Pickups for LP's

[mongoose]

Hey I know pickups have been discussed before but I am still hazy on the subject. I have a Love Rock and I'm interested in switching the pickups. I'm looking at either SD SH 4- JB with a complimentary SD or the EMG Zakk Wylde set. What I was wondering was if these pickups will fit into my LP? Also I beleive the ZW set needs a battery so I wonder if I need to open up the guitar to replace the batteries often. Also it comes with a switch which I would hate to see installed on the guitar. Sorry just a few more questions...
-What is the difference between humbuckers and soapbars?
-Do I necessarily have to replace both pickups to compliment each others sound?
-What is the usual cost for a luthier or guitar tech to install these?

Thanks everyone.

Forgot to mention I am going for either a Kiss sound like Ace or Paul OR a Zakk Wylde squealer, very different I know... Any suggestions on other pickups would be great, I'd rather go for this Kiss sound if possible.

 

[Guitargoblin]

If you want a Kiss type sound, go for a Dimarzio Super Distortion in the bridge & a Dimarzio Virtual PAF in the neck. Dimarzios are a pain to install, as they have multiple wires, but they won't require any mods to your axe. The closest Seymour Duncan equivalent would be a SH1 '59 in the neck & an SH4 JB for the bridge. Duncans are more simple to install. EMGs will give you the Zakk Wylde high-gain squeal but that's about all they can do. In any other application they sound sterile. It's mostly down to the way you play, in fact. I can get pinch harmonics galore with just about any pickup. Throw on enough gain & they come through loud & clear.
I'd go for passive pups with a reasonable output that can enable high-gain playing if that's your thing, but can also be suitable for other styles too.
P-90s or "soapbars" are awesome fat-sounding single coils. They're more "open" sounding & throatier than humbuckers & can clean up much better too, which makes them more versatile. But given your influences, I'd say you'd be looking more for humbuckers. If you were to go for P-90s, you'd need to get them in humbucker size format, e.g Duncan Phat Cat or Gibson P94, as your guitar is routed for humbuckers.
Good luck!

 

[mongoose]

Hey thanks a lot, I appreciate your response. I looked on the Ace Frehley Signature Gibson and it has the Super Distortion and PAF's so they seem logical. What kind of Mods would need to be done for the SDs?

 

[Guitargoblin]

No mods at all for the Duncans, just for EMGs. Duncans have simple 2-wire configurations and are easy to install. Dimarzios are a bit more complicated, but if you get a tech to do it it shouldn't be an issue. They're cheaper than Duncans too. Of course, for the full Ace Frehley visual vibe you'll need to get 'em in exposed double-white!

 

[PoorMan]

No mods at all for the Duncans, just for EMGs. Duncans have simple 2-wire configurations and are easy to install. Dimarzios are a bit more complicated, but if you get a tech to do it it shouldn't be an issue. They're cheaper than Duncans too. Of course, for the full Ace Frehley visual vibe you'll need to get 'em in exposed double-white!

DMZs install just as easily as Duncans. The only installation difference is when you have a single conductor wire vs a 4 conductor wire. But Duncans also come with 4 conduictor wiring just like DMZs.

 

[Guitargoblin]

But Duncans also come with 4 conduictor wiring just like DMZs.

I've only ever installed 2-conductor Duncans ('59 HB, Antiquity HB, Antiquity P-90, Vintage P-90, Hot P-90)

 

[black1]

Go for Bare Knuckle Pickups they have a large assorment of incredible pickups, i highly recommend them. You can go to there sight and listen to several examples of pickups.

 

[mongoose]

Thank you for the responses

I've noticed a lot of members here have BK's, but are they available to Canada? I plan to only replace the one pick up and maybe try to install some sort of smoke bomb for the front...without melting my guitar, any ideas?

 

[black1]

Yes you can order from there site and they will ship to Canada.

 

[Cybercat]

Having tried many brands including Lindy Fralin, Duncan, DiMarzio, Gibson, Fender etc., I most definitely way prefer WCR pickups by Jim Wagner.
Very friendly guy, easy to talk to on the phone & genuinely concerned with getting you the right set for the guitar & style(s) of music you play.
WCR p'ups constantly come top in shootouts / polls on places like The Gear Page etc.

All the classic sounds in spades & fit perfectly with what I play live (...pretty much everything from Classic Rock, Blues & Pop from 1960's right up-to-date, Maroon 5, Franz Ferdinand, Green Day etc. - playing out several nights a week for 30 years - see pics on my homepage)

I have the Darkburst set in my 1981 LS-150, and SR sets in my 1980 Springy Sounds ST-60 & ST-80. Highest recommendation.

WCR pickup details & sound samples are here : -
http://www.crcoils.com

...& take a look at this thread here : -
http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=52046

 

[big-ace]

if you want to try a fairly cheap experiment with pickups, try a mightymite motherbucker. they only come in black or zebra ( or get a pup cover. yes i would like one in cream but they dont make them). they are a full on alnico humbucker that sound pretty good and are very cheap on ebay. they dont clean up too well but Ace didnt really have a clean sound anyway. i have one in an explorer and a Burny LP custom. they sound pretty good with just enough harmonic squeals if that is your playing style. dont ever go for a seymour duncan distortion. they are way over the top with the harmonics and will make you sound like a bad 80's big hair metal band.

