Les Paul weight and pickup selection, tone, etc...

[richedie]

Hey guys,

Was wondering what you all think about LP weight and pickup choice? I have a scenario in which I'd like to ask for some advice.

I have two main LPs, a black with cream binding and cream pickguard, 1994 Standard that I believe weighs at least 10 lbs, closer to 11 lbs.
I have a Lightburst with no pickguard, 2004 Standard that is about 8.5 lbs and has great acoustic qualities.

4 years ago I was in a band that played what I would describe as an Alice in chains type band, kind of like a 90s grunge/rock meets modern heavy.
My burst became my main guitar at the time. It had the Burstbucker Pros, then various WCR pickups, some Duncans, Rios, etc. I had a lot of compliments and it did sound great.

Then I joined a new band, these guys were much more modern heavy rock/nu metal - not really my thing but sometimes I like the heavy, aggressive style.
Around that time I bought the 1994 LP and started using it for the band, because it was black, LOL! I ended up removing the 498T for a Wolfetone Timbrewolf and everyone loved it. Ate the time I also had a Wolfetone Marshallhead in my burst. I find that pickup very hot, but vintage. When I would use that guitar, the band would say I sounded good, but too bright and vintage....didn't work for the band. However, the burst was always my number one, just felt right.

Time goes by and I pick up an Egnater Mod 50. At this time I started trying the stock BB Pros pickups again in the burst and had the 498T back in the black LP to see how it sounded in stock form since it had been so long.
At this time playing through the Egnater, I got comments that the burst LP sounded more 3-D than the black LP. Now, I didn't know what to think, since I now considered it my more vintage sounding LP even though for a few years it was my main guitar and sounded great heavy as well.

So that bring me to today. I strated jamming with some friends from my previous band and we talk about maybe doing a classic rock/80s/90s cover band thing. I always reach for my burst first so I decided to make that my number one and get a versatile pickup in it, so in went the Motor City Torque bridge pickup, about 14.2 k and she does clean to classic rock to modern heavy. In the meantime I had the chance to try a WCR Goodwood in my heavier, denser black LP and it seemed to open it up. So I strated to think, is there something to the weight and density since the newer LPs have the weight relief holes? Maybe the lighter LPs and more resonant ones work well with the medium heat pickups and the heavier LPs maybe work better with the more PAF style pickups. I mean, I am well aware that a lower output pickup or PAF can still cover huge territory, I mean loom at the Iced Earth guy using Jim's Godwood in the bridge for heavy metal.

Now I am thinking of making my black and cream '94 LP, my more vintage one with hot PAFs. Either way, I could use them interchangably since that amp itself dictates so much of the tone anyway, LOL.

Any thoughts on my finding?

Thanks.

[toneguy86]

Originally Posted by richedie

Hey guys,

So I strated to think, is there something to the weight and density since the newer LPs have the weight relief holes? Maybe the lighter LPs and more resonant ones work well with the medium heat pickups and the heavier LPs maybe work better with the more PAF style pickups. I mean, I am well aware that a lower output pickup or PAF can still cover huge territory, I mean loom at the Iced Earth guy using Jim's Godwood in the bridge for heavy metal.

Now I am thinking of making my black and cream '94 LP, my more vintage one with hot PAFs. Either way, I could use them interchangably since that amp itself dictates so much of the tone anyway, LOL.

Any thoughts on my finding?

Thanks.

Actually that makes a lot of sense. It appears to me that the PAF style pickup tend to be a bit brighter, which may open up the more dense wood of the heavier guitar. I have a chambered guitar that I put a Rio Grande in because I always heard those pickups were a little darker then some of the other PAF style (although it appears this is not always the case). It is actually a really good match that I am really happy with--lots of versatility anyway...from bluesy dirt to ZZtop land and easily beyond. You may have something, but I would be interested to hear the guys around here who make pickups speak to this a bit.

Mark

[richedie]

Yes, the MCP Torque I use reminds me of a better Rio Grande BBQ and I had the BBQ in my lighter burst and it worked well! The Torque did not work as well in my heavy black LP, but smokes in my burst. Interesting.

[nwobhm]

That Wolfetone Marshllhead you have, I find sounds the best in my heavy 10-11 lb Norlin era guitars. Where as my lighter weight guitars sounded better with lower output pick-ups.

[richedie]

bump...any other opinions.