Bright Les Paul, Need a Pickup - JB v Super Distortion v Duncan Custom v Marshallhead mk2 v 57 Classic (stock) v Rebel Yell

C

Cap217

Active member
I have a 2000 les paul premium plus with a thinner neck that plays great and sounds ok. Its brighter and snappier and missing that bottom end and low mids that I want. It cam stock with 57 classics that actually sounded really good, especially the neck. I then put in some rebel yells and they are thinner and not exciting in this guitar. Very boring and sterile to me.

I have a few sets here that I can throw in but Im not sure where to start. So before I start soldering for hours, I thought Id get some input.

JB - I have used JB but never in a les paul. Im sure Id get the expected JB sound here.

Super D - Never used this but it was the competition to the JB forever. I dont like that I have to use uncovered with these.

Duncan Custom - Never used but it seems to be a JB with less mids

Marshallhead mk2 - I bought these and used them in a light Hum Hum tele and they sounded great. These are what I am leaning towards because I know they sound good and I have them. But I am worried they arent as hot as I would be looking for.

57 Classic - These were good, especially the neck. They had some life in them (not sterile). I can always default to these but we all hate stock pickups and that just sticks in my head.

Rebel Yell - Boring in this guitar. It makes it brighter to me. Cleans up nice but they are just sterile to me in this guitar.
 
Bareknuckle Holy Diver, Warpig, Juggs. Duncan Parallel axis, DiMarzio AT-1, Norton, PRS Dragon 1, Rio Grande BBQ...
But if LP really lack bottom and is too trebly, it is easier to sold guitar than trying to fix it...
 
The JB - has a similar wind count as the Super D and the Custom but uses 44awg. It will be warmer but healthy in the mids. Some thing to much mids

Super D - like the customs uses 43awg, similar wind count as the JB and custom but is hotter due to the ceramic magnet. Will be warmer than the 57

Duncan Custom - similar wind count but 43awg vs 44awg in the JB. Both have A5 magnets. Less mids and lowend than the JB

Marshallhead mk2 - this is in the PAF category with a weakened A5. This will take away some brightness but low output.

57 Classic - this is a PAF with a2 magnet. Less bright than a PAF with an A5, but will be bright compared to a higher output pickup

Rebel Yell - Offset coils, 43awg wire and hand wound, similar wind count to the JB, it’s going to be bright and clear. You don’t want offset coils I’d your trying to make an pickup polite or less bright
 
I would probably try the Super Distortion. For a ceramic mag pickup they have a nice midrange character- not a sterile sounding pickup at all. They’ve got a thicker low-mid sound to them without the chopped off treble of some Dimarzios (I hate that) yet not particularly bright.

By comparison I find the ceramic SD Custom (SH-5) kind of sterile sounding and in some guitars hard to balance between the sharp treble response and big bass they have.
 
From what you’ve listed, I’ve played the JB, Super Distortion, and 57 Classic. I’d lean towards the Super Distortion based on how you described your guitar’s natural characteristics. It has full mids and lows with enough clank to give some cut. I like the JB and it could work as well. I have one in a brighter, attack heavy guitar and it sounds killer in there. I’ve also heard the JB sound bad in brighter, thinner guitars too. You’d just have to give it a try. On paper, though, the Super Distortion would be the first I’d try,
 
I’m betting the guitar likely just won’t get what you want out of it soundwise no matter the pickup. Mahogany guitars like Les pauls in particular tend to usually still sound like themselves even with very different pickup swaps. I agree though about the Rebel Yells and BKP’s in general. Boring and sterile sounding
 
jabps said:
For me and my Pauls...all of them. The Gibby 500T. Love everything about them in my Les Pauls. Next would be the PRS Tremonti, their take on the 500T. If I was going alnico I'd go with the Suhr Aldrich, beefier sounding JB.
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I have such a love/hate relationship with the 500T. Always looking for an "improved" or "perfected" version of it.
 
this thread has me wanting to look into a Super D or maybe even Super3.

JW Ironman might be worth looking at although I don't feel it's very hot. I've got one in an Ash body maple top>wenge neck>ebony board Mayo Qatsi that sounds phenomenal.
 
Bardagh said:
I have such a love/hate relationship with the 500T. Always looking for an "improved" or "perfected" version of it.
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I don't particularly like them in anything but a Les Paul. For me, they are a perfect match for the Pauls.

I put one in one of my PRS Tremonti's and even though the stock Tremonti pup is supposed to be a knockoff of that pup, the 500T was just a bit too gnarly in that guitar. The Tremonti pup being a tad bit more smooth in comparison.

I've been lucky in regards to my Pauls and PRS's as I love the 500T for the Gibsons and I love the stock Tremonti pickup for my PRS's. And I tried the various stuff for awhile for the Pauls and PRS only to circle back to them and be completely happy.

