Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: ponce on October 30, 2011, 06:35:45 PM

Title: pickups for les paul
Post by: ponce on October 30, 2011, 06:35:45 PM
Hello! I’m looking for a new pickups (especially bridge) for the full-weight Gibson les paul standart 2001. Now there are burstbucker pro in it. I like the guitar, but I don’t like its muddy tone with distortion channel – that’s the main problem. I’m looking for pups with clarity on distortion channel. I prefer alnico against ceramic for its warm tone.
I play pop-punk-rock with hi gain (close to heavy rock). At first i'm looking for bridge pup for distortion tones.
The full-weight les pauls have the sound with accent in low-mids, against the chambered or weight relieved les pauls. That’s why I think that pickups with more upper-mids will suit me better. I might be wrong, put me write if I wrong.
Could you advise me something a kind of modern sounding?
Title: Re: pickups for les paul
Post by: PhilKing on October 30, 2011, 09:24:35 PM
If you want more mid range push, go for a set of Rebel Yells, if you want a more classic sound, go for the Abraxas set, both work well in heavier guitars. 
Title: Re: pickups for les paul
Post by: Kiichi on October 30, 2011, 09:29:21 PM
Hi and welcome to the wonderfull world of BKPs.

If you are looking for a pub that will sound great in a paula, have higher mid emphasis and do modern rock to heavy metal tones with a little vintage throwback in there I can only recommend the Rebell Yell.

I got one and the short description I always give is: It rocks!
Simple as that. It is very clear in high gain still, has great definition and does not have overbearing lows (though they are very tight), so great for punk style things.
Lots of harmonics and just a wonderfull rock pickup but certainly not limited to that. With mine I manage to get tones I like for things like SVR, Blink 182, Therapy? and Trivium.
It is tight, organic and just alive and rockin.

I think this will be your best bet by a mile.

Cheers
Title: Re: pickups for les paul
Post by: Telerocker on October 30, 2011, 11:26:01 PM
I think you might have a look at RiffRaffs and VHII's. Too different pickups, but both with uppermidrange presence.
Title: Re: pickups for les paul
Post by: darkbluemurder on October 31, 2011, 09:56:40 AM
Another vote for the Rebel Yell here.

Cheers Stephan
Title: Re: pickups for les paul
Post by: ponce on October 31, 2011, 01:45:17 PM
Thank you very much guys  for answers.
Sorry i think it's my mistake - i didn't explain correctly . But i think i'm playing not the traditional punk rock - it's something close to power (hi gain) pop-rock in sounding. Rebel Yell i think suit very well for pure punk rock.
I listened very carefully all sound clips for many times.
I'd choose one of the next bridges:

rif raff
for me there's too much highs
for the bridge humbacker i'd like more output

holydiver
i liked the tone, but it's written that: "excellent for adding depth and body to lighter weight, bolt-on neck guitars" - i have full-weight les paul (i'ts very heavy) and glued neck - so could it suit me?

What's about the clarity with hi gain distortion with these pickups?
What could you say about these pickups?
Title: Re: pickups for les paul
Post by: Sancho on October 31, 2011, 02:28:48 PM
Maybe something is wrong with my Holydiver, but I wouldn't describe it as adding more body to my neckthru maple/alder guitar... There's plenty of sparkle to it though.
Title: Re: pickups for les paul
Post by: Kiichi on October 31, 2011, 03:11:44 PM
Actually, I would hesitate to recommend the RY for pure punk. There the riff raff would be better imho.
The RY definetly can do pop rock (I love playing power balads with it). Generally I think it is best suited for a modern rock style. I would be very comfortable to play anything from AFI and Foo Fighters to Stone Sour with it.
Title: Re: pickups for les paul
Post by: BigB on October 31, 2011, 05:23:23 PM
Have you considered the Alnico Nailbomb ? It's high-output without being OTT, rather aggressive but not harsh, has a nice low-mid growl with still enough hi-mids to cut thru, modern voiced but cleans up nicely to a more "vintage" tone with the volume pot, and remains suprisingly clear and defined under massive gain. I know some people here refers to it as a "moder metal" pickup, but that's definitly not my experience with it - this pup works just fine whether in my power-punk / grunge / indy band or for the more blues-rock stuff I'm playing at home.

My 2 cents.
Title: Re: pickups for les paul
Post by: Sancho on October 31, 2011, 05:42:29 PM
I have the AlNiCo Nailbombs in a Les Paul. Punchy!
Taking that guitar to rehearsal next week to hear how she sounds through the big rig.
Through my home gear there's plenty of body, with quite a lot of compression, especially on the neck pickup.
Title: Re: pickups for les paul
Post by: Telerocker on October 31, 2011, 06:37:25 PM
Just a sidestep: why not Coldsweats? They rock in Les Paul and thought the bridge is ceramic it is not sterile or harsh.
Title: Re: pickups for les paul
Post by: wolfenstein on November 04, 2011, 06:49:17 AM
Just a sidestep: why not Coldsweats? They rock in Les Paul and thought the bridge is ceramic it is not sterile or harsh.

+1 for Cold Sweat....In my LP R8 sounds almost like Alnico mag pickup with aded some presence on top..Previously used 498T+490R combo which sounded too bad in that heavy guitar..Mud and no definition....I´d like to try there Rebel Yell as well because I think it may sounds like improved 498T...
Title: Re: pickups for les paul
Post by: richard on November 04, 2011, 10:46:23 AM
Tim recommended RYs as replacements for the 490/498 set in my Firebird Studio (big, heavy lump of mahogany) and he was spot on. A little less output but WAY more tone and definition. Also, a much better match EQ wise between bridge and neck. Took a lot of fiddling about to get the heights right, for me they work much better set lower than average. I play mainly on the bridge and it drove me insane trying to get a good sound out of the 498T - either too spiky or too muddy with nothing in between.
Title: Re: pickups for les paul
Post by: Sancho on November 04, 2011, 12:20:58 PM
I asked the guys at BKP for a recommendation for a new LP I've got coming in.
They said either the RY or the CS would work fine.
Which still leaves a bit of a dilemma...
Title: Re: pickups for les paul
Post by: Sancho on November 05, 2011, 02:50:26 PM
There's a Belgian shop that's BKP dealer. The owner recommends Black Dogs. For every application...
Title: Re: pickups for les paul
Post by: Telerocker on November 05, 2011, 06:37:20 PM
There's a Belgian shop that's BKP dealer. The owner recommends Black Dogs. For every application...

Even for a tele?  :?
Title: Re: pickups for les paul
Post by: Sancho on November 05, 2011, 10:54:06 PM
No, for Gibson style axes, obviously.
I need to get there and see if he has them installed in something so I can give them a test drive.
Title: Re: pickups for les paul
Post by: Telerocker on November 06, 2011, 01:11:19 AM
Just joking man!
Title: Re: pickups for les paul
Post by: Sancho on November 06, 2011, 12:41:20 PM
Knowing the guy, it wouldn't surprise me he'd recommend them for a Martin D45, actually... :lol:
Title: Re: pickups for les paul
Post by: MrBump on November 06, 2011, 01:34:52 PM
Have a listen to Nolly doing some of his prog metal magic on a set of Mules - makes you rethink a little how "vintage" pickups can handle a decent amount of gain...
Title: Re: pickups for les paul
Post by: Telerocker on November 06, 2011, 03:10:27 PM
Knowing the guy, it wouldn't surprise me he'd recommend them for a Martin D45, actually... :lol:

Fattest Martin ever...  :lol: