Pickups for Les Paul-style guitar (yes, another one of those)

[Roboten]

Greetings forumites, i'm looking for the perfect set of bkp for my guitar, surprise... I have a Dean USA Hardtail exotic custum, a double cutaway les paul type of guitar with a sound somewhere between a prs and a les paul, and i have been lurking and reading and trying to find the perfect set for my guitar, and now a want your opinions. First of all, a need a pretty-high output pickup for the bridge, since a play guitar in a power-violence hardcore band, but i also want it to able to handle classic rock, blues, pop, jazz...well, pretty much everything. I want a pickup that responds well to playing dynamics, with a very "full" sound, beefy without being muddy, precise but not lifeless. From what i've read oti, nailbombs might be the way to go, do you think that would be a wise choice?

For the neck pickup, i'm currently using a SD Alnico pro 2, and although i love it's tone i need something a little bit higher output with a less muddy low end. The higher output isnt the biggest priority, i just want the pickup to sing very well, have a articulated low end, do cleans very well and on top of that be able to handle rock-rythmn-duties with just a bit of bite. When it comes to the neck pickup i'm completly lost, would you guys be so kind and lend me some of your infinite knowledge?   :)

[kevinr]

I don't know if you can get a pup to cover all that you require! I would go for Holydiver set, or Holydiver bridge with a VHII neck, either of these neck pups will be a vast improvement on what you have, and the HD is very good bridge pup.

[Twinfan]

Nailbombs (hotter) or Holydivers (slightly lower output) may be your best options?

[ericsabbath]

nailbomb set

[gordiji]

hi roboten, if you want to cover all those things and like your neck pup, why not change the bridge only?
i've just replaced my higher output stock pup for an AII stormy monday because i too want to cover many styles.
the vhii in the bridge has the bite and tight, the neck the warmth and depth, and whilst it may be an odd combo,
it makes my guitar perfect (for me!)
the neck is still able to rock and loss of tightness on the bottom end is more than compensated by the other glorious
sounds it makes. (think gary moore/bb king).also it's the first humbucker i've liked for it's cleans.
all the harder rock sounds are bridge anyway

[Mr. Air]

I think I'll say Nailbomb as well. I got a NB bridge in my LP and it's really growing on me. There's some great clips on youtube with a nailbombed LP. They could give you a hint about what to expect.

Maybe the Rebel Yell could work out as well. Nolly, who is a mean metal player, praised it recently and wrote that it's one of his favourite pickups.

[kevinr]

I have both NBs and HDs in Eggle Berlins and I think that the HDs are more suited to your requirements, great neck pup!

[Roboten]

After looking around some more i've become more and more curious about this stormy monday pickup, i've heard some great clips with it in the neck position, are there any BKP's that sound like the stormy monday but is slightly higher output?

And regarding the bridge pickup, $%&# the pop/jazz/blues shite, gimmie some pickups that can do converge tones well without being lifeless, like a passive version of an 18v modded emg 81, that can sound strong and powerfull even without balls to the wall distortion. Think converge, kvelertak and genghis tron, they all use emg 81s i think, and i want a pickup that can do that and more.

[Transcend]

The miracle man can absolutely nail all the emg81 type tones.

I have one paired with a mississippi queen neck which has some of the sweetest cleans and lead tones that i've ever come across and matches really well with the MM in terms of volume and tone

[Nolly]

Thanks for the name check Mr. Air!


Personally I would highly recommend the Black Dogs for what you've described. They're not high output, but the classic PAF voicing you're enjoying but with significantly more beefy punch ( :lol:), while the Alnico V magnet is going to offer a much improved low end response and top end cut.
You might even want to consider the Mules for the true PAF sound, while still being able to get as lairy as you can possibly want. I've just ordered a set of Mules myself for an incoming custom guitar that's mainly for metal use.

[Telerocker]

A Mule or VHII for the neck would work I think.

[Grim]

Greetings forumites, i'm looking for the perfect set of bkp for my guitar, surprise... I have a Dean USA Hardtail exotic custum, a double cutaway les paul type of guitar with a sound somewhere between a prs and a les paul, and i have been lurking and reading and trying to find the perfect set for my guitar, and now a want your opinions. First of all, a need a pretty-high output pickup for the bridge, since a play guitar in a power-violence hardcore band, but i also want it to able to handle classic rock, blues, pop, jazz...well, pretty much everything. I want a pickup that responds well to playing dynamics, with a very "full" sound, beefy without being muddy, precise but not lifeless. From what i've read oti, nailbombs might be the way to go, do you think that would be a wise choice?

For the neck pickup, i'm currently using a SD Alnico pro 2, and although i love it's tone i need something a little bit higher output with a less muddy low end. The higher output isnt the biggest priority, i just want the pickup to sing very well, have a articulated low end, do cleans very well and on top of that be able to handle rock-rythmn-duties with just a bit of bite. When it comes to the neck pickup i'm completly lost, would you guys be so kind and lend me some of your infinite knowledge?   :)

Cold Sweat or Black Dog.

[Telerocker]

Will a CS handle blues, pop and jazz? I don't know, but a vintagehot-pickup like the VHII would probably spot on.

[gwEm]

nailbomb set

yes, they are good for that contemporary punk sound, and pretty versatile.

not my sort of tone, but i think thats what i'd suggest nevertheless

[brian_ward]

to my ears, a nailbomb in the bridge can pull off tones on Axe to fall as far as converge tones go. i have a black dog and cant really recomend it for converge, genghis tron etc.