Recommend an LP neck pickup

[VonBonfire]

No PAF's. This guitar is my test platform for pickups and I already have PAF type pickups in my main player. I want something different. Looking for something useful for good hard straight blues that is higher output and might go good with the Lollar DB I have in the bridge. Needs to have some trebly bite to it as this is a dark guitar. The Duncan '59 was too dark. The Seth Lover is too bright. I do have a spare '57 classic I could try but that's a last resort.

I've looked at some various Pete Biltoft offerings, several Duncans, Railhammer, etc. Any feedback on the Railhammer hyper vintage would be good. I just want something different than usual low output stuff I been using. Something with some good harmonics. I will follow up all suggestions by digging around youtube for clips. Amp is a BF Twin Reverb, cranked all the way. I don't use much for OD pedals, just as a boost sometimes. Thanks.

 

[EyesOfTheSouth!]

My favorite neck pup in any Gibson is the SD Custom Shop High Voltage. But if you want more heat and harmonics……try the Dimarzio Fred (even though it’s meant to go in the bridge).

 

[RedPlated]

Dimarzio Transition neck is really good. Around 10k with ceramic mag. Very articulate.

 

[changeofaseason]

I love the Suhr Aldrich pickups in my LP. I like a hot modern pickup, but I want the pups in a LP to sound like an LP The Aldrich balance this perfectly for me. I’d describe them as vintage warm, modern hot.

 

[CEG85]

I really like the Bareknuckle cold sweat neck.
Comes in around 8.3k but lots of dynamics and clarity.

 

[JohnnyGtar]

DiMarzio Fred. (DP 153) It will fit the qualities you described. I love that pickup in both the neck and bridge. Hard to beat IMO.

 

[stephen sawall]

Friend of mine has a SH-6 in the neck of his Les Paul. I borrowed it for a month. I was surprised how much I liked it. Definitely different than a PAF.

 

[homespun]

For something completely different:
https://www.lollarguitars.com/humbucker-size

 

[Rex Rocker]

I'm thinking DiMarzio Super 2 or Duncan SH-2N. Both are bright, loud, and not PAF-like at all.

 

[GOHOINC]

I really like the duncan Alnico II pro, the Motor City 2nd Degree Black Belt and for something different, a duncan phat cat. All three are fantastic in the neck posish...

 

[Rex Rocker]

I like the Phat Cat as well, but I find it a bit underpowered with high-output pickups, personally.

 

[VonBonfire]

For something completely different:
https://www.lollarguitars.com/humbucker-size

Novel 90?

Sounds pretty raw.


Biltoft also has a 90 that fits in a humbucker route. The lollar is wound hotter. 8.9k vs 9;7 but the Biltoft comes with a couple sets of magnets so that might be interesting. The DB is a raw sounding savage brute so maybe a hot p90 like that would mix well. The clip sounds really good to me.

 

[GOHOINC]

I like the Phat Cat as well, but I find it a bit underpowered with high-output pickups, personally.

Motor city makes a humbucker sized p90 as well. I have a set in a mahogany Friedman tele and they kick a lot of ass...

 

[Rex Rocker]

Motor city makes a humbucker sized p90 as well. I have a set in a mahogany Friedman tele and they kick a lot of ass...

I think the charm about the Duncans is they use A2. I don't think many P90's use A2. People at the Duncan forum often complain they find the neck Phat Cat too round. I disagree. I even prefer the bridge Phat Cat in the neck.

I would prefer if they were hotter... but at the same time, if they were, they wouldn't sound like they do.

I also have the P-Rails lying around. I've never directly A/B's them, but to me, my first impression is the P-90 sound on the P-Rails sounds good, but just very plain-old standard P-90. Good, but nothing to write home about either.

 

[MetalThrasher]

I was going to suggest the Duncan Jazz as well (SH-2N). It seems to fit what you are looking for. The jazz is definitely brighter than the 59 and has more output.

 

[LPMojoGL]

JWP Wagner Godwood is pretty good. Bit hotter than a Burstbucker, but more dynamic, responsive to pick attack and guitar volume.

 

[GOHOINC]

I think the charm about the Duncans is they use A2. I don't think many P90's use A2. People at the Duncan forum often complain they find the neck Phat Cat too round. I disagree. I even prefer the bridge Phat Cat in the neck.

I would prefer if they were hotter... but at the same time, if they were, they wouldn't sound like they do.

I also have the P-Rails lying around. I've never directly A/B's them, but to me, my first impression is the P-90 sound on the P-Rails sounds good, but just very plain-old standard P-90. Good, but nothing to write home about either.

I've only tried a phat cat in neck position, but it's paired with a mcp afwayu in the bridge. They actually sound really great in the same guitar and balance pretty well. The mcp motormouth p90 set I have is a lot hotter than the phat cats, a5 magnets but 11.4k in the bridge and like 9.6k in the neck. They sound totally killer.

 

[Fiesta Red]

A Duncan Jazz -- would that be bright enough?

A Wolfetone Marshallhead might do the trick. Little hotter and brighter with the A5

 

[Rex Rocker]

I wouldn't say a Jazz would be hotter than a '59. They're more or less the same amount of heat, IME. The Jazz is inddeed brighter and more attacky, though. I would love to try a Jazz Bridge in the neck sometime.

Personally, if you don't like the '59, the Jazz is not a radically different pickup. Yes, the Jazz is brighter, but overall, I think they share same kind of general EQ and power level. It's just that the '59 has a tad more bottom-end and the jazz a tad more top-end.

They're certainly not the same pickup, but they're closer than a '59 is to a SH-6N, for example.

 

[JohnnyGtar]

Novel 90?

Sounds pretty raw.


Biltoft also has a 90 that fits in a humbucker route. The lollar is wound hotter. 8.9k vs 9;7 but the Biltoft comes with a couple sets of magnets so that might be interesting. The DB is a raw sounding savage brute so maybe a hot p90 like that would mix well. The clip sounds really good to me.

Beautiful neck tone!