Bridge Pickup for Agile 3100 (Les Paul style)

[Franknfilms]

It's time to pick out a bridge pickup for my Agile 3100 silverburst. I'm definitely going with nickel covered. The stock pickup is Alinico 5, very thin and bright sounding. Sure, I could swap some mags in there but I have some gift cards so I might as well buy the best pickup I can get. The neck is just fine stock, I'm just changing the bridge. Here are the 3100 specs:
http://www.rondomusic.com/alspec.html

To summarize: mahogany body/neck, ebony fretboard. 24 3/4" scale. I'm pretty sure unless you have a transparent finish you don't get a maple top for your 3100. If it does have a maple top it's only 1/16" thick. 500k alpha pots.

Look at my signature for gear, I play through a xxx combo. I tune to drop C# with 10-52 ghs boomers. My band is southern rock meets metal, similar to Mastodon, The Sword, Baroness. The first pickup that came to mind for me is a SH-5 Custom.

I've had experience with SH-14 Custom 5, Custom 8, EMGs, Blackouts, JB, JB8, Duncan Distortion in other guitars but this is my first LP style guitar so I'm hoping LP owners can steer me to the right choice.

Here is my other thread in case you want to see pics:
http://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/s...d.php?t=206419

[Kam]

Can't really go wrong with a Custom in the bridge of a Les Paul for that kinda music. I bet you could do stuff like The Sword with something like a '59, as well...though the Custom will have a lot more push and grunt.

For the neck, I'd recommend a '59, with a possible mag swap if it's too boomy. The other one I'd consider is a Pearly Gates, though I've no real first hand experience with those.

Good luck, that's a sweet guitar.

[JOEBACCA]

Being that your bands style is along the lines of Mastodon, The Sword and Baroness along with C# Tuning.....I assume clean tone is not a priority as well

I'd say the proven winner in the bridge of a Les Paul for rock/metal is the "Paf on Streoids" tone of the Duncan Custom. And since you still haven't tried it I'd say go for it and as you already know you're a mag swap away if you don't like it.

[Aceman]

We had this talk already: Distoriton set.

[Despair]

I'd probably go with the ceramic Custom and '59n (maybe Pearly Gates neck if you want a midrangier neck solo tone), and if the Custom is too bright or has too harsh an edge, swap the ceramic for A8.

Distortion could work, heck, even Invaders could if Southern Metal means Corrosion of Conformity (though they use it in SGs) to you, but when I think of that sort of sound I tend to think of an open and punchy but heavy tone. Rather than all-out saturation of a Distortion (and even moreso the Invader).

[Benjy_26]

I like the Custom a lot in a LP for ALL styles of music, but for downtuning, I'd tend to go with the bigger low end wallop and more aggressive high end grind of the Distortion.
Keep in mind though that how good the bridge pickup works for you is going to depend a lot on how it gets along with the neck unit. if the neck PU is so fat that you have to EQ for clarity there, a relatively clean and detailed pickup like the Custom or a bright, aggressive pickup like the Distortion might sound tinny through those settings. If the neck is big, fat, and dark, you might have to go with something like an Invader or an Alt 8.

[Kam]

Drop C# isn't really that low a tuning. Five of the six strings are just a half-step lower. I've played extensively in that tuning with both the Custom and the Custom 5 in Les Pauls and it's sounded really great, with no lack of low end or tightness.

[Franknfilms]

If it is a battle between Custom and Distortion I'll be going with the Custom. The Custom is so obvious for me since I love the other Customs that I've had, makes me wonder if I should look outside the box. Paf bridges like 59 or Pearly Gates? Dimarzios? BG? I could get a BG Bucker Dark with nickel cover for the same price as a Custom. I'm trying to stay open minded here, but if I'm going Duncan it will probably be the Custom.

