Bit of Help with pickups -.-

[Naradien]

Hey guys, I have a question..I have a les paul standard light burst, and wanted to change the pickups on it. I was wondering either going the Emg 81/81 or Emg 81/85. But they need batteries, so how could I do that? Would you know how much it would cost to buy the Emg 81/85 set, and have it installed? I don't wanna do any tech stuff on my guitar, so I wanna get it done by someone else. Also, would the black Emgs look wierd on my les paul, because it is a light burst after all. Thanks in advance. If anyone has any pictures of a light colored Paul with Emgs in it, could you post it here? Thanks.

[surfpup]

Bleeeccch! Why ruin a good guitar? Sorry, just my .02.

[Naradien]

I know surf pup, whatcha thinking but my BB's (I think) which came with it don't really have that aggressive tone to them. I do play a lot of Metallica, Zakk, and stuff, which is why I was thinking of getting them put in. Im not sure yet though.

[littlekenny]

Use this to get an idea of what it'll look like:

 

http://www.frankmontag.com/custom_lp_style_guitar.htm

[DoubleSixx]

I know the 81/85 and probably all EMGs come pre-wired. Actually two completely wired

harness', with short and long shaft for Les Pauls.

 

If you've never soldered before on a guitar get a tech to do this swap for you. It should

be a extremely fast and easy install.

[hi13ts]

If you require an aggressive tone, you should try some ceramics. Gibson has its 500T and (I forgot the other one) ceramics that roar, but will lack the soul and dampness of Alnico pickups. I also really like Seymour Duncan's JB series. (also ceramic)

[ibis]

 

Here's the mock up.

[Sancho]

Nothing sounds like an EMG. For the sounds you're after, it will be perfect.

I used to have EMG 81s in two Les Pauls. Loved the note definition and clarity.

Only removed them because everytime something sounded a bit off I was wondering if the batteries were going...

 

The Seymour Duncan JB is AlNiCo, btw.

[surfpup]

If you require an aggressive tone' date=' you should try some ceramics. Gibson has its 500T and (I forgot the other one) ceramics that roar, but will lack the soul and dampness of Alnico pickups. I also really like Seymour Duncan's JB series. (also ceramic)[/quote']

 

That would be the 496R/500T combination - comes in the Classics, but doesn't sound "classic" Quite hot actually.

As for the Duncan JB, it's a monster - double the output of most PAF style pups - a real screamer that's great for those

pinch harmonics EMG players love. :D The JB (SH4 model) is alnico V not ceramic.

[RichCI]

If you require an aggressive tone' date=' you should try some ceramics. Gibson has its 500T and (I forgot the other one) ceramics that roar, but will lack the soul and dampness of Alnico pickups. I also really like Seymour Duncan's JB series. (also ceramic)[/quote']

I get around the dampness issue by keeping a water pistol in my case that I spray into the pickup cavities before I play.

[Naradien]

Yeah, but nothing can replicate the Emgs XD. Does anyone have any light colored les pauls with emg's. No zakk wylde les paul pictures plz. I already seen em. :D

[porschemunkey]

First, EMGs do one tone. They do it well, but only one. Second, the JB is, was, and always has been a ceramic magnet pickup. Third, the JB is NOT a high-output pickup. It's at best only lukewarm in output. It is crunchy, with even harmonics and pushed mids, but it isn't always the best-sounding pickup for a Les Paul (thought a lot of folks like them). Fourth, there are two types of Alnico. II and V. Type II produces a softer attack with less bassy-warmth and less magnetic pull. Type V is stronger and can really dampen the strings if the pickup is too close to the pickup. It also tends to be very bassy, with a sort of compressed "pop" when the pick plucks a string. It's like a compressor is already on. If you play with a compressor, it can distort the attack. I personally don't like Alnico V pickups. None of the original, great Les Paul classic rock recordings were done with Alnico V pickups (or at least none that know of). I think the 498T and 490R pickups are ceramic magnets with a hot winding, which is why they don't sound particularly "classic" to most folks. I haven't researched the Gibson '57 Classics at all just because their windings are weaker than the BurstBuckers. This makes them "clean", and I like "dirt" and "grit" and "high gain". LOL It's all a preference thing.

