pickups for Les Paul Studio

[Dave Sloven]

One of my friends is looking for new pickups for his early '90s Les Paul Studio.

I'm not sure exactly what the specs are - he thinks it's all mahogany with 490 pickups but he's not that great with identifying these things and the guitar is over at his band mate's studio at the moment - but I do remember it looking like it has a worn type of finish with a visible grain on the top like mahogany.

The other guitarist in his band has a Les Paul Standard with SD Jazz and JB pickups.  It has a lot more balls than his guitar and with the bassist improving his rig as well his guitar has become the weakest link.

It's a rock band and they play through Laney Lionheart 20W heads with matching 2x12 greenbacks cabs.  They play pubs and are recording. They go for a warmer sound created by power amp overdrive of the Class A 20W Laneys.

I said I'd ask on here.  He wants something hottish, but not metal.

Likely candidates to me seem like the Rebel Yell and Emerald sets, and maybe the Black Dog or VHII as outside picks.  What do you guys think?  He wants both smooth and raunchy, blues to rock.

Here's a video.  My mate Steve is the bald guy in the right corner.  Around 1.40 and again around 2:40 you can hear him playing a short lead while the other guitarist Scott plays rhythm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGWGAfGhJjg

[ericsabbath]

sounds like a rebel yell job
but it shouldn't be hotter than the 498t on his guitar
if he wants real balls the nailbomb will do the job
a holy diver would probably sound good, but I think he would enjoy the nailbomb
it shouldn't sound as compressed as in your SG and your Peavey

[Dave Sloven]

Thanks.  I have that Nailbomb laying around, I might get him to bring his guitar and head around here and I can solder it in to his guitar and we can try it through my PPC412

[Dave Sloven]

I forgot to add that my friend said he wants a fairly modern sound.

He mentioned Foo Fighters and Paramore.  I'm not familiar with the latter

OK I found some clips

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvnkAtWcKYg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7rCNiiNPxA

Definitely not the kind of thing I listen to!  LOL

[ericsabbath]

well the main "heavy" guitars from both bands were gibsons with stock 500t/496r (explorers and les paul classics), so the nailbomb is definitely in the ballpark

coheed and cambria's frontman has nailbombs in his two main explorers
he gets great tones from them
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AApRjNmkT80
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2bWDeE43MQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-6899MU-bU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVQI1_Kyxok
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr99r59XPhE

[littleredguitars2]

just my input, i've use explorers and LPs with 500t 496rs and the nailbomb voicing was definitely in that ballpark but the output seemed much hotter on the 500t's

[Dave Sloven]

He thinks Foo Fighters etc might be a bit misleading now ... LOL ... the video of his band is a better indication.  I tend to think that something fairly bright like a RY or RR set would probably suit.  RY for more balls maybe.  RY can still do metal when it needs to but he really seems to need to avoid a metal sounding pup

[ericsabbath]

I don't consider the nailbomb to be metal sounding by itself
it is a rock pup indeed, but will pull out bluesy stuff with moderate ease, and a variety of rock styles...
everytime I hear guys like Guthrie Govan, Steve Morse, John Sykes and some Doug Aldrich stuff, I can picture them picking nailbombs
Chris George and Sam Coulson are good examples of very versatile nailbomb users
of course if you play with pots dimed into a 5150 or rectifier and spank palm muted strings, it will sound metal 
the gibson 500t is similar voiced, but definitely hotter (well, triple thick ceramic magnets), edgier, harsher and more compressed, and people still use it for everything

the rebell yell should work, but I don't think it will give the guitar more balls than the fatty, compressed and tasteless 498t
way more articulation and spank, definitely yes, but not huge balls

[Alex]

I think as well the Alnico Nailbomb is very good at giving a guitar more balls. It's very versatile and just fits a lot of bills.

[Dave Sloven]

Well, he can try out my Nailbomb but ...

My only real concern is getting the money out of him for it ...

[ericsabbath]

Well, he can try out my Nailbomb but ...

My only real concern is getting the money out of him for it ...

 :lol:
I definitely know the feeling
there's like 4 friends owing me a lot of money on gear

[Dave Sloven]

I think I will keep my Nailbomb for my own purposes ... even if I don't find another application for it the thing is a useful gadget for working out what might work.  I can say, I've tested an A-bomb in this, I'd like it to be more this or less that'

[Chris Rowberry]

Going by your description and the sound clips provided, the Alnico Nailbomb would be a great choice for the tone he is after. It is also a very versatile Humbucker and is a great all rounder.

[Dave Sloven]

I went to see his band Wicked Empire tonight and it seems to me that the clips of Foo Fighters etc above might be misleading.  It seems like he's more interested in an '80s sounding pickup, although that's probably 'modern sounding' for him ...

I printed out the various reviews of the Rebel Yell and Cold Sweat sets as it seems like he's looking for something 'contemporary' but 'rock' rather than 'metal' at all. I think the neck pickup from either would be excellent for him, although I can imagine him with a Nailbomb neck.  If neither of those sets of reviews appeal to him then I will suggest the Nailbomb, although he might be happier with the ceramic magnet or even a Miracle Man ... I think though that the Nailbomb neck is a possibility, even though I'm not sold on the bridge (alnico or ceramic) for what he is playing.  He also tends to hate anything even remotely close to thrash metal or hardcore.  He's a fan of Sykes since the Tygers of Pan-Tang era so that might sway him toward the Cold Sweats.

The other guitarist's Les Paul with the Jazz/JB combo certainly has the edge on his 490/498 set, but I think between us we can do better with BKPs.

Here's a photo of the guitar.  The hardware and covers look like nickel to me

[ericsabbath]

Sykes always reminds me more of nailbombs, anyway (both ceramic and alnico), specially in early Blue Murder
the cold sweat doesn't sound that compressed and full
even the miracle man gets closer, in my opinion
the cold sweat has more of a Nuno/Dimebag/Schenker/Wolf Hoffman thing, due to its sharp and focused voicing