Pickup for metal?

[martinman]

Hi Everyone,

I have a 97 LP Std. and I want to replace the pickups (I have the stock pickups in there now). My musical interest is very wide, but my main interests are Rock and Roll - GNR, Zeppelin, Ozzy, STP, Creed, Warren Haynes (Gov't Mule). Any ideas on what pickups I should put in?

Thanks!

 

[Marshallhead]

martinman

I have to play a wide variety of music including the artists you mentioned in the 2 bands I'm in-depending on what your amp is and whether or not you are using pedals for distortion will help- I run a pedalboard with sansamp gt2's-one set for a gary moore classic rock sound and one for a heavy creed/metallica ish sound-right now i am using a y2k r9 with the stock pickups and they work well(57 classics) in this situation BUT in a stock old marshall or other plug straight in amps they lack-the pedals eq help overcome the deficiencies of the classics-the old standby in this case would be maybe a duncan jb in the bridge and 59 or jazz in the neck but again it depends on the amp-let me know what amp you are using---hope this helps

 

[Burstboy]

I was beat to the punch...again. I like a Duncan JB in the bridge. It has a very high output, and it's very clear...no mud.

It also depends what you are putting it into.
-Standard Les Paul....I like the JB
-Custom....the Duncan Custom is nice. The Custom Custom was not recommended by Seymour Duncan...too "muddy".

 

[Burstboy]

Oops...I just saw that you have a Standard. I did not read far enough. I would do a JB in the bridge and a '59 in the neck.

That will sound great with a Marshall....

 

[martinman]

I'm running my guitar through a Rivera chubster. Hopefully I'll get a JCM 800 soon too. I'd like to try and stay away from pedals - I just hate lugging them around.

 

[Burstboy]

My advice there....I'm running a Custom a Standard, and an SG into a JCM800. It's modded with EL-34's, has a Vintage 30, and is amazing. If you want ONE metal pedal...the new Fulltone Distortion Pro will rip your head off...if you can find one. Get on the waiting list. That is the ONLY distortion pedal you will ever need. I can now see why Mike worked on it for 4 years.

 

[Sean]

Your stock pups should be getting you in the right area, I also think you need to look at your amp/pedals.

GNR - PAF-style
Zeppelin - PAFs
Ozzy - Stock (the 80s guy who was killed)
STP - never heard of 'em
Creed - ditto
Warren Haynes (Gov't Mule) - PAF-style (he plays a PRS, right?)

 

[Burstboy]

Yeah, Randy Rhoads used stock Gibson pickups in his '70s Les Paul Custom. My '74 Custom is stock too...they are bit harsh through my Blackfaces, but I have not tried it through my Marshall yet. All of my gear is spread out.

 

[Marshallhead]

just adding to the thread

my buddy has a 61 sg/lp custom with three paf's----THAT is by far the best metal tone I have ever heard from a bridge pickup through any amp or pedal-even beats the ceramic pickups