mr newhaven Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 hello everyone! i posted these pics before but i will again in order to give you guys as much info as necessary! i have an 07 Les Paul VM and I love it! This was taken on the day i got it! here it is sans pickguard with its little cousin the MELODY MAKER so we all know the specs...burstbucker pro's...hog body and cap... so here is what i was thinking and please everyone chime in with whatever you think i need to hear both in favor or not! when i got my VM the first thing i noticed were the frets were a little sharp and not cut too nicely... i took it to my luthier and had the frets leveled and capped...and this guitar feels like a million bucks! i played with the idea of putting a bigsby on it but i have a bigsby on my tele... so to be honest im all set with the tremelo for now... the body/top combo is the same as the 54 custom Black Beauty...all hog...so what i was thinking of doing was having this beast handwired and throwing some bumblebee's and some better pots in it...also swapping out the BB pro's for either Burstbucker 1's and 2's or even getting crazy with it and throwing in some P-90's... but now im thinking i might wanna turn this into a three pup monster and have it wired to play 1.) Neck pup 2.) Middle and Bridge 3. Bridge pup have i lost you yet?? i hope not! so now here is where i leave it to you guys! first off which pups would you recommend for that "Melt Your FACE" classic rock sound? I have a 57 Handwired Tweed Champ... and the BB Pro's just sound a little "farty" on it... will handwiring it changing out pots and caps...possibly pups and possibly adding another pup turn this into a beast of EPIC proportions? also what are everyone's take on the Neutrik jacks that come on the newer LP Standards? please feel free to be as complicated as you want for ideas because my goal is to turn this axe into a firebreathing Dragon! should i go a combo of BB's and p-90's or just stick with one or the other? please help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 Hey man, first of all, that's one kick-*** tele you got there, I would like pics of her with your VM as they seem to be color matched! Second: I would go with the pots and caps first, they will change the sound of the BB pros, if not then why do it at all? Do that first, see how you like the BB pros then and if you still don't like them then change them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 By the way, you could ad a pair of p94s, thus leaving that guitar a H-S-S lester Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbonesullivan Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 If you want to melt faces, you'll need a different amp. If it's got 6V6 or 6L6 power tubes, those "fart out" when you put them into heavy overdrive. They get a good brown sound though. Personally I have not had good luck with humbucking pickups and fender amplifiers in general. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr newhaven Posted January 26, 2010 Author Share Posted January 26, 2010 thanks thundergod... what are your opinions on throwing in a third pup? this isnt a museum piece by any means and i want to just make it an absolute tone beast! ill take a look at pots and caps today...bumblebee's and cts's? those should do the trick right? any links? thanks in advance guys...im open to all sorts of suggestions...this is definitely going to be awesome!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr newhaven Posted January 26, 2010 Author Share Posted January 26, 2010 If you want to melt faces' date=' you'll need a different amp. If it's got 6V6 or 6L6 power tubes, those "fart out" when you put them into heavy overdrive. They get a good brown sound though. Personally I have not had good luck with humbucking pickups and fender amplifiers in general.[/quote'] the amp situation i agree is lacking at the moment... i just picked up a 75 Musicmaster Bass... so im looking into a bassman! i just havent figured out if i want the bassman tv ten (10 inch) or the Bassman LTD (4x10) once i get that amp im sure any guitar on earth will CRANK on it! for now i have to rely on using my guitars in my friends recording space with his Fender Pro... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 Are you sure it's the pickups and not the guitar that's the problem? Melting your your face off usually includes palm-mutes, am I right? Based on my experience, chambered LPs are not good for palm-muting. I love chambered LPs, don't get me wrong. I have a chambered R8 and it has phenomenal tone - it just sucks for playing Paranoid. Sounds like playing Paranoid on an ES, as did every other chambered LP I've played. I realize this is a BFG but if the chambering is the same, it doesn't look like you can add a middle pickup. http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg225/Gibson_Tim/Chamber_BFG_2007.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPguitarman Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 Are you sure it's the pickups and not the guitar that's the problem? Melting your your face off usually includes palm-mutes' date=' am I right? Based on my experience, chambered LPs are not good for palm-muting. I love chambered LPs, don't get me wrong. I have a chambered R8 and it has phenomenal tone - it just sucks for playing Paranoid. Sounds like playing Paranoid on an ES, as did every other chambered LP I've played. I realize this is a BFG but if the chambering is the same, it doesn't look like you can add a middle pickup. http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg225/Gibson_Tim/Chamber_BFG_2007.jpg[/quote'] It depends on what you use. My chambered Les Paul ('57 Classic pups) sounds great for Paranoid and other metal when I use my Grunge pedal. I turn the guitar volume down a little (bridge pup) so I don't get the feedback with the high gain effect pedal. Then crank the volume up for the leads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 That combo of guitar and amp isn't a melt your face rig it's a good all around machine but not for heavy rock tone. The VM is chamberred so the third pickup is a no unless your gonna do major changes. the pots and caps never hurt so try that but a pedal or different amp might be the answer to your quest more than throwing money at a VM trying to get/make it into something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GibSinCity Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 mr newhaven, Your signature says "Gibson Les Paul VM (Worn Cherry)", but that looks more like worn brown in the pics. Is it in fact worn cherry? