Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: Backbone on May 14, 2006, 01:25:54 AM

Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: Backbone on May 14, 2006, 01:25:54 AM
Hi Guys I need some help. I have a 1993 Gibson Les Paul Custom (MAHGONY BODY and EBONY NECK) with stock 490T and 498R. I normally play Blues/Rock/Grunge  like Led, Pearl Jam, Guns, Aerosmith, Gary Moore, stone temple pilots, and RHCP stuff...etc. It happens that I want a lower output pickups (the current neck is too muddy and compressed and the bridge doesn't give that PAF Les paul classic tone). I want to turn my beuty something more like a 59' standard...

In my playing style I normally  use a plexi style amp i the dirt channel and control the gain between rythm and solos with my guitar volume pot and sometimes a TS808 for some specific solos.


I am thinking on thesse sets and in the following order:

Voodoo '59 PAF set
Bare Knucle : Stormy monday Set (gold cover)
Seymor alnico pro II Neck and Seth Lover or '59 Bridge
Seymor alnico pro II Neck and Rio grande Genuine Texas Bridge~


I NEED YOUR HELP . Any one tried these on a custom Les PAUL. The Mules could be anoption?
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: _tom_ on May 14, 2006, 01:44:35 AM
I dont have a proper LP Custom but I have an Epiphone LP Custom (alder cap instead of maple which would make a difference I guesS). But I'll answer anyway. I have Mules in my LP and they are great for what you said you play. Really versatile pickups.
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: Ced777 on May 14, 2006, 07:45:17 AM
Mules.
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: Peterku on May 14, 2006, 09:21:26 AM
Definitely Mules for the traditional LP tone. Stormy Mondays for a more rounded PAF tone with slightly lower output, or VHII's for the bright, really open, raw PAF tone. :) Putting a Mississipi Queen into the neck position could be also interesting.

I haven't tried (only heard) the Duncans and the Voodoo.
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: PhilKing on May 15, 2006, 11:21:22 AM
if you want the classic Led Zep sound, then get the Black Dogs, but other than that I would say go for the Mules for a great les paul sound.
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: Twinfan on May 15, 2006, 12:12:34 PM
This post is great timing!  I was playing my LP Std yesterday back to back with my '65 Epi SG and the SG had by FAR the better tone with stock pups!  My Riff Raffs should arrive this week, so the SG is really going to smoke the LP tone wise!

I find the stock pickups (490R/498T) are way too hot and harsh for a classic Les Paul tone.  The pickups in my SG are Epi Classic '57s and are much lower ouput and more rounded.

I think I'll be looking to get some cash together for a set of Mules for the LP.
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: sgmypod on May 16, 2006, 09:39:03 AM
had those gib pickups in my gibsg...not nice.especially not nice clean...replaced with crawlers..sounds like a gibson now*L*

And had 59's S/duncuns in my bluesbird(LP Mahogany bodied) not a bad pickup...until I put Emeralds in...the emeralds are far clearer sounding can hear everything and has the range to go from classic LP, blues to rock and anything inbetween
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: paulburns1984 on May 16, 2006, 06:02:35 PM
So which bkp would be best to replace and kick the ass of, the gibson 490/498T and Burstbucker pro pickups?

Mules?
Riff Raffs?
Crawlers?
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: Shag101 on May 16, 2006, 08:28:33 PM
Quote from: paulburns1984
So which bkp would be best to replace and kick the ass of, the gibson 490/498T and Burstbucker pro pickups?

Mules?
Riff Raffs?
Crawlers?


ANY  :wink:
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: paulburns1984 on May 16, 2006, 08:31:04 PM
Quote from: paulburns1984
So which bkp would be best to replace and kick the ass of, the gibson 490/498T and Burstbucker pro pickups?

Mules?
Riff Raffs?
Crawlers?
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: indysmith on May 16, 2006, 08:41:57 PM
mules.
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: Shag101 on May 16, 2006, 08:43:39 PM
Quote from: paulburns1984
Quote from: paulburns1984
So which bkp would be best to replace and kick the ass of, the gibson 490/498T and Burstbucker pro pickups?

Mules?
Riff Raffs?
Crawlers?


What are you looking to do?  Do you want to keep the same high output as the stock ones you got or are you looking to get a more classic PAF type sound?
If you want a pickup with the same output but will wipe the floor with the stock ones get the nailbombs....
If you want a non high output for better cleans and a classic PAF sound get the Mules.

