If I wanted more of a Slash sound from my ESP Eclipse...

[Alex]

... which pickups should I go for, with still having a tight enough bottom end that won't get all mushy with gain?

Thanks!

[Telerocker]

Slash uses vintage output alnico II's, I think a RiffRaff comes close to what you want. It's punchy, pretty tight and oozes classic rock. If you like a tad more mids consider the Black Dog, which is pretty tight too.
Btw, I can get some pretty decent Slash-esque tones from the Mules in my Saint Blues (all mahogany/bolt on), it's classic PAF all the way, though the bridge is pretty tight for a vintageoutput pickup. I believe Nolly recorderd some metalclips with Mules in his Blackmachine.

[itamar101]

I don't really think that the Riff Raffs will do slash very well at all too bitey and not thick enough. If you wanted it close to spec I'd get thd stormy Monday's but they might not be tight enough. In my opinion Emeralds in a LP style guitar going into a Marshall is THE slash sound... Even THE rock n roll sound. Some might say mule or abraxas which should also suffice but I personally wouldn't go for the abraxas... Maybe the mule but the Emerald would definately be my first choice.

[Telerocker]

The Emerald-bridge is quite bright too. Personally I wouldn't mind that, I rather have some extra cut on tap and control it with the toneknob, the way you handle a telecaster.

[itamar101]

The Emerald-bridge is quite bright too. Personally I wouldn't mind that, I rather have some extra cut on tap and control it with the toneknob, the way you handle a telecaster.

True, but they have this "thickness" that the RRs dont have. Also, the neck is an amazing match too unlike the RR neck which is very jangly and single-coily... Actually that's a better description of why I wouldn't get the riff Raffs for that on the whole. Too jangly. I agree that too much brightness is better than none too... Although in a les Paul the Enerald wouldn't be to bright anyway.

[Telerocker]

I don't know if these ESP's are dark, balanced or bright. The nature of the guitar it's something to keep in mind when recommending and choosing pickups. That said, Mules would work. They're so perfectly balanced, deep, full and crispy at the same time. The bridge can really do some great classic rock and even more.

[Slartibartfarst42]

The Mule was the first one that sprang to my mind as it has all that vintage tone without any mush.

[itamar101]

Although the Mules will give that smooth, vintage feel/characteristic, I honestly feel that it doesn't have that "slash sound"... Only the general vibe. I absolutely 175% believe that the emerald will be as close as possible to slash's whole sound and vibe. It has this mix of being thick and dark-ish in the lows yet cutting and tight in the highs which is how I'd perfectly describe slash's tone. There's a video on YouTube somewhere playing emerald in a les Paul through a Marshall silver jubilee and it absolutely NAILS slash's tone. I can't explain it but I feel like no pickup in the range will get as close to slash's tone as the emerald. Especially the bridge. The neck may be up for argument and I think that the mule neck and emerald bridge may be a very good combo.

[HTH AMPS]

I've had the Mule, Emerald, Abraxas, Crawler, Warpig, Miracle Man, Nailbomb and Cold Sweat (if I'm not missing any out).

I would normally recommend Abraxas for pretty much anything, but for Slash - nah.  Mules? - not enough poke, Stormy Mondays - same problem. 

I know where itamar101 is coming from with the Emeralds and I'd be tempted to agree - it's the solid crunch in the low mids while still being a hot-PAF kinda pickup.  I'd say Riff Raffs will be too agressive in the top end and not chewy enough in the bass and low mids.  Maybe a Rebel Yell could get there too.  Depends on the amp.

To be fair, and this probably ain't gonna be a popular suggestion, but if you want Slash's tone get some Duncan Alnico Pro's - he's used them for years.

[itamar101]

I've had the Mule, Emerald, Abraxas, Crawler, Warpig, Miracle Man, Nailbomb and Cold Sweat (if I'm not missing any out).

I would normally recommend Abraxas for pretty much anything, but for Slash - nah.  Mules? - not enough poke, Stormy Mondays - same problem. 

