Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: turnstyle on May 17, 2013, 12:26:04 PM

Title: BKP for a 25/50 Anniversary Les Paul
Post by: turnstyle on May 17, 2013, 12:26:04 PM
Getting a 25/50 LP in great condition except the bridge pickup has fallen victim to the classic dead coil syndrome.  Stock pickups are the Gibson "tarback" humbuckers that are virtually impossible to operate on due to the epoxy-like material they are potted with.  Pretty convinced that Bare Knuckle HB's belong in there, just need some guidance on which ones.

Guitar: Maple on Mahogany body, 5-pc laminate neck, ebony fretboard, around 12.5lbs, a little on the dark side with the stock covered pickups

Pickups: Need 3 or 4 wire (guitar has a split switch) with gold covers,  No AlNiCo 2 or ceramic (covered in other guitars), looking for a PAF + some extra fullness.  In the vein of Page, Frampton, Haynes, Walsh plus thick and rich as it can be without becoming muddy.
Title: Re: BKP for a 25/50 Anniversary Les Paul
Post by: Kiichi on May 17, 2013, 12:34:03 PM
Hi and welcome.

What you describe sounds like a Blackdog to me. That thing has vintage character with extra balls. Bit more output, lotta body and a great midrange growl. Should give you weight and fullness in spades.

As far as thick and rich HBs go this one could only be beaten by the Crawler, but that is not as vintage and but a lot thicker still. For a LP I would deffo go with the BD.
Title: Re: BKP for a 25/50 Anniversary Les Paul
Post by: EffigyForgotten on May 17, 2013, 01:57:47 PM
Sounds like Black Dog to me.
Title: Re: BKP for a 25/50 Anniversary Les Paul
Post by: Slartibartfarst42 on May 17, 2013, 02:17:44 PM
The Page reference certainly suggests Black Dogs though 'PAF +' also had me thinking of Abraxas as that's often described as a bit of a Mule +
Title: Re: BKP for a 25/50 Anniversary Les Paul
Post by: Telerocker on May 17, 2013, 11:38:35 PM
Boring, but yeah, Black Dog for sure.
Title: Re: BKP for a 25/50 Anniversary Les Paul
Post by: turnstyle on May 18, 2013, 03:47:06 AM
Thanks for the replies so far!  So I am hearing Black Dog Set, but intrigued with the Abraxas, Crawler and boring references.  Let me re-phrase the question the: What pickups would you put in it if the guitar was yours and you already had the modern humbucker sound and the AlNiCo 2 sound taken care of with other guitars, and you just want this one to stand out as the perfect representation of what Les Paul means to you (as opposed to an Explorer, a Jackson Soloist or something from the ES/DOT line)? 
Title: Re: BKP for a 25/50 Anniversary Les Paul
Post by: Gibson 1964 on May 18, 2013, 05:21:40 AM
Thanks for the replies so far!  So I am hearing Black Dog Set, but intrigued with the Abraxas, Crawler and boring references.  Let me re-phrase the question the: What pickups would you put in it if the guitar was yours and you already had the modern humbucker sound and the AlNiCo 2 sound taken care of with other guitars, and you just want this one to stand out as the perfect representation of what Les Paul means to you (as opposed to an Explorer, a Jackson Soloist or something from the ES/DOT line)?

I would go with mules, myself.

Abraxas would be good, but i think I would go with stormy mondays if I were to deviate from the Mules, but that is me.
Title: Re: BKP for a 25/50 Anniversary Les Paul
Post by: BigB on May 18, 2013, 09:56:42 AM
Let me re-phrase the question the: What pickups would you put in it if the guitar was yours and you already had the modern humbucker sound and the AlNiCo 2 sound taken care of with other guitars, and you just want this one to stand out as the perfect representation of what Les Paul means to you ?

Black Dog bridge, RR neck.
Title: Re: BKP for a 25/50 Anniversary Les Paul
Post by: bandmaster188 on May 18, 2013, 10:15:20 AM
if you want thick and rich, then its abraxas all the way.
Title: Re: BKP for a 25/50 Anniversary Les Paul
Post by: Telerocker on May 18, 2013, 02:43:00 PM
Black Dog-bridge/Mule-neck, perfect for your styles.
Title: Re: BKP for a 25/50 Anniversary Les Paul
Post by: ericsabbath on May 19, 2013, 04:18:27 AM
I wouldn't classify the black dog as a hot PAF, but it should work if you're not looking for a true PAF voicing
it is full, thick and rich sounding