Pickups for Gibson Les Paul Standard DC!

[Alfi27]

Hello! Got myself a new Doublecut, beautiful guitar! It has the 498T/490R pickups.. Although they sounded quite good in my massive Les Paul Custom, this one is a lot thinner and lighter (about 3,2kg). The 490R is alright, but it sounds a little bland and boring. The 498T on the other hand sounds brittle and sometimes fizzy, and I think it lacks body. Not a fan of the upper mid spike either. The guitar was made in 2001, so I could not get it right that they started chambering that early. I contacted Gibson and they said that it is weight relieved (swiss hole), but it is still very light and on the verge of being neck heavy (heavy Grover tuners do not help, haha). Like all Standards it is made of mahogany and a (beautiful) maple top! When it comes to tone and timber I would say that it is quite bright, somewhere between an SG and a regular Les Paul Standard. I am also planning on changing pots to the BKP 550k pots, as the stock pots do not clean up very well. Taking all of this into consideration, the high end can easily get overwhelming! So, over to what I want from these pickups.

Important things first: it has to be tight! The Crawler is not tight enough for example, but other Alnico V pickups like Rebel Yell, Riff Raff and Holydiver are plenty tight. It has to be aggressive, although not overly bright. I like a bright tone and can always use the tone knob, but not overly bright and brittle. I have a Riff Raff/Mule set in a Les Paul and I really love the tones, but that guitar is not comparable (solid singlecut LP Standard). The DC is also thinner, the mahogany part of the body is probably the same thickness as an SG or maybe a tiny bit thicker, and a maple top at about 3-4mm. I think the Diver sounds nice, but maybe a bit compressed for what I want from this guitar. And yeah, versatility is important! All of my present BKPs (Nantucket, Riff Raff, Boss) are freakishly versatile, so I would like something like that for this guitar also. I would also like them to be quite close in output to the ones I already have, the 498T is too hot.

When I listen to the classic rock clip of the Emerald I really like what I hear, almost P90-like mid range and great bite! However, the modern metal-clip concerns me a little bit… At about 0:45 it does not sound as tight, but I guess when BKP write in the description that it is tight, it really should be! I also have experience with them in a McCarty, but that was years ago and I am willing to give them a new chance even though I did not love them that time. Not a huge metal player anymore, but I like to jam to some Metallica and heavier stuff once in a while. I will order it with covers by the way, so that might tame the most intense treble(?) I also considered the Rebel Yell, as I have great experience with it but that was also in a massive singlecut Les Paul Standard, and I did not think it was quite as versatile as the BKPs I have now. The guitar has 24 frets, so the neck pickup is moved a little bit towards the bridge. I think it sounds a bit clearer there compared to the standard 22 fret Les Paul, but a little bit darker neck pickup would probably not hurt. The Emerald neck is not the brightest one from what I have read.

I was recommended the Riff Raff by the BKP team, but I am afraid it will be too bright. It is more than bright enough in my massive, really dark singlecut LP Standard. I also tend to go for brighter amps (Marshalls with V30 speakers). In advance, thanks a lot for your answers! And finally, a picture of the beauty!

[Telerocker]

That's a lovely double-cut, which you don't see that much in this colour. I would go Holy Diver here to keep some meat.

[Kiichi]

I want that axe. With those gold covers that is just warm delish.

As for pickups I am inclined to agree with Tele. The HD can certainly do work here. Either as a set or with the proven EM neck (depending on whether you want to extend the bridge character (EM) or contrast it in the same spirit with a brighter neck (HD)).

The EM bridge will likely be too bright for you, as it said to be more so than the RY.  On the note of the metal clips, it handles that differently in different axes. Put it in a Fender scale or more and....man.

One more to perhaps consider is the Abraxxas though. Pumped up Mule, not quite as modern as the HD and not as vintage the rest you have. Well, in a way it is perhaps a bit like the Boss for humbuckers.

[Telerocker]

A forum bandmember had one and it sounded to my ears a little lighter and brighter than a single cut LP.

