Pickups for Gibson Les Paul Custom

[Slartibartfarst42]

It seems to me you've got nothing to lose from trying the Black Dog as you've already tried a Rebel Yell anyway and while good, it didn't seem to strike you as ideal and let's face it, if you were that impressed with it, you wouldn't have started this thread. If the unthinkable happens and you don't like the Black Dog, you can always change it for a Rebel Yell anyway but the more you've said, the more the Black Dog seems like a good fit for you.

[Yellowjacket]

Rebel Yells are fantastic pickups and they would likely be crazy awesome in a custom shop LP vs one of the factory ones.  IN my Standard, I found that the bridge was tinny and the neck was boomy, which was a rather frustrating characteristic of the guitar.  The Rebel Yell set mitigated that somewhat but I finally settled on an A-Bomb bridge and a Rebel Yell neck.  My solid Mahogany instrument has a Rebel Yell bridge and a VHII neck.  Both guitars are awesome but the solid mahogany guitar has a slight edge in terms of pickup perfection.

That being said, I'm very surprised that nobody has mentioned a Mule / Riff Raff combo yet.  I think if I ever got another LP, this would be the first pickup combo I would try. 

Also, juggernauts in a superstrat are <3

[Alfi27]

Thank you very much for your replies guys, I really appreciate all of them! It looks like I have to postpone this pickup upgrade because I have done some trading and buying... The PRS Mira goes, a beautiful Czech made Epiphone Les Paul Standard and a 96' Gibson Les Paul Special comes  I can post some pictures if you would like so! And I think it is a good idea not to rush a pickup upgrade, I have done so before and it ended with a sold guitar and a lot of money out the window... Maybe these two guitars will get some upgrades as well, but I have to give them time, especially the Epiphone because I am very conservative and skeptical to Les Pauls without the Gibson logo. Yes you got it, I am a true «brand-whore» 

[Alfi27]

Alright, so I got the Epi today. Great guitar with hands down the worst pickups I have ever tried... Schaller something from what the seller told me. I have been thinking, and if the next paycheck allows it I might buy a set of Rebel Yells and a set of Black Dogs. Another option is to put the Gibson pickups from the LPC in the Epi, they are as I said very decent and miles better than the Schallers at least. I settled for the BD in the LPC, but now I am not quite sure, I think the guitar might be a bit too bass heavy for the BD and the RY is a very safe and good choice. How is the RY neck pickup? Never heard or tried that one. The LPC will also get an RS-kit and maybe a set of locking tuners, not sure if I want to spend very much on the Epi even though it is a very good guitar. Guess I will have to give it a little more time.

[Dave Sloven]

Neck RY is similar to neck CS

[Alfi27]

Hello again mates! I have finally made up my mind, just have to measure the string spacing of the bridge pickup tomorrow and then I am ready to order. Riff Raff in the brige and Mule in the neck!

[Slartibartfarst42]

What an odd choice to replace a 498T if you basically liked that pickup, especially given that none of the advice for what you were looking for was going that direction. Still, it's a very fine pickup in its own right even if it isn't an obvious 498T replacement so I hope you enjoy them 

[Yellowjacket]

Hello again mates! I have finally made up my mind, just have to measure the string spacing of the bridge pickup tomorrow and then I am ready to order. Riff Raff in the brige and Mule in the neck!

Wow, this sounds really fun!  Going to boost the Riff Raff for the heavies?
What inspired this? 

If I ever happened to get another LP, I'd get the Riff Raff / Mule combo for certain!

