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Author Topic: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION  (Read 17786 times)

_tom_

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GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
« Reply #15 on: May 16, 2006, 09:51:46 PM »
Damn... I gotta get one now  :D

paulburns1984

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GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
« Reply #16 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.

Ced777

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GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
« Reply #17 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.

Shag101

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GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
« Reply #18 on: May 17, 2006, 06:04:20 PM »
I think for GnR and VR, the mules would be better.  thanks
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fps_dean

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GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
« Reply #19 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.
Real men turn their volume to 11!

Rebel Yells + Les Paul = the Ultimate Rock Pickup.

paulburns1984

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GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
« Reply #20 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

Backbone

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GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
« Reply #21 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...

Ced777

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GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
« Reply #22 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!

fps_dean

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GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
« Reply #23 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...
Real men turn their volume to 11!

Rebel Yells + Les Paul = the Ultimate Rock Pickup.

fps_dean

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GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
« Reply #24 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 ;)
Real men turn their volume to 11!

Rebel Yells + Les Paul = the Ultimate Rock Pickup.

Backbone

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GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
« Reply #25 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

Buddha

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GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
« Reply #26 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.

Jappse

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GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 49OT/498R SUBSTITUTION
« Reply #27 on: June 14, 2006, 06:49:51 PM »
Mule bridge, stormy monday (alnico II) neck.
I spy with my bloodshot eye...

Miracle Man AND Nailbomb/Mule Combo