Pickups for a les paul.
 

My impoverish friends (two brothers and a sister) have managed to score a coperate sponsorship for 20,000 US. Its a wonderful instance of good things happening to good (and immensely talented) people. I dont feel like getting into the details but I've been put in charge of choosing the equipment for them.

So the younger of the brothers wants a new guitar. He has a dean razorback but seeing as it was the family act (top 40 stuff) that scored this sponsership performing at an upperclass event with a razorback doesnt fit. We're going with a custom agile LP and a pickup swap.

Now, theres a lot of other stuff they need so as such we're sticking with regular pickups like duncan and dimarzio, no BKP's.

Now, even though he wants a classy guitar he's still a metal head and needs a pickup combo that can deliver on that front while being versatile enough to take into a random session and lay down a pop song.

Note: The electronics will be modded right away to allow for split coils. Thats the advantage of having a private guitar tech, boo ya!

PS: There is an option for a chambered version. I know as well as anyone that hollowbodies cant handle too much gain but I have no experience with chambered guitars with no f holes. Do these react to gain better than traditional semi/hollowbodies?

I'm no expert on pickups, but I have a chambered LP. There's no glaring difference, just a bit of resonance, less sustain... I like it better than solid bodies, they break your back.

Duncan JB/59 combo.

Yeah basically this. JB in the bridge. 59 in the neck. Versatile as hell.

Either what they said, a JB/JN combo, or a DiMarzio PAF/SD combo. They will be versatile as hell and have no problem handling gain or sounding clean. The splits in the JB/JN sound amazing as hell.

this. lovin' the avatar haha

Suhr Doug Aldrich set.

Not sure how they are with split coils but in my opinion they are better than the JB/59 combo. (which I had previously)

Do it.


In all seriousness, it's nice, I haven't tried the Dimarzio combo recommended but the JB/JN is really good with a ton of versatility in it.

Might as well.

haven't seen you around for a while- nice to see you back. Congrats to your brother and sisters on the sponsorship, too. :cheers:

i'm not too fussed on a JB in a les paul style guitar- i'd maybe go with a custom 5 instead? '59 for the neck is a good call, though.

Dimarzio: AT1 bridge, PAF 36th Aniv Neck
That should be versatile enough to cover a lot of grounds.

I'm not really a fan of the JB in a mahogany body, maybe SH14 Custom 5 bridge instead, that should balance well with an all mahogany body & Pearley Gates or '59 in the neck.

+1

Duncan Custom in the bridge, '59 or Jazz in the neck.