I had these stock pups in my sg.  I swapped them for a warpig bridge and a queen neck.  The queen neck is AMAZING....the warpig is brutal....but i just like to be over the top....since i went high output...i wanted it to the extreme.... :twisted:
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: _tom_ on May 16, 2006, 08:45:46 PM
Dont mean to hijack the thread.. but Shag, whats the MQ like for rock leads? Thinking of swapping my Mule out for one.
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: Shag101 on May 16, 2006, 08:59:58 PM
Quote from: _tom_
Dont mean to hijack the thread.. but Shag, whats the MQ like for rock leads? Thinking of swapping my Mule out for one.


I love my queen to death.  I thought I was going to be blown away by the warpig but was even more so blown away by the queen.  Very nice raw sound that never gets muddy even if you try to....It is definitely like Tim says, It has the best of both worlds.  The fatness of a bucker with the crispness of a single.  I think it is killer for rock leads.....
I'm thinking of buying another cheapo guitar to drop in a queen bridge and neck....Simply amazing!!!!!!!
I'm not sure how they would match with a Mule bridge.  Mine is a little above the pick guard and still competes sound level wise no problem with the warpig.  ....chris
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: Ced777 on May 16, 2006, 09:34:57 PM
I have a Mule bridge and MQ neck. The MQ is a bit more powerfull than Mule, but adjusting the height of pickups is enough to balance both. No problem.
The MQ is simply amazing: I told it to Tim (or Steve) the day I played it: one of the most impressive pickups of the line! if you love clear (read "NEVER muddy") and punchy neck pickup.
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: _tom_ on May 16, 2006, 09:51:46 PM
Damn... I gotta get one now  :D
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: paulburns1984 on May 17, 2006, 12:05:10 AM
Quote from: Ced777
I have a Mule bridge and MQ neck. The MQ is a bit more powerfull than Mule, but adjusting the height of pickups is enough to balance both. No problem.
The MQ is simply amazing: I told it to Tim (or Steve) the day I played it: one of the most impressive pickups of the line! if you love clear (read "NEVER muddy") and punchy neck pickup.


Does the MQ suit GnR and VR type sounds then, talking both lead and rythm for those bands here.
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: Ced777 on May 17, 2006, 05:54:40 PM
The typical Slash neck tone is a bit smoother than the MQ neck. You can use the tone knob to compensate I think.
The MQ bridge could do a great job in Slash rhythm, IMHO.
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: Shag101 on May 17, 2006, 06:04:20 PM
I think for GnR and VR, the mules would be better.  thanks
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: fps_dean on May 18, 2006, 04:48:34 AM
I love the classic Les Paul tone.  I put BurstbuckerTs into my Les Paul and they do sound just like PAFs.  The one problem is that they are, like the originals, unpotted and when I turn the gain up a bit, the feedback goes out of control.

I was considering replacing them with Black Dogs until today I came across another BKP that caught my attention: the Steve Stevens Rebel Yell.  The clips that Steve did sound like what I would expect from Steve Stevens and his tone in general has always been very good, so I am going to try a pair of them.

Personally, if I were you I would do the same thing.  They sound like they are very versitile and not just clean-only like PAFs.
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: paulburns1984 on May 18, 2006, 08:00:54 PM
Quote from: fps_dean
I love the classic Les Paul tone.  I put BurstbuckerTs into my Les Paul and they do sound just like PAFs.  The one problem is that they are, like the originals, unpotted and when I turn the gain up a bit, the feedback goes out of control.

I was considering replacing them with Black Dogs until today I came across another BKP that caught my attention: the Steve Stevens Rebel Yell.  The clips that Steve did sound like what I would expect from Steve Stevens and his tone in general has always been very good, so I am going to try a pair of them.

Personally, if I were you I would do the same thing.  They sound like they are very versitile and not just clean-only like PAFs.


Tim says that the Rebel Yells are much hotter than a classic PAF style pup tho, so I don't know if you're gonna get the true PAF tone out of them that you could with SMs or Mules
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: Backbone on May 19, 2006, 04:25:48 PM
Guys, I call TIM and his advice eas for the Stormy mondays. I have my decision made.... I will receive them next week, and then I will post some samples for you. By the way you can check the current stock pickups  490R and 498T firing on my Les Paul here...www.toneark.web.pt  Look in the downloads part...


...and let there be rock...
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: Ced777 on May 19, 2006, 06:13:21 PM
Very interesting. There is not so much Stormy Mondays users, so a review would be GREATLY appreciated. A lot of us are Slash tone lovers!
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: fps_dean on May 19, 2006, 08:51:00 PM
Quote from: paulburns1984
Tim says that the Rebel Yells are much hotter than a classic PAF style pup tho, so I don't know if you're gonna get the true PAF tone out of them that you could with SMs or Mules


I am aware of this.  I figure they are around 14k as opposed to 7k or whatever a PAF is.  They have some PAF-mids to them and sound perfect.  I don't need an actual PAF tone although I do like it a lot, but whatever goes in my Les Paul should still sound like a Les Paul.