[Alfi27]

Thanks guys, it is a wonderful guitar, no doubt about that! The Holydiver is a nice pickup, and very versatile especially considering the high output, but I am afraid it will be too compressed for what I want from this guitar... I have become a huge fan of lower output pickups, they just have something special. Hard to explain, but I feel like they make me a better player and when I apply those techniques to higher output pickups like the 498T it just does not respond the way I want it to. The HD is not overly compressed, but probably in the same ballpark as the 498T. And when it comes to magnets, I love the Alnico IV but not very much in the bridge position. It does not have the bite of an Alnico V and not quite as tight. Maybe an Abraxas or Mule with Alnico V in the bridge could work? I know they have stopped doing custom stuff but a simple magnet swap should be possible to do?
EDIT: listening to the Abraxas clip I hear a lot of The Boss' characteristics actually! Maybe I am gonna have to take a look at it, even with Alnico IV magnets 

[Telerocker]

Thanks guys, it is a wonderful guitar, no doubt about that! The Holydiver is a nice pickup, and very versatile especially considering the high output, but I am afraid it will be too compressed for what I want from this guitar... I have become a huge fan of lower output pickups, they just have something special. Hard to explain, but I feel like they make me a better player and when I apply those techniques to higher output pickups like the 498T it just does not respond the way I want it to. The HD is not overly compressed, but probably in the same ballpark as the 498T. And when it comes to magnets, I love the Alnico IV but not very much in the bridge position. It does not have the bite of an Alnico V and not quite as tight. Maybe an Abraxas or Mule with Alnico V in the bridge could work? I know they have stopped doing custom stuff but a simple magnet swap should be possible to do?
EDIT: listening to the Abraxas clip I hear a lot of The Boss' characteristics actually! Maybe I am gonna have to take a look at it, even with Alnico IV magnets 

My Mule-bridge cuts really nice. I like AIV bec of the balance from low to high.

[Kiichi]

After more thinking I continue to go towards an Abraxxas bridge combined with a Mule neck. Vintage enough, but also modern enough to set itself apart from your other PUs. Again, a bit like the Boss. Using a Mule neck gives you a little more vintage flavor too which you love. The bridge meanwhile can do classic stuff and handle metallica with confidence.

[Alfi27]

Thanks a lot guys! Listening to my own clip of the Abraxas in the LP Custom it sounds great! Just a little bit loose in the low end, but that was because I set it close to the strings and just left it there. Even the Riff Raff was loose in the low end that close! I sold the guitar because we just did not become friends, and I did never get really satisfied with the tone either (much because I had no clue how the pickup height affected the tone), but my Czech Epiphone plays a lot better too... It was a looker, but that was pretty much it. However, I am pretty much set on the Abraxas now! I just have one question: Why do you think the Mule would be a better fit in the neck, instead of the Abraxas? From what I have read they are very similar, with the Abraxas being a bit warmer, which is very nice due to the guitar being bright and having the neck position moved a little bit towards the bridge. Just my thoughts though

A little more info on this guitar also: It will be my only humbucker guitar for 9 months when I am going to school in August, accompanied by my Boss loaded Tele and one of my Nantucket loaded Les Pauls. That is why it is really important that the pickups can cover a huge range of tones, but I have the impression of the Abraxas' being really versatile as well!

[Kiichi]

I thought Mule neck cause that is often done and makes it sit a bit more with your other pickups. And people like me like the neck on the brighter side of the spectrum. After what you just notes about the guitar and your ideas I am then actually leaning more towards AB neck as well, for just the reasons you named. Getting the set is probably the best idea here all things considered. The mule neck would be more in line with what you have, yet delivering another flavor. The AB neck would also be in line, but would set itself apart more as "the HB guitar". Which is what you want here.

The Abraxxas sure is versatile. Especially if you add some push pull wiring fun (auto split middle with a flipped neck magnet, Petrucci style? Push pull for series parallel?). There should be no issues there I recon.

