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Help with metallic sound on bridge pickup of my les paul traditional

conradkriel

New member
Joined
Apr 19, 2016
Messages
8
Hi Guys

I am new to the forum so hello from the UK! i need your help please!! I bought a les paul traditonal 2 years ago as it was my dream guitar! Since i got it i have NOT been able to get decent tone out of the bridge pickup.

ME:
Average player who gigs at least once every wekeend to second weekend.

STYLE OF MUSIC :
Rock and hard rock

GUITAR:
Les paul Traditional 2016 (no robot tuners etc)
Arrives with 57 and 57+ PUPS

STRINGS:
Ernie ball hybrids (9-46)

PICK
Dunlop sharkfin (the black one - very hard)

AMPS:
Orange Rockerverb Mark 3 head (50watt)
Victory Kraken
Victory V130
Marshall JCM 800 (2203 from 1981- so a plexi essentially)
Orange Micro terro (20watts) backup head

PEDALS
All true bypass and high quality (no behringer etc)

CABLES:
All new

PICKUPS :
Guitar came with 57 and 57+ (i foudn the 57 too bassy and muddy) and thought the 57+ lacked balls - did not cut in a band contect - great by itself but not in the mix

NECK (in the guitar currently)
Irongear blues engine in the neck (Alnico 4) 7.4K output - I CAN GET SWEET BEAUTIFUL CLEAN AND BLUES TONES OUT OF THIS PICKUP- its bit bassy (but so was the 57 in this guitar)

BRIDGE (in the guitar currently)
Bareknuckle black dog (9.4) Alnico 5 - lovely mid range sound pickup

(HAVE TRIED THESE IN THE BRIDGE AS WELL)
Suhr Doug Aldrich (A5 17.5 ) but it was too hot for me so swapped into
bareknuckle abraxas (14k) alnico 4 - bautiful - harmonic and articulate but still too hot


THE PROBLEM
No matter what i do i find that my tone on the bridge is very metallic , harsh and thin (given i have tried all the above pickups - i'm not sure what the issues could be) -

1) THE TONE sounds the same with every amp i own.
2) I have played direct to the amp (no pedals) ,
3) i have tried all my different types of amps,
4) i have switched pickups
5) I have tired lowering and increasing pickup height (BIT NOT EXTENSIVELY!)

THINGS I HAVE NOT TRIED YET:
1) Different softer pick
2) Different strings
3) Lowering the pole pices on the pickup
4) Going back to the lower output 57+ and trying all of the above
5) On the neck pickup - lowering pole pieces to reduce the bass of the pickup

What is your expert opinion guys and girls? This is my dream guitar and i REALLY DO NOT WANT TO SELL IT!
 

Don

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 1, 2001
Messages
5,732
My 2017 ES-335 came with titanium bridge saddles. It made the guitar sound a little metallic and "plinky", especially on the bridge pickup. I swapped the saddles for brass and noticed an improvement. The guitar sounds warmer. More organic and natural.

Did they use titanium saddles on the model Les Paul that you have? If so, I recommend swapping them for brass (about $12 if you notch them yourself).
 

rick c

Active member
Joined
May 28, 2016
Messages
282
OP: A very detailed post. I can't help wonder if there may be a problem with your guitar circuitry, perhaps a bad tone pot on the bridge pickup or maybe a bad capacitor. After trying so many pickups and getting the same tone, I doubt that this is a "guitar" issue due to basic hardware.
 

conradkriel

New member
Joined
Apr 19, 2016
Messages
8
My 2017 ES-335 came with titanium bridge saddles. It made the guitar sound a little metallic and "plinky", especially on the bridge pickup. I swapped the saddles for brass and noticed an improvement. The guitar sounds warmer. More organic and natural.

Did they use titanium saddles on the model Les Paul that you have? If so, I recommend swapping them for brass (about $12 if you notch them yourself).

Thank you sir that is a suggestion ill try immediately as it is a low cost one
 

conradkriel

New member
Joined
Apr 19, 2016
Messages
8
OP: A very detailed post. I can't help wonder if there may be a problem with your guitar circuitry, perhaps a bad tone pot on the bridge pickup or maybe a bad capacitor. After trying so many pickups and getting the same tone, I doubt that this is a "guitar" issue due to basic hardware.

Thanks Rick

Any idea how i test for a bad capicitor - i am handy with a soldering iron and multi meter - BUT wasn't always so may be that i have partially fried a capacitor whilst soldering in the new pickups - i only realised the need for a heat sink WAY after i had installed the first set of pickups - can you partially fry a capacitor or pot ? ie it still works but doesn't work as it should
 

rick c

Active member
Joined
May 28, 2016
Messages
282
Hi Conrad: I don't know but I'm sure Google will tell you how. Soldering wires to the pot does require a lot of heat and it's possible that too much may have compromised the pot. If this problem started with the guitar as new, before you modded it, you may have simply got a bad pot or capacitor from the factory; highly unlikely as they do test each one before sale but anything is possible. The factory tester may not have noted the thinner, metallic tone.
 

Wilko

All Access/Backstage Pass
Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
20,853
Almost impossible to say without seeing your setup and how you play, but if those pickups don't do it for you, try a lower value volume pot. 250k or so will lower the resonant peak and let a "warmer" tone through.
 
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