Need to replace my LP pickups

spawnofthesith

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I love my Les Paul but I utterly despise the burstbucker pros in there

With my band I spend most of my time middle position, coil tapped playing clean. But when we do gain it gets heavy. I want something aggressive for a modern high gain sound in the bridge and something more tame in the neck, ideally that will balance each other out in the middle position for my home base clean tone

What pickups should I get?
 
give us some tonal examples. all of what you wrote is great, but a soundclip is way easier to discuss.
 
Modern high gain in the bridge and tame in the neck balancing each other well in the middle is a tough ask. Ultimately you're going to have to make some compromises on one of those sides.

Personally, I always find it easier to tweak to get aggressive high gain sounds out of tame pickups than to get good clean tones out of aggressive pickups.
 
I haven't used them, but a combo of Dimarzio Super Distortion in the bridge and either PAF Pro or PAF Joe in the neck would be interesting.

Another good combo would be Duncan Jazz neck and Custom bridge...classic combo is the JB in the bridge but I find it a little too hot and mid-heavy. The Custom is dialed back a touch but still medium-hot gain. Alternately you could try the Custom 5 which is a little brighter and more scooped, and would help the middle clean tone.

Best middle position I've heard is with Suhr Thornbuckers, very clear sounding. The bridge though is slightly hotter than vintage PAF but not super modern sounding. So maybe you could try something like a Thornbucker neck with an SSH+ or Aldridge bridge?
 
I might suggest a Bare knuckle Rebel Yell set.
I've put them in a Les Paul Standard and loved them.
 
Best paf on the market is the Throbak 101 . I have fitted just about everything and these are just that bit bigger and more 3D sounding.
The last ones I fitted where in two Murphy Labs LPs 59 and a 60 . I also had an original 59 in as well ad both Murphy guitars sounded better than the real one.
Best budget option is the Duncan antiquity.
 
Very cool.

This thread is worthless without pics and clips. LMAO.

I bought a cover from Philadelphia Luthier because I wanted it to look identical

But here was the pickup at purchase lol:

ED906082-E8B3-4793-926E-CE15AB23510C.jpeg


Cheesy action shot of the guitar in question last week post installation

1E541CD2-1F4A-476F-806F-A160852FACDA.jpeg



I could probably drum up an ipotato clip sometime :poop:
 
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