. Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

[btoth76]

Hello!

 

What exactly You dislike about them? What do You miss?

 

If You address Your problem this way, You will get replies more likely.

 

Bence.

[Pesh]

As Bence has said.

 

Is there a guitar you already have that contains a pickup combination closer to what you want? For example; do you already have a Les Paul with '57s that gets the job done? Otherwise it's a bit of an open question that will get mixed replies, depending on who answers.

 

There are plenty of options from plenty of different manufacturers; each with pros and cons, and each with their fans and critics.

[american cheez]

As Bence has said.

 

Is there a guitar you already have that contains a pickup combination closer to what you want? For example; do you already have a Les Paul with '57s that gets the job done? Otherwise it's a bit of an open question that will get mixed replies, depending on who answers.

 

There are plenty of options from plenty of different manufacturers; each with pros and cons, and each with their fans and critics.

 

 

the above is what's up. o/p needs to figure out what he's after, or at the very least, what he's lacking before any reccomendation could be valid. my personal fav is the 57 classic, but it may not do the job if you want some other sound.

 

by the way, you picked one helluva cool guitar. and the best year, too.

[ttg4572]

Thanks for the input everyone, right now I am down to either a set of SD Alnico II's or the SD Pearly Gates.

[Zentar]

Try an aluminum lightweight tailpiece first. That makes the tone a little brighter. You are lightening the tailpiece 3.4ozs to 1.2oz

BTW thumbs up on pearly gates. Or cheaper you can try the SD Hotrodded set. I like both.My link

[ttg4572]

Try an aluminum lightweight tailpiece first. That makes the tone a little brighter. You are lightening the tailpiece 3.4ozs to 1.2oz

BTW thumbs up on pearly gates. Or cheaper you can try the SD Hotrodded set. I like both.My link

 

Maybe I will give that a try, thanks for the suggestion!

[deeman]

Try an aluminum lightweight tailpiece first. That makes the tone a little brighter. You are lightening the tailpiece 3.4ozs to 1.2oz

.

 

I really don't think this will make much if any of a difference in sound.

[Zentar]

I really don't think this will make much if any of a difference in sound.

 

I submit you are wrong. I think it is noticeable. It is real, not theory. It is obvious. I just stuck aluminum tp's in both a Studio and a Standard. I particularly noticed a brighter tone in the Studio using the SD Hot Rodded set.

 

For $18 there is your chance to see if a lighter tp makes a difference. Or you can simply sit there and complain.

[Zentar]

Opps. Duplicatre. Delete

[StRanger7032]

Thanks for the input everyone, right now I am down to either a set of SD Alnico II's or the SD Pearly Gates.

 

The Alnico IIs are amazing! I tried 4 sets of pickups in my 2014 SG before settling on those.

[capmaster]

I submit you are wrong. I think it is noticeable. It is real, not theory. It is obvious. I just stuck aluminum tp's in both a Studio and a Standard. I particularly noticed a brighter tone in the Studio using the SD Hot Rodded set.

 

For $18 there is your chance to see if a lighter tp makes a difference. Or you can simply sit there and complain.

Don't know what aluminum tailpiece comes for $18 but can say that my experiences with those used stock by Gibson in 1973 and 2012 are just the other way round. Compared to ZAMAK they sound darker and compress earlier. They also allow for slightly lower action. I stayed with it on a 2012 Les Paul and went with the TP-6 retrofit on my 1973 L6-S (later aka L6-S Custom). There is no TP-6 fitting my 2012 LP, by the way.

 

When about pickups, before them do strings, picks if applicable, and the guitar itself play huge roles for tone development. Pickups of same build may sound radically different in different guitars, even if I limit to considering only LPs and SGs of my own here. Since 35 years I found out repeatedly that the final result is hardly predictable and was taken by surprise several times. Moreover, sapwoods may change significantly during their first 10 to 15 years, and the LPs of mine make sonic leaps due to their maple tops as well as my Fenders do. Any pickup will only reflect what, besides strings and picks, the timbers contribute to the tone one gets out through playing.

[Zentar]

Don't know what aluminum tailpiece comes for $18 but can say that my experiences with those used stock by Gibson in 1973 and 2012 are just the other way round. Compared to ZAMAK they sound darker and compress earlier. They also allow for slightly lower action. I stayed with it on a 2012 Les Paul and went with the TP-6 retrofit on my 1973 L6-S (later aka L6-S Custom). There is no TP-6 fitting my 2012 LP, by the way.