[Alfi27]

Thanks a lot man! The more I listen to the clip the more I like it! And yeah, I am thinking about a coil split. Do you know anything about the push-pull 500k pot BKP sell? I find it hard to believe that BKP would sell anything but good pots, but it is nice to know if they are CTS or something else

I actually did not know about the Santana relation to the Abraxas', but they sound like they are capable of a whole lot more! Not the hugest fan of Santana but the man can play, no doubt about that! Really excited about these pickups, I am gonna have to wait at least until next weekend before I order them though, but that is alright.

[Dave Sloven]

Did you consider the Cold Sweat?  It's a tight pickup and can definitely handle Metallica when needed but it is not a typical ceramic.

Also I can't see your photo

[Telerocker]

Thanks a lot man! The more I listen to the clip the more I like it! And yeah, I am thinking about a coil split. Do you know anything about the push-pull 500k pot BKP sell? I find it hard to believe that BKP would sell anything but good pots, but it is nice to know if they are CTS or something else

I actually did not know about the Santana relation to the Abraxas', but they sound like they are capable of a whole lot more! Not the hugest fan of Santana but the man can play, no doubt about that! Really excited about these pickups, I am gonna have to wait at least until next weekend before I order them though, but that is alright.

There are good clips in the player-section by FdeSalvo. He is a big fan of the Abraxas.

[Alfi27]

Did you consider the Cold Sweat?  It's a tight pickup and can definitely handle Metallica when needed but it is not a typical ceramic.

Also I can't see your photo

I did not consider the Cold Sweat no, although it is an awesome pickup I am afraid it will just be too bright for this guitar. Its voicing is also too modern for what I am looking for. Regarding the photos, that is really strange... I can see them on all my devices (computer, iPad and iPhone) whether I am logged in or not.

Thanks a lot man! The more I listen to the clip the more I like it! And yeah, I am thinking about a coil split. Do you know anything about the push-pull 500k pot BKP sell? I find it hard to believe that BKP would sell anything but good pots, but it is nice to know if they are CTS or something else

I actually did not know about the Santana relation to the Abraxas', but they sound like they are capable of a whole lot more! Not the hugest fan of Santana but the man can play, no doubt about that! Really excited about these pickups, I am gonna have to wait at least until next weekend before I order them though, but that is alright.

There are good clips in the player-section by FdeSalvo. He is a big fan of the Abraxas.

I will definitely check it out, thanks!

[Alfi27]

Hello again guys! I found this BKP comparison video, the one with Holydiver, Rebel Yell, Emerald etc, and I have to say that the Emerald sounds freakin' awesome! Does not strike me as too bright at least, reminds me a bit of the Diver with less compression and a richer high end. I was ready to order the Abraxas set on Friday when the paycheck arrives, but not 100% sure about that right now. The one thing about the Emerald I am afraid of is; is it really bright, like brittle-bright? I put the Nantucket in a bright Junior, the tone is really really bright (almost even more than a 60's Tele) but the tone knob easily tames it, in a really pleasant way. So that is what I am really asking here, the Emerald cannot really be so bright that the tone knob is not able to tame it? 

The Abraxas is still a strong candidate, but because of the way the tone knob works I like having quite a lot of high end on tap rather than less. Listening to the classic rock clips I really love the hard hitting mid range grind of the Emerald, reminds me quite a bit of P90s. It also has more bite than the Abraxas, which sounds more balanced. It also has a different but equally pleasant mid range drive to the tone. Usually I tend to have one "safe choice" and one or several "hit or miss choice(s)", which are often chosen purely out of curiosity, but in this case I am actually not sure which one is the safest choice. Lack of bite and high end is almost worse than too much of it sometimes. Argh, why is this so hard?

Link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ecekLV4yps

[Dave Sloven]

I found the the Emerald bridge and the Cold Sweat bridge are around as bright but the Emerald has more mids while the Cold Sweat has more low end balls. My friend who has the Emerald in his Les Paul Studio wishes he had the punch of my Cold Sweat, and it's in an SG ...