Btw/I did like the Suhr Aldrich for that beefier JB vibe but on the whole, I don't particularly like JB's in a Les Paul. I prefer them in my shred style guitars.
 
MetalHeadMike said:
this thread has me wanting to look into a Super D or maybe even Super3.

JW Ironman might be worth looking at although I don't feel it's very hot. I've got one in an Ash body maple top>wenge neck>ebony board Mayo Qatsi that sounds phenomenal.
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Hm that’s strange. All the Iron Man’s I had were very hot and thick sounding. Never had them though before in the Mayones’s I’ve had nor in guitars with specs like yours. I had quite a few Super D’s including a ‘70’s version, late ‘70’s X2N and a lotta other Dimarzio’s and imo they sound like absolute trash compared to the Iron Man. I’d recommend the Haussel Hot for a different flavor of hotter pickups, but hard to come by. I bet his other hotter models would also be good, but haven’t tried them yet
 
jabps said:
I don't particularly like them in anything but a Les Paul. For me, they are a perfect match for the Pauls.

I put one in one of my PRS Tremonti's and even though the stock Tremonti pup is supposed to be a knockoff of that pup, the 500T was just a bit too gnarly in that guitar. The Tremonti pup being a tad bit more smooth in comparison.

I've been lucky in regards to my Pauls and PRS's as I love the 500T for the Gibsons and I love the stock Tremonti pickup for my PRS's. And I tried the various stuff for awhile for the Pauls and PRS only to circle back to them and be completely happy.

Btw/I did like the Suhr Aldrich for that beefier JB vibe but on the whole, I don't particularly like JB's in a Les Paul. I prefer them in my shred style guitars.
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Yeah I should say I'm talking about for an Explorer. I've removed and put that pickup back in that guitar a stupid number of times. I like the feel it has and the built-in grind. It's mid-forward without sounding nasally and annoying. I just wish it was a less muddy when you dial in more low end on an amp. If it could just be a bit more solid and punchy and clear I'd never take it out of that guitar.
 
Bardagh said:
Yeah I should say I'm talking about for an Explorer. I've removed and put that pickup back in that guitar a stupid number of times. I like the feel it has and the built-in grind. It's mid-forward without sounding nasally and annoying. I just wish it was a less muddy when you dial in more low end on an amp. If it could just be a bit more solid and punchy and clear I'd never take it out of that guitar.
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Same experience I had with my old Explorer. In fact that is why I had one laying around when I went on my Paul kick years ago.

That's where the maple top in the Paul's come into play, takes away that congested low end in comparison to all the all mahogany Explorer. Combined with the 500T's the mid grind, it's spot on for me. Again, to me and my style.

All 4 of my Pauls (two Standards, two customs) have the 500T in the bridge, 496R in the neck.
 
scottosan said:
The JB - has a similar wind count as the Super D and the Custom but uses 44awg. It will be warmer but healthy in the mids. Some thing to much mids

Super D - like the customs uses 43awg, similar wind count as the JB and custom but is hotter due to the ceramic magnet. Will be warmer than the 57

Duncan Custom - similar wind count but 43awg vs 44awg in the JB. Both have A5 magnets. Less mids and lowend than the JB

Marshallhead mk2 - this is in the PAF category with a weakened A5. This will take away some brightness but low output.

57 Classic - this is a PAF with a2 magnet. Less bright than a PAF with an A5, but will be bright compared to a higher output pickup

Rebel Yell - Offset coils, 43awg wire and hand wound, similar wind count to the JB, it’s going to be bright and clear. You don’t want offset coils I’d your trying to make an pickup polite or less bright
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Thanks. I forgot I have 2 old dirty fingers, the original ones. How would these compare?
 
Rebel Yell vs Aldrich...They are very different sounding in my guitar. Aldrich is darker and way more compression/output. Does not do cleans like the rebel yell. The bkp sounds much more alive. I would be fine with the aldrich in a guitar that had a 5 way switch or push pulls for split coil sounds though.
 
mniel8195 said:
Rebel Yell vs Aldrich...They are very different sounding in my guitar. Aldrich is darker and way more compression/output. Does not do cleans like the rebel yell. The bkp sounds much more alive. I would be fine with the aldrich in a guitar that had a 5 way switch or push pulls for split coil sounds though.
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I have played the Aldrich and have a set ready to go but a different custom. Interesting how everyone has a different ear. You can the bkp more alive and I say lifeless.
 
Cap217 said:
I have played the Aldrich and have a set ready to go but a different custom. Interesting how everyone has a different ear. You can the bkp more alive and I say lifeless.
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I thinkIy entirely dependent on music style and entire gear chain. Hand wound pickups will always generally be more open and less compressed at the same spec on paper. The Aldrich is dark and compressed. If you have a bright guitar and bright amp but like a woody tone with some compression, the BKP might not be your thing. If you have a neutral or dark guitar and a somewhat compressed amp and want clarity and a tight/immediate response, some may like the BKP better.
 
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