gibson les paul studio electronics upgrade help

[guitar_randy]

I have a 2004 Gibson Les Paul studio.Alot of people are saying I will notice an improvement by upgrading the electronics.I am somewhat lost when it comes to what I have ,what is good,what is best,etc

What would be the electronics which should/could be replaced in my studio and which exact ones would be the way to go?

Thanks

http://www.specialtyguitars.com/kits/lespaul.html

[brundaddy]

If it ain't broke don't fix it. If you like the way the pickups sound then don't do a damn thing to your guitar until something craps out. If you just can't stand to hear another note because you think the pickups are crappy, then change em... and even then, think on it for some time before you go and do it.

[guitar_randy]

If it ain't broke don't fix it. If you like the way the pickups sound then don't do a damn thing to your guitar until something craps out. If you just can't stand to hear another note because you think the pickups are crappy' date=' then change em... and even then, think on it for some time before you go and do it.[/quote']

I've had this guitar 4 years now and the neck pickup is fine,but the bridge pickup is driving me crazy.Only thing i find it good for really is heavy,real hard rock/metal kind of stuff.I can't find any way to get the smooth,defined ,sound,more like the vintage kind of sound I am trying to.The other gibsons I have ,have the angus pickup in the bridge and 490t in the bridge.They get me there,but no matter what i try with this 498t ,it to me,just sucks

[Dynadude]

Tricky topic, but it seems you may be happier with a PAF type pickup.

 

I'm sure you've tried all the usual things that would change the tone of the pickup, like height adjustments on the pickup and tail piece. Right?

[guitar_randy]

Tricky topic' date=' but it seems you may be happier with a PAF type pickup.

 

I'm sure you've tried all the usual things that would change the tone of the pickup, like height adjustments on the pickup and tail piece. Right?[/quote']

 

 

Every possible thing I could think of.But when I play one of my other Gibsons with the different bridge pickup,sounds much sweeter.I think Gibson must have made the 498t to be so much modern that it doesn't perform well with what I want,which is not modern stuff

[guitar_randy]

i even think my epiphone dot with the gfs vintage 59 pickups blows the gibson studio out of the building

[KSG_Standard]

I'm an old guy and I don't much care for modern music. I play blues, blues rock, classic rock and other stuff and I do it just fine with the 498t pickups that came standard in some of my gibbies. I turn down the guitar volume to clean things up...when I need to and I roll off the tone a little to take the edge off when I want to. I think that the 490r/498t combo is pretty sweet. Not as nice as the '57 classics but still sweet.

[AXE®]

After 27 threads in two different forums I hope you find your answer soon.

 

You say you have had the guitar four years?

 

Took me that long to get a college degree..

 

Go figure...

[Murph]

I always thought that was a pretty good combination there?

 

I was wrong?

 

Murph.

[guitar_randy]

After 27 threads in two different forums I hope you find your answer soon.

 

You say you have had the guitar four years?

 

Took me that long to get a college degree..

 

Go figure...

 

 

Well I play my other guitars too.

Its not my only guitar.And I think I'd like it more if I can find a way to get it more to the sound of the others.

I research things alot before doing anything,in hopes I don't make costly errors.

If you don't care for my messages,I don't have any problems if you ignore them.

Something they maybe didn't teach in college?

[guitar_randy]

I'm an old guy and I don't much care for modern music. I play blues' date=' blues rock, classic rock and other stuff and I do it just fine with the 498t pickups that came standard in some of my gibbies. I turn down the guitar volume to clean things up...when I need to and I roll off the tone a little to take the edge off when I want to. I think that the 490r/498t combo is pretty sweet. Not as nice as the '57 classics but still sweet.[/quote']

 

I think its something with the midrange.Can't pinpoint it.

Its like alot of treble on one end and muddy in the middle.

i can live with the too much treble as I can seem to account for that by turning the tone knob down,but I so far cannot find a way to fix the mids.Is there a certain method or procedure to adjusting the screws to take away some of the mids?

[guitar_randy]

I always thought that was a pretty good combination there?

 

I was wrong?

 

Murph.

 

I guess that depends if YOU like them.

[guitar_randy]

I think maybe the 498t is described well here where it states the hot pickups are good for overtones but that about all,where the lower output pickups define tone better.

 

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/Gibson%20Tone%20Tips_%20Pickup%20Selec/

 

So what is made dfferently on Gibsons humbuckers as far as to obtain different tones?I don't mean like alnico 2 or V,I mean what gives some more mids and highs and others not?What is made differently to do this?

[AXE®]

Windings. ...The amount of wire on the bobbins.