 

When about pickups, before them do strings, picks if applicable, and the guitar itself play huge roles for tone development. Pickups of same build may sound radically different in different guitars, even if I limit to considering only LPs and SGs of my own here. Since 35 years I found out repeatedly that the final result is hardly predictable and was taken by surprise several times. Moreover, sapwoods may change significantly during their first 10 to 15 years, and the LPs of mine make sonic leaps due to their maple tops as well as my Fenders do. Any pickup will only reflect what, besides strings and picks, the timbers contribute to the tone one gets out through playing.

$18 Aluminum tailpiece

I bought a Faber (one ounce) tail piece recently($46) as well as this $18 tail piece(1.2 oz) made by an unknown manufacturer. I suspect Tone pro or Kluson made it. Both are well made. You can easily spend $100 on an aluminum tail piece though. You can spend even more on titanium which weighs slightly more than aluminum but they are so similar in weight the difference is negligible.

When the Faber tailpiece arrived at my mailbox in a little brown envelope I thought the envelope was empty until I squeezed it.

When I compared the weight to a Zamak tailpiece I was astounded. 3.4oz Zamak vs 1.0 oz Faber aluminum. 340% difference!

I see folks talking about Les Pauls being heavy well no wonder. You can add quite a lot of weight with zinc hardware.

I changed hardware wherever possible on my Standard and lowered the weight from 8 lbs 14 ozs down to 7 lbs 9 ozs.

[Versatile]

Great D-C guitar....

 

Personally I would have soldiered on with the Burstbuckers

 

It all depends on desired tones and style of music....whether clean or driven...

 

Seymour Duncan has a superb range of P/U's....I have his mini-hum and Strat-esque S/C's on various guitars...

 

P90's or similar would IMO go very well with any LP type guitar... :blink:

 

Enjoy the chase...

 

V

 

[PTV]

I would have kept the 500T in my Classic, but it was very muddy. The output was nice and hot. I'd go for a SD JB & 59 set.

 

I put the EMG 81/85 in my classic.

[Guest Farnsbarns]

I submit you are wrong. I think it is noticeable. It is real, not theory. It is obvious. I just stuck aluminum tp's in both a Studio and a Standard. I particularly noticed a brighter tone in the Studio using the SD Hot Rodded set.

 

For $18 there is your chance to see if a lighter tp makes a difference. Or you can simply sit there and complain.

 

If I play you 10 LPs, 5 with stock tail pieces and 5 with lightweight tail pieces and you can pick out which is which, blindfolded, I will give you all 10 guitars. If you fail you buy me an R9. Deal?

[Zentar]

If I play you 10 LPs, 5 with stock tail pieces and 5 with lightweight tail pieces and you can pick out which is which, blindfolded, I will give you all 10 guitars. If you fail you buy me an R9. Deal?

 

You probably cant tell a Ukelele from a Banjo.

[deeman]

You probably cant tell a Ukelele from a Banjo.

 

good metaphor.

[badbluesplayer]

I submit you are wrong. I think it is noticeable. It is real, not theory. It is obvious. I just stuck aluminum tp's in both a Studio and a Standard. I particularly noticed a brighter tone in the Studio using the SD Hot Rodded set.

 

For $18 there is your chance to see if a lighter tp makes a difference. Or you can simply sit there and complain.

I have aluminum tailpieces on my 335 and my LP and they don't really change what model of pickups are in the guitar. I changed the pickups in my LP and that worked well.

[pippy]

...You can add quite a lot of weight with zinc hardware. I changed hardware wherever possible on my Standard and lowered the weight from 8 lbs 14 ozs down to 7 lbs 9 ozs.

Seriously?

 

You manged to lower the weight of your Standard by 1lb 5oz by changing hardware? OK.

Let's believe for a moment that you lowered it by 2.4oz by swapping the stop-bar.

From where did the rest of the 1lb 2.6oz saving come?

 

If so, did this weight-saving change the tonal response of your guitar(s)?

If so, can you tell us specifically what changes were brought about by which hardware-swaps on an item-to-item basis?

If so, could these tonal changes be ratified by any sane person?

 

Lastly can I mention that, before you state to the contrary, I have both a ukulele and a banjo and can tell the difference between the instruments?

I'd be quite happy to accept any implicit challenge which might suggest otherwise. What about yourself and Farns' tailpiece challenge?

 

P.

[rct]

I carry my 7.1323374 pound Les Paul in a 68 pound case.

 

rct

[Zentar]

Seriously?

