Hi there- looking for recommendations for pickups please.
Guitar(s): Gibson R9 Les Paul, '91 Gibson Explorer (mahogany)
Amp: Boosted Mesa Dual Rectifier Multi-Watt w/2x12 recto cab
Music Styles: Blues, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Grunge, Metal
What I'm Looking For: So what I'm after is a humbucker set that has a tight, fast tracking low end that still has enough depth to have an authoritative punch to it, a complex and focused midrange with a decent push in the upper mids, and an open and clear top end that is crisp enough to have a good crunch on the plain strings but not harsh or brittle. The texture of the distortion when overdriven should be fairly smooth (smoother than a gibson 500T, for example), but not too far into "creamy" territory, as I'd like it to still have some good attitude. Good clarity and harmonics is a must, especially considering I play through a recto. I play a fairly broad range of gain levels, so it should be able to rip when wide open, but work well with the volume knob for different gain levels and aggression. The emphasis will be on more aggressive tones (metallica, Alice in Chains, etc.), but when I feel like switching gears and playing some soulful blues rock or classic AC/DC type stuff, it shouldn't sound out of place. I prefer a more open and dynamic sound and feel, compared to a highly compressed one.
Now, I'm wondering what you guys would recommend for both my LP and Explorer. Doesn't have to be the same set for both, in fact a little variety would be cool, but the outputs etc. should be fairly similar as to work seamlessly when used into the same rig and settings. I'm a big believer in matching the pickup to the guitar, as well as the amp being used.
Thanks very much!