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr newhaven Posted January 26, 2010 Author Share Posted January 26, 2010 yeah its a worn cherry...i thought of the brown but i liked the idea of it looking worn like a violin after a while and retro surfer...i agree that it is a VM and not something else...but a man can dream right? i know my rig wont melt any faces...well once i get my bassman then we can talk but this all started with me wanting to get rid of the circuit board and go with a handwired approach which then morphed into..."what else can i do to this beast?" im not trying to turn it into an R9 or anything...just looking for inspiration to turn this into the greatest les paul studio EVER! this is why im on here...because you guys know alot about this! i have other guitars...as we all do...but only one les paul...and i wanna make it a BEAST... on a side note...i am saving up for a les paul jr. korina...with a single p-90...mmmmmmmmm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turtle Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 hey, also here from ct > great guitars. i changed the pots in my standard and it sounds great. i lowered the bb pros alot and im getting a sweet bell like chime with em not so " farty" hahaha> just played stella blues new haven on crown street> great place to check out or play open mic on tuesdays> also my friends band plays there on monday Kung FU and they are something to check out > have fun with the lester> thinking about picking up a melody maker myself> how do you like it ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamman Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 have you cosidered a Marshall amp? take your axe to a store and see what happens. at worst you wont like it . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr newhaven Posted January 28, 2010 Author Share Posted January 28, 2010 hey sorry for the delay in replies after you guys were so quick to respond to me! ok so turtle...i am familiar with all that you speak of...i live half a block from the green and have been trying to get to the Kung Fu now for a bit...but alas work/etc...keeps getting in the way i need to come by one of these mondays...my cousin is the bartender over at cafe 9 and they are always looking for happy hour bands...you should inquire if you so incline! so ive come to some harsh realities over this proposed project...and here is what i am now thinking... so first off caps/pots are a definite...to make my life easier i was thinking just calling up rs guitarworks and ordering a kit...i think they run like 70 bones? nonetheless...has everything i need i suppose... now in terms of pups...im going to take thunder's advice and try the bb pro's with upgraded wires/caps/pots and see how i like it... if it works fine...if not? i have a faded flying v in my future that could use some bb pro's so its all gravy... for the lester i was thinking...and please weigh in if your not sick to death of these types of threads...but i was thinking p-90 in the bridge and alnico V in the neck? thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turtle Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 nice! love the p90s myself. i think seymour duncan makes a nice one called the fat cat and it fits in the humbucker size ring. also for a alnico v neck, have you tried the seymour duncan jazz pickup? had one in my studio and es 345 (both gone). i loved it. hope this helped.oh.... and i will have to check out cafe 9 thanks for the tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinpaul Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 Hey man' date=' first of all, that's one kick-*** tele you got there, I would like pics of her with your VM as they seem to be color matched! Second: I would go with the pots and caps first, they will change the sound of the BB pros, if not then why do it at all? Do that first, see how you like the BB pros then and if you still don't like them then change them. [/quote']I was going to put a Bis by on my Ibanez 75, now i'll take a second look at my Tele. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yaff Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 so first off caps/pots are a definite...to make my life easier i was thinking just calling up rs guitarworks and ordering a kit...i think they run like 70 bones? nonetheless...has everything i need i suppose... thoughts? I have also been thinking of going for RS Guitarworks Vintage pre wired kit for my VM. Please let me know when you make the change' date=' what kit you go for and what affect it has? Love the tone I have with my VM + Orange TT Combo, but if it can be improved for $100, it would be an immediate go. By the way, just tried Fender Platinum Cables and absolutely love the change to the tone. Can’t tell much via my Vox VT, but all valve Orange definitely benefits from it. If you get the chance, give them a go. At the end of the day you can get them for £30, which is less than one night on the town and they last a lifetime!! Interesting post, all the best with your moods [img']http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/AndySharples/IMG_2912-1.jpg[/img] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yew Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Nice Axe, Im from the SG world, making a attack into the pre 1961 Era =P I like the idea of gretsch filtertrons, I Bet that would sound exactly like a Gretsch, same woods and shape as a Jet Firebird xD. TV Jones even do a filtertron that fits in a standard 'bucker mount Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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