Gibson..For the love of God, PLEASE...

[VonBonfire]

Thanks for the link to your thread - I read your opening remarks and look forward to the rest. I haven't commented recently on my trem block thread b/c anything r&d was shot when I threw block saddles & and a whole new wiring scheme into the mix. I mention, only because I came to learn, thanks to the forum, the Norton I have in my strat is, allegedly, uber-similar to the 498T, a pickup which many yrs ago left a pretty big impression. With that info, others mentioned Gibson use of aluminum bridges, and now I'm all about aluminum bridge parts..it delivers IMO. What about a 498T in a LP?

I had a 498t in an ES333 back when I first got into ES guitars but was using a 100 watt plexi RI at the time. It was a really good sound, a nicely compressed smoky hot bite that I would assume would be half decent with a LP but I've never tried it. It was a bit thicker/beefier and hotter than the T-type bridge. I think quite a few Pauls came with 490r/498t combo if that says anything. They are pretty affordable so it might be worth a shot.

 

[HowieJams]

The only pickups I really like from Gibson are the:

Burstbucker 1&2s (these are in the Standard 50s)
Custombuckers (in the new Custom Shops)
57 classic and 57 classic plus were also pretty good if I recall correctly - They were in the Traditionals (57 classic and classic +)and I think the 2013 SG Standards (2 57 classics)

 

[Rackman]

Gibsons have mostly been my favorite pickups. Even the 498t was pretty sweet in my 333.

I played a new LP Custom with one of those recently through a IIC+ reissue, and it was really nice acutally.

 

[napalmdeath]

throwing it out as an option...try a magnet swap. Relatively easy and cheap, and me and a bandmate played with a few less than awesome pickups that actually made drastic improvements!

It was in a Les Paul Studio. I returned the guitar. It had other issues as well, and the horrific BB Pro and quick connect B.S., it wasn't worth it. I got a Heritage H150 Standard for basically the same price as the Studio, as it was old stock since the Standard II is now the norm. It comes with Duncan '59s.

 

[Scot]

The only pickups I really like from Gibson are the:

Burstbucker 1&2s (these are in the Standard 50s)
Custombuckers (in the new Custom Shops)
57 classic and 57 classic plus were also pretty good if I recall correctly - They were in the Traditionals (57 classic and classic +)and I think the 2013 SG Standards (2 57 classics)

I appreciate this: I've only had but one lp bought on a whim several yrs ago & since sold. Came with '57 classics and they were beast when cranked, actually. Super bright. I'm hoping to find a lp to replace it and have pretty much settled on a Standard 50's, preferably in tuxedo black, but whichever one catches me in the right way, really. Custom's are so nice, but not in the budget.

 

[Geo]

Turn the amp up, then lower the volume knob on your guitar to about 6.

Then tell me you hate it.

 

[Brain Becker]

I bought a LP Custom that came stock with Burstbuckers...I could believe how small, plastic-like and tinny they sounded. Want a bright, lean and mean humbucker for your Gibson? Duncan Custom 100%.

Fuck yeah. I had a Duncan Custom in an LP that kicked all kinds of ass.

 

[HowieJams]

I appreciate this: I've only had but one lp bought on a whim several yrs ago & since sold. Came with '57 classics and they were beast when cranked, actually. Super bright. I'm hoping to find a lp to replace it and have pretty much settled on a Standard 50's, preferably in tuxedo black, but whichever one catches me in the right way, really. Custom's are so nice, but not in the budget.

I have two Standard 50s and two Custom Shops (R8 and R9)
The Standard 50s don't give up much if anything to a Custom Shop.

Most of my guitar videos I use the Standard 50s

Go to 2:15 and listen to that smooth and creamy Burstbucker 1 in the neck position

 

[headlessdeadguy]

The BB Pros are not great for metal at all. They do what they are supposed to do very well. The new 70’s reissues are badass!

 

[fusedbrain]

Lol, I thought you were going to say stop using those teeny tiny frets they use now in the new guitars, and offer us some models with some bigger frets. Those little dinky frets blow chunks...
But anyway, just to be clear, the burstbucker 1,2,&3 are alnico 2 mags, and are good sounding pickups.
The burstbucker pro's that I think we are talking about here, are alnico 5 mags, and are a completely different vibe.
They have that typical alnico 5 smiley face eq curve, and can be bright and muddy in the wrong guitar.
They come standard in a lot of les pauls, and they don't sound that great in that guitar.
However, I took a set that I got in an LP, and put them in an SG, and they sound pretty damn good in the SG.
They aren't high output pickups, and like I said, they can be bright and harsh in the wrong guitar, but in a guitar without a lot of high end like an SG, they're not bad.
I wouldn't use them for death metal, but into a plexi type amp, they kill for that AC/DC lower gain rock tone.
As usual, it's all about matching the frequency response of the guitar, with the frequency response of the pickups, to get you where you want to go.

