Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: DaveyHoran on February 15, 2014, 07:55:10 PM

Title: Chambered Les Paul - what pickup???
Post by: DaveyHoran on February 15, 2014, 07:55:10 PM
I picked up a fully chambered Les Paul (2008 model) - what pickups will work well??? anyone have experience replacing pickups in the chambered LPs?
Title: Re: Chambered Les Paul - what pickup???
Post by: darrenw5094 on February 16, 2014, 12:09:04 AM
All of them, depending what you want it to sound like.  8)

Vintage or modern tone? Any types of bands you like etc.
Title: Re: Chambered Les Paul - what pickup???
Post by: DaveyHoran on February 16, 2014, 08:18:52 AM

i'm not sure every pickup can work well with a chambered LP??? ...but for a rock tone, maybe in the region of guns n roses / alice in chains / soundgarden ... i'm not a shred head & i usually tune to Eb.
Title: Re: Chambered Les Paul - what pickup???
Post by: Telerocker on February 16, 2014, 11:26:34 AM
I see you already have BKP's. I think a lot of pickups will do, but for heavy rock I would look at the Rebel Yell and - more smooth - the Holy Diver, or more vintage the Abraxas.
Title: Re: Chambered Les Paul - what pickup???
Post by: bandmaster188 on February 16, 2014, 11:54:10 AM
I've got an Abraxas set in my 2008 chambered les paul and they are spot on for all the classic and southern rock styles I play.
Title: Re: Chambered Les Paul - what pickup???
Post by: darrenw5094 on February 16, 2014, 03:29:36 PM

i'm not sure every pickup can work well with a chambered LP???

Ok, then most of them. :)

Mule, abraxas, Emerald, Rebel Yell all would work for your choices
Title: Re: Chambered Les Paul - what pickup???
Post by: littleredguitars2 on February 17, 2014, 02:03:04 AM
FULLY chambered? how much does it weigh?
Title: Re: Chambered Les Paul - what pickup???
Post by: DaveyHoran on February 17, 2014, 03:03:26 PM

"Fully chambered" as in the 2008 style chambering which Gibson did before they were moved to make the chambering aesthetically pleasing. After the xrays emerged and all the keyboard warriors freaked out that so much wood had been removed, gibson made chambering prettier for the xrays...at least that's my understanding of events :roll:

It weighs about the same as my sg...give or take... & the ergonomic neck is class.

I did a side by side shoot out last night between my 2008 LP & my mates 2001 LP (both have burstbuckers) through my vox ac30 & there is very little difference in tone...both great with subtle differences.

I think lower output might be the way to go...but looking to hear from more people who might have ideas?

cheers

Title: Re: Chambered Les Paul - what pickup???
Post by: darkbluemurder on February 17, 2014, 03:56:36 PM
Most BK pickups should work well. I would probably stay away from the ones with the highest output but everything else should be fine. Telerocker made some good suggestions.

Can you please tell us more about your other equipment (amp, cabinet, pedals)?

Cheers Stephan
Title: Re: Chambered Les Paul - what pickup???
Post by: DaveyHoran on February 18, 2014, 03:06:37 PM

I play through a VoxAC30 with 2 x 12" celestion alnico blue speakers and an extension cab with 2 x 12" celestion alnico golds. I use the amp for overdrive with my bridge pickup & my guitar volume / neck picup for cleans - tuner, chorus pedal and a booster for solos.

Title: Re: Chambered Les Paul - what pickup???
Post by: Philly Q on February 18, 2014, 05:44:00 PM
FULLY chambered? how much does it weigh?

Here's a thing about the different types of weight relief Gibson use, I was reading it yesterday:

http://www.themusiczoo.com/blog/2012/a-guide-to-gibson-weight-relief/ (http://www.themusiczoo.com/blog/2012/a-guide-to-gibson-weight-relief/)

I do worry a little if there's enough wood surrounding the bridge and tailpiece studs on the fully chambered body.
Title: Re: Chambered Les Paul - what pickup???
Post by: bandmaster188 on February 18, 2014, 07:10:13 PM
yeh, that really is quite shocking the amount of missing timber on the 2008, which i've got. must say though its been one of my favourite les pauls so far so i'm not too concerned.
you could probably see through it if you held it up to the light :lol:
Title: Re: Chambered Les Paul - what pickup???
Post by: Philly Q on February 18, 2014, 08:44:27 PM
I wonder if the "Modern" weight relief is really an improvement on the other methods, but I must say it looks like an impressively well thought out design.  Most un-Gibson-like!
Title: Re: Chambered Les Paul - what pickup???
Post by: bandmaster188 on February 18, 2014, 09:02:37 PM
I wonder if the "Modern" weight relief is really an improvement on the other methods, but I must say it looks like an impressively well thought out design.  Most un-Gibson-like!

i like the way they've incorpporated a flying v design into the chambering pattern. it certainly looks more impressive than the "no wood under the hood" routing on my guitar!!
Title: Re: Chambered Les Paul - what pickup???
Post by: DaveyHoran on February 19, 2014, 08:50:08 AM

yep, they made it prettier under the hood. My gut instinct when i see the different methods of weight relief is to believe that the prettiest looking weight relief is the best, BUT i have no evidence to support my instinct.

I have done a shoot out between a 2001 & 2008 LP & could not find anything negative worth mentioning. No feedback at high volume. No Lack of sustain. The tone is slightly different but not in a bad way, just like every LP has its own sound.

I can say that before the shootout I was very skeptical about the chambered LP, but it holds its own with the older model. In fact, the newer standards feel better due to the "plekd" set up, ergonomic neck shape & lighter weight.

As a singer I have always prefered the sg over the LP as it has less influence over posture so the lighter LP works for me.

Title: Re: Chambered Les Paul - what pickup???
Post by: Philly Q on February 19, 2014, 11:56:17 AM
yep, they made it prettier under the hood. My gut instinct when i see the different methods of weight relief is to believe that the prettiest looking weight relief is the best, BUT i have no evidence to support my instinct.

Yeah, that's exactly what I think, it looks "scientific".

Whereas the other two methods look like "this one's too heavy, tell Barry to have a go at it with the router until it feels a bit lighter...".