Les Paul Studio pickups

[Chrismac780]

are the pickups on the studio any good?

Been thinking about goingto EMG 81-85's

[ef_in_fla]

Only you can determine whether they're good enough. No doubt the (active) EMGs will be better, but if you decide to upgrade get a pro to do the job. It's not for the inexperienced.

[Dave]

Depends on whether you are talking about a Gibson Studio or an Epiphone Studio. The Gibson comes with 490R and 498T pups. The Epiphone has Epi pickups. The 490R and 498T are excellent pickups. the Epis are not quite up to the Gibbys.

[aj]

Depends on whether you are talking about a Gibson Studio or an Epiphone Studio. The Gibson comes with 490R and 498T pups. The Epiphone has Epi pickups. The 490R and 498T are excellent pickups. the Epis are not quite up to the Gibbys.

 

 

 

To make an attempt at expanding on Daves comment, the 490/498 in the Gibson Studio sound 'sweeter'/not as shrill, especially beyond the 12th fret. (IMHO)

[TWANG]

There are only two wires on the epi pickups.. four connections to unsolder and resolder, and most new pickups come with a diagram and are color coded so you know what to do.

I have to say it's not a pro job problem really.

You have to know how to solder.

and you have to remember to turn your pots all the way down while doing it, so they don't burn a hot spot along the path.

 

 

my studio lp got new pickups, and I put the old ones on an lp100. they definately improved that guitar.

I wanted vintage output on my guitar, instead of the epis higher output.

If you play metal or something similar where higher output is the usual choice, leave 'em in until you really can say to yourself, this isn't the tone I want.

 

Do a little google on the emg models you want, and try to get a feel for how they sound with other people using them, what music they play in common with you.

 

there are a lot of good pups to choose from.

desolder pickups at the controls. turning all pots down first.

remove strings.

remove pickup ring screws.

remove pickups from mounting rings.

put new pickups in mounting rings.

thread wires through the body to the control cavity.

mount pickups to the body.

resolder connections as they were before.

restring.

voila!

 

TWANG

[lemonboy]

I have a Epi lp studio that I put SD Pearly gates in.To me it sounds better than my Gibson lp studio with the 490r

and 498t pickups.

[ChrisKevin]

EMG'S sound amazing in Les Pauls. I have a pair in a Les Paul and the sustain, balance between pickups, and Les Paul tone was ideal.

I do not recommend the 81 in the bridge though. Get an 85/85 set. I have found that most of the "sterile" sounds players talk about with EMG'S are directly related to them playing the 81's. THose are designed for massive gain, scooped metal. The 85 is like an idealized humbucker.They sound good clean and overdriven, and the string balance is perfect. I couldn't recommend them (85's)higher.

[Dave]

I have a Epi lp studio that I put SD Pearly gates in.To me it sounds better than my Gibson lp studio with the 490r

and 498t pickups.

 

I agree that the SD Pearly Gates pups sound better than the 490R and 498T. It's the high end presence that makes the difference. The PG's can get pleasantly glassy, kind of like a good Tele sound on the bridge setting and very bluesy on the neck side without becoming to womanish. The 490 has a tendency to higher midrange output than the PG's.