Les Paul neck pickups

[8len8]

Humbucker from Hell wired as a single coil with treble bleed circuit. I get a great woody tone.

 

[stephen sawall]

Lately I like the Gibson 490R. I decided to keep the 490R and 498T in the 2007 Les Paul Studio I picked up a few weeks ago.

 

[Strandberg Junkie]

490R and 498T in the 2007 Les Paul Studio

Had that set in an LP from the same era. Excellent for classic tones and loved OD pedals.

 

[Fiesta Red]

If you are sensitive to 'flub', go with a more underwound option. The Jazz isn't bad but a Seth Lover is better IME

I've got a Seth Lover sitting around somewhere, I think.

 

[Metlking]

I think the Duncan 59n sounds great with almost any magnet but the one it comes with! I have one with an A3 and another with an UOA5 in the neck spots of at least 2 Les Pauls. Takes that boominess away in my opinion. I didn't care for an A4, but it still sounded better!

 

[CEG85]

My favorites so far have been Tim Shaws, Lollar imperials and BKP cold sweat.
The cold sweats in particular are picky about what bridge PU they are paired with, but sound great on their own.

 

[SFW]

My go to is a Duncan AP2 Slash in the neck of my LPs.

 

[Bardagh]

For my money you can’t beat the Wolfetone Dr. Vintage or Marshallhead neck pickups (the latter if you want a bit more output).

I will add though that I agree the 490R is better than its reputation so long as you have 500k pots. 498t/490r combo with 500k pots is great in a Les Paul so I would understand why it was Gibson’s go-to combo for such a long time if not for the 330k pot bullshit. I have always yanked those out of every Gibson I’ve had. They make everything sound muffled.

 

[mixn4him]

Thornbucker ended my search..

 

[Fiesta Red]

I installed actual 500K pots in the guitar so that should give everything a better tone.

 

[DanTravis62]

Wagner crossroads is by far my favorite for this

But a Duncan phat cat single coil works great as well

 

[Searay]

Many of the neck pickups are rather "Boomy", the SD '59 for example. I found the Pearly Gates neck to be the most complimentary to the Les Paul that I have used followed perhaps by a 57 Classic. Just a plain old potted PGN. I have a custom PG set unpotted that I replaced my PG set with and the old production line neck pickup sounded exceptional.

 

[Geo]

I found the Duncans to be thin and bright or bassy and muddy.

 

[Joey B.]

Tried many magnets in my SD Custom Custom, and came back to the A2. Paired with the SD Pearly Gates in the neck position, it works well for me in my 1973 pancake body Goldtop.

 

[GenoBluzGtr]

I have either Lollar Imperial or a Wolfetone Dr Vintage. those both have WONDERFUL clarity. ZERO mud or flub. Yet still have guts and gusto. I have tried dozens of other pickups in the necks of my LPs and 335s.. these are the only ones that I like anymore.