Which pickups for my 68 Les Paul Custom reissue?

[battery198]

Trying to decide which pickups would sound the best in my Les Paul Custom.

I like tones like Jerry Cantrell's, Mastodon, Down, The Sword. 

Something that sounds good for heavy stuff but still has good clarity.  The Painkiller has been recommended, but I'm wondering if the Nailbomb would suit what I'm going for more?

Playing through an Uberschall, Mark IV and 5150 III.

Thanks.

[brian_ward]

what dont you like about the stock pickups?

[battery198]

The 57 classics sound fizzy and are not great for heavy stuff IMO.

I had them in another les paul traditional and didn't like them in that either. 

I do like the tone from the 500T in my flying V though.

[ratspeak]

Listening to Mastadon, I hear distinct tones (mostly obviously in the rhythm) I can easily get out of my Ceramic Warpig, but at times there are also shades of Misha's tone with his Coldsweat loaded Blackmachine (Periphery). I hear it most in the lead lines and open-string-chordy stuff they do. Because Coldsweats are supposed to sound great in a LP overall anyway, that's what I'd go with.

[ericsabbath]

the holy diver was the best pickup for AiC I've ever played (including the JB and motor city afwayu)
but for Down and Mastodon, I'd go with something with more grind, like a warpig or even a c-pig
maybe a miracle man or a ceramic nailbomb
the painkiller is a good substitute for the duncan distortion in voicing terms only, but it's not a grinding pickup like the sh-6
it may work, though, but it wouldn't be my first choice, since it has a very tight and raspy response

last Alice and Down albums were mostly Les Pauls through Uberschalls so I guess it will deliver
you just need a pickup with strong attitude

[brian_ward]

for mastodon tones, i dont hear them being that dirty (especially crack the skye) so i would probably consider an emrald or something not super hot. and since the 5150 series of amps are gain-machines you dont need to over do the output. bear in mind that all those bands tune quite low and probably use big strings so thatll have something to do with it.

[battery198]

I'm thinking more and more the Nailbomb, seems like it can get plenty heavy but still remains organic.

Thoughts on the nailbomb in a les paul?

Thanks.

[brian_ward]

I'm thinking more and more the Nailbomb, seems like it can get plenty heavy but still remains organic.

Thoughts on the nailbomb in a les paul?

Thanks.

its a very common combination. personally, i havent tried it so i cant speak as to how it sounds.

[fr33man1]

i had 490/498  -> muddy , fat.

nailbombs, balanced; quite heavy and percussive but versatile.

holy diver, very nice warm lead sounds on bridge, a lot of mids with good punch but a bit too low middy in my les paul custom. The neck is also a bit weak for lead sounds and is less hollow sounding as the nailbomb neck.

Now I have cold sweats and I must say this set is very balanced, percussive and griding  on bridge and very nice clean on the neck. It packs good power for solos but has a more rounded warm tone than the diver and nailbomb for me.

If you are using amplifiers on the bright side holy divers will work very well. I'm using a diezel einstein and a fat souding les paul so they did not cope well together packing too much low mids and it was a bit muddy. If that might be the case for you aswell go for either nailbombs or cold sweats.

the nailbombs are more modern sounding and even if the cold sweat is ceramic on bridge I found the nailbomb to be more tight in the bass even with its alnico magnet.

[ericsabbath]

if you're between the nailbomb and cold sweat, just order a ceramic nailbomb  :D :D :D

[Mr. Air]

There's some pretty great clips of nailbombs in a LP at youtube.

I got a LP clone with a nailbomb in the bridge and it sounds great. Very aggresive but versatile at the same time. I have put a few clips in the players section you can give a listen as well.