Emg's for Gibson Les Paul??

[***wicked***]

hello guys.
I'm thinking about to put emg pick-ups to my Custom Gibson Les Paul. Stock pick-ups sound great for sure but im more into metal stuff you know.So i have a couple question for you guys if you dont mind.
,
1) I dont want to loose that fat les paul sound but i want it more attack. So does it really worth to change stock pick-ups with active emg 81 for the bridge? And yes i play metal.

2) I m also not sure about the neck pick-up. i was planing to put emg 60 to neck but my friend has one and told me that they are too fat for the clean sound and he recomended me to put emg 89 for the neck which you can switch between single coin and humbucker(or smthng like that im not sure). what would you guys put to neck?

By the way I use 3 Channel Mesa Dual Rectifier. Also sorry about my english it is the best that i can >) thanks.

 

[themisfit138]

First question, then you say metal do you mean D or lower tuning metal or Standard tuning metal. I have played Les Paul Custom with stock pickups and I can get a good old Metallica tone with a Mark IV. but for playing in C I preferred an EMG 58 bridge, over an EMG 85 or 81. The EMG 58 sounded more like stock LP pickups but with the EMG feel.

 

[nathan28]

I just yanked emg's out of my les paul, it sounded good, but im tired of the emg tone and i have another guitar with them in it. I put a dimarzio drop sonic in the bridge of my les paul and im lovin it

 

[backmt]

I kinda agree with Nathan28 & themisfit138. I have Zakk Wylde set on my gibson LP custom. set it as 81 on bridge & 85 on neck but I wasn't happy with the sound. so I switch these as 85 bridge & 81 neck then I loved it! So much warmer sound on bridge and pretty clear sound on neck But time goes by I start to think this guitar sound is nothing but EMG sound..... Don't get me wrong. They are great pickups but they have such a strong character. I think high out put pick up like EMG are not always the answer for the metal sound. I am thinking to switch to Duncan JB & Jazz II or Dimazio tone zone
& air zone.

 

[nwoforlif]

I am having the same problem. I love how my les paul standard sounds through my dual rec. I purchased a ZW EMG set for more crunch but am too afraid to F up a great sounding guitar, so I have not installed them yet. Are they worth the upgrade from burstbuckers since you tried it?

I played a Jackson RR3 model with the JB/JAZZ pickups and it was absolutely killer through a dual rec. The guitar was as fat and singing as a les paul, same bridge as a les paul but it looked like a shark fin instead with clear wood design and gold hardware. I am kicking myself today for not buying it. Someone else did BTW. It was a steal at $1100.

NWOFORLIF

I kinda agree with Nathan28 & themisfit138. I have Zakk Wylde set on my gibson LP custom. set it as 81 on bridge & 85 on neck but I wasn't happy with the sound. so I switch these as 85 bridge & 81 neck then I loved it! So much warmer sound on bridge and pretty clear sound on neck But time goes by I start to think this guitar sound is nothing but EMG sound..... Don't get me wrong. They are great pickups but they have such a strong character. I think high out put pick up like EMG are not always the answer for the metal sound. I am thinking to switch to Duncan JB & Jazz II or Dimazio tone zone
& air zone.

 

[pjrake]

i play a les paul standard with tremonti treble on the bridge. used to have EMG81's but took them out and so far it sounds great!

and my tuning is drop Db.

-PJ

 

[nwoforlif]

What P/U do you have in it now, out of curiosity? I play in the same tuning BTW.

NWOFORLIF

i play a les paul standard with tremonti treble on the bridge. used to have EMG81's but took them out and so far it sounds great!

and my tuning is drop Db.

-PJ

 

[pjrake]

^^ i have the tremonti treble in the bridge and EMG 81 on the neck. want to put tremonti bass on the neck but haven't ordered it yet.

-PJ

 

[Core9]

I run the EMG Zakk Wylde (81/85) set in my Gibson Gothic Les Paul. It sounds really good. One of my favorites to play on. Put 'em in, if you don't like 'em, take 'em out and sell 'em.

I really disagree with the EMG's make all guitars sound the same frame of mind. I have my Gothic LP (81/85), a PRS Custom 24 (81/85) and two solid flame maple Hamer Californian Elite (81/SA) guitars and they all sound different.

 

[Guitarzan]

I'd look to the SD Blackouts before even thinking about those sterile EMG's.

 

[lesterpaul]

will add my 2 cents..the MIRACLEMAN by BAre Knuckle Pickups....it is a Zakk styled pup in ceramic form-it kills

 

[Sustain]

hello guys.
I'm thinking about to put emg pick-ups to my Custom Gibson Les Paul. Stock pick-ups sound great for sure but im more into metal stuff you know.So i have a couple question for you guys if you dont mind.
,
1) I dont want to loose that fat les paul sound but i want it more attack. So does it really worth to change stock pick-ups with active emg 81 for the bridge? And yes i play metal.

2) I m also not sure about the neck pick-up. i was planing to put emg 60 to neck but my friend has one and told me that they are too fat for the clean sound and he recomended me to put emg 89 for the neck which you can switch between single coin and humbucker(or smthng like that im not sure). what would you guys put to neck?

By the way I use 3 Channel Mesa Dual Rectifier. Also sorry about my english it is the best that i can >) thanks.

Dude DONT DO IT! LEAVE THE PICKUPS ALONE!

Actually, I dont know if the quality of pickups has changed over the last 20 years, but my pickups in my custom are the kill, and I would never take them out. They are ultra-hot, and sound better than any pickups I have ever used or seen/heard in anyone elses axe.

If they arent hot enough for you you must be deaf. If you really need more edge you could unpack the wax out of them, this will decrease the value of them, but it will make them hotter....god knows why you would need to do this. I have had to go out of my way with noise reduction and feedback killing because my pickups are so friggin hot. People who are not used to them feedback like crazy when they play my axe because they are used to their crappy pickups, and being able to stand too close to their amp because they are not used to the excellent freq response from my pickups.

I almost bought EMGs when I bought my paul, I am so glad I didnt.

I know someone who did, they went thru many styles, over the course of a 2 year period. he kept saying he was looking for 'that tone'. He ended up at the end of the 2 years realizing what he was looking for was the pickups he took out of his custom les paul when he bought it.

Seriously, dont do it. Unless you like it, then do it.....actually no. Just dont do it .)

 

[***wicked***]

I asked to the guy i bought the guitar and he said that they are
498 and 492 T or P(he is not sure) pick-ups. I changed my mind about changing the pick-ups. I think i'm gonna keep`em.
You guys are very helpful thanks a lot.