Pickup upgrades

splinteh · 02-23-2010, 12:34 AM

What are the best type of pickups? Right now I own the 498 t's that came on my Epiphone Les Paul custom. So far I've heard of Seymour Duncan's. What other choices are there? Is there anything better?

stinkfoot · 02-23-2010, 12:41 AM

Is there something wrong with the ones you have?

Other choices? I would say there are hundreds of choices among the dozens of "consumer" pickups out there, not counting the myriad of "boutique" pups available.

Which one is better? Impossible to say. IMO the best pickup with the best tone is going to be the one _you_ like.

What "sound" are you going for?

Mookakian · 02-23-2010, 03:31 AM

as stinkfoot says, depends what u play and want. Feel free to tell

-=[Shifty]=- · 02-23-2010, 04:20 AM

Did you buy your Custom used? Do you mean 498ts, like in two?

Iancognito · 02-23-2010, 04:50 AM

Lots of pickup choice, as everyone says. What don't you like about them and what sound are you after? If you like them, don't change them. Have you tried adjusting the height and that sort of thing?

#1guitarman · 02-23-2010, 07:56 PM

Stinkfoot...what's up with all that salt water sloshin' around in your avatar??

Splinteh,
Dude, pups are like women...they're all good in thier element, ya just gotta find the one that's good in YOURS. There's a jillion pickups out there made by everyone with a magnet and a sewin' machine, this is one question that will become a lifetime quest...YOU finding the pickup YOU like.

Bud Stoner · 02-24-2010, 04:35 PM

I assume your guitar is stock. Have you had a proper setup? That's a tone changer. Also, try paper in oil caps before the pickups. Just changing the caps, adjusting the polepieces and pickup height will drastically change the tone (mostly for the better!).

dennistruckdriver · 02-24-2010, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by splinteh

What are the best type of pickups?....

wormburner · 02-28-2010, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by splinteh

What are the best type of pickups? Right now I own the 498 t's that came on my Epiphone Les Paul custom. So far I've heard of Seymour Duncan's. What other choices are there? Is there anything better?

splinteh... Your question is way too broad. My advice would be to listen to your favourite guitarists and pick out the tone you like. In some cases, you can get close to that sound with a pickup choice. In other cases, there's just too much manipulation of the signal going into the amp (and the amp itself) to ever come close.

Play more, listen more, and visit the websites of the mainstream winders... DiMarzio, Gibson, Seymour Duncan. They all have sound samples as well. It's a great starting point.

Good luck.

02-23-2010, 12:34 AM	#1 (permalink)
splinteh Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 219 Thanks: 33 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Pickup upgrades What are the best type of pickups? Right now I own the 498 t's that came on my Epiphone Les Paul custom. So far I've heard of Seymour Duncan's. What other choices are there? Is there anything better?

02-23-2010, 12:41 AM	#2 (permalink)
stinkfoot everybody gets got Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Pennsyltucky Posts: 3,137 Thanks: 41 Thanked 138 Times in 44 Posts	Re: Pickup upgrades Is there something wrong with the ones you have? Other choices? I would say there are hundreds of choices among the dozens of "consumer" pickups out there, not counting the myriad of "boutique" pups available. Which one is better? Impossible to say. IMO the best pickup with the best tone is going to be the one _you_ like. What "sound" are you going for?

02-23-2010, 03:31 AM	#3 (permalink)
Mookakian Tim Mason Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Australia Posts: 4,019 Thanks: 210 Thanked 107 Times in 42 Posts	Re: Pickup upgrades as stinkfoot says, depends what u play and want. Feel free to tell

02-23-2010, 04:20 AM	#4 (permalink)
-=[Shifty]=- Epi Verification Expert Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Kraut territory (Germany) Posts: 14,752 Thanks: 159 Thanked 50 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Pickup upgrades Did you buy your Custom used? Do you mean 498ts, like in two? __________________ Shifty's Channel

02-23-2010, 04:50 AM	#5 (permalink)
Iancognito Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: England Posts: 465 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Pickup upgrades Lots of pickup choice, as everyone says. What don't you like about them and what sound are you after? If you like them, don't change them. Have you tried adjusting the height and that sort of thing?

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02-23-2010, 07:56 PM	#6 (permalink)
#1guitarman Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Fantastic Florida Keys Posts: 2,877 Thanks: 126 Thanked 16 Times in 7 Posts	Re: Pickup upgrades Stinkfoot...what's up with all that salt water sloshin' around in your avatar?? Splinteh, Dude, pups are like women...they're all good in thier element, ya just gotta find the one that's good in YOURS. There's a jillion pickups out there made by everyone with a magnet and a sewin' machine, this is one question that will become a lifetime quest...YOU finding the pickup YOU like. __________________ .....................TONEMOJO ROCKS!!!..................... .. "Live every day as if it were your last, one day it will be...." Hairs turnin' WHITE, necks always been RED, collars still BLUE

02-24-2010, 04:35 PM	#7 (permalink)
Bud Stoner Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: El Lay Posts: 850 Thanks: 144 Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts	Re: Pickup upgrades I assume your guitar is stock. Have you had a proper setup? That's a tone changer. Also, try paper in oil caps before the pickups. Just changing the caps, adjusting the polepieces and pickup height will drastically change the tone (mostly for the better!). __________________ I didn't do it......but if I did it was an accident!

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