True Historic 1958 Les Paul sounds thin
- Thread starter domster
- Start date
Thanks everyone for the advice!
I am going to get my luthier friend help raise the pickup height and keep you guys posted.
It would be a shame if I would have to sell this away, because look and feel wise it’s awesome.
Sounds very resonant unplugged too.
I am going to get my luthier friend help raise the pickup height and keep you guys posted.
It would be a shame if I would have to sell this away, because look and feel wise it’s awesome.
Sounds very resonant unplugged too.
Have the 'luthier friend' to look at the setup too.....nut slots, relief, frets action etc. It should really be fine on a new guitar, but many go through environmental change before sale which can render the factory setup worthless. Lack of sustain seems more like a 'chassis' issue rather than an electronics one.
LesPauloholic
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bumps
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How come all these after market pickups are trying to get as close to Gibson's original pickup's if Gibsons pickups are so bad? For what it's worth still got the original BB1 & BB2 set in my 2009 R8 and they sound awesome!!!
Because the originals were accidentally very good.
And the new ones they really don't care about enough to make them accurate. They supply pickups for the guitar in house, the mantra has generally been make them as cheaply as possible, and talk them up as much as possible. There is a long history of the construction being cost cut over time as each subsequent model goes from in Historics and CC's to being supplied in cheaper and cheaper retail price guitars.
And the new ones they really don't care about enough to make them accurate. They supply pickups for the guitar in house, the mantra has generally been make them as cheaply as possible, and talk them up as much as possible. There is a long history of the construction being cost cut over time as each subsequent model goes from in Historics and CC's to being supplied in cheaper and cheaper retail price guitars.
brandtkronholm
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No.
Probably not.
No. Gibson knew exactly what they were doing. These were good guitars on purpose.
No.
Progrocker111
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My case too, Custom Buckers are best Gibson pickups to me since late 60s/very early 70s T-Tops. Clear, dynamic and very articulate pickups with nice honky mids and tight bass. I prefer them drastically over 57 classics and Burstbuckers.
I also bought one TH58 2016, playability is amazing and I can't get used to its amplified sound, I play a lot unplugged for practice... It sends me in space on stage and I collapse when I hear recordings.
So I bought a second one and it's almost exactly the same sound, just a little spankier, but as powerful and neck is as the other : designed for my left hand. The perfect ones with perfect tones !!!
:dude:
So I bought a second one and it's almost exactly the same sound, just a little spankier, but as powerful and neck is as the other : designed for my left hand. The perfect ones with perfect tones !!!
:dude:
El Gringo
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Very true that Custombuckers are better than Burstbucker 1, 2, 3, Pro and any other variation , and also the 57 's .
The Shifter
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I must respectfully disagree here.
I did some work with Gibson Memphis when they were developing the MHS pickups. I can tell you, Jim Lillard was very meticulous and quite passionate when it came to making these pickups. In no way was this something dashed off as an afterthought just to cut