Pickups for a 1979 Gibson LP Custom ?

[Custom79]

Hi guys,
I'm thinking of getting a 1979 LP Custom Black Beauty, this is the most amazing LP neck I have played. In the store it sounded awesome through a Mesa LoneStar, plenty of bite which is something I miss since selling a 1978 Custom about 13 years ago.
I currently play a PRS SingleCut Trem and Custom 22 but this LP just had something I like, that grittiness and bite. I took it away and tried it through my rig which is a Marshall JMP-1, Marshall EL84 100/100, Rocktron Intellifex through two Marshall 1936 cabs. It sounded way too toppy, very cutting and too much treble and I was gutted as this guitar feels like home. I tweaked my settings but didn't really have that much time to play, maybe I should've tried harder ?? It was also squealing like a pig very microphonic, it still has the original covered pickups fitted.

I was thinking I could get them waxed/potted but I was hearing so much good about BKP's I thought they may solve my problem ?

I love John Sykes tone and I love a Les Paul neck pickup to be smooth and creamy with hours of sweet sustain, for the bridge I like plenty of bite and power. I usually have a modern sound with high gain, delay and stereo chorus similar to Neal Schon, John Sykes, Doug Aldrich etc.


Any suggestions for this guitar guys ??? any help much appreciated  

[Tim]

Welcome to the forum :D
I've got 4 early '70s LP Customs and they've all had very similar problems.The patent no. humbuckers from the '70s were unpotted and @DC7.6K which means they're bright and can squeal like a stuck pig!Don't ditch them though as they're gaining value these days and if you replace them store them properl .ie, not chucked together in a drawer where they'll demagnetise but boxed seperately.

Check out the clips in the players room first up.

My suggestions are either a Cold Sweat set, I've got these in a '70 Ebony Custom and they're great, or a Crawler set-I've got these in a '71 Sunburst Custom and we sold every Crawler set we had at the LGS this year based on that guitar.
Either way, if it's a bright one which it sounds like it is,then stay away from anything low/medium PAF based like The Mule,Stormy Monday, Riff Raff and go for the hotter PAF tone like Cold Sweat, Crawler or even Nailbomb.You'll need the hotter wind to fill the bass and low mid out whilst not losing top end.

Don't worry about the usual LP muddy neck syndrome either. As a LP player I'm all too aware of this and work really hard at voicing good clear neck humbuckers in all our sets.

Feel free to PM/mail me for more detailed info.

[Custom79]

WOW Tim, cheers for the info.
Those Cold Sweat pickups sound like just the job, such a fitting name too  
The guitar is currently wired as such ....
UP= neck and middle
MIDDLE= middle
DOWN= bridge

I want it rewired so that I get ....
UP=neck only
MIDDLE=middle
DOWN=bridge

Any suggestions for the middle humbucker ? although I doubt it will get used much and I've had to lower it quite a bit as I catch it with my pick.

[Custom79]

Well Tim, by the time you read this you'll know I've done the deal and have bought the guitar and ordered a set of matched Cold Sweat pickups from your goodself through my very good friend Steve Gray (Tyler guitars UK, Guitar Guitar Newcastle).
Can't wait to get these buggers in the guitar, I'm sure it's going to be awesome. My local tech tried to pursuade me just to get the original pickups rewound and potted but as I have a modern sound I thought this way would suit my needs better.
Ordered in aged gold although I do prefer the open coil look I think it'll keep the mojo in this guitar  

[Niall]

Ainsley!  :)   Welcome to the BK forum dude.  I'm sure that axe is going to be stellar with the fret work and some fine BK pickups in, good choice.  Keep us posted on how it goes.

Cheers, Niall.

[Custom79]

Hi Niall,
The pickups arrived today but I can't pick them up until Saturday  :( my mate Steve reckons they look really cool  :D