[Benjy_26]

If you have your heart set on keeping the stock neck pickup, that will dictate what will be fat enough in the bridge. If you throw a 59b, Demon, PGb, or any othe PAF type, they may or may not be overpowered by the neck pickup.

[Franknfilms]

If you have your heart set on keeping the stock neck pickup, that will dictate what will be fat enough in the bridge. If you throw a 59b, Demon, PGb, or any othe PAF type, they may or may not be overpowered by the neck pickup.

Yeah, that makes sense, the stock neck isn't ideal but I'm definitely not changing it anytime soon so I'll probably avoid the pafs. I'm pretty confident I'll be happy with the Custom. If I need to fatten it up I'm not afraid to make it a Custom 8 so I think it is the ideal option.

[Kam]

You don't want to stray too far from your neck pickups EQ curve either; otherwise dialling it in will be a nightmare.

[LatsMcGee]

For that sound you could go any number of ways, I think without the cap I would consider Super D's to brighten things up a bit.

[Benjy_26]

You don't want to stray too far from your neck pickups EQ curve either; otherwise dialling it in will be a nightmare.

Exactly. If you're handy with a soldering iron and you have a Duncan lying about or even in another guitar, throw it in the AL. It'll at least give you a baseline to compare/contrast other Duncans with your stock neck 'bucker.

[Franknfilms]

Good advice on matching with neck pickups, but I'm only keeping the stock neck because I don't want to spend on a new one, not because it is ideal so I won't be considering how it plays with the bridge at all. Especially since I use the bridge pickup 95% of the time as far as the band is concerned. Once I get the ideal bridge tone going I'll get a suitable neck pickup in the future.

[dominus]

TB-5 Duncan Custom.

[Franknfilms]

I've decided on getting a Custom sh-5 because I have to buy a stock model to start with, but will likely change to UOA5 if I think the ceramic is too stiff. I'm starting to think that I don't play well with ceramics, probably because my technique has dramatically changed recently from speed metal to a more well rounded blues and rock style. I've come to terms with the fact I'm not going to be a shred master, so expressing myself through dynamics has become much more important. Don't worry though, the Custom will certainly get a day (or months) in court.

[dominus]

I've decided on getting a Custom sh-5 because I have to buy a stock model to start with, but will likely change to UOA5 if I think the ceramic is too stiff. I'm starting to think that I don't play well with ceramics, probably because my technique has dramatically changed recently from speed metal to a more well rounded blues and rock style. I've come to terms with the fact I'm not going to be a shred master, so expressing myself through dynamics has become much more important. Don't worry though, the Custom will certainly get a day (or months) in court.

Note -

TB-5 Duncan Custom.

TB-5. Not SH-5. Agile bridges have wider string spacing. Measure it to make sure, but every one I've had here takes a TB in the bridge.

[BloodRose]

probably because my technique has dramatically changed recently from speed metal to a more well rounded blues and rock style. I've come to terms with the fact I'm not going to be a shred master, so expressing myself through dynamics has become much more important.

LOL!! I made a very similar realization days ago and said this yesterday.. I wish to heck I could rip it up hairmetal style, but I dont have the coordination, the hearing, the time to practice to get that evolved.. Plus, I want that only for showing off anyhow. I really want to play soaring,meaningful solos like Hi infidelity REO or Bad co or Blackfoot.

The Custom is a very good pup tho. Very sweet for ceramic. Give it a try.

[Franknfilms]

TB-5 Duncan Custom.

Thanks for the info, I suspect my schecter c1+ should have a TB in it as well, the current bridge pickup barely lines up with the high e. I'll measure just to be sure.

[Franknfilms]

I need to buy the Custom on musiciansfriend since I'm using a gift card. That means I can't get nickel, so I'm going to buy it anyway and add a nickel cover later, how hard could it be? In the meanwhile might as well rock out the zebra. What do you think?

I haven't measured yet, but if it turns out I really need a trembucker, well then I'll just have to get an all black pickup since they don't have TB-5 zebras.