hmmmm .... to Mule or not to Mule?

[hunter]

Sooo, I got this Jimmy Page relic Les Paul from Edwards, which is a darn fine guitar. But pickups wise I am going through a bit of a nightmare, except actually the stock Duncans weren't completely bad with it.

First I tried the BlackDogs, but liked them more in my (heavier) Epiphone, so they went back.

Then I tried the RebelYells, but they didn't cut it either, the RYs now really kill in my PRS SC SE.

Now it has VHIIs, but somehow, although it does sound nice, I feel it's missing something. There is no real meat as there should be with a LP.

It's a very light, resonant guitar.

Sooooo should I go for some Mules in it, what do you think?

[PhilKing]

Perhaps you should go a bit heavier and try Crawlers?

[Adam.M]

That's what i was going to say, try the Crawlers.

[hunter]

Perhaps you should go a bit heavier and try Crawlers?

Don't know much about these. But will they give me the edge I want? I still like a good crunch from my bridge, think Page or Young ...

Edit: Listened to clips. Crawler a bit too compressed to me. Sounds great downtuned, but I want a more open voice from my LP.

[kevinr]

Mules in a LP with a cooking valve amp! it will be hard to better, and have bucket loads of TONE :D

[Twinfan]

If it's light and resonant, I'd be tempted to go the other way - Stormy Mondays.  Let your guitar shine through with a low output and fairly 'neutral' pickup, and get your amp doing the work to add meat and gain.

Do it like the old guys did back in the day  ;)

[hunter]

If it's light and resonant, I'd be tempted to go the other way - Stormy Mondays.  Let your guitar shine through with a low output and fairly 'neutral' pickup, and get your amp doing the work to add meat and gain.

Do it like the old guys did back in the day  ;)

Good idea ... I am already thinking that if I don't like them, I have a reason to buy a 335 for them  :lol:

[Twinfan]

Exactly!  :lol:

[AndyR]

Uh-oh, that's crazy talk Hunter :lol:

...and Twinfan's advocacy for Stormies is starting to wear me down... there's still that "light and resonant" Epi LP of mine that didn't take to Mules... (it's got my Explorer's ceramice Gibson 500T + wotever-the-neck-pup-is in at the moment - that worked very well, but I don't play it) :roll:

[Philly Q]

I think some guitars can be almost too light and resonant - they sound lively acoustically so you think that'll translate into the amplified tone.  But somehow the guitar just doesn't have enough weight/body to really sing through an amp.  That seems to be the case with my Edwards V, unfortunately, but I wouldn't expect it from an LP.  :?

I would think the best solutions for such a guitar would be (a) go low output, as Dave says, and let the amp do the work (but maybe don't expect too much from distorted tones...) or (b) go uber-output and never mind the guitar's natural tone!

Anyway, I have an AII SM in the neck of the V and it sounds nice clean but I'm not crazy about the higher-gain tones.  They're hard work.  I'm not sure the guitar is good enough to justify more spending on pickups, but if it was I'd be tempted to go just a little hotter, Mules with an AIV neck/AV bridge.  Or maybe even AIV Stormy neck/AV Mule bridge.  Maybe that could work on your LP?

[FernandoDuarte]

Alnico V Mules?

EDIT: Duh, didn't read all the post of Philly and he said it first...

[The Sorbz]

Gotta try Crawlers!!!!

[hunter]

Wellll, I have to confess: so today I played it through Axe FX into VHT 2502 in Class A mode and it was crushing, screaming and roaring like angry tigers and then switch to neck volume back, wispering like angels.

Huh, that poweramp leaves me stunned, what a huge difference compared to the SS amp before!!

[FernandoDuarte]

So keeping VHII? :lol:

[hunter]

So keeping VHII? :lol:

well you know ... sometimes I am so spontaneous, and then with this online shopping it's always so easy to ... not sure if I shouldn't still take on to TFs good idea :O)