 

[burnyIII]

Hello.

I think Pickup choice is the most difficult thing.

First, you have to know what sound you want and what PU could deliver that sound.
Second, a pickupp that brings this sound in guitar A doesn't necessarily deliever the same sound in guitar B.

Examples?
Well, i have a Rockinger PAF ETC as neck PU in an old Hoyer neck through mahagony Gibson scale guitar. And it sounds great.
The same PU in the neck of my Burny LP Standard copy didn't sound that great.

The SD SH4 aka JB has its own sound. High(er) output, lots of mid upper mids and enough trebles, without sounding ear piercing. It is great for some distorted sounds, but sometimes i miss a little clearity, brilliance, bass response and a more open frequency scale.

I have an DiMarzio AirNorton in the bridge of my Burny LP.
It has a little less trebles/upper mids than the JB. And has less output than the JB, but still much more than a PAF. It has good bass and lower mids response, sounds a little warmer than the JB and not so compressed. I think it is worth a trial.

But a PU change is imho always an experiment. You hardly will know inadvance whether the PU brings exactly the sound you desire and whether the PUs sound will combine with your guitars acoustic sound.

Bye
BurnyIII

 

[Ozeshin]

Thank you for the responses

I've noticed a lot of members here have BK's, but are they available to Canada? I plan to only replace the one pick up and maybe try to install some sort of smoke bomb for the front...without melting my guitar, any ideas?

So are you in a KISS cover band?
I mean...I'd be one of the biggest KISS fanatics on the forum and even I won't do an Ace Frehley and risk setting my beloved Love Rock on fire.
Just bought a Paul Stanley Sovereign model.
Go the Dimarzio route....I have a SuperII and a PAF in my V and can recommend them.

 

[burnyIII]

....Dimarzios are a pain to install, as they have multiple wires....

Sorry, that is nonsense.

Someone who IS able to install a new pickup will have no problems to solder the "2 additional wires" of a DiMarzio-4-wires-cable.

Someone who hast problems doinng that, will surely not be able to install a pickup correctly, no matter whether a 2- or a 4-wire-PU.

To come backto the original topic:
there are many good PUs that potentially fit in a Les Paul.
Check out Rockingers ( www.rockinger.com ) PAF ETC and Alnico II Custom, check DiMarzio VirtualPaf/VirtualHotPaf, check DiMarzios AirClassics.
If you like it a little hotter than vintage humbuckers, check a Dimarzio AirNorton.

Bye
B.

 

[Guitargoblin]

....Dimarzios are a pain to install, as they have multiple wires....

Sorry, that is nonsense.

Someone who IS able to install a new pickup will have no problems to solder the "2 additional wires" of a DiMarzio-4-wires-cable.

Someone who hast problems doinng that, will surely not be able to install a pickup correctly, no matter whether a 2- or a 4-wire-PU.


Bye
B.

Well EXCUSE ME, fancy pants. I consider 4-conductor wires a pain to install. Yes, I can do it, I just consider it a pain in the bollocks. Got a problem with that?
You may be more of an itchy-arsed guitar geek than I am, so take a bow if you like.
I like to PLAY the f**king things, not tinker with them.
C**t.

 

[burnyIII]

..... it a pain in the bollocks.
Got a problem with that?
You may be more of an itchy-arsed guitar geek......

No, i do not have a problem with that ....
And i think its obvous WHO has got some problems. :lol:
Ciao
B.

 

[leadguitar_323]

G'day burnyIII, well said, i am a player not a geek {not even close to a geek} and i agree with what you've said , once you've done it once it is a piece of cake. As for the reply, i'm sorry guitar goblin but that was uncalled for and way over the top... No offence intended... :wink:

 

[Guitargoblin]

My problem was not with the point he was making, but with the pompous, arrogant way in which he chose to make it, ie implying that I was lying. For the record, I have installed pickups (2 & 4 wire) & I find it to be a pain, BUT I never claimed to be a tech. I pointed out to Mongoose (who it would seem had never installed pups way back when this thread started) that 4-wire was more of a headache, it being understood that this was from a first timers point of view.
Then Burny III steams in on his 9th post, basically saying I'm full of sh**.
I may not be the only one who needs some people skills, pal.
Supercilious twat.

 

[JohnA]

Guitargoblin, give someone who probably speaks English as a second language the benefit of the doubt, you may have interperted his post as pompous, but there is absolutely no doubt that your's was totally offensive.

As for him being on his 9th post, the number of posts you have made doesn't give you any more or less rights than anyone else. With a response like your's I think we are all luck he made a 10th! The more people that contribute to this forum the better it will be, let's not scare them off!

burnyIII good to have you here!

And by the way I hate 4 wire pickups