Starting over with pickups in the LP...

[SemperRhythm]

Hello all,

I'm going back to square one with my LP. It's a 1995 Standard that is slightly on the bright side. Originally I installed a Custom in the bridge. It was nice with good drive but was a bit too stiff and "ceramic" for lack of a better word. I put in an old Distortion for a while just for the heck of it and it was very hot. So, I decided to get an old JB rewound to a S-Deco-5 11.5k to see how that was. Now, 9 months later, I've found it to be just too bright in my guitar and almost too clear. I've heard this from others with S-Deco Custom Shop pickups too. It doesn't really smooth up under drive, perhaps due to the mis-matched coils (one is 5.5k and the other is 5.8k) or maybe it's just really bright with the A5 magnet. Of the ones I've had I like the Custom the best so far...

So, I'm trying to pick my next pickup. I play a wide variety of music from blues to hard rock. I want a pickup that'll cover a lot of territory from clean to mean that is smooth and pretty tight under a fair amount of gain. I don't go fully saturated, but I do like some gain when I want it for some hard rockin'. Good clean is wanted that is fluid, smooth, and clear.

I've considerd:
CC
My S-Deco with AII magnet
PG
A II Pro

What would you suggest? Remember my LP is slightly on the bright side (that's why I've considered mainly A2 pickups). I play through a Mesa Rectoverb into a Splawn 212 with Eminence Governors, so I have plenty of gain in the reserve tanks...

I'm open to about anything now. Lay you suggestions down if you please, especially if you have a LP and play through a similar setup...

Thanks,

Nathan

[JeffB]

Id knock the PG of your list if you don't want bright...

For Duncans think I'd go with a Seth or a CC in a bright paula...also there is absolutely nothing wrong with a Gibson 57 classic plus bridge/57 classic neck combo..a2 mags...and slightly more output on the bridge version...

[SemperRhythm]

I've considered the '57 Classic Plus too... go ahead and add that too the list too...

[Gearjoneser]

I think you're looking for a CC/Seth nickelcovered. It's basically a softer, warmer Custom. Any neck pickup will work with it, but the Seth, 59, or APII are probably your best bet.

[Benjy_26]

I dig the PG set in a Paul, but if you want smooth, the CC is a must, which mixes very well with the PGn, BTW.

[ErikH]

CC in the bridge and A2P in the neck. The highs will be smoothed out, the mids will be there, the lows will be there (regardless of what the tone chart says). Wanna know what the CC sounds like in a LP (it might be an Epi but it's mahogany), click on the "Hear It" link in my sig. That'll give you an idea of what to expect.

[Zhangliqun]

You want a little extra gain so I'll second the CC and say that if that doesn't work for you, try a C3 or C4 (CC with Alnico 3 or Alnico 4 magnet).

If the CC-C3-C4 is a little too hot, try a set of Alnico 2 Pro's or a set of Seth's, and if the bridge model of either Seth or A2P sounds a little too thin, try either Alnico 4 or 5 in them.

If none of that does the trick, I strongly recommend a Jon Moore "Big Dog". It's a hybrid (vintage style slug coil at 4.5k with 6.7k slug coil) and it has the most complete-sounding mids you've ever heard. I have the only one made so far but e-mail him at rhonjon@sympatico.ca and he'll make you one just like it or with any tweaks you want on it.

Mine seems to sound best with an Alnico 5 but if you find A5 a little too bright in it (unlikely) you can always go to 4 or 3 if necessary.

[SemperRhythm]

Thanks guys,

Been thinking a bit more and here is what I've derived from all this:

I'm probably either going CC or Gibson 57 Classic Plus. I'll probably go with CC first since I like the Custom the best so far in my LP. If it seems to be too dense or whatnot I'll attempt the Gibson 57 Classic Plus. I would go with a Seth or something, but the Mesa seems to respond best if you push the front end a bit. It's tough finding that median ground where you get enough push to tighten things up but not so much to not be able to clean up somewhat if you roll back on the volume a little.

Lend your thoughts on the CC and 57 Classic Plus if you wish...

Nathan

[SemperRhythm]

I guess my biggest worry with the CC is that the low end won't be tight enough. I do not play metal at all, so I don't need a huge and tight low end, but I do want something tight enough that if I decided to do a little palm muting that it won't flub out too bad. However, since I have the Governors that have a very tight low end naturally and the Mesa that has a huge (if needed) and tight low end, maybe that will help balance it out more... perhaps I'm thinking too much...

I do know the Rectifiers tend to have a little bite in the top end that would definitely be helped by using the CC or any Alnico 2 pickup.

Nathan

[ErikH]

Check out my clips if you haven't already. It's my CC loaded LP through a Marshall. There's enough low end. The tone chart is misleading, and others seem to saw that as well. I just can't say enough good things about the CC. Take a listen and decide.

[SemperRhythm]

I listened and I love the thickness it provides. The treble doesn't poke out and the low end does seem pretty tight also. I don't run too much bass so that is not a bad thing at all. It's very smooth yet defined and definitely growly, which I really like.

How does it clean up when the volume is rolled back some?
How is the clean?

[ErikH]

I listened and I love the thickness it provides. The treble doesn't poke out and the low end does seem pretty tight also. I don't run too much bass so that is not a bad thing at all. It's very smooth yet defined and definitely growly, which I really like.

How does it clean up when the volume is rolled back some?

The bass is at around 8-10. I take two guitars with me when we jam and over half the time I'm playing my LP. I just can't put it down.

It cleans up really nice. There's still a little dirt there from the amp but the CC is just so buttery and smooth. It does it all for me. That's why I say that even though it's classified as high output, it doesn't behave that way.

[theodie]

Bro, swap that A5 in that deco out to a A2 before you go buying other pickups. That will probally be a better bet.

[SemperRhythm]

It cleans up really nice. There's still a little dirt there from the amp but the CC is just so buttery and smooth. It does it all for me. That's why I say that even though it's classified as high output, it doesn't behave that way.

That sounds really, really good to me! I figured with the A2 magnet the output wouldn't be as hot as the original Custom.

Nathan

[SemperRhythm]

Bro, swap that A5 in that deco out to a A2 before you go buying other pickups. That will probally be a better bet.

I think I'm going to order an A2 magnet from SD or somewhere and try that also. I like the output but it's just too bright and, oddly, too clear at times. That will probably be my first attempt and if that doesn't work I'll go CC.

Sometimes I wish I had another LP... but doesn't almost every LP guy / gal?

Nathan

[SemperRhythm]

Anyone else?