Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: OU818 on February 22, 2010, 04:56:57 AM

Title: Hot Vintage for a POS Epiphone Les Paul
Post by: OU818 on February 22, 2010, 04:56:57 AM

Hi Guys,

Happy player of BKP's but first post on the Forums (could have sworn I had posted before... either way).

I am looking to put a Hot Vintage in the bridge of a Chinese made Epiphone Les Paul. This guitar is going to be purely used as a backup guitar for gigs if my SG ever fails me.

I currently play a Gibson SG with 496r and 500t in the style of mid 90's grunge to late 70's rock. I also play a Les Paul with Painkillers however that is for a different band altogether.

Could anybody give me some ideas on the sound achieved from the VHII and the Black Dog? I understand that a good pickup in a cheap guitar isn't going to make the guitar sound amazing however I am looking for something that will allow it to sound as good as it can get for the style it is meant to be playing.

Thanks.

Matt

Title: Re: Hot Vintage for a POS Epiphone Les Paul
Post by: Twinfan on February 22, 2010, 09:16:37 AM

VHII - bright, thinner sounding, like a bigger single coil sound.  Great in a duller sounding guitar from my experience.

Black Dog - punchier yet still bright, thicker than the VHII.

If your LP is a bit duller sounding, I'd opt for the VHII or the Riff Raff.  In fact, I'd suggest the Riff Raff anyway!  :lol:

Title: Re: Hot Vintage for a POS Epiphone Les Paul
Post by: OU818 on February 22, 2010, 11:05:11 AM

Cool thanks.
I hadn't considered the Riff Raff. Will look into it.

Title: Re: Hot Vintage for a POS Epiphone Les Paul
Post by: closetrockstar on February 23, 2010, 07:07:32 PM

Twin Fan offers some great advice.  I just installed a pair of VHII's in a Gibson Les Paul 59 reissue and they sound fantastic.  Not thin at all, although that could be many things besides just the pups themselves.

Any of the suggestions Twin Fan made will most likely sound worlds beter than what you're hearing now. I myself am very happy with the tone I'm getting from the VHII's in all positions.

good luck!! 

Title: Re: Hot Vintage for a POS Epiphone Les Paul
Post by: ericsabbath on February 25, 2010, 07:03:40 AM

you could move the 500t/496r to the epiphone
they are very hot pups and the 500t is quite compressed, so they tend to minimize the difference between a cheap guitar to a Gibson

then order a BK set for the SG :D

Title: Re: Hot Vintage for a POS Epiphone Les Paul
Post by: HTH AMPS on February 25, 2010, 02:03:21 PM

Abraxas  8)

Title: Re: Hot Vintage for a POS Epiphone Les Paul
Post by: AndyR on February 25, 2010, 02:25:51 PM

Quote from: Eric Hellstyle on February 25, 2010, 07:03:40 AM

you could move the 500t/496r to the epiphone
they are very hot pups and the 500t is quite compressed, so they tend to minimize the difference between a cheap guitar to a Gibson

then order a BK set for the SG :D

I'd agree with this.

My Mules were bought for an Epi - weren't working out like I planned.
I bought a MIJ Tokai Love Rock for the Mules, and it's magnificent.

Meanwhile, I'd acquired a Gibson Explorer with the 500T/496R pairing. It was nice, but not what I wanted from it. I BKP'd it, first with Riff Raffs (good), second with MQs (superb), so the gibson pickups were going spare...

I put them in the Epi for a laugh... and it sounds gorgeous :lol: