Pickups for that big full les Paul sound

[johnpace2]

I really like the Aldrich pickups. Also, I dig the stock 498T and the Dimarizo 36th anniversary PAF.

 

[gibson5413]

I have an Aldrich in a Custom and a Suhr Thornbucker+ in an R8. Both are great, but the Thornbucker+ is one of the best pickups I’ve tried in a LP

+1

I have a set of Suhr Thornbuckers in my Anderson Bulldog. Sounds great!!

 

[blackba]

I have an Aldrich in a Custom and a Suhr Thornbucker+ in an R8. Both are great, but the Thornbucker+ is one of the best pickups I’ve tried in a LP

I have a thornbucker set in my '73 LP custom and an Aldrich set in my '03 LP standard LE. Big fan of Suhr pickups in general.

The LP custom is such a mean sounding guitar that the aldrich I had in the bridge was just too much, went to '57 classics after that, then to the thornbuckers, which are perfect for that guitar. My 2 LPs sound so much different that its crazy, found much more variation in tone between LP models than I do with strats for example.

 

[napalmdeath]

Dimarzio 36th Anniversary pickups sound pretty fat in a Les Paul. I put some in my brother's for his birthday, and they sound right at home. Very even tone, not overly hot.

 

[chunktone]

Rio Grande BBQ is fat. A5, around 12k. Definitely not bright. Hot enough to push the front, but not too hot that it’s super compressed.

I have this in 2 guitars. LOVE them!

 

[Pwurst67]

I thank you guys for all your suggestions. I’ve gotten some good info.
I think I’ll pick up a Aldrich and a bbq and see which prevails . And there were a couple others I thought had possibilities too. . Thanks all !!

 

[SFW]

Here’s a YT clip of the Aldrich through a QR. Pretty sure this guy is on RT. He could provide some good advice here. The Aldrich does sound pretty fat. I’m not a fan of super hot pups these days, especially into modern high gain amps, but that’s just my personal preference.

The video in the quote is mine. (always a bit surreal when that happens..lol!) The Aldrich pickups are a bit of an odd bird. They are fat and thick sounding, without having the overly compressed feel of a normal high output pickup. I also have a set of Rebel Yells. Love those too. However, they are very different in both feel and tone. The RYs have a more mids forward push to them. They are not quite as hot as the Aldrich. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.

 

[Pwurst67]

Here’s a YT clip of the Aldrich through a QR. Pretty sure this guy is on RT. He could provide some good advice here. The Aldrich does sound pretty fat. I’m not a fan of super hot pups these days, especially into modern high gain amps, but that’s just my personal preference.

The video in the quote is mine. (always a bit surreal when that happens..lol!) The Aldrich pickups are a bit of an odd bird. They are fat and thick sounding, without having the overly compressed feel of a normal high output pickup. I also have a set of Rebel Yells. Love those too. However, they are very different in both feel and tone. The RYs have a more mids forward push to them. They are not quite as hot as the Aldrich. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.

Thank you very much for the video , lol and the input. The tone your achieving there is exactly what I’m looking for , it very much has all the quality’s I’m looking for. Big , thickl and cutting without comming off overly compressed !

 

[errrrrl]

Lindy Fralin PAF have a wonderful full tone. Very open with lots of note separation and they handle high gain well with a smooth bottom. Excellent choice for clean volume rolls. These pups woke up a Norlin LP when every other pickup failed.

Another vote for Lindy Fralin PAF. They sound better than the BK Mules in my other LP.

 

[Shawn Lutz]

I have 3 LP's and and all of them sound killer. I'm a mid to low output pickup guy. I have a set of 36 anniversary DiMarzios in a Trad +. A Custom-Custom in the bridge of 3 PU 57 RI BB7, BB's in mid and neck. I have s set of Duncan Antiquities in my R7 Gold top...all 3 guitars are tough to put down once you pick em up and plug in .

I've cured ice pick brightness before with PU swaps and sometimes different caps.

 

[ChurchHill]

I recently installed a BKP Rebel Yell in a LP Custom and it flat out blew me away. I already knew I loved that pickup and I knew that the LPC sounded great, too, but the combination was really spectacular.

I've got a BKP Black Dog in another LPC that's also really good. The BKP Mule is a great pup, too!

I've got a good old SD Distortion in another LPC and it just works in that one. That one was difficult to find the right pickup for. Sounds great acoustically, but just didn't like anything else I tried (about 14 pickups, IIRC).

