Need Pickups for a Les Paul Traditional

[JCN1218]

This is for future reference since I just bought a set of Blue Notes about a week ago. My Les Paul currently has Gibson 57 Classics, which sound great, but the don't stack up to my other guitars with BKP in terms of tightness and versatility.

So what I'm looking for is something different. Currently my main player guitars have the following pickups, Stormy Monday set, Blue Note set, VHII set with Nantucket Neck, and Mule bridge with Nantucket neck. Tonally there's a lot of overlap, and the guitars that each set are in helps them really find their niche in my sets. The Stormy Mondays in my Epi ES-175 are mostly for clean, jazzy playing. The Blue Notes in my SG are kind of a swiss army knife. VHIIs sound phenomenal under light and heavier gain. And the Mule/Nantucket in my Epi Sheraton II are another kind of swiss army knife if I need some nice old school rock.

My dilemma (which I'm sure all the wonderful BKP experts here in the forum can solve) is how to get a unique voice for my LP. I'm sure it's as easy as throwing a set of pickups in there that I don't have currently, since BKPs all seemed to have very unique voicing, but as always, I'm looking for something special that someone might recommend.

I'll be playing through both a Vox AC15 and a Fryette Deliverance 60 (think American take on the classic, single channel SLP style amp. If you've never heard of Fryette/ VHT, check them out). The Vox handles the cleans and the fuzz while the Fryette dishes out the delicious dirt. Ideally I'd like something that sounds good through both amps (The VHIIs for example sound killer through the Fryette, but get smoked in the AC15 compared to the other pu's. I guess that's why I have both), but since the majority of my guitars sound amazing through the Vox, I wouldn't mind having something else with a bit more of an emphasis on higher gain playing.

Looking for something more toward the vintage (hot) range. Definitely not interested in anything from the contemporary range. I have a few guitars with contemporary BKPs in them and it's just not really the voicing I'm after any more. My initial leanings are toward something like a Riff Raff or Abraxxas, but I'd also be curious about something like a slightly hotter wound Stormy Monday or anything with AlNiCo II magnets. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks!

[Alfi27]

Great collection of guitars and not to mention pickups you got there! The Les Paul, would you say it is a dark or bright instrument? If it is really dark I would go with the Riff Raff to brighten things up, but if it is naturally bright the Riff Raff can become too much (which was my experience at least) and the Abraxas would be a better fit. The Abraxas would be like a ballsy Mule with sweeter top end, sort of. If it is a dark instrument I would also take a look at the Emerald, or even a Black Dog.

[JCN1218]

I wouldn't call it dark per-say. It's not as bright as some of my other guitars though. It has more of a fullness to it.

[Kiichi]

After some thinking I too am swaying towards the Abraxxas. Pumped up Mule without going modern. Rounded top end, ballsier, warmer. If the guitar is not bright or dark it fits well. Said to handle Metallica levels of gain and vintage stuff too.

Essentially it should close the hole you have well.

The RR is cool too and could work as well. In a full LP it should sit well too. Still being able to do vintage stuff, naturally, but add the right gain and amp and it can take a whole lot of it. With your amps though I think the Abraxxas would work better as the RR has a clear, hard, character and you have a liking for sweetness, which the AB has more of.

[Telerocker]

Maybe you want something like the PG Blues. The Abraxas is a safe bet though, not as open as a Mule, but capable of doing many styles.

[pcarrion]

I have finally purchased an Abraxas and I'm sorry I did'nt do it earlier. I had a mule bridge as swapp of the BBPros in one of my Les Paul. I liked them better but, for my taste, lacked some body and punch. I was suggested to try the Abraxas but finally skipped this step and jumped directly to Rebel Yell, Holy Diver, etc... Great pickups but sometimes I missed the airy feeling and dynamics of the Mule. Well, the Abraxas gives me what I liked about the Mule but the extra punch is great for heavier styles (obviously not for ultra fast stacatto death metal riffage and that kind of stuff).

[JCN1218]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! It sounds like the Abraxas would be a perfect fit for my LP and for the sound that I'm after. I'll be sure to make a note of it so I can put the order in once I have the cash.