KX36 Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 Hi, I've got a 2006 Epiphone Les Paul standard and I was looking to replace the pickups with some higher quality Gibson ones, I'm not sure which to get though... I'm leaning towards BurstBucker 1,2,3 or Pro. I wondered what people thought about these and which combination to go for. Thoughts on non-potted Alnico II vs wax-potted Alnico V? Any quality problems with BurstBuckers? Any other opinions? I've seen a lot that bridge/neck = 1/2 or 2/3 is a good combination, mainly for matching volume; does anyone know what it would be like with a normal burstbucker and a pro combined? I don't play metal or anything like that, I'm not one of those people who put in EMGs, tune drop D, distort until you can't hear any notes and then just make a constant drone of 2-3 chords per song (why do those people bother getting Les Pauls). My sort of thing's more Blues-Rock to Classic Rock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumblinman Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 KX, First of all, welcome to the forums! I have Burstbucker 2 in the bridge of one of my guitars, and I love it. It's leaps and bounds above stock Epi pickups. Sounds good from clean to distorted, and slightly overdriven is about perfect for it. If you are blues-to-rock play style, they are great. I haven't used the BB Pros, so I can't swear to their tonal differences, but I highly recommend the Burstbucker 2 at least. There are also a lot of less-expensive pickup upgrades that can make a world of difference, as well as allowing you to buy a complete set of pickups for what you would normally pay for 1 Gibson. Look around at GFS, Rockfield (I think?) and there are others but I can't think of them offhand. There are a lot of helpful folks on this forum to help steer you in the right direction. Good luck and welcome aboard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elias Graves Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 GFS pickups aren't really an upgrade but are an OK choice if you are looking for a different sound. I've messed with a lot of humbuckers and, short of custom (check BG pickups, you can get a handwound PAF for as little as $76 each and they are terrific) Gibsons are among the best out there. A BB1 in the neck and a BB2 at the bridge will give you the classic Les Paul sound in spades. Switch to a BB2 in the neck and a BB3 in the bridge if you want to go hot. The 57 Classics are a little smoother. The BB Pros will give you four conductor wiring and potting. Duncans are also a good choice for a Les Paul. Don't forget to do your pots and caps when you do this job. Those make as much difference in an Epi as the pickups do. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpplayer Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 I'm leaning towards BurstBucker 1' date='2,3 or Pro. I wondered what people thought about these and which combination to go for. [/quote'] Keeping in mind lots of factors influence the tone you hear, no matter what pickups you have, and this is only my opinion... I have the Burstbucker 2 and 3 combo in my Epi 59 Standard, and Burstbucker Pros in my Gibson Faded Studio. I think both pairs are awesome sounding. The edge (to my ears) would have to go to the BB2 and 3. They sound great in my 59....nice and smooth with the Gibson trademark tone. The bridge BB Pro seems to be a bit too abrasive or trebly sounding, especially with distortion. But it will clean up by adjusting the tone control, or turning the bridge volume down just a bit. I play these guitars through a modded (speaker and tubes) Epiphone Valve Junior combo with an Ibanez Turbo Tubescreamer. Hope this helped, even though its my briefly stated view, and your gear may be different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KX36 Posted April 25, 2010 Author Share Posted April 25, 2010 Thanks for all the advice, it's really appreciated. I think I'll probably go for BB1/2 combination or 2/3 combination, I had been worried about microphonics etc with unpotted pickups, but it can't be that bad right? otherwise nobody would use them. Also it's apparently possible to pot them yourself later... Don't forget to do your pots and caps when you do this job. Those make as much difference in an Epi as the pickups do. I hadn't forgotten about these, but I don't really know where to get started with them, there's a lot more info out there on replacing pickups than potentiometers and capacitors. and it seems a lot more soldering work is involved, not that I mind that. What should I do with them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matiac Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 I have old "T-top" (Gibson) pickups in the guitar pictured below...really "opend up" the tone from stock...I threw them away after hearing the Gibsons in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Nazarenie Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 the big difference between the is the magnets. from alnico 5 to alnico 2... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elias Graves Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 Thanks for all the advice' date=' it's really appreciated. [biggrin'] I think I'll probably go for BB1/2 combination or 2/3 combination, I had been worried about microphonics etc with unpotted pickups, but it can't be that bad right? otherwise nobody would use them. Also it's apparently possible to pot them yourself later... I hadn't forgotten about these, but I don't really know where to get started with them, there's a lot more info out there on replacing pickups than potentiometers and capacitors. and it seems a lot more soldering work is involved, not that I mind that. What should I do with them? Volume pots... http://www.guitarelectronics.com/product/CPC500/CTS-500K-Audio-Taper-Precision-Tolerance-Guitar-Super-Pot.html Tone pots... http://www.guitarelectronics.com/product/CPC500B/CTS-500K-Linear-Taper-Guitar-Volume-Tone-Control-Pot.html Caps... http://www.guitarelectronics.com/product/TCO022/Orange-Drop-022-Microfarad-Tone-Capacitors-for-Guitar-Bass.html The shaft size is a little bigger on these. You'll have to enlarge the holes just a bit. I recommend using a reamer or a round file to do that work. There's no need to yank and redo all your wiring. Just desolder the existing pots and put these it their place. