Pickups - too much choice, help!

rico

I'm looking at changing the pickups in my LP as the bridge seems too spiky and the neck quite wooly. I've played around with heights but can't seem to dial a decent sound in. 

There's Bare Knuckle, Oil City, Mojo, Creamery, Alegree et al but I have no real reference point for any of these. 

I don't want anything super hot and I play anything from country, rock n roll and blues through to sludgy desert rock so some versatility would be good. 

Your esteemed recommendations from the above makers would be appreciated, thanks!

timmysoft

seymour 59's

Grunfeld

EMG mini-humbuckers?

[would certainly be unique]

Floof

My advice when starting out with pickup changes is to use one of the big mainstream brands (like Seymour Duncan or diMarzio)

That way, if you do find your choice isn't perfect, there are millions of other users out there who have experienced those pickups and who can advise what a brighter, or more mid-focussed choice might be.

iirc the Seymour Duncan Jazz pickup was designed to be clearer in the neck position in LP type guitars. It matches well with a 59 or JB in the bridge (very different sounding pickups those 2 - look them up) 

I'm also a fan of the Gibson 57 Classic in a LP (not the plus/hotter versions) and the Burtsbucker #1 or #2 (again, not the hotter 3/Pro) 

Bennyboy-UK

What's in it currently?

Veganic

Could spikes be eq'd out? (Woolly might be more difficult.) You can then slide them spikes back in for country. 

Split the neck coil?

Sorry, that's all I've got.

Andyjr1515

There are some great pickup suppliers mentioned above but for me, it's Tonerider Alnico Classic IV's.  Every time....

Funkfingers

Er, what amplification and pedals do you currently use?

DannyP

My newly completed LP kit has Oil City Forces Sweethearts, and I can't speak highly enough of them.

Definitely in the not-too-hot-and-very-articulate category. Bridge is clear and bitey without being at all harsh, and the neck is just beautiful - certainly more 'Brothers In Arms' than 'Sweet Child O' Mine'.

Very "airy" - not at all claustrophobically compressed like some hot LP humbuckers.

Modulus_Amps

I tried several pickups in the neck to get the clarity I was after ended up with a Alnico II pro from SD, is is a bit scooped and clear with a nice bit of compression, definitely not woolly

Boromedic

These came highly recommended on the MLP forum and I ordered a set for my Les to match up with Jimmy Pages No1. Fully handmade, very quick and easy to chat too, delivery was quick and the price even better. Only downside is I haven't fitted them yet so can't give feedback, sorry! Guys on the forum were comparing them favourably to Bare Knuckles.

http://www.vineham.com/humbucker_pickups.html

Maynehead

Get some pearly gates and be done with it.

Teyeplayer

Sounds to me like you are after something in the original paf territory. Good ones should be articulate and airy for want of a better set of terms -unlike most the pickups standard Gibson’s seem to ship with.  

Noticed another forumer has these Alegree’s for sale and I reckon for the price you’d be hard pressed to beat them -if they are not right someone here will no doubt take them off your hands. Also, Alex is a top bloke who I’m sure will happily advise if they are not to your taste:
http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/113986/fs-pair-of-alegree-humid-tropics-nickel-covers-price-drop#latest

stimpsonslostson

Before you start spending money...
have you tried adjusting the existing pickups? I found on my LP that I didn't need new pickups I just needed to get them setup properly. The distance from the strings and pole piece heights makes a huge difference. 
Best of all, it's free, easy and totally reversible. 

I found this helpful when I did it:
https://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/the-tone-garage/fine-tuning-the-adjustment-of-passive-humbuckers

Once youve eliminated this possibility THEN I'd look at forking out on new pickups (I'd chat to ASh at OilCity- he can wind you something specific to your needs). 

JohnPerry

These are game changers. 

http://ox4pickups.co.uk/testimonials/

p90fool

I'm less cynical about the plethora of seemingly identical PAF choices out there now I've tried Stormy Mondays. 

I'm just going to have to bite the bullet price-wise, but at least I can then ignore the guitar from then on in my quest for great Gibson tone. 

They really are a bit special in the way they respond to how and where you hit the strings. That's the really elusive bit for me, if I'm honest most good quality PAF types sound much the same to me. 

rico

Bennyboy-UK said:

What's in it currently?

Unless I am mistaken they are 490R and 498T.

     Floof said:

My advice when starting out with pickup changes is to use one of the big mainstream brands (like Seymour Duncan or diMarzio)

That way, if you do find your choice isn't perfect, there are millions of other users out there who have experienced those pickups and who can advise what a brighter, or more mid-focussed choice might be.

iirc the Seymour Duncan Jazz pickup was designed to be clearer in the neck position in LP type guitars. It matches well with a 59 or JB in the bridge (very different sounding pickups those 2 - look them up) 

I'm also a fan of the Gibson 57 Classic in a LP (not the plus/hotter versions) and the Burtsbucker #1 or #2 (again, not the hotter 3/Pro) 

I have had the JB in a few LP's in the past but that was mainly my younger self wanting something hot and gainy. My tastes are moving on slowly!

Funkfingers said:

Er, what amplification and pedals do you currently use?

Good question. Marshalls (JMP 2204 mainly and JCM2000 as a back up), pedals are below. The plain one is a Blues Breaker and it's a klon type next to it. 

Megii

Just got some Oil City humbuckers installed in an Ibanez semi-acoustic, and they are superb. Other good ways to go I'm sure, but I can't imagine you'd go wrong talking to Ash.

crunchman

rico said:

Bennyboy-UK said:

What's in it currently?

Unless I am mistaken they are 490R and 498T.

 

Any decent set of PAF reproductions are likely to be an improvement on that.

OilCityPickups

crunchman said:

rico said:

Bennyboy-UK said:

What's in it currently?

Unless I am mistaken they are 490R and 498T.

 

Any decent set of PAF reproductions are likely to be an improvement on that.

Amen to that!

Chalky

crunchman said:

rico said:

Bennyboy-UK said:

What's in it currently?

Unless I am mistaken they are 490R and 498T.

 

Any decent set of PAF reproductions are likely to be an improvement on that.

I have 490/498 in 4 guitars - I like 'em! Each to their own....

I'd suggest secondhand Gibson 57s or Burstbucker 2/3 set, or the old SD Jazz/JB combo.  SD Alnico II if you are a Slash fan.  Always sell them on easily enough if you want to try something else.  Similarly, secondhand BKP Mules or Stormy Mondays