Les Paul Pickups - what do ya got?

[pedecamp]

I have Bursbuckers on a guitar, and I finally potted them by myself, and added a nickel cover. Now they are ok.
I also have stock classic 57 on another guitar. I like them a lot, but I found they are a better match for a SG than for a LP.

Exactly! Burstbuckers sound great in an LP but too bright and tinny in a stock SG, and 57's and 57+ sound great in an SG and too dark in a stock LP. Of course this is all subjective and depends on the amp you're going through, and guitar tone can be brightened or darkened with different pots, 1000mg or 500k to brighten, 250k to darken.

[Les Paul Lover]

Thanks everyone. There seems to be a slight favor towards the 57's. I have tried them and they do sound raw but articulate.

I understand that pickup selection is too subjective. But I appreciate everyone's inputs, specially to those who indicated the type of music they play with your LPs. I may just try the mule set from BKP, but I'm not too sure how much of an "improvement" that would be to my current SD set.

It is very subjective indeed.

All i can say about bareknuckle pick ups is that whilst they are very expensive... they are of very high quality. But better than a Gibson set? Or Di Marzio or Seymour Duncan? I don't think so in terms of tone, though perhaps in terms of construction (Gibson pick ups are pretty similar in construction quality I think)

I've had 2 guitars with BKPs, and the results were very mixed. One was an gibson explorer with cold sweat neck and painkiller bridge, and that guitar was ridiculously good. The pick ups were fantastic, articulate, great clarity and note definition. That set could get you from jazz to heavy metal, great combo.

The other set I had was in a Gibson SG, and they were the crawler set, described as mids strong pick ups. Again, articulation, note definition was great, but I didn't like that set through my oranges. It was too much. I sold it to a guy playing an AC15, and he loved it through his amp......

Just to say (as has be pointed out in this thread) that different/same pick ups will sound great/poor with various guitars and amps combinations.

[Les Paul Lover]

I have Bursbuckers on a guitar, and I finally potted them by myself, and added a nickel cover. Now they are ok.
I also have stock classic 57 on another guitar. I like them a lot, but I found they are a better match for a SG than for a LP.

All is question of taste

I like a potted pickup so burstbuckers are out for me...

I have Gibson 57 Classics in my LP and the Johnny A.'s come stock with them...

The burstbucker I, II & III are unpotted, the burstbucker pro are potted.

Compared to the 57 classic, they are more articulate and brighter. They aren't quite as fat sounding if I remember correctly, but not by much - my LP is plenty fat enough.

I can imagine the 57 could sound better in a SG for my own taste.

[Les Paul Lover]

I think you should just stick to your first suggestion and go with the bareknuckle miles....they sound great.
Y
This topic is so subjective !!!!!!....so ignore everyone and stick to what you think.

After that I'd go for classic 57s and 57+......I have them in a Gibson LP and a SG 61 RI...... definitely my favorite pickup set together with the mules.

I've never found them dark or muddy, personally I found burst bucker quite shrill and not plesent ......

You know, I'd forgotten I used to find the burstbucker pro bridge a little shrill and too bright too... But as soon as I tried it in a band setting it was a revelation. It sits just right in the mix. It does sit in the higher mids register, and through my oranges, it's been brilliant, cuts through the mix without being too loud. But I now vaguely remember being on the fence about the bridge pick up of my LP until I played it with other people.

[Hubaxe]

You know, I'd forgotten I used to find the burstbucker pro bridge a little shrill and too bright too... But as soon as I tried it in a band setting it was a revelation. It sits just right in the mix. It does sit in the higher mids register, and through my oranges, it's been brilliant, cuts through the mix without being too loud. But I now vaguely remember being on the fence about the bridge pick up of my LP until I played it with other people.

An easy way to soften a bursbucker is to add a nickel cover (a good quality copper one).

[Les Paul Lover]

You know, I'd forgotten I used to find the burstbucker pro bridge a little shrill and too bright too... But as soon as I tried it in a band setting it was a revelation. It sits just right in the mix. It does sit in the higher mids register, and through my oranges, it's been brilliant, cuts through the mix without being too loud. But I now vaguely remember being on the fence about the bridge pick up of my LP until I played it with other people.

An easy way to soften a bursbucker is to add a nickel cover (a good quality copper one).

I've heard of that I think before.
But I'm very happy with it as it is.

[Dark Helmet]

I have 57s in my Gibson "Classic Custom" baked-maple special... and I am a BIG fan in that rig.

I have P94s in my other LP, which is a bit of a frankenstein.

I think BB-Pros would round out the set nicely... that's what I'm after next.

[93studiolite]

Mine has the stock Gibson 496r/500t set. The 496 is great, but I have to be very careful how much gain I use with the 500. The 500 is a high output pup and I find that the more gain I use it just becomes a mess of noise.