Level layer winding, opposed to random winding.

Different magnets of course.

 

here is a 59 random wound unwaxed in the neck, and a 498T.Which may not sound like what you want in your studio but, is a perfect match for the Chainsaw,

 

 

 

[guitar_randy]

Windings. ...The amount of wire on the bobbins.

Level layer winding' date=' opposed to random winding.

Different magnets of course.

 

here is a 59 random wound unwaxed in the neck, and a 498T.Which may not sound like what you want in your studio but, is a perfect match for the Chainsaw,

 

 

 

[center'][/center]

 

Yea,some like it,to me it makes the guitar sound like firewood

[AXE®]

I'll be working on a custom set of AXEwinds® with a reputable winder soon, maybe they will fit the bill for you.

Open coil, creams, level wound, 57ish type.

Wide open warm, rolled back cool...

[Dynadude]

You could try a different type of cap, but that would only give you different tone when you actually turn the tone pot toward the low range. It is an inexpensive change though, so I would try that before changing pickups.

 

I put a Musicap in my Tele, after experimenting with a few others. It seemed to give the pickups a clearer tone at the low and mid areas of the tone pot range. Others seemed to muddy up the mid and low range, or have a sharp drop off of the highs anywhere other than all the way at the treble end, where the cap basically has no affect.

[brundaddy]

Ok well I have a Paul that had the 498 or whatever bridge pup and HATED it, just like you... same damn complaints even. SO I slapped in a 57 Classic Plus and couldn't be happier. I never put in new "electronics" otherwise, just touched up this or that wiring/soldering as needed. The pup in there now is fantastic, better than I hoped! I play all styles from Merle Haggard to jazz to Slayer and my Paul eats it all up with a spoon (the 57+ is totally compatible-sounding with the neck pup too).

 

...just wanted to be sure you didn't just buy the guitar and instantly plan to do something stupid. I can't recommend the 57+ highly enough!

[MikeRom]

Premier Guitar interview with Jason Lollar talking about pickups and windings and such -

 

http://digital.premierguitar.com/premierguitar/200812/?folio=91

[Thundergod]

Its not my only guitar.And I think I'd like it more if I can find a way to get it more to the sound of the others.

 

 

...so why don't you just... play the others?

[ALIEN8]

swap for the '57, you'll be happy you did. That would be the easiest most direct way of solving it.

 

If you want to get into caps and pots it will be a long drawn out process of elimination.

[guitar_randy]

 

 

...so why don't you just... play the others?

 

 

I thought I wrote in there that I did.

I do.I'm attempting to make this one more useable as well

Next question....

[Thundergod]

...what do you mean by "more usable" is the original tone of that guitar really unusable?

 

I have a studio that rearely leaves its case and I dont find her unusable... I just like my other lester better. I wouldnt go as far asa try to change the studio to sound like any of my other guitars... it has a sound of her own, and if I don't sell her, I will be happy to have a guitar that doesn't sound the same.

 

Ever wanted a strat that played like a gibson... felt like a gibson... and looked like a gibson? Get a gibson.

 

If you want a les paul that plays, sounds, looks and feels like a strat (or whatever guitar you may wish for) just buy that guitar and forget about the lester.

[guitar_randy]

...what do you mean by "more usable" is the original tone of that guitar really unusable?

 

I have a studio that rearely leaves its case and I dont find her unusable... I just like my other lester better. I wouldnt go as far asa try to change the studio to sound like any of my other guitars... it has a sound of her own' date=' and if I don't sell her, I will be happy to have a guitar that doesn't sound the same.

 

Ever wanted a strat that played like a gibson... felt like a gibson... and looked like a gibson? Get a gibson.

 

If you want a les paul that plays, sounds, looks and feels like a strat (or whatever guitar you may wish for) just buy that guitar and forget about the lester.[/quote']

 

 

To each his own.You can do as you wish with your guitars,as I will with mine.

Not everyone looks at that the way you do.

I'm going for the more vintage type tone.Its still going to sound like a les paul,but a better sounding(to me)les paul.

You disect eevrything if you want,I'm just chassing down the pickup with the right tone I'm looking for for the studio.If you don't like it,who gives a sh*t?

[guitar_randy]

swap for the '57' date=' you'll be happy you did. That would be the easiest most direct way of solving it.

 

If you want to get into caps and pots it will be a long drawn out process of elimination.[/quote']

 

 

I think your right with the pots/caps.I ain't going to get into them,at least not yet.I think you are right with the pickup too.If I stick with Gibson products,I think the 57 classic is best bet from what I can tell