Sparkly Gibson??

[kidamnesiac]

Hey,

I have a routine question I am hoping someone might be able to help me with.  I recently picked up a Strat Pro to go with my Gibson '58 Reissue and I've always been a gibson guy, but after getting this strat I'm almost changed.

I'm running both guitars into two Oranges, which are pretty dark amps and the strat just sounds fantastic. Punchy, spanky, clear, and chimy, and now, in comparison, my Les Paul just sounds loud and muddy. Also, the strat seems to drive the amps at just the right spot, whereas the les paul breaks it up a bit early.

Basically, I'm wondering what humbucker recommendations you could give to help clean up the les paul and make it clearer, more sparkly, and less middy and loud?  I'm thinking low output is the way to go for a sparkly sound, but I'm not sure.

Thanks for any help you can give me!

[indysmith]

sounds like Stormy Mondays if you want to stick with humbuckers.
Alternatively - since you seem to be getting on so well with your strat's single coils it'd be worth considering the Mississippi Queen humbucker sized P90s, which are a similar output to the stormy mondays but in a single coil P90 form.

[Twinfan]

The MQs are pretty hot and will drive your amp like humbuckers.

I'd go for Stormy Mondays - they sound perfect for you.

[Fourth Feline]

I agree on Alnico II Stormy Mondays. I found them very clear, open and balanced in a Les Paul.




F.F.

[Jonesy76]

Have you got an older 58 Historic reissue, or one of the newer plaintop 58 Historics?

If it's one of the newer ones, then yes by all means ditch those Burstbuckers (they're wax potted to hell and back normally), and definately slap in a pair Stormy Mondays to transform your sound.

If it's an earlier one (i.e. pre 2003) then seriously consider changing it.  The earlier models had the far superior Classic 57 humbuckers on board, and if combined with a good body and neck would make those guitars sing (I know.......I had an awesome one for quite a while and only parted company because the neck was too thick for me).  If it's too muddy with 57 Classics on board it's unlikely that the Stormy Mondays (which are tonally very similar) will clean it up, and it could be more down to some lousy green wood that Gibson did have a habit of throwing at the less loved 58 line of Historics.  If the wood is no good, no matter how much you spend on it with Tims awesome humbuckers won't matter a jot!

[kidamnesiac]

thanks for everyone's help!  

Yes, the guitar is a newer version plain top '58 reissue with the Burstbuckers.  I find them to be mid-honky, loud, and almost muffled or something.  There's a definite lack of top-end.

I think I may try the stormy monday's.  Thanks for all your help!

[ericsabbath]

what about riff raffs?

[Ratrod]

what about riff raffs?

I like that. It would make that guitar a blues and rock n' roll animal. A bad boy's Les Paul.

[Philly Q]

If you were going to consider Riff Raffs, I'd say Stormy Monday neck and Riff Raff bridge.  Nice & Nasty.  Sweet & Sour.

(Not that the Riff Raff is "sour" of course, but it's that little bit more rock'n'roll.)

[HTH AMPS]

Although the Stormy Mondays are lower output, I'd worry about them being A2 and A4 - thats a pretty soft sound.  For something with more bite I'd be looking for a low output pickup with an A5 magnet.

Riff Raffs spring to mind or maybe get Tim to wind an A5 Mule or SM.

 :twisted:

[PhilKing]

PG Blues - they will give you the Peter Green/Gary Moore sound.  Since you seem happier with the lower output of the strat, I think this set would be perfect for you.  If you want a bit more bite, try an Emerald/Mule set.  The difference is Fleetwood Mac vs Free.

['Ash' J. Williams]

Stormy Mondays have that incredibly paradoxal bitting/sweet sound.

[Neil F]

I had a similar dilemma and my solution turned out to be replacing some of the electronics in the Les Paul. Maybe this could work for you too? You might want to check out the thread for more details :

http://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9327