Finally, I've got a SD Custom Custom in a LPS, and it just sounds great for harder rock.

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

I've got a few LPs... my suggestions:

Aldrich: probably best all around. Sounds great to excellent in most any LP.
Wolfetone Marshallhead or BlisterBucker: MH for vintage tone, BB for more modern.
Duncan Distortion: really good for '80s metal thru modern. Tight, articulate. Pairs well with Jazz or Alnico II Pro in neck.
EMG Het Set: just installed these in a '68 RI Historic LP and they really did the trick. Filled out the low end, but kept the highs/mids intact and still lots of bite in the tone.

 

[ChurchHill]

Now that you mention it, I've got SD Alnico II Pros in the neck position of a LPC (SD Distortion) and LPS (SD Custom Custom). I just never cared for the SD Jazz, but the A2P sounds perfect... that was the sound that I'd been hearing in my head (probably because I was listening to lots of G'n'R at the time). Seriously, though, this is the sound I always wanted from the necks of my LPs.

On the BKP side, I paired both the Rebel Yell and the Black Dog with the Stormy Monday necks. It's the closest they get to the SD A2P sound, but more organic and open. Just MHO, of course.

BTW, Wizard of Ozz… the BKP Rebel Yell & Stormy Monday is what I installed in the BBR7 I got from you a few months back. Oh... my... sounds PERFECT!!! It's really taken over my "go to" spot lately, definitely one of my favorite guitars!!

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

Now that you mention it, I've got SD Alnico II Pros in the neck position of a LPC (SD Distortion) and LPS (SD Custom Custom). I just never cared for the SD Jazz, but the A2P sounds perfect... that was the sound that I'd been hearing in my head (probably because I was listening to lots of G'n'R at the time). Seriously, though, this is the sound I always wanted from the necks of my LPs.

On the BKP side, I paired both the Rebel Yell and the Black Dog with the Stormy Monday necks. It's the closest they get to the SD A2P sound, but more organic and open. Just MHO, of course.

BTW, Wizard of Ozz… the BKP Rebel Yell & Stormy Monday is what I installed in the BBR7 I got from you a few months back. Oh... my... sounds PERFECT!!! It's really taken over my "go to" spot lately, definitely one of my favorite guitars!!

That’s one of those I know I’ll miss in the future. Really killer guitar. Funny thing, I’ve been wanting to try the BK Rebel Yell. I keep hearing good things. The Alnico II Pro is about perfect for neck tones. Does GnR to T... but sounds great with high gain too.

 

[ChurchHill]

While I did think the guitar sounded great unplugged and with the JBs in it, the first time I plugged it in with the RYs... I was not expecting that it all, didn't think it could be that good. It's almost like they were made for each other. I've got another RY in an '83 BC Rich Warlock II and it sounds great in there, too. The RY is one of my favorites and, FWIW, I'd highly recommend trying one.

 

[Speeddemon]

Now that you mention it, I've got SD Alnico II Pros in the neck position of a LPC (SD Distortion) and LPS (SD Custom Custom). I just never cared for the SD Jazz, but the A2P sounds perfect... that was the sound that I'd been hearing in my head (probably because I was listening to lots of G'n'R at the time). Seriously, though, this is the sound I always wanted from the necks of my LPs.

I felt that way too, but the DiMarzio 36th Anniv PAF Neck (DP103) does that classic PAF thing better in an already full-sounding Les Paul. A bit opener sounding.
The A2P (I used it for awhile) was perhaps 'too big/warm/smooth' and slightly congested...in my Randy Rhoads LPC. Paired it with a Duncan Custom/59 Hybrid in the bridge, which is still in there.

I have a set of Pearly Gates lying around that I want to try...very curious how the PGn stacks up to the DP103.

 

[ChurchHill]

I've heard great things about the 36th Anni PAF. the A2P is definitely a smooth, dark tone... but I really like it for those reason.

For an open, classic early PAF, I love the BKP Stormy Monday. It uses a A2 mag. I think that's one of the key components that makes it work for me. I've tried A5, A3, and A4 in the neck. They're all good, really liked the A4, too, but my favorite neck pups always end up with A2. I just love how it smooths out the mid, sweetens the highs, and isn't too overpowering to make the neck too flubby.

I tried a PG in a LP a long time ago. IIRC, it seems fairly bright and had a fair amount of lows. I remember not being overly impressed with the bridge, but I thought the neck sounded really nice.