Versatile Pickups for Gibson Les Paul Studio?

[Gitarrenschlumpf]

Hi!

I want to replace the standard 490r/498t pickups in my 2009 Gibson LP Studio with some 4 conductor pickups, so that I can install some split coil options via Duncan Triple Shot humbucker rings.

I currently play through a Vox VT15 and tend to go for bright amp models with some top clarity. Also I have replaced the tone pots in my LP with c(apacitator) switches (in addition to my low capacity Elixir cables), so that I can switch to the resonance frequence I like.

Music-wise I want to have the range of a driven, but clean-ish classic rock Boston sound (e.g. More than a feelin'), via a full-on Hellacopters rock sound to the sort of heavy but still melodic metal of bands like Baroness. Oh, and I really don't mind to occassionally use the volume pots on my guitar. ;)

When switching to the bypass setting of the bridge humbucker's c-switch, the tone is currently extremely biting - just like shearing the flesh from your bones with a super-thin wire. So I guess I would like to have a little more mid- and bottom punch with the new bridge pickup, while stilling having the versatility of choosing a biting tone when needed.

Any suggestions? Thanks! :)

[ElectricTurkey4369]

I was in the exact same boat as you, and I ended up going with a Mule and a Holydiver. Some of the experienced Bareknuckle guys will chime in soon, but I went with the Mule from Tims recommendation and I went with the diver because it sounds nice and fat.

[Telerocker]

In this case count Mules and VHII's in, especially when you're looking for that Boston-sound. Or a bit hotter, Emerald and Abbraxxas are worth to look at.

[Mr. Air]

The Crawler is a fat sounding pickup as well with a rounded top end. I think it fits in somewhere between Emerald/Abraxas and the Holydiver. Might be worth checking out as well.

[kevinr]

I think that a VHII set would give you what you need, maybe if you want a bit more in the bridge pickup the Emerald bridge might be the way to go, I have not heard the neck version, however the VHII neck is really an amazing p/u, the Crawler bridge is also very good, I'm not a fan of the neck,(just my taste) I also like the Holydiver set, have a listen to Hunter's shootout, that also might give you an idea of what's on offer.

[Ratrod]

You can't go wrong with Mules.

[Gitarrenschlumpf]

Thank you very much for your answers! :) 

I'm still a bit confused though. :|

I really like the sound of the 498t when the volume pot is turned off about half-way or even a bit more. Somewhat takes the hard edge from the top end and allows for some nice dynamic playing.

Doesn't that imply that I definitely should be taking a closer look at the vintage category of humbuckers. Or is the 498t actually the equal of contemporary output BKP humbuckers and I should count the the vintage hot category in as well?

The 490r has a broader range of settings I like, but well... they both don't have 4 conductor outputs.

Thanks! :D

[Telerocker]

I''m very satisfied with the Crawler. Fat, organic, cleans up well, can growl too.

[brian_ward]

when i thought i wanted baroness tone, i emailed time a link to a song off the blue record and he recommended the crawler.

[HTH AMPS]

Crawler for pronounced mids, Abraxas for less mids (more of a classic PAF tonality, but hotter).

I recommend the Abraxas for everything though  :lol:

[Gitarrenschlumpf]

Oh, well it's been a while. ;)

But finally, after reading numerous threads like THIS, I went for a calibrated set of Crawlers with burnt chrome covers for my wine-red LP Studio. Pics to come, the ambient light just isn't very good today.

Since I wanted to pay via Paypal, I ordered at Felineguitars. Everything went well - he even forwarded my special requests regarding the looks of the burnt chrome covers. Thanks a lot, Jonathan! :D

I installed Seymour Duncan Triple Shot switching humbucker frames as well, ergo I have extra amounts of cable and soldering joints in the guitar. So I don't know if the pickups would sound different without them.

However, the tone is exactly what I have been looking for!

Since I had replaced the tone pots in my LP Studio with C-Switches and usually run the signal via an ultra-low capacitance Elixir cable into a Lehle Sunday Driver SW buffer, the resonance frequency of the stock 498t bridge humbucker was so high without extra capacitance load that its screaminess was really painful.

In contrast, I can run the bridge Crawler without extra capacitance load and it sounds beautiful. Very nice. The neck Crawler is a bit more rounded than the 490r as well. Sounds great.

Furthermore, the Gibson pickups were really prone to microphonics, e.g. you could hear the rattling of the security locks via the amp. The Crawlers are really an improvement in that regard.

Currently I have the impression that the resonant peak is not as strong as it was with the stock pickups. It might be due to the extra amounts of cable and soldering joints. Or it is an effect of the good wax potting. Or it is just a misleading impression, since higher frequencies are perceived as way louder than lower frequencies.

But these were just first impressions. I really need a few weeks to explore all the new sounds (Triple Shot switching offers series, parallel and single coil modes...). :D

Thank you for all of your suggestions! :D

[ericsabbath]

Riff Raff would be my choice

edit:
lol didn't read the last post
glad you liked it

didn't know Feline did paypal

[FELINEGUITARS]

Hey Tobias
Glad the pickups arrived safely and did the trick as far as tone goes
We are always happy to help get the right thing for customers and the BKP team came up trumps too!

Snap a picture of the pickups in the guitar if you get a chance - they looked great with the burnt chrome covers

[Telerocker]

Congrats. Let's rock now...

[Gitarrenschlumpf]

So here are some snapshots. :D

I asked for some mainly blue burnt chrome covers since purple would have clashed with the wine-red of my guitar. And Jonathan and the BKP team made that dream come true. Thank a lot, guys! :)

The effect is really magical and very lighting-dependent. The colours really pop out when the covers reflect the sky (see pics), but - oddly - also appear as very strong in rather shady environments. At some angles though, in contrast to regular chrome covers, they seem to absorb the light and appear dark grey with a slightly brownish tint.

Oh well, the rest of the chrome hardware would fit better of course if it looked similar. Maybe I should swap it with some Schaller ruthenium hardware parts in the future. Treating the original parts with a blowtorch might surely work as well, but I'm not sure if some deformation of the parts might easily occur during the process.

Sound-wise I have discovered that at higher volumes I definitely have to add some extra capacitance load - otherwise the tone gets just a little too much presence. But it's never as spiky as that of the stock pickups. And the Crawlers have a growl that never came out of the 490r/498t combo. Really beautiful. :)