New bridge PU for LP Custom

[aieos]

Hi

I am looking for recommendation for a bridge replacement for a LP Custom.
I liked the mid characteristic, the output and the fluid playing feeling of the 498T, but need a PU that has better note separation and doesn't turn into mush with higher amounts of gain.
I tried the True Grit, which I found to be very bright and a bit bland in the mids. I had the the polished A5 swapped for an un-polished A5, which tamed the brightness slightly but gave it some honky mid characteristic. The Polymath was better brightness wise, but is dark sounding and lacks output. I owned a Rebel Yell before but did not like it in the guitars I put it in, to me it consistently sounded thin and the high-mid/treble fiziness/hairyness drove me crazy.

Which BKP would you recommend as a 498T replacement?

[timmy_pix]

So many options!

What's the guitar like acoustically? My first thought for an improved 498T is generally a True Grit, but you've ruled that out.
So you want less bright and more characterful mids... I'd say look at the Nailbomb in the first instance, then either the Silo or the Holydiver.
You mention not liking the hairiness in the Rebel Yell, and that is still there to an extent in the Nailbomb, but the midrange is much more in the centre and the lows, it's growlier. But, being 43awg, it keep some of that hot-PAF character and versatility that you find in the 498T/Rebel Yell/True Grit.

The Holydiver and Silo are both 44awg, so more modern feeling. The Holydiver's a bit more open, more balanced but with thick mids and a singing lead tone - no mush at all. The Silo is more compressed, with more weight in the low mids and tighter bass, and again, masses of clarity.

The more I type, the more I'm thinking you want a Silo.

[aieos]

Thank you for the recommendations.

Accoustically, the LP sounds balanced and slightly warm/dark.

I was also thinking about the Nailbomb or Silo. Eq wise the Nailbomb would probably fit better, as it seems to have more highs and less bass than the Silo. Do you have experience with the LP-Silo bridge combo?

[ericsabbath]

Thank you for the recommendations.

Accoustically, the LP sounds balanced and slightly warm/dark.

I was also thinking about the Nailbomb or Silo. Eq wise the Nailbomb would probably fit better, as it seems to have more highs and less bass than the Silo. Do you have experience with the LP-Silo bridge combo?

the nailbomb is very sizzly and the holy diver is quite mid centric, and could get honky
the silo sounds more like a fit, but could feel dark too

[darkbluemurder]

Funny - my first recommendation for a more articulate pickup than the 498T would have been the True Grit bridge but you found it too bright.

On the other hand, you say the guitar is on the warmer side acoustically. Therefore I guess the Crawler would be too dark. The Abraxas would be closer but that one has quite a bit more mids than the True Grit. The VHII would give you more string separation but it is at least as bright as the True Grit. I never played an Emerald but from all the descriptions I read I am afraid that this would be too bright as well.

I would keep the True Grit but reduce the load of the pickup from 500k to around 400k. This can be done by adding a 2.2 meg resistor. One end of the resistor goes to the point where the hot lead of the pickup is connected, the other goes to ground. What reducing the load does is reduce the resonant peak of the pickup. Sonically, this reduces brightness and slightly increases the mids. If 400k does not get you close enough, try a 1.5 meg or 1 meg for a load of 380k resp. 330k. If you think the 2.2 meg takes away too much articulation, try a 3.3 meg. I have had excellent results with this method on a number of pickups. And fortunately, resistors are cheap (you only need a power rating of 1/4 watt) so feel free to experiment.

Cheers Stephan

[aieos]

This seems like a simple thing to try. I'll organize a 5Mohms pot and give it a go.

[justin.yoon20]

Try a nailbomb in the custom, its pretty close to what you'd like. Normally les pauls will be fine with a rebel yell but since you said it was bright and thin the alnico nailbomb will suit you. It has more output than tbe polymath or the rebel yell but has plenty of chunck and less sizzly highs. The holy diver is darker and middier, its better suited for strat style guitars imo. Same with the silos as thats even darker and beefier. Rabea says its a tamed version of a warpig so thats far off from a 498t or anything.

[Ventanaman]

Or just roll back your tone. I have mine on about 7 for my TG-equipped Charvel Model 4 (1986) and it smooths everything out with no loss of clarity.