 

I have learned the hard way though that I DO NOT like EMG pickups, though I like the concept. They sound processed 100% of the time, essentially because they ARE processed. Artists who use them used to do so because when doing recordings or live performances, the EMG pickups were/are dead quiet. No hum, when intalled right. On the other hand, they can sound completely tone-less.

 

If you want them though, I'd recommend an 81/81 setup or 81/60 (with the 60 at the neck). You can get a big powerful bell-tone from the 60 as a lead, high-gain sound.

[littlekenny]

Second' date=' the JB is, was, and always has been a ceramic magnet pickup. Third, the JB is NOT a high-output pickup. It's at best only lukewarm in output.[/quote']

 

 

 

wrong, look here and scroll down to the JB model

 

 

 

16k ohms is lukewarm in output?

 

 

And it uses an Alnico 5 magnet

[surfpup]

Double the standard PAF output, like I said.

[Plank_Spanker]

The winding resistance doesn't always equate to the output level of the pickup. The magnets are responsible for a good part of it.

 

Porschemunkey is correct - the JB isn't exactly a "hot" pickup. It has a pronounced high mid bite that some would hear as hot, but it really isn't high output.

[hi13ts]

Sorry, the JB Jr is ceramic, not the full-fledge humbucker.

[Sancho]

Second' date=' the JB is, was, and always has been a ceramic magnet pickup. Third, the JB is NOT a high-output pickup. It's at best only lukewarm in output. It is crunchy, with even harmonics and pushed mids, but it isn't always the best-sounding pickup for a Les Paul (thought a lot of folks like them).

 

I think the 498T and 490R pickups are ceramic magnets with a hot winding, which is why they don't sound particularly "classic" to most folks.

[/quote']

 

As has already been pointed out by Littlekenny, the JB is Alnico V.

 

So are the 490R and 498T, for that matter as demonstrated here.

[Sancho]

Fourth' date=' there are two types of Alnico. II and V. [/quote']

 

There are in fact several more types of AlNiCo.

Here's an article.

And here's a more reliable source.

[tulsaslim]

My two cents: As has been pointed out, ceramics are pretty much 'one-trick ponies'. That said, putting them on an LP, to me, is a total waste. After all, people buy LPs for their wide range of tonal possibilites and a set of ceramics defeats that purpose altogether. The great tone woods that Gibby uses on LPs are wasted on ceramic pickups IMHO.

[RichCI]

How do you figure that one type of pickup has a broader range of sounds over another, tulsaslim? All traditional LPs have the same set of controls and tonal possibilities. You could make an argument that a brighter sounding pickup potentially has more variety to it; you can turn down treble but you can't create it where it doesn't exist with a passive tone control.

[tulsaslim]

I'll admit it's a personal preference. And I own 3 guitars with ceramic pickups. My problem with them is that while they are great for heavy metal and prog, to me they sound very sterile when 'clean'. I even have a set of ceramics on an Epi LP. I use my 'ceramics' strictly for metal & prog. I much prefer alnicos for clean and 'classic rock'-type stuff. For me, that's why I prefer to have several guitars with different pickup combinations. It seems that no alnico can quite match up to ceramics for metal-type stuff but no ceramic does it for me for other stuff, either. There just doesn't seem to be any one pickup that will 'do it all' optimum. For instance, I absolutely love BB pickups but will readily admit they're not worth a damn for metal. Neither are the '57s (to me). Yet they're great for just about anything else. Ceramics, to me, sound like crap for blues. When I go to a gig I take 3 guitars- one with ceramics, one with BBs, & one with P-90s.

[RichCI]

I hear ya. I just didn't understand what you meant by ceramics being any less versatile than any other pickup.