I know where itamar101 is coming from with the Emeralds and I'd be tempted to agree - it's the solid crunch in the low mids while still being a hot-PAF kinda pickup.  I'd say Riff Raffs will be too agressive in the top end and not chewy enough in the bass and low mids.  Maybe a Rebel Yell could get there too.  Depends on the amp.

To be fair, and this probably ain't gonna be a popular suggestion, but if you want Slash's tone get some Duncan Alnico Pro's - he's used them for years.

I don't see anything wrong with that suggestion. I generally don't like Seymour Duncan humbuckers because they are muddy and EQd badly but I actually really like the Alnico Pro. Definately one of Seymour's best creations.

[Philly Q]

To be fair, and this probably ain't gonna be a popular suggestion, but if you want Slash's tone get some Duncan Alnico Pro's - he's used them for years.

Controversial!  :lol:

I can see the argument, of course, but what makes the Alnico II Pro suitable if the Stormy Monday (or Gibson '57 Classic, for that matter) isn't?  They're all vintage-wind Alnico II humbuckers.

I'm not trying to be awkward - I agree that (in my experience/opinion), the Stormy Mondays lack the necessary oomph.  But maybe the AII Pros do, too......... unless they're in Slash's hands.

[itamar101]

To be fair, and this probably ain't gonna be a popular suggestion, but if you want Slash's tone get some Duncan Alnico Pro's - he's used them for years.

Controversial!  :lol:

I can see the argument, of course, but what makes the Alnico II Pro suitable if the Stormy Monday (or Gibson '57 Classic, for that matter) isn't?  They're all vintage-wind Alnico II humbuckers.

I'm not trying to be awkward - I agree that (in my experience/opinion), the Stormy Mondays lack the necessary oomph.  But maybe the AII Pros do, too......... unless they're in Slash's hands.

I'm quite sure that they've just got that oomph and mid bump. I dont know what Seymour did be he somehow made a vintage output AII pickup sound like a medium output AV pickup... Which leads to emeralds again... Haha :)

[Telerocker]

To be fair, and this probably ain't gonna be a popular suggestion, but if you want Slash's tone get some Duncan Alnico Pro's - he's used them for years.

Controversial!  :lol:

I can see the argument, of course, but what makes the Alnico II Pro suitable if the Stormy Monday (or Gibson '57 Classic, for that matter) isn't?  They're all vintage-wind Alnico II humbuckers.

I'm not trying to be awkward - I agree that (in my experience/opinion), the Stormy Mondays lack the necessary oomph.  But maybe the AII Pros do, too......... unless they're in Slash's hands.

Long story short: pickups are just a part of Slash' sound. We're talking ESP here, he's plays a Gibson, then pedals, amp, settings, cabs etc. And as Philly says: the hands of the master.

[Philly Q]

That's what I was getting at, really - using the same equipment as someone isn't necessarily going to help you sound like them.

I mean, the Trilogy Suites are nothing like the pickups Yngwie actually uses; the Warpig is nothing like the pickup Iommi used.  But perhaps in the hands of us mere mortals, they help to get closer than the "proper" gear would.

[TheyCallMeVolume]

I've had the Mule, Emerald, Abraxas, Crawler, Warpig, Miracle Man, Nailbomb and Cold Sweat (if I'm not missing any out).

I would normally recommend Abraxas for pretty much anything, but for Slash - nah.  Mules? - not enough poke, Stormy Mondays - same problem. 

I know where itamar101 is coming from with the Emeralds and I'd be tempted to agree - it's the solid crunch in the low mids while still being a hot-PAF kinda pickup.  I'd say Riff Raffs will be too agressive in the top end and not chewy enough in the bass and low mids.  Maybe a Rebel Yell could get there too.  Depends on the amp.

To be fair, and this probably ain't gonna be a popular suggestion, but if you want Slash's tone get some Duncan Alnico Pro's - he's used them for years.

I don't think a RY would work for something like a Slash tone. It's quite funny to me actually that BKP doesn't have an absolute go-to Slash tone pickup when so many people go after Slash tones. Maybe a Rocket Queen, Nightrain, etc. pickup in the BKP line in the future?