 

[Scot]

I have two Standard 50s and two Custom Shops (R8 and R9)
The Standard 50s don't give up much if anything to a Custom Shop.

Most of my guitar videos I use the Standard 50s

Go to 2:15 and listen to that smooth and creamy Burstbucker 1 in the neck position

Thanks for that. All the interweb perusing I've done the last couple yrs seems to indicate the standards are about as good as they've ever been (ie: consistently good). I don't mind little slips of the router here and there (depending), but overall poor construction & crappy binding would disappoint me, unless it was the most musical thing I ever did touch. Your clip sounds great and I agree, I love what you call a creamy tone on the neck, too (lol..so many adjectives). You play that lp well and it seems to suit your style perfect, your amp sounds good. You're generous with your time, thanks for posting the clip.

 

[napalmdeath]

I appreciate this: I've only had but one lp bought on a whim several yrs ago & since sold. Came with '57 classics and they were beast when cranked, actually. Super bright. I'm hoping to find a lp to replace it and have pretty much settled on a Standard 50's, preferably in tuxedo black, but whichever one catches me in the right way, really. Custom's are so nice, but not in the budget.

I got a screaming deal on this. It's the last of the Standards, they now have the Standard II. They're now weight relieved, slim tapered necks, and in-house pickups.

The regular Standard I got has no weight relief, one-piece body, 50s neck, (not baseball bat fat, but chunky), Plek'd Medium Jumbo Jescar frets, bone nut, Tonepros Bridge, and Duncan pickups. Custom shop quality for less than a Gibson LP Standard.

 

[Scot]

Hell yeah - I'm not averse to that and I'm also not averse to a hardtail Gretsch, trouble is finding them locally to put your hands on them. So sad the times we live in because all of these guitars we talk about were on the walls of the moms and pops. Nonetheless, I'm pretty hellbent on a Gibson if being forthright, I just want it to be a legit "instrument" as I know it, is all. I went in to GC one afternoon a bunch of yrs ago to buy a pack of picks and left with a '57RI Goldtop and that fucker was completely badass w/one pc body etc. Can't regret selling it b/c the dollars from it were well spent, but I sure would like to have it back. I'm confident the right one will come along. I'll be all over a Heritage if I run into one in the wild - thanks for raising them because their reputation is quite good for sure and I'd have no doubt about build quality.

 

[tallcoolone]

You kind of need to specify what you are looking for in a pickup. What @VonBonfire might love laying blues through a Fender combo is going to be different than what I want when I play rock through a 2204 half stack and that’s going to be different than what @DanTravis62 likes when he plays that really angry stuff he likes through his Larry (love ya man lol). These are three distinctly different needs

 

[VonBonfire]

Turn the amp up, then lower the volume knob on your guitar to about 6.

derka derka derka proper way to sherpa play loud guitar derk derk.

 

[tallcoolone]

When in doubt the Godwood usually is a good answer tho

 

[tallcoolone]

Turn the amp up, then lower the volume knob on your guitar to about 6.

Then tell me you hate it.

Ugh, no way—if I need to turn my guitar volume down for my pickup to sound good I have the wrong pickup

 

[Geo]

Ugh, no way—if I need to turn my guitar volume down for my pickup to sound good I have the wrong pickup

My guess with a name like @napalmdeath, there is just way too much gain goin on and the pickup is just wrong for him.

But with that being said, I love using those pickups and dropping the volume down on the guitar a bit. Maybe I am just crazy.

 

[VonBonfire]

Ugh, no way—if I need to turn my guitar volume down for my pickup to sound good I have the wrong pickup

I definitely work it the way geo suggested and ride the guitar's volume for more/less gain. There are quite a few good blues tones there especially between 4 and about 8. I rarely go past that with a cranked amp.

 

[Geo]

I definitely work it the way geo suggested and ride the guitar's volume for more/less gain. There are quite a few good blues tones there especially between 4 and about 8. I rarely go past that with a cranked amp.

My guess is Jeff Beck almost never put the volume on his guitar all the way up.