New pickups time for my non chambered LP Standard! Opinions

[suhrimmetal]

I'll second and third the recomendation to replace all the pots with CTS 500K models... Only then will you know what the stock pups actually sound like...

So if my LP Trad Pro has 300K pots, what would replacing with the 500K do to the tone?

Pretty much 500k pots will give you more volume or headroom and a brighter sound... 300k pots will be somewhat warmer. Think 300k for P-90's most likely and 500k for humbuckers. Cheers

 

[fek]

I'll second and third the recomendation to replace all the pots with CTS 500K models... Only then will you know what the stock pups actually sound like...

So if my LP Trad Pro has 300K pots, what would replacing with the 500K do to the tone?

Pretty much 500k pots will give you more volume or headroom and a brighter sound... 300k pots will be somewhat warmer. Think 300k for P-90's most likely and 500k for humbuckers. Cheers

Thanks. After I asked I remembered that Google is my friend and came across this very answer!

Then I searched again and found that I am supposed to already have 500K pots stock on this guitar. I will break out the screwdriver and check it later.

 

[suhrimmetal]

I'll second and third the recomendation to replace all the pots with CTS 500K models... Only then will you know what the stock pups actually sound like...

So if my LP Trad Pro has 300K pots, what would replacing with the 500K do to the tone?

Pretty much 500k pots will give you more volume or headroom and a brighter sound... 300k pots will be somewhat warmer. Think 300k for P-90's most likely and 500k for humbuckers. Cheers

Thanks. After I asked I remembered that Google is my friend and came across this very answer!


Then I searched again and found that I am supposed to already have 500K pots stock on this guitar. I will break out the screwdriver and check it later.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

EMG 81/85

They were made for Mahogany.

 

[MrDan666]

Cory!

I have had great results with the Suhr Aldrich pickups in various LP's over the years. Also had decent results with the Duncan JB in the bridge of a naturally darker sounding LP too, aslong as the pots are 500k's. Anything lower than 500k's with a JB sounds too dark in a LP.

In my guitars i'm currently using Dimarzio ToneZone bridge pickups, but that's in a Superstrat. I heard that the Dimarzio Norton pickup is a less bassy and more JB-like variation of the ToneZone, so i bet that would sound awesome in a LP bridge position. For what it's worth, that's the pickup in the bridge of Marco Sfogli's purple Ibanez RG Premium

 

[suhrimmetal]

Cory!

I have had great results with the Suhr Aldrich pickups in various LP's over the years. Also had decent results with the Duncan JB in the bridge of a naturally darker sounding LP too, aslong as the pots are 500k's. Anything lower than 500k's with a JB sounds too dark in a LP.

In my guitars i'm currently using Dimarzio ToneZone bridge pickups, but that's in a Superstrat. I heard that the Dimarzio Norton pickup is a less bassy and more JB-like variation of the ToneZone, so i bet that would sound awesome in a LP bridge position. For what it's worth, that's the pickup in the bridge of Marco Sfogli's purple Ibanez RG Premium

Hey Dan Sounds good... I am definitely considering a zebra set of aldrichs.. would look killer in my ebony standard I will look more into the Dimarzio norton.. I know my old JP Ernie ball was a tone zone/norton combo.. I think.. It's been a long time Thanks for the tips and hope all is well!

Damn is Marco incredible on that new album... technically amazing

 

[jlb32]

I would personally try some Seymour Duncans or Dimarzios over the more expensive boutique pickups and save some money. Like others have stated though, you may come to find out the stock 490/498 pickups are pretty killer. Especially if you say you don't dislike them now.

 

[Kevin11]

Having tried a lot of the pickups mentioned, I feel like some of the other posters here about boutique pickups. I generally fall back to Dimarzios and Duncans...both have pickups I love to death.

I have an Aldrich bridge in a Suhr Standard though, that I liked so much, I figured I'd try a set in my LP Custom. Did that over a year ago and no looking back. The Aldrich bridge in particular in an LP is an absolutely killer combination.

I'm not into the spiky mid honk thing so much and most LPs inherently have at least some of that quality regardless of the pickup. I went through a bunch in attempts to counterbalance that a little while still having the output and tone I was looking for and the Aldrich did the trick. I can't say enough great things on what it's done for my LP.

I'm not completely sold on the Aldrich neck pickup yet. I've had it in for over a year now, gigging with it every week. Some days I dig it, some days it seems a little too hot and dark. I'm more used to a Duncan 59-ish tone in the neck, so I may swap out for one of those, or a different Suhr pickup.

 

[suhrimmetal]

Having tried a lot of the pickups mentioned, I feel like some of the other posters here about boutique pickups. I generally fall back to Dimarzios and Duncans...both have pickups I love to death.

I have an Aldrich bridge in a Suhr Standard though, that I liked so much, I figured I'd try a set in my LP Custom. Did that over a year ago and no looking back. The Aldrich bridge in particular in an LP is an absolutely killer combination.

I'm not into the spiky mid honk thing so much and most LPs inherently have at least some of that quality regardless of the pickup. I went through a bunch in attempts to counterbalance that a little while still having the output and tone I was looking for and the Aldrich did the trick. I can't say enough great things on what it's done for my LP.

I'm not completely sold on the Aldrich neck pickup yet. I've had it in for over a year now, gigging with it every week. Some days I dig it, some days it seems a little too hot and dark. I'm more used to a Duncan 59-ish tone in the neck, so I may swap out for one of those, or a different Suhr pickup.

Thanks for the intel Looking like I will prolly go with an Aldrich in the bridge and see what I can pair nicely with it for the neck pickup.. Cheers and all the best

 

[Anonymous]

alnico 2 pro neck or 59 neck

duncan custom bridge.

both i love with the stock 300k pots, though, i bet the 500k pots in the neck position with either of those pickups would open things up a tad more.

 

[jlb32]

The PRS Tremonti Treble pickup is one you might want to look at for the bridge also.

 

[johnpace2]

You'll find out after changing them that the stock 490/498 are pretty decent after all.

+1. I love the 498t. I'm slowly getting them off eBay and putting them in all my les Paul's.

 

[mindseye]

I to am becoming a big fan of 490/498's
They just seem to work in every single cut type guitar I try them in, Gibson, PRS, whatever they just work for my needs.
Only other pickup that I really have enjoyed is the Aldrich.....great pickup!!

 

[moltenmetalburn]

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=124577
Obsess over pickups here.

Forget cts pots. The bourns 95 are king right now. A little different without a metal pot back to solder to but the collar they use works just fine. The resistive polymer element is tits. No changes from temperature and humidity, and totally sealed for lifelong performance. I've been swapping all of my cts out for these in my guitars with great results. Yet to find an infant mortal either, with the cts I have had dozens of malfunctioning cts over the years.

 

[mchn13]

not a big fan of the 498 at all. i do however like the 490, and would be ok with it in the bridge of my les paul. the 498, while i like the mids of it, the low end turns real undefined with a good amount of gain. i have always come back to JB's in a les paul. i am putting a bkp holy diver in it tonight tho. always gets referenced as an improved JB...