 

You manged to lower the weight of your Standard by 1lb 5oz by changing hardware? OK.

Let's believe for a moment that you lowered it by 2.4oz by swapping the stop-bar.

From where did the rest of the 1lb 2.6oz saving come?

 

If so, did this weight-saving change the tonal response of your guitar(s)?

If so, can you tell us specifically what changes were brought about by which hardware-swaps on an item-to-item basis?

If so, could these tonal changes be ratified by any sane person?

 

Lastly can I mention that, before you state to the contrary, I have both a ukulele and a banjo and can tell the difference between the instruments?

I'd be quite happy to accept any implicit challenge which might suggest otherwise. What about yourself and Farns' tailpiece challenge?

 

P.

 

My Stsndard came with Min E-tune which I changed to Gibby Vintage Pearfloid tuners which are lighter than Grovers. The Min E-tune weighs the same as two sets of tuners. I changed from metal covered pups to bare bobbin because the covers weigh 3.8 ozs. I removed the pick guard and mount to save 5 ozs. The jack plate saves an ounce. Aluminum bridges weigh over an ounce less than Zamak bridges.

I could have lowered the weight even more by removing the Gibby pcb and used 50s wiring harness. Did you know that speed knobs weigh more than top-hat knobs?

I could have lightened my Standard even more but I ran out of money.

 

You can easily lose a pound on most any LP. Do you not understand this? Is this too complicated for you to fathom? Did you know that Grovers weigh more than Vintage tuners? Did you know that locking tuners are heavier than non-locking? Why do you block information from your mind? What are you afraid of learning?

 

One pound is 16 ounces.

[pippy]

Why do you block information from your mind? What are you afraid of learning?

You really are full of horsesh!t aren't you?

 

You want some information? Some accurate information?

 

P'up covers weigh 0.8oz each. I've just checked. So that's 1.6oz the pair. Not 3.8oz as you claimed.

 

The p'g plus bracket and two mounting screws weighs 1.1oz. (I've just checked). Not 5oz as you claimed.

 

The jack plate is so light it doesn't even register on a scale measuring Imperial to the nearest 0.1oz (I've just checked) so I switched to metric and the scales read 1gramme.

1gramme is 0.035oz.. Not 1 oz as you claimed.

 

Speed-knobs v's hat-box knobs? I've just checked. Each set of knobs weighs less than half-an-oz for the set of 4. The difference was 0.04oz. Four hundredth's of an ounce.

 

Why do you block the truth from your mind? What are YOU afraid of learning?

 

Pip.

[rct]

My Stsndard came with Min E-tune which I changed to Gibby Vintage Pearfloid tuners which are lighter than Grovers. The Min E-tune weighs the same as two sets of tuners. I changed from metal covered pups to bare bobbin because the covers weigh 3.8 ozs. I removed the pick guard and mount to save 5 ozs. The jack plate saves an ounce. Aluminum bridges weigh over an ounce less than Zamak bridges.

I could have lowered the weight even more by removing the Gibby pcb and used 50s wiring harness. Did you know that speed knobs weigh more than top-hat knobs?

I could have lightened my Standard even more but I ran out of money.

 

You can easily lose a pound on most any LP. Do you not understand this? Is this too complicated for you to fathom? Did you know that Grovers weigh more than Vintage tuners? Did you know that locking tuners are heavier than non-locking? Why do you block information from your mind? What are you afraid of learning?

 

One pound is 16 ounces.

 

You would have done well in the Postal Scale days of the 90's.

 

rct

[deeman]

You really are full of horsesh!t aren't you?

 

You want some information? Some accurate information?

 

P'up covers weigh 0.8oz each. I've just checked. So that's 1.6oz the pair. Not 3.8oz as you claimed.

 

The p'g plus bracket and two mounting screws weighs 1.1oz. (I've just checked). Not 5oz as you claimed.

 

The jack plate is so light it doesn't even register on a scale measuring Imperial to the nearest 0.1oz (I've just checked) so I switched to metric and the scales read 1gramme.

1gramme is 0.035oz.. Not 1 oz as you claimed.

 

Speed-knobs v's hat-box knobs? I've just checked. Each set of knobs weighs less than half-an-oz for the set of 4. The difference was 0.04oz. Four hundredth's of an ounce.

 

Why do you block the truth from your mind? What are YOU afraid of learning?

 

Pip.

 

Thank you for your diligence.

 

I read the pick-guard removal saved 5 ounces and thought...really???? Perhaps his pick-guard was made of lead.