[Alfi27]

Well, I figured that I will put the 498T/490R set in another Les Paul, and I do not need two guitars that sound the same/similar. I also really like the sound of the Riff Raff, hard to compare clips but I liked it slightly better than the Black Dog for the metal stuff (a bit tighter), and it does the lower gain stuff better as well. Cannot quite remember which forum, but I found this guy Nolly, who recorded all of the clips on the BKP site. He was personally going for the Riff Raff, and he played them all! He sounds like he knows his high gain tone judging from his playing.
Really doubt that boosting will be necessary, my EVH 5150 is a beast and when I get my Kemper on monday I am pretty sure it will have more than enough gain as well

EDIT: I listened to some more clips, not quite sure how but I ended up on the Painkiller-site, but the tightness in the modern metal clip is just... Mmmm, eargasm! There is just something about the surgical tightness of a ceramic that really applies to me... Also listened to the C-bomb, and it sounded just as tight, very awesome! Actually did not find the CS quite as tight, even though it is ceramic too. I used to have a C-bomb in an Ibanez RG2020x, it was tuned to D standard so I used it exclusively for metal. How does it hold up for lower gain stuff? The Miracle Man is also nice and tight, but I do not imagine it being very versatile. I could be wrong though(?) If I am going this route I would like a lower output neck pickup, maybe an Emerald or Mule. God, so many options.. And back to start   
Also, if I am going that route, I am gonna have to ditch the 498T/490R set eventually and get a lower output set for the other Les Paul...

[Slartibartfarst42]

No ceramic pickup will give you versatility. It seems to me that the tighter and hotter you go, the less versatility you get. That tightness costs you versatility and quality of tone, which is why the best tone and versatility comes with alnico but of course you have to sacrifice some of that tightness. It's all a balancing act and making the best compromise you can. Of the ceramic pickups I've tried, the Cold Sweat was the most versatile and while a touch sterile, it still offered some good tone. The Miracle Man was surprisingly good too but again, there are tighter options. Conversely, pickups like the Painkiller and Aftermath are very tight indeed but also very compromised on versatility and tone. Of course, if all you're after is surgical tightness through shed loads of gain then that hardly matters because versatility and quality of tone aren't really priorities, however, the more you back off the gain and search for versatility, the more the quality of tone starts to count and to get that tone you have to go to alnico pickups. The A-Bomb is certainly more versatile than most ceramics while also being very tight but that same tightness and aggression means it's not as versatile as other alnico pickups. The Crawler is also hot yet has a wonderful tone, though it does sacrifice the tightness and ultimate aggression of the A-Bomb to achieve that. Generally speaking (there are a lot more variables than I'm mentioning of course, this is just a rough rule of thumb), the lower the magnet number, the better the tone but the price you pay is less tightness. Tim did a very good thread on this here:

https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=8005.0

When I started playing I used nothing but ceramics but then I was playing with a lot of gain, probably to hide some shocking playing. As my tastes became more varied and discerning, the more I gravitated towards alnico pickups. I wouldn't dream of using ceramic now and usually stick to alnico 5 in the bridge, though I really fancy trying the alnico 4 Abraxas. For the neck I'll use either a lightly wound alnico 5 like the Holydiver, a hotter alnico 4 like the Emerald or an alnico 2. What you choose is up to you but as a rough rule of thumb, the tighter the pickup, the less versatility and tone you'll get.

[Dave Sloven]

The A-Pig is a very nice pickup, but I wouldn't put it in anything darker than a Gibson SG.

[Alfi27]

Alright, I came to my senses and ordered a RiffRaff/Mule-set! Really looking forward to installing them in my Les Paul, I am sure they are awesome!

[ericsabbath]

Alright, I came to my senses and ordered a RiffRaff/Mule-set! Really looking forward to installing them in my Les Paul, I am sure they are awesome!

best and safest les paul set
 

[ryanmfears]

A oailnbomb would do well in the bridge. For the neck maybe a VHII?

[Yellowjacket]

God, so many options.. And back to start   
Also, if I am going that route, I am gonna have to ditch the 498T/490R set eventually and get a lower output set for the other Les Paul...

If you're a metal head and you want versatile pickups, Alnico Nailbomb in the bridge and a Rebel Yell in the Neck.  The Rebel Yell will shred but it can also do blues and it has a nice, bell like clean tone.  The A-Bomb can get gnarly with the volume rolled back but it gets crazy on full tilt.  Mule, Riffraff would be incredible too, but if you want more output then A-Bomb and Rebel Yell may be more what you are after.