help, what pickups should i choose?

FasterThan... · 10-26-2008, 08:57 PM

Hey,

i have a les paul copy by Vintage. not a great guitar i know, but i am in no position to afford a 'proper' one, sadly.

i can't make the pickups sound good no matter what i try, so i have been thinking about upgrading them.

i know very little about pickups and i would appreciate some advice. what hardware would you recommend? should i forget the humbuckers and go for p90's maybe? and who makes good pickups??

any suggestions?

Cheers.

tintin · 10-26-2008, 09:55 PM

Just read the board here for a bit and listen to some clips, posted here, top of the pick up forum, and on You Tube, etc. Many great pick up winders from which to choose.

brianbzed · 10-27-2008, 04:41 AM

Check out Seymour Duncan pickups.

They probably aren't the ultimate pickup for everybody, but it's a fine place to start!

ehamady6 · 10-27-2008, 11:40 AM

I still love my first guitar -- a $400 purple Jackson DK2 Dinky. I would call it a "starter" guitar even though it has a Floyd Rose and low action. It came with Duncan "Designed" pickups which I thought were cheap knockoffs because their sound was so thin, but being a beginner what did I know? As I became a better player I treated myself to a Gibson Zakk Wylde Signature Les Paul and fell in love with the EMGs. I installed an EMG81/85 set in my Jackson and it sounded as good as my $4000 ZW.

The moral of my story is not to suggest that you buy EMGs (choose pickups that are right for your style and music), but to tell you how much upgrading pickups will vastly improve even an inexpensive guitar. After all, pickups are major components between you and your amp.

10-26-2008, 08:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
FasterThan... Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	help, what pickups should i choose? Hey, i have a les paul copy by Vintage. not a great guitar i know, but i am in no position to afford a 'proper' one, sadly. i can't make the pickups sound good no matter what i try, so i have been thinking about upgrading them. i know very little about pickups and i would appreciate some advice. what hardware would you recommend? should i forget the humbuckers and go for p90's maybe? and who makes good pickups?? any suggestions? Cheers.

10-26-2008, 09:55 PM	#2 (permalink)
tintin Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 290 Thanks: 41 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: help, what pickups should i choose? Just read the board here for a bit and listen to some clips, posted here, top of the pick up forum, and on You Tube, etc. Many great pick up winders from which to choose. __________________ 08 Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II Tiger's Eye Faded Cherry 07 Epiphone Maraschino Cherry Burst LP 02 Black and White Mexican Fender Standard Stratocaster with SD Hot Rails

10-27-2008, 04:41 AM	#3 (permalink)
brianbzed Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 454 Thanks: 2 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: help, what pickups should i choose? Check out Seymour Duncan pickups. They probably aren't the ultimate pickup for everybody, but it's a fine place to start! __________________ Life is too short to play sh*tty guitars! Les Pauls rule, Pilgrim. Now get that Strat outta here! Gear List: '83 '59 reissue 'Burst' (Leo's) '87 Standard-Alpine White '89 35th Anniv.Custom-3-pu's (Black Beauty) '83 Flying V-Black "Designer Series" '94 PRS Custom Purple 10-top w/birds '84 Fender Strat-humbuckers added ESP mongrel Strat-humbuckers added '80's BC Rich Warlock bass '78 Fender Musicmaster bass '08 Dean 6-string Banjo Boogie MkIIB,Fender Power Chorus,Line 6

10-27-2008, 11:40 AM	#4 (permalink)
ehamady6 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 363 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: help, what pickups should i choose? I still love my first guitar -- a $400 purple Jackson DK2 Dinky. I would call it a "starter" guitar even though it has a Floyd Rose and low action. It came with Duncan "Designed" pickups which I thought were cheap knockoffs because their sound was so thin, but being a beginner what did I know? As I became a better player I treated myself to a Gibson Zakk Wylde Signature Les Paul and fell in love with the EMGs. I installed an EMG81/85 set in my Jackson and it sounded as good as my $4000 ZW. The moral of my story is not to suggest that you buy EMGs (choose pickups that are right for your style and music), but to tell you how much upgrading pickups will vastly improve even an inexpensive guitar. After all, pickups are major components between you and your amp.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Today
Les Paul	Sponsored Links __________________ This advertising will not be shown in this way to registered members. Register your free account today and become a member on My Les Paul Forums

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Help me to choose !	nowhereman579	Gibson Les Pauls	24	10-13-2008 08:55 PM
Help me choose!!	Loserface300	Other Gibsons	18	10-11-2008 05:50 PM
What Amp To Choose	HairyPickle	The Squawk Box	1	09-29-2008 01:01 AM
Help me choose	rossman	Historics & Reissues	7	06-06-2008 12:05 AM
Which would you choose?	Weldaar	Other Gibsons	22	12-29-2007 10:42 PM