OK looking for recommendations on pickups for an Epiphone Les Paul. I've come to the conclusion that the stock ones are crap. the sound is so muddy it's unbearable to listen to.
Anyone have any suggestions, looking for ones that will fit as is I don't want to have to make any mods to get them to fit.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
Is yours made in Korea of China Chris? My SG is made in Korea and I hated the pickups that came on it. I find the made in China pickups on my newer Epiphone Les Pauls close in tone to my real Gibson pickups. That being said, if you can afford it then Gibson 490R and 498T are the way to go. I like Duncans, I like Dimarzio's for sure.
On a different but similar note my Agile Al's (Les Paul clones) are made in Korea. The pickups on the AL2500 reminded me of those SG pickups. They went. I got GFS Dimarzio SuperDistortion clones, high output Crunchy PATs. The ones on my AL3000 sound fantastic. They have Alnico V magnets for what it's worth.
As far as fitting ... any full sized humbucker should drop right in. Just don't get an F spaced one. Oh, and in anticipation of any F Spaced questions from anyone ... I borrowed this blurb from the Dimarzio web site.
Why are there two different spacings?
A long time ago (in the 20th century, actually) the electric guitar world was divided between Gibson and Fender designs. One of the differences between the two was string spacing. In general, Gibson chose a narrower string spacing at the bridge than Fender, and therefore the polepieces on Gibson humbuckers were closer together than the magnets on Fender pickups. When guitar shops started installing humbuckers in the bridge position of Strats, it was obvious that the strings didn't line up with the polepieces, and if the E strings were too far outside, the sound could suffer. Our first humbuckers followed the original Gibson spacing, and we call them standard-spaced. When we released our first humbuckers with wider spacing, Floyd Rose bridges were very popular. Floyd string-spacing is the same as Fender spacing, so we naturally called the new pickups F-spaced.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
You know its funny. You go to the LP boards, and they all say the Korea built ones are so much nicer, and avoid the China built ones... Well you know my china built one is built very well, and frankly I like the sound of the bridge pickup! The neck pickup.... not so much. Selecting bolth the bridge and neck, give a nice clean sound that I use alot of praticing... but just the neck I hate it.. I will also be replacing them one day, but waiting till my playing skills get better. I perfer a more vintage sound, and are bouncing between the GFS Pro humbuckers, or the mean 90's. I love me some P90's!!
Paul B
The sound I had was pretty good. I still changed them to Gibson 57 Humbuckers.......just because I could I suppose.
I wondered how smart I was after hearing a slight difference.....I could have gotten away with what I had, but I don't regret it either..
You know its funny. You go to the LP boards, and they all say the Korea built ones are so much nicer, and avoid the China built ones... Well you know my china built one is built very well, and frankly I like the sound of the bridge pickup! The neck pickup.... not so much. Selecting bolth the bridge and neck, give a nice clean sound that I use alot of praticing... but just the neck I hate it.. I will also be replacing them one day, but waiting till my playing skills get better. I perfer a more vintage sound, and are bouncing between the GFS Pro humbuckers, or the mean 90's. I love me some P90's!!
I don't know that they all were but the made in Korea ones listed specs of an alder body with mahogony and maple verneers. The made in China ones are solid mahogony bodies. I thought the same thing at first when I saw made in China on one of them. I never owned a made in Korea one because I wasn't happy with them. I own 2 made in China Les Pauls. (2 made in USA ones too) The made in China ones have Grover tuners as well.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
My tuners don't seem to hold that well....I thinking about better tuners or am I wasting my loot?
My tuners don't seem to hold that well....I thinking about better tuners or am I wasting my loot?
Tuners are cheap, if you dont like them, why not. I got to say the ones on mine are real nice. they work very smooth, and unless the strings are very old, or I go places with the guitar [read.... changing temps a lot in a short time..] they hold rock stedy tune. I almost never have to give more the a tiny tweek to them from day to day. granted im not out gigging, or beating the strings hard for 3-4 hours in a row... so as they say... your milage may very...
Paul B
My tuners don't seem to hold that well....I thinking about better tuners or am I wasting my loot?
Does yours have Grovers? If so I doubt they are the problem. The Korean ones had copies of the Gibson Kluson style tuners. Mine on my SG work well but I do prefer the Grovers. if you do have Grovers, could it be a nut issue causing the tuning instability? G strings on les Pauls don't like to keep tune well due to the angle and long distance from the nut to the post and the plain string. If the nut binds there it can cause issues.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
Yes they are Grovers & seem to happen when I bend the shibits out of them.....
otherwise...I still need to tune but no where near as bad.
Yup! Bends are what do it. Sounds like the nut. My Gibbys have bone nuts and this is less of an issue. Haven't been bothered enough though to put new nuts on the Epis. I don't think you need new tuners.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
Lots of ideas as usual I beleive mine is made in China but I'll have to check.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
TR I see the 490R run for about $129 not to bad but can/should I put them in both the bridge and neck pickups or is there another combo that might be better.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
In the 490R the R is for rhythm. It is a neck pickup. The 498T is the bridge pickup, T being for treble. There are other Gibson pickups for sure but I mentioned these because that is what is on both my Les Paul Studio and Les Paul Special. I only use the bridge pickup so if I were doing this it woul be cheaper for me. Oh! And the 498T is a hot wound pickup, right up my alley. Duncans and Dimarzios are actually cheaper and I'm sure there are models that would be perfect, I just know those Gibsons I mentioned are Les Paul pickups, designed to be on a Les Paul.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
Cool thanks. Just took the plunge and ordered the 490T to start. I mostly use the bridge pickup myself so I'll see how this goes before replacing the other.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
Cool! I hope it works out good for you. Let us know.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
