What would go well with a HD bridge in a LP Standard?

[leolyonsofficial]

What would go well with a HD bridge in a 1995 LP Standard? The stock neck is too boomy for cleans...

[Yellowjacket]

Hah!  I've tackled this problem too!  Those silly weight relieved Standards / traditionals have a proportionally thin sounding bridge pickup while the neck is invariably a ball of mud.

What amp are you using?

A Rebel Yell neck pickup tamed a lot of the muddy lows -the guitar still sounds thick and huge- but I did have to run the 'bass' side of the pickup a bit lower and pull the pole pieces up just to get a balanced tone.  It paired well with an Alnico Nailbomb in the bridge.  The Holy Diver is darker so you probably want a darker pickup that still will shovel off some lows.  I really have no idea so I'm going to wait and see what others think. 

[Slartibartfarst42]

I never get on with pickups wound with 42AWG as I find they can get a bit too muddy etc. I found I got the best results with either an Emerald neck or a Holydiver neck. Both are absolutely sublime, pair well with a Holydiver bridge and suit your guitar.

[Kiichi]

I never get on with pickups wound with 42AWG as I find they can get a bit too muddy etc. I found I got the best results with either an Emerald neck or a Holydiver neck. Both are absolutely sublime, pair well with a Holydiver bridge and suit your guitar.

Yep, both EM and HD should work really well. IŽd lean towards the HD here though.

However, I might also throw in the MQ if you are open to the idea of a P90, which is great idea. Awesome in LPs, pairs with the HD, etc. Bloody awesome pickup.

[ericsabbath]

when in doubt, follow the rule: always go mule
 

[darkbluemurder]

I never get on with pickups wound with 42AWG as I find they can get a bit too muddy etc. I found I got the best results with either an Emerald neck or a Holydiver neck.

I second the HD neck recommendation. I have yet to try the EM neck.

Cheers Stephan

[leolyonsofficial]

So an HD matched pair in a 1995 LP Standard will cover all bases? Dirty and clean with no boomyness.

How will these differ from the stock 490r and 498t pickups?

[Slartibartfarst42]

I found this video to be useful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T26RqvH3YBA

The 498T is a bit more open with more of a focus on upper mids so it tends to be a bit more aggressive sounding. The Holydiver has a more even spread of mids and is smoother. I've had a Holydiver before and loved it and my Les Paul currently uses a 498T. I love them both in their own way but they're quite different.

I'm not as keen on the 490R because it doesn't have enough sparkle in the tone and I just don't find it articulate enough, mostly in the bottom end but also in the lower mids. The Holydiver sounds thinner but I don't mean that in a bad way. It's bright and the light wind gives it a PAF feel but the Alnico V magnet coupled with 42.5 polysol wire means it has a really modern cut to it so you get none of the mush or indistinctness I find on the 490R.

[Telerocker]

when in doubt, follow the rule: always go mule
 

Hits the nail on the head!

[Slartibartfarst42]

Of course, a Mule isn't remotely like a 498T either so it depends how he wants to change the tone.

[Dave Sloven]

I would go for a Holy Diver neck personally.

[ericsabbath]

Of course, a Mule isn't remotely like a 498T either so it depends how he wants to change the tone.

I meant the neck mule
it does pair well with the diver and sounds really really good in rosewood board les pauls (even better than in ebony board customs)

[Telerocker]

I'm with Eric (again). The best neckhumbucker I've played. Delicious tones in mahogany/rosewood board-guitars.

[Sothoth]

Irish Tours sound exceptional in the neck and mid position.  I play a lot of bluesy stuff and rock/classic rock and love them.  I can't disagree that the crawler is a great bridge pickup but I think the somewhat lower output Arbaxas will match up with the Irish Tours a little better.  After trying lots of the humbuckers I've decided I like the Abraxas best for an all purpose pickup that's punchy in the mods and lows and smooth on the highs.  Works well for most genres except all out metal and even then it can handle metal decent.

[pcarrion]

I swapped the stock 498T/490R in my 92 Les Paul custom for Holydivers. 498T has more bite, is more aggresive than HD, but despite being more mid-focused, HD has more clarity. The 498T sounded as if the amp was in the next room (obviously going to extremes). Besides the clarity issue, I was looking for the fuller mids of the HD so it's perfect for me.
About the neck... the same about clarity (compared to 490R). I have another LP with Mules. Comparing both necks (HD and Mules), they are closer than related bridge pickups. If I was looking for versatility, I would go with mule in the neck, but HD neck is great for playing softer styles and great for shredding.