Pickups vs Guitar

[Crusader]

In 2009 I bought a LP Studio w 490/498 pickups. Previous guitar was a 61 Reissue Les Paul SG w 57 Classics and I liked the sound of the Les Paul a lot more. SG has thinner body and Neck pu closer to bridge

Although I liked the sound of the LP it was a bit 'unpleasant' up around the 12th fret and beyond, so after a year or so I put in some 57 Classics and I describe the sound as being 'smoother' - nice but didn't change the overall sound of the guitar. I also tried some Dimarzio's and Seymour Duncans and found they all changed the tone a bit but just going round in circles really

Then I bought an ES-137, different creature, then I bought a LP Traditional which I planned to replace the LP Studio. Trouble is I didn't try it out enough in the shop. It sounded sweet in the top end but after bringing it home I realised it had no bottom-end, very 'soft' The Studio was great with open chords but not the Trad (point to note, I should have sold the Studio first so I couldn't compare them!) Then I bought an Alex Lifeson Axcess LP (again, a different beast)

Then in 2014 I started wondering what a 59 Reissue would be like so I went into a shop armed with my Studio to make sure it actually sounded better than it. Compared it with a 58 Reissue (chambered) LP Standard and a 59 Reissue. I laid my MasterCard on the desk and went home with the 59 Reissue. I drove home thinking I will just have to keep this old car for a bit longer The 59 Reissue has Custom-Bucker pickups which I understand are similar to Burst-Buckers. At some point I tried 57 Classics etc. but I decided it doesn't change the sound all that much and just leave it stock

Today it just occurred to me, why didn't I just buy some Custom-Buckers and put them in my Studio? Then I realised I've been down that path, and my conclusion is its not the pickups, its the guitar

 

[Greywolf]

pickups are only microphones .. they magnify the inherent tone ..

 

[DrewB]

Today it just occurred to me, why didn't I just buy some Custom-Buckers and put them in my Studio? Then I realised I've been down that path, and my conclusion is its not the pickups, its the guitar

Must of us get to that point eventually. The structure of the guitar filters frequencies according to how those pieces of wood interact. Passive pickups can't add what isn't there.

 

[Tollywood]

In 2009 I bought a LP Studio w 490/498 pickups. Previous guitar was a 61 Reissue Les Paul SG w 57 Classics and I liked the sound of the Les Paul a lot more. SG has thinner body and Neck pu closer to bridge

Although I liked the sound of the LP it was a bit 'unpleasant' up around the 12th fret and beyond, so after a year or so I put in some 57 Classics and I describe the sound as being 'smoother' - nice but didn't change the overall sound of the guitar. I also tried some Dimarzio's and Seymour Duncans and found they all changed the tone a bit but just going round in circles really

Then I bought an ES-137, different creature, then I bought a LP Traditional which I planned to replace the LP Studio. Trouble is I didn't try it out enough in the shop. It sounded sweet in the top end but after bringing it home I realised it had no bottom-end, very 'soft' The Studio was great with open chords but not the Trad (point to note, I should have sold the Studio first so I couldn't compare them!) Then I bought an Alex Lifeson Axcess LP (again, a different beast)

Then in 2014 I started wondering what a 59 Reissue would be like so I went into a shop armed with my Studio to make sure it actually sounded better than it. Compared it with a 58 Reissue (chambered) LP Standard and a 59 Reissue. I laid my MasterCard on the desk and went home with the 59 Reissue. I drove home thinking I will just have to keep this old car for a bit longer The 59 Reissue has Custom-Bucker pickups which I understand are similar to Burst-Buckers. At some point I tried 57 Classics etc. but I decided it doesn't change the sound all that much and just leave it stock

Today it just occurred to me, why didn't I just buy some Custom-Buckers and put them in my Studio? Then I realised I've been down that path, and my conclusion is its not the pickups, its the guitar

I love how you put your Les Paul needs above replacing your old car. Totally makes sense to me. That's why my wife says my priorities are all f'd up.

 

[longrichard]

I love how you put your Les Paul needs above replacing your old car. Totally makes sense to me. That's why my wife says my priorities are all f'd up.

A man of wealth and taste

 

[corpse]

Putting different PUP’s in a guitar works on paper. It’s like putting a push-up bra on a flat chested woman...

 

[jb_abides]

Putting different PUP’s in a guitar works on paper. It’s like putting a push-up bra on a flat chested woman...

Well... sometimes it's like putting on with proper guidance and fit accents shape and size immensely; when it's right it fills, lifts, separates for the better and best.

 

[Crusader]

Continuing on with my story, I have this ES style guitar, I made it myself. It sounds good clean but sounds very shrill around the open G and B strings with Overdrive. I've heard the term 'ice-picky'

I had a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge and swapped it out for an SD '59, not much difference in fact I think it's worse. It seems like the hotter pickup, because it breaks up more easily, kind-of blurs the ice-pickiness and sounds a bit warmer

With effects I have a pedalboard and a GT-1000, and it sounds better with the pedalboard but the GT has Equalisers. So I've spent the past two days mucking around with that and I think I've a pretty good sound now. Yes I get some good tones out of My ES

 

[DrewB]

Well... sometimes it's like putting on with proper guidance and fit accents shape and size immensely; when it's right it fills, lifts, separates for the better and best.

You've put a lot of thought into this!

 

[jb_abides]

You've put a lot of thought into this!

Well, a fine forum fellow like @corpse derserves some enlightenment on this matter!

 

[c_wester]

pickups are only microphones .. they magnify the inherent tone ..

This is correct listen to Greywolf.