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggy Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 ..r. The BB Pros will give you four conductor wiring and potting... I think you'll find that BB Pros are two wire not four (at least mine are) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumblinman Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 I think the newer guitars that come with them installed are 4 conductor, but I believe that's only the new LP's that are that way. I believe retail is still 2 conductor, but can't swear to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KX36 Posted April 26, 2010 Author Share Posted April 26, 2010 As far as I can tell, 490R + 498T are 4 wire when sold separately, probably some other ones with a similar name/code too, but burstbuckers are always 2 wire. Any pickup sold as part of a guitar by Gibson apart from the Jimmy Page one with the 2 switches under the pickguard are 2 wire including 490R + 498T. The difference on paper with a BB Pro is Alnico V magnet as opposed to Alnico II and wax-potting as opposed to un-potted on the nornal BBs. I already have this objective data, what I would like is some subjective data... opinions, anecdotes etc. (You wouldn't believe I was a professional scientist would you ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector Arcadius Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 Hi man, I just posted another thread about the fact the I have actually decided to swap the BB Pros on my Gibson Les Paul Studio worn brown. I find them to be too trebly, especially the neck pickup. After doing (lots of...) homework, reading reviews, articles and listening to many youtube videos, I think that the best (to my ears that is) combination for a Les Paul-style guitar is: An Alnico II-based pickup for the neck An Alnico V- based or a Ceramic pickup for the bridge position I just want my neck one to be smooth, mellow and full of sustain and the bridge one to be punchy and sharp-sounding. And both of them to be dipped in wax, in order to be able to handle gain. There are guys that like to go for Alnico II types in the bridge for a more southern rock / bluesy kind of sound and guys that don't mind an Alnico V on the neck. So, there are choices out there. My question is: Why does it have to be Gibson pickups for you? Without working for them or creating a spam here, I simply LOVE Seymour Duncans and you can always find a great DiMarzio as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KX36 Posted April 30, 2010 Author Share Posted April 30, 2010 Hmm, Seymour Duncans seem alright, I had been looking at Gibson because I wanted it to be more authentic and higher quality than Epiphone and Gibson made the Les Paul and PAF pickup. A lot of people have recommended me EMGs and SDs, but obviously EMGs are far too hot for blues-rock/classic rock and I got the impression that SDs were a bit too hot too. I do like the idea of getting their 4 conductor wiring though, potentially I could do the famous Jimmy Page mod later on (simultaneously upgrading the pots, caps and improving the quality of the soldering). If I were to go for Seymour Duncan, which ones? SH-1 or SH-55 i presume? What about "pearly gates"? I don't really have any way to compare how authentic/modern they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted May 1, 2010 Share Posted May 1, 2010 Pearly Gates, which I have in my EPI LP custom, are supposed to be the re-creation of the PAF pickups in Billy Gibbons' '59 Les Paul "Pearly Gates" guitar. He supposedly has tried to recreate the sound in over a dozen guitars that he and others have built. SD finally got close with the PG humbuckers. I"m not sure that my LP nails his sound, but those pickups have made that guitar the one I grab to gig with. Clarity and sustain are all that I could ever expect and they overdrive cleanly on every decent amp I plug into. Played clean, they are almost Tele clean and drive a chorus with superb sound. Dig into them and they get an attitude in a hurry. I doubt that I will ever feel the need to change again in that guitar. YMMV. I have 490R/498T in my Gibson Studio and they are good, but not quite as bright as the SD PGs. I hear the old SG Santana tone from that guitar. It's a little darker than the PG pups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulsaslim Posted May 1, 2010 Share Posted May 1, 2010 Thanks for all the advice' date=' it's really appreciated. [biggrin'] I think I'll probably go for BB1/2 combination or 2/3 combination, I had been worried about microphonics etc with unpotted pickups, but it can't be that bad right? otherwise nobody would use them. Also it's apparently possible to pot them yourself later... I hadn't forgotten about these, but I don't really know where to get started with them, there's a lot more info out there on replacing pickups than potentiometers and capacitors. and it seems a lot more soldering work is involved, not that I mind that. What should I do with them? My Bro has the 1-2 combo on his Epi Elitist Twisted Sister LP and the microphonics can be a problem at a live gig if you stand in the wrong place. He will be the first to recommend a potted humbucker. I've got some BB Pros on my LP DC and could not be happier. To me, they are the best humbuckers I've ever played through. And I've gotta disagree. GFS pickups, while not the 'best pickups money can buy' are certainly an upgrade to any of the Epi stock hums, IMO. GFS pickups are actually very good pickups for the price and their Vintage '59s and Antique Boutiques do a darn good job of giving you that warm '57-classic-type sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest icantbuyafender Posted May 1, 2010 Share Posted May 1, 2010 the 59's (sh-1) are 2 conductor i believe.... but they are amazing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KX36 Posted May 1, 2010 Author Share Posted May 1, 2010 the 59's (sh-1) are 2 conductor i believe.... but they are amazing Thanks for the positive reply. They are available as 2 or 4 according to their website and I've found a shop that appears to sell both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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