Best top 5 pickups for Les Pauls

[The Grim Peeper]

1. SD Alnico 2 Pro neck
2. SD 59 neck
3. DiMarzzio super distortion bridge
4. 500T neck
5. JB bridge

Albeit the the best pickup I ever played was p90 in a 69 LP junior my dads friend had. What is your opinion?

 

[jeffb]

The best pickups I've ever played in Les Pauls have all been real PAFs. No comparison to aftermarket stuff, even on the "worst" set/guitar combination.

That said , if I had 5 Les Pauls they would be set up as follows with aftermarket pickups:

1) Alnico II PAFs of some sort (Rewind, wolfetone, etc. Already have Legends from Wolfe)
2) A set of late Pat#/Early T- Top clones (Already have these from Rewind)
3) Minis
4) Dimarzio Super Distortion/Dimarzio PAF (originals as they are still relatively affordable)
5) Always wanted a set of Bare Knuckles Emeralds.

 

[TXOldRedRocker]

So subjective. My list would be completely different.

 

[tallcoolone]

Out of what I’ve tried I’d narrow it down to 4–Gibson Custombuckers, SD Ants, Wagner American Steele, DiMarzio 36 Annys

 

[The Grim Peeper]

Yeah it’s definitely subjective. The LP classic 1960 tribute I have has A2Pn and JBb and it is the LP I always come back to. I’m my opinion it sounds very 3D and responsive. I have a studio with a super distortion bridge with rusted pole pieces and to me it really sounds raw and real.

 

[Mike_LA]

Tim Shaw
Pat No 2737842

 

[SteelLucky]

EMG 89x and 89xr
JB & Jazz.
Gibson 490’s

 

[The Grim Peeper]

Actually 490s would have been my number 6 pick. I like them in a brighter sounding guitar.

 

[El Gringo]

ThroBak MXV-SLE-101 Plus , A5 Magnets https://www.throbak.com/paf-pickups-throbak-sle-101-plus.html . These pair so well in my Les Paul's with my Marshall 2555X's.

 

[mrjones2004x]

P90 in les paul junior. Job done. Nothing compares

 

[Deftone]

Top 5? Beats me. It's subjective and IMHO it depends on the LP. My four LP's have:

'79 Custom: OEM p'ups (Tim Shaws?) Whatever they sound killer, I wouldn't touch 'em.
'89 Custom: JB/Jazz
'14 Standard: EMG 81/85
'21 Standard: OEM '57 Classic and '57 Classic Plus pickups (I might swap out the bridge for a Wolfetone or something)

 

[jeffb]

79 would be T tops.

Top 5? Beats me. It's subjective and IMHO it depends on the LP. My four LP's have:

'79 Custom: OEM p'ups (Tim Shaws?) Whatever they sound killer, I wouldn't touch 'em.
'89 Custom: JB/Jazz
'14 Standard: EMG 81/85
'21 Standard: OEM '57 Classic and '57 Classic Plus pickups (I might swap out the bridge for a Wolfetone or something)

9

 

[V-man]

Funny thing is my 498T just got pulled being microphonic. I was going to throw an old 81/85 set I had lying around, but I have this perfectly good SD 59N I rather like.

I ended up going with a Hot SD passive in the spirit of the 498T and just placed my order. Haven’t had a bad SD experience yet.

 

[What?]

What are your experiences with the 57 Classic and 57 Classic Plus combo in a les paul? In my guitar the bridge pickup is very bright, and I tend to roll the tone down to around 3-4. I like it just fine like that, having the option for brighter if wanted but not sounding blanketed at all with the tone rolled way down. The neck pickup has a lot more body, and it is overall quite a bit darker. It is also quite a bit louder unless I adjust the bridge up high to maybe 3/16" from the strings and the neck down low to the ring. Obviously having the bridge up high pushes the amp into more gain and results in a more compressed sound, and having the neck down low does the opposite and pronounces the bass. I'm sure I can get things dialed in to my liking with more free time to experiment, but so far I have been living with a pretty noticeable imbalance.

 

[SteelLucky]

I want to try a Suhr/Aldrich set of pickups in a LP.

 

[Jethro Rocker]

What are your experiences with the 57 Classic and 57 Classic Plus combo in a les paul? In my guitar the bridge pickup is very bright, and I tend to roll the tone down to around 3-4. I like it just fine like that, having the option for brighter if wanted but not sounding blanketed at all with the tone rolled way down. The neck pickup has a lot more body, and it is overall quite a bit darker. It is also quite a bit louder unless I adjust the bridge up high to maybe 3/16" from the strings and the neck down low to the ring. Obviously having the bridge up high pushes the amp into more gain and results in a more compressed sound, and having the neck down low does the opposite and pronounces the bass. I'm sure I can get things dialed in to my liking with more free time to experiment, but so far I have been living with a pretty noticeable imbalance.

I rarely use neck pickup. In my Lzzy Hale Explorer the 57s sound excellent, depending what one plays I guess. The edge of break up mild crunch I couldn't tell ya, last thing I want to play.
I can't recall if my 2016 Classic has Burstbucker something or 57s but very ballsy and punchy. Possibly 61T?
I like the 57+ though for what I do.

 

[jcm800gridlock]

Gibson ‘57s. Burstbusters, original PAF’s, T-Tops etc.

 

[tallcoolone]

IMHO it depends on the LP

Yeah it really does

 

[Len]

Pickups are really dependent on what music you play, tone you’re after, and rig you have.

IMO a generic top list is meaningless without that info.