Pickups for Gibson Les Paul Custom which won't kill guitar character?

[metale]

If it's got EMGs I suppose you will also need pickup rings. The genuine Gibson ones are good and come with screws.

I did not understand this. It probably has stock pickup rings?

Cheers

[HTH AMPS]

The Gibsons they were using at the time of Kill Em All would have been the Dirty Fingers model that Gibson was fitting at the time - ceramic magnet, 16k output - snarly and pokey sounding.  I've got one myself and its great for the early Metallica vibe.  The Duncan Screamin Demon is similar despite being lower output and the BKP Cold Sweat is probably the closest in their line.

Dirty Fingers... http://youtu.be/5tXvfNVhCBY
Screamin Demon... http://youtu.be/9PX2M-iN7Yc

For BKP, Cold Sweat imo or Juggernaut if you want more chunk.

[PhilKing]

I have emeralds in one of my LPC's and a Pat# PAF (which had a BK rewind years ago), & the original T-Top in my other.  Emeralds work really well in customs.

[richard]

'I'm looking for something similar from BKP but maybe with a more character because for me 498/490 combo lacks something (aggressiveness?).'

My Gibson Firebird Studio came with the 498/490 combo. I tried to work with them but they are not good. Tim recommended the RY set and he was spot on. The 498 went from shrill at low volume to mud at high volume. Crank the RY bridge and it snarls and bites - the sound of classic rock but it'll do a lot more. I'd given up on neck HBs until I got the RYs - now I play a lot of solos on the neck. RYs take a LOT of dialling in. Very sensitive to height adjustment.