[Dark Helmet]

Mine has the stock Gibson 496r/500t set. The 496 is great, but I have to be very careful how much gain I use with the 500. The 500 is a high output pup and I find that the more gain I use it just becomes a mess of noise.

I have (I think) a 498 (whatever is under the 500) in the bridge of my Firebird, and i REALLY like it in that body (all mahogany, but about half the mass of an LP). I played a couple 500s and was NOT a fan. I mostly use the 'bird through the Thunderverb with the gain up into the 3rd stage.

A quick note about different pickups in the LPs and amp preferences...

P94s - really at home with the OR15, and Channel 1 on the AD30TC.... channel 2, be careful. it can work, but be careful. It seems to want to fall apart if you get the gain too far north, expecially the OB combo... AD30 Head (sold) into the Avatar 412 was much more forgiving. but I think that head had different branded tubes that I think were just a little better for some reason... but it absolutely could be the cab as well. Preliminary report on the AD50 is "ZOMG Amazeballs...." TV50 just isn't a great fit.... doesn't sound bad, but it just doesn't cover any especially compelling ground, and CAREFUL with the EQ. Cheap Epiphone body turned full custom. Always use Yellow tortex, green offends it sensibilities apparently.

57 Classics - OR15, AD30, TV50... all love it. covers pretty much anything that calls itself "Rock." This rig is now my "Eb" rig, and I haven't tried it with the AD50 yet. Baked Maple-era LP Classic Custom. Easily 2lbs heavier than any other guitar I own, maybe 3. prefers a very firm hand, and a I use a green tortex pick for it, Yellows with the AD30 only. this is my "can you hear the sustain" guitar.....

BB Pros - AD30, OR15, AD50 all love 'em. interestingly less willing to move into the modern space than the 57s are... (although i desperately need to re-string this one, which may be part of the issue). The TV50, I haven't spent a lot of time with yet due to "amp maintenance issues" but while it certainly isn't bad by any stretch, it doesn't just roundhouse-kick-you-in-the-face like the 57s seem to with that amp. This is a 2016 LP Standard, a good bit lighter weight than my Classic, which may be part of the issue with the TV50. Only had it a week or so, I'll update this in a few weeks when I've got another dozen hours or so.

Oh, and all of these observations could be considered "dry, straight in"

hope this is constructive.

[Stu Cazz]

My favorite would be the 59 Tributes that came stock in my 14 Trad. Sounded sweet stock and turned to awesome after rewiring to 50's with Luxe Bumblebees.
Warm and more on the bright side, something between 57 Classic and BB Pro's very articulate even with higher gain settings.
I have no problem with bright HB's, you can always turn down your tone pot.

My 13 LPJ (not a Jr. more like a satin Studio) has a 57 Classic in the neck and the Angus Young Sig. at the bridge.
I really dig the 57 I don't think it's a dark or muddy sounding pickup. Really nice warm Gibson sound.
And the AY Sig. is based on the 57 but a tad hotter, so... a perfect match in my book. Soundwise it's a killer.
That same guitar came with 490R and 490T, the 490R was ok but I really disliked the bridge pickup too harsh.

I also like the BB Pros, a friend has a Standard with them and they sound pretty nice to me.

One really important thing to me is pickup height, personally I think less height is more with humbuckers.
If they are to close to the strings you kill your sound.

[Snapjaw79]

The stock pickups sounded terrible in mine (496 & 498 I think) So I pulled out the pcb crap and wired it up with quality pots, caps, switch and wire (along with a treble bleed on each). That didn't fix the "blanket over the amp" tone so the pickups were next to go.
I put some Wolfetone PAF clones in and couldn't be happier. Dr Vintage neck and Marshallhead mkii bridge. Yes. It screams

[onetracker]

I just can't part with the old 490 and 498 combo in my 2000 les paul. I have a pair of dimarzio paf pro's which are just an amazing low-medium output pickup that i'll swap in if/when the mood strikes me. i'll probably end up getting a beat up old les paul/sg project to put them in.

OT

[Les Paul Lover]

I just can't part with the old 490 and 498 combo in my 2000 les paul. I have a pair of dimarzio paf pro's which are just an amazing low-medium output pickup that i'll swap in if/when the mood strikes me. i'll probably end up getting a beat up old les paul/sg project to put them in.

OT

The paf pro is a great pick up. Got it in an ash wings / walnut-maple neck through Japanese Aria Pro II neck position, it's a lovely pick up.

[ragealexrage]

I personally have a SD Pearly Gates bridge pup in my Epi LP and I like it a lot for playing heavier styles, they are wound quite hot so they have a really sharp attack. My other humbucker guitar is an Epi SG which I put a set of Klein's in. The Klein's are more of a vintage wind, very smooth and I use them for cleaner stuff or classic rock stuff.

I haven't seen any body recommend ThroBak Pickups yet, we recommend those to a lot of people at the shop I work at. As the name suggests they are for the vintage purist so if you want a pup that's as close to a PAF as possible I would go with those.