CustomESP Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 I recently (2 weeks ago) picked up a gibson les paul studio VM (love it!) and wanted to know what other users opions were about a dropping in a certain set of active pickups (I have 'em in my ESP, just haven't had 'em in a les paul). I was thinking about an 81 in the bridge and a 60 in the neck. Anyone have a les paul with a similar setup? What do you like? Pros and Cons? Musical Styles? Amps? Anything you can think of would be helpful as I love user feedback especially firsthand. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson CS Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 I had EMG's in a Jackson RR model years ago... ( 81/85 ) They sound very powerful, but in my opinion they sound best for that aggressive rock sound. Dare I say metal? I read a quote a while back... "Batteries are for flashlights, not for guitars" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 I guess I'm a purist. I think Les Pauls should be vintage and classic. Just like Strats should not have humbuckers! I'm wierd like that. My opinion is that there are plenty of hot rod, shredder guitars out there(Ibanez, BC Rich, Jackson etc) that are great for metal and EMG's. Why spend all that extra money for a Gibson and then make it sound like a generic shredding guitar? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson CS Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Agreed Saturn... I love my Les Paul just as it is.... I wouldnt change a thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 If you put some emgs there your LP will sound as close to your ESP as it can. Do you want that? I wouldnt buy a LP (or any other guitar with such a caracteristic sound and history) to put in some pickups that would take away all the tone. I do have EMGs in one guitar, the Zakk Wylde set i put in my 15 year old epi piece of crap. It improved the sound 1000% but if i compare it to my gibson, the gisbon, simply put, has tone. And lots of. The emgs sound allways the same... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CustomESP Posted March 24, 2008 Author Share Posted March 24, 2008 Points well taken, I want to put the EMG's in as I love their tone (i love metal) and my favorite neck is found on a les paul, no other guitar feels as chunky and substancial in my big hands. That is why I want them. Any input? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Hi, I play mostly metal too... and i would suggest you play a lot with both guitars before investing on emgs for your new les paul. Maybe you will find useful to have two different sounds, the les paul you have should sound very nice, even for metal. I think my les pauls pickups arent as hot as the ones that come in the vintage mahogany (mine is a standard faded with burstbucker pros) and they deliver for metal, so yours should too. I use a moded boss metal zone into an AC30 from vox, not what you would call a metal amp... and the guitar and pickups deliver even better than the one with emgs, and gives me also plenty of tonal options when i want to play blues or even jazz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 I guess I'm a purist. I think Les Pauls should be vintage and classic. Just like Strats should not have humbuckers! I'm wierd like that. My opinion is that there are plenty of hot rod' date=' shredder guitars out there(Ibanez, BC Rich, Jackson etc) that are great for metal and EMG's. Why spend all that extra money for a Gibson and then make it sound like a generic shredding guitar? [/quote']+1 The only LP I've heard with EMG pups was a guitar of the week - LP Studio w/EMG 85 & 81. It sounded like crap, frankly. Too muddy. I planned on buying it, but after hearing it, it remained in the store. I ended up with a SG guitar of the week, seen here, with the same EMG pups - excellent guitar! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CustomESP Posted March 24, 2008 Author Share Posted March 24, 2008 Does anyone own the Zakk Wylde Les Paul? How does it sound? It would be a great test to what I might eventually do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlekenny Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 if you love the tone of EMG's and the feel of the LP neck, you could just get an Epiphone. It could save you some money while still getting the feel you want. Of course an Epiphone is not "the real thing" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CustomESP Posted March 24, 2008 Author Share Posted March 24, 2008 After playing a Gibson or any other higher end MIA/MIJ guitar the feel and tone of an epi or any asian/mexican made guitar will never be the same again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris sifu Posted February 25, 2021 Share Posted February 25, 2021 Hi Gibson, I play with a gentleman who has a custom shop Led Paul purchased from a shop in Germany. It is a factory issue with EMG pick ups. I would have to ask him if he knows the model (81, 85). One, that was the most incredible sounding guitar I've ever heard. Have you considered another run? Respectfully, Gibson Studio guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bjorn218 Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 You would be better off to spend that cash on a set of Doug Aldrich signature pickups from Suhr Guitars if your heart is set on swapping out pickups. That sig set are the best made for a Les Paul and go from very vintage sounding to hot rodded super hot with pot adjustments and pick attack. The cost for the set is similar to Gibson’s fancy pickups as well. IMO sound better as well (yes they are that good). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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