I have a general rule of Les Paul pickups, I don't know if this will make sense to anyone or not.  Alnico magnet pickups usually have an unmistakable midrange in Les Pauls (and wont be very muddy and will have good clarity), a PAF overtone to them if you will.  Pickups like this can generally pull off an acceptable classic LP tone, and maybe a whole lot better.

The other thing, when I put the BurstbuckerTs into the Les Paul, I had a strat, and a Jem.  My goal at the time for the Les Paul was to be a clean sounding guitar with humbuckers, to contrast my other two guitars.  Since I have sold the strat for a Carvin which gets me a clean that is fairly close to the Les Paul in terms of a clean tone and a great fusion overdrive, this changes my original goal.  I was initially going to put a Tone Zone and PAF Pro into the Carvin, something I know will be fairly versitile but more modern sounding, but seeing how nice some people's BKP Les Paul clips sound I was thinking that I would upgrade my LP pickups too, get some wax potted PAF replicas.  But the Rebel Yells just sounded so damn good I just had to try them.

The stock pickups in my LP Classic did real good Zakk Wylde like pinch harmonics and were very dark, but that's all they did.  Sort of like slightly less muddy quieter versions of the Duncan Distortions... doesn't really sound like a Les Paul.  Did not sound like a classic Les Paul in any way.  With my Ibanez Jem with Evolutions I could come much closer to Gary Moore's tone on The Messiah Will Come Again than my Les Paul before I swapped the pickups.  That's the only thing I am really going to miss, is that perfect Gary Moore tone I can nail with the current pups.

I always give long explanations for everything...
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: fps_dean on May 19, 2006, 08:54:26 PM
Quote from: Backbone
Guys, I call TIM and his advice eas for the Stormy mondays. I have my decision made.... I will receive them next week, and then I will post some samples for you. By the way you can check the current stock pickups  490R and 498T firing on my Les Paul here...www.toneark.web.pt  Look in the downloads part...


...and let there be rock...


I think you are going to absolutely love the Stormy Mondays for what you play.  They will effectively up the midrange and sound a bit more raw and really bring out your guitar tone.  The 498T/490R are too tight for that - more of a hard rock / 80s pickup.  Good move!

I'll be waiting to hear them ;)
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: Backbone on June 12, 2006, 11:12:23 AM
Guys. I have been playing with stormy mondays for two weeks. Now it is time to make my review.  :)

1. My les paul custom sounded more natural, imagine the sound of this guitar unplugged.
2. The bass response is not big and unnatural or artifitial like with the stock pickups
3. I have more clarity and smothness, with creamy mids, mores highs and harmonics are more clear that I used to have. I dont need to push the treble buton from my amp above the 10 o'clock.
4. The neck pickups gives me that tube sound, not like a strat, more like a real gibson with body and character. If I want a trully tube sound à la SRV or Hendrix I would have bought a nice USA Strat.
5. These pickups respond better to string playing  intensity, such as when I play the strings hard my hamp gets right the way overdriven (note: I use a lot the volume and tone pots to manage amp overdrive). When I turn the volume for 2 or 3 position I get better clean sounds witth more harmonics than I have with stock Pickups. I can play easier clean rythm chords.
6. The setup is very well balanced, I change a lot from Bridge/neck in my style of playing and I feel the same tone and character is there, I don't feel any difference in that when I am changing from bridge to neck


Finally: I AM CRAZY WITH THIS CHANGE ON MY GUITAR. I will not put any sound clip in here because that's the wrong way to evaluate pickups. You will ear my guitar wood, picking, cables, amp stages, tubes, Speakers, mics, recording, room ambiance, mp3 digital encoding, your speakers..etc..etc.

If you have money, talk to TIM and give it a try. The only thing I can say is the points above.

..Keep on rocking
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: Buddha on June 12, 2006, 11:24:31 AM
I have also been playng with a stormy monday in the neck, and it just nails the slash tone. It has good mids and trebles and  the same punchy sound, but it till keeps smooth and has an underlying warmth. if you add some gain it still manages to cut through but with the same warmth and tone. I should be able to post some clips this week.
Title: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
Post by: Jappse on June 14, 2006, 06:49:51 PM
Mule bridge, stormy monday (alnico II) neck.