LP PUP Suggestions?

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amiller

amiller

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I have a LP standard with a 60's neck (maybe 2008 model.) The guitar has a stuffy dead tone to my ears. Anyway, I didn't like the originally pup in the bridge because of the stuffy tone so I put in a Suhr Doug Aldrich. The guitar still has that dead sound to me...'just not lively. I'm looking for a pup that will give me a nice rich "vocal" singing lead tone.

Any suggestions? :confused:
 
Hate to say it, but it may be your guitar that is "dead". No pickup will make it totally sing.

If not, then I'm really happy with Motor City pickups. I'd maybe give the Detroiters a shot. They are pricey, but they are good.
 
^ Agreed, but you should look at a couple things, are there 300k Pots or 500k pots? 500k's will open it up a good bit if it has those 300's Gibson has used. Also look at a Callaham, Gotoh or Faber Aluminum tailpiece this will brighten up things a good bit as well...
 
mixn4him":2ai1dwj1 said:
^ Agreed, but you should look at a couple things, are there 300k Pots or 500k pots? 500k's will open it up a good bit if it has those 300's Gibson has used. Also look at a Callaham, Gotoh or Faber Aluminum tailpiece this will brighten up things a good bit as well...
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:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
 
good point about the pots. I've updgraded with an RS kit and it's much improved.
 
Buckeyedog":22ohec53 said:
good point about the pots. I've updgraded with an RS kit and it's much improved.
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Hmmm...I've already upgraded with an RS kit. :aww:
 
amiller":1jd6cuxf said:
..............so I put in a Suhr Doug Aldrich. The guitar still has that dead sound to me...'just not lively.
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Buckeyedog":1jd6cuxf said:
Hate to say it, but it may be your guitar that is "dead". No pickup will make it totally sing.

If not, then I'm really happy with Motor City pickups. I'd maybe give the Detroiters a shot. They are pricey, but they are good.
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It depends on if you mean the guitar is dead sounding before you ever plug it in, or if it sounds dead when amplified. It is quite possible to have a guitar that rings like a bell and sustains for days, but gets "choked out" when a bad choice of pickups is the weakest link.

I am a huge fan of Motor City Pickups, so that would also be my suggestion for a replacement pickup to wake up the guitar. The new Garuda pickup, or the Detroiter pickup.
 
try a tone pros bridge...made a hell of a difference on a prs that I have.
Really brought it to life.
 
I have a few LP's with Aldrich PUP's and not one sounds dead. Kind of odd. :confused:
 
im betting its wiring, a burned out pot or some other technical issue.
 
I had a 1998 LP Classic that was dead sounding no matter what. I tried everything......tons of pup swaps, new electronics, new bridge. Sounded dead acoustic as well. I finally gave up on it. FWIW, the only pup that brought a "little" spark back into it was a BKP Cold Sweat. However, I didn't like that pup in another LP I had afterwards.

I've owned 7 Les Pauls and that was the only one with that issue :confused:
 
yeti":rh52bpwa said:
im betting its wiring, a burned out pot or some other technical issue.
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'Just to be clear, the guitar doesn't sound like it has a technical issue. It just doesn't sound as lively as I'd like. I'm comparing it to my other LP which sounds great even with the stock pups. Also, it's not like it sounds like total crap...it just sounds like it could stand to be opened up a little.
 
amiller":2r5yolt3 said:
yeti":2r5yolt3 said:
im betting its wiring, a burned out pot or some other technical issue.
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'Just to be clear, the guitar doesn't sound like it has a technical issue. It just doesn't sound as lively as I'd like. I'm comparing it to my other LP which sounds great even with the stock pups. Also, it's not like it sounds like total crap...it just sounds like it could stand to be opened up a little.
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If it is not broke, just not the type of tone you dig, I would sell it. No use throwing time and money into something that you may like but never love.

Plenty of people like more dark or brown sounding guitars.

Although this is abounthe worst used gear market I have seen....
 
well, the aldrich seems to be a quite hot and compressed sounding pickup
that's what most people love about it
you could just try the other way around, with more open, brighter pickups

the bk cold sweat, riff raff, emerald and VHII usually work for that
the rebel yell excels in the vocal lead tone thing

dumping a fine guitar after trying only 2 pickups is nonsense
I've had over 20 pickups in a les paul copy that I absolutely love
my main guitar is a '73 gibson les paul custom that had at least 11 pickups till I find the perfect combination
 
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