I got one last year and I love it. I play medium to high-gain and I've never had a problem. Originally I thought of swapping out the pickups but the Shawbuckers are surprisingly good.
For a bridge pickup, a Seymour Duncan Custom would fit the bill. It's has a ceramic magnet, but don't let that scare you away. It's like a PAF on steroids. I was reluctant to buy it because of the ceramic mag but it's great and it wasn't expensive. The Custom 5 is also a good option. For...
I've got the Custom in a Les Paul Studio. To my ears, it's like a hot PAF...just more balls. It definitely has a little more low end than the Bare Knuckle Black Dog I had in there earlier. Personally, I really like the Custom. You can always swap the magnet at a later time to make it a...
The info about carrying it across the border is extremely helpful. Like you, I live in Canada close to a US border. I want to buy a Gibson Explorer. Under your explanation, I shouldn't need to have a permit? Am I correct?