Godin LG pickup choices.

[YellowJacket]

**here is a transcript of a post I put up at the Bare Knuckle forum. Because some '*******' here mention these pickups, they are now contributing to a bad case of GAS. I basically want to upgrade my backup / learner guitar so I have a reliable gigging axe for when I don't want to take my Gibson out. I have some idea of which pickup set I want based on feedback thus far, but I want to see what people here think**

Hi Everyone,
I put a calibrated set of Bare Knuckle Rebel Yell pickups in my Les Paul Standard along with 500k audio taper pots and 0.22 micro farad Paper in Oil caps. I'm sure everyone here already knows how awesome a project that turned out to be. See, knowing that Steve Stevens tested them in a 2005 Les Paul gave me confidence that they would match well with the guitar and they did. I really liked the even response, the phat growl, wide pick attack, and how they clean up so beautifully when I roll back the volume pot. My Les Paul is now a true gem of a guitar and I really want to keep it in as great shape as possible...

which leads me to...

My backup guitar. A Godin LG. It is basically http://www.godinguitars.com/godinlghbflamep.htm but older. No maple veneer and basically a solid mahogany guitar with a bold on mahogany neck, (very thin neck design) a rosewood fingerboard, and a 24 3/4 scale 24 fret neck. Yes, they used less frets on the later models.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v338/TraumatizedRat/HPIM1237.jpg?t=1306906659

I have tried some different pickup combinations in it and so far the best was a set of Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro pickups.
Stock, the guitar came with a Modified Seymour Duncan Custom 5 in the bridge and a Jazz II in the neck. The Jazz II was too glassy and the bridge was really thick and muddy sounding.
I swapped them out for Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro pickups. The tone became clearer and crunchier. By far my favourite.
I tried a PRS HFS in the bridge and it just didn't suit the guitar at all. The Godin LG has a more emphasized treble response than the PRS Singlecut and that particular pickup seemed to enhance it.
I now have a Custom Custom in the bridge. It sounds good but it is really saturated, thick, and grainy sounding. It is a really BORING distortion tone. I'd like it to crunch much more.

The Godin LG has a sound that is roughly like a cross between a Les Paul and a Strat. My goal is to try and find the Bare Knuckle pickup model that matches the best with the natural sound of the instrument. I want it to be the best LG it can be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqdbRCf4LV0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz4Ju9Rj6hU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cSPvgpr0WE&NR=1

This should give some sort of idea what this instrument sounds like, even if this is the SP-90 version.

So far,
I think the following pickups look promising but I am open to other suggestions.

Black Dog

Abraxas

Crawler

Holy Diver

I want a pickup that can clean up by turning down the volume knob. A pickup that really crunches and adds a real clarity to the tone of the guitar, especially when handling gain tones. I'd like the clean to be a bit more powerful, full, and chimey than it is but without being thin.

Black Dog and Crawler are my two top choices.

This guitar really is a weird instrument. The whole short scale heavy lump of mahogany instrument with a bolt on next really creates a unique axe. The thing is lumpy looking like a potato and in spite of its odd shape, it is possibly one of the most aggressive sounding $700 guitars I have ever played. Acoustically, it sounds like the lows are even more boomy than my Les Paul but when you play it through the amp, the neck pickup is far less bassy than the Les Paul and it is surprisingly bright. My wife said it sounded 'louder' simply because the highs are more intense. Anyway, I am excited to get it upgraded and I look forward to hearing what you guys think!

P.S. I'll say what other people's recommendations are later, including the official Bare Knuckle recommendation.

P.P.S. Feel free to recommend any other model of Bare Knuckle that you think might be even more awesome!

 

[b0nkersx]

I don't know too much about the LG, but let me know if you like the Black Dog - I've been itching to put a pair in my Les Paul.

 

[YellowJacket]

The LG is a totally different beast than a Les Paul. (Solid lump of mahogany with a bolt on neck)
So far, people have recommended the Crawler, Holy Diver, and Abraxas. They tell me it depends on what style I play and I play several.