mygibbysired Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Hi everyone, I was just thinking about changing my LP Trad 2012 57' pickups to P94s. I'm just looking for a brighter tone for my playing. Do you recommend these pickups? If not, what would you suggest for the better? PS: I know it might depends on our type of tones but just want to hear your suggestions. Thanks a lot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Well, I would stay humbucking and try BurstBuckers 1 & 2. BurstBuckers Pro are slightly hotter, same coils as 1 & 2 but AlNiCo 5 magnets instead AlNiCo 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searcy Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 If all you're looking for is a brighter tone I don't recommend swapping pickups at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeke Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Oh man...don't take those 57's out! They are badass pickups! That's what makes your Trad so special. Take Searcy's advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Lower the pups, raise the poles. Turn the treble and mid on the amp up. Turn the bass down. Try prosteel strings (not nickel wound). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mygibbysired Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 If all you're looking for is a brighter tone I don't recommend swapping pickups at all. Maybe I'll consider having an EQ pedal on my rig. Thanks man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Lower the pups, raise the poles. Turn the treble and mid on the amp up. Turn the bass down. Try prosteel strings (not nickel wound). Yep. Steel wound strings are much brighter than nickel wounds. For those who like the feel of nickel, there also are nickel-plated steel wounds. My special tip are Gibson Brite Wires. They are exceptionally bright like their name says. Their overtone sustain is incredible, plains as well as wounds. I think they are worth giving them a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 "Brighter" tone. What I hear is you want CLEARER tone. Reason why I GUESS that's what you mean is that making a brighter tone is as easy as changing settings on the amp. Anyway, if "clearer" is what you want, before doing a pup swap, I would first try LOWERING your pups from the strings. Many tend to have pups adjusted too high, because it often gets a little more volume, but also tends to choke out a lot of the frequencies along with that bit of extra volume. Lowering the pup not only gives you a clearer sound with more "fidelity", but it makes it easier to tell what the pup sounds like. Which makes it easier to tell what you might want to replace it with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobF_ Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Cap values make a big diff too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Cap values make a big diff too. Mainly with the tone control completely down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Hello! Pickups, tone, brightness and such... We often (including me), come too easily to the conclusion that the instrument needs one or two of it's parts replaced. But as Searcy suggested, there is lot more You can do before spending money unnecessarily. Pickups can be adjusted. Your guitar has controls. Experiment with them. Most people don't bother to use them at all. However, lot You can do with them. Excellent example of this is Mr. Gary Moore: Then, the pickups' relation to the strings can be adjusted too. Height, the polepieces' height and radius - and these can be adjusted individually, for each string. Your amp has controls too... And then, - if these all fail -, You still can't assume it's the pickups! It can be the amp's sound character. The type of tubes, and the speakers contribute lot to overall sound quality too. It's a long quest, to find the tone You are after. But, - if You don't mind me giving You an advice - before modifying anything on Your instrument, try different guitar and amp settings. Then different amps. Ask Your fellow musician friends to let them try their amps, effects. Or, if You have a good relationship with a musical instrument store, spend some time there. If they are professionals, they will understand that, and in hope of selling You something in the future, they will allow You to try things out. I'd suggest YouTube videos too, but it's questionable whether You will be able to make a realistic judgement at that sound quality. However, it can be still useful, expecially reviews where a pro would describe the characteristics of an equipment. Good luck! Cheers... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mygibbysired Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 "Brighter" tone. What I hear is you want CLEARER tone. Reason why I GUESS that's what you mean is that making a brighter tone is as easy as changing settings on the amp. Anyway, if "clearer" is what you want, before doing a pup swap, I would first try LOWERING your pups from the strings. Many tend to have pups adjusted too high, because it often gets a little more volume, but also tends to choke out a lot of the frequencies along with that bit of extra volume. Lowering the pup not only gives you a clearer sound with more "fidelity", but it makes it easier to tell what the pup sounds like. Which makes it easier to tell what you might want to replace it with. You got me right on the "Clearer" tone. Yes, I really wanted it to have clearer tone. I'll also consider your options too. Thanks man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billymagnum Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Oh man...don't take those 57's out! They are badass pickups! That's what makes your Trad so special. Take Searcy's advice! THIS! dont take those out! something else must be dampening your treble. i dont think you'd want to swap out that 57 for a P90 style pup of all things... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mygibbysired Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 Hello! Pickups, tone, brightness and such... We often (including me), come too easily to the conclusion that the instrument needs one or two of it's parts replaced. But as Searcy suggested, there is lot more You can do before spending money unnecessarily. Pickups can be adjusted. Your guitar has controls. Experiment with them. Most people don't bother to use them at all. However, lot You can do with them. Excellent example of this is Mr. Gary Moore: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k07j7LcLqw Then, the pickups' relation to the strings can be adjusted too. Height, the polepieces' height and radius - and these can be adjusted individually, for each string. Your amp has controls too... And then, - if these all fail -, You still can't assume it's the pickups! It can be the amp's sound character. The type of tubes, and the speakers contribute lot to overall sound quality too. It's a long quest, to find the tone You are after. But, - if You don't mind me giving You an advice - before modifying anything on Your instrument, try different guitar and amp settings. Then different amps. Ask Your fellow musician friends to let them try their amps, effects. Or, if You have a good relationship with a musical instrument store, spend some time there. If they are professionals, they will understand that, and in hope of selling You something in the future, they will allow You to try things out. I'd suggest YouTube videos too, but it's questionable whether You will be able to make a realistic judgement at that sound quality. However, it can be still useful, expecially reviews where a pro would describe the characteristics of an equipment. Good luck! Cheers... Bence Definitely right man. I guess I shouldn't get into changing pickups now without trying those advices you gave me. I should give more time (A LOT OF EM) on experimenting and trying stuff now. Thanks a lot! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mygibbysired Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 THIS! dont take those out! something else must be dampening your treble. i dont think you'd want to swap out that 57 for a P90 style pup of all things... Well yeah, won't change them now but have you tried using P90s before? If you did, how was it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeke Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Well yeah, won't change them now but have you tried using P90s before? If you did, how was it? I have a 2013 Trad with 57s in it. I absolutely love it! Try it on an Epiphone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeke Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 THIS! dont take those out! something else must be dampening your treble. i dont think you'd want to swap out that 57 for a P90 style pup of all things... Im not the one taking them out, the opening post Mygibbysired is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billymagnum Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Well yeah, won't change them now but have you tried using P90s before? If you did, how was it? I actually just installed some Seymour Duncan p-rails with triple shot mounting rings into ml Dean ML Exotic which had some boring nameless stock pickups. I bought them from a member in the trading post very recently! They have really great tone and response but they don't have the same bite that the 57s do. They do sound good but it's apples and oranges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billymagnum Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Im not the one taking them out, the opening post Mygibbysired is! Haha I know! I quoted you because I agree with your statement! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon S. Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 If all you're looking for is a brighter tone I don't recommend swapping pickups at all. +1. A good EQ pedal can do a lot. I use mine for a boost and overdrive too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjsinla Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Definitely right man. I guess I shouldn't get into changing pickups now without trying those advices you gave me. I should give more time (A LOT OF EM) on experimenting and trying stuff now. Thanks a lot! :) The 59 Tributes that come in the 2014 and 2015 Trads are clearer than the 57's. You can find them on the Bay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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