Burstbucker Pros in my Les Paul will sound like....

[marshallmel]

Bought a 2002 Les Paul last summer off a a guy who needed cash. Came with EMG's installed and the original Burstbucker Pros came with the sale. What are these things going to sound like?

 

[bonedarrell]

Since you have them there, you might as well install them and check them out yourself. Opinions are going to all over the place here.

I will start though.....I replaced every set of BBs in every guitar they came in. Too bright for my taste.

 

[Iron Dog]

I have Burstbucker Pro's in my Traditional Faded and I love them, they are hot and I don't find them overly bright, but that's me. What got me to buy my LP is that I had gone in to try a Jackson Dinky with a JB in it and played it through a Mesa Stilletto and it sounded fine, I then tried the Les Paul and it blew me away.

I have swapped out pick ups on a lot of my guitars to find what works for me, but the Burstbucker Pro's aren't going anytime soon.

 

[jsp]

For my tastes, very shrill, not enough output.

But, like already mentioned, you might as well try them out yourself.

 

[Mesa\Kramer]

I hate them
Kind of harsh and muddy
498T FTW

 

[marshallmel]

I was concerned about them being a little too bright. The BB-3 in my traditional pro was like that.
I'll probably see if I can get rid of them and the EMG's and end up with a set of Aldrich pickups.

 

[nighttrain69]

all depends on the amp i generally dont like them ,but i played a burstbucker loaded lp thru a engl blackmore and they ripped

 

[blackba]

I had a set in my '03 LP standard LE. Switched that out for an aldrich set. In general the BBpros are a big sharp on the high end for my tastes. I wish they were a little warmer.

I then too the covers off the BBpros, replaced the magnet in the bridge with an unoriented A5. Those replaced a Jazz and Aldrich in my '73 LP custom, which is a really mean and angry sounding guitar. I figured the guitar doesn't really need the help of a hot pickup like the aldrich. Initially I liked the change, but the neck tone was just too muddy and yet to sharp at the same time. So I am currently back to having the Jazz in the neck, but I still have the BBpro in the bridge.

 

[boost]

Shrill and muddy at the same time was my my experience. Not sure how that was even possible, but that's what they sounded like to me. I think if you were running clean or light overdrive as your main sound they might work.

 

[memberzonly]

I found them bright and grainy.

They are not your friend.

 

[iplayloudly]

personally I really like the burstbuckers

 

[EVHpickdust]

...shit.

I hate them.

 

[se7en]

An odd combination of shrill and muddy. Hated 'em.

 

[philb]

Depends...
Hate them through the Friedman they're great through the Mesa Mark V.

 

[War Admiral]

....crap imo of course

 

[Mudder]

I had a set of BB Pros in an Iceman IC 400 and they sounded alright, but they are a spicy set. I lowered them about as far as I could to get them to sound good. I think they sell pretty well on ebay, flip them and the EMG for something you like.

Edited to add you'll probably need to swap out the pots once the EMG come out. The active models don't use the same values as passive pickups.

 

[marshallmel]

I had a set of BB Pros in an Iceman IC 400 and they sounded alright, but they are a spicy set. I lowered them about as far as I could to get them to sound good. I think they sell pretty well on ebay, flip them and the EMG for something you like.

Edited to add you'll probably need to swap out the pots once the EMG come out. The active models don't use the same values as passive pickups.

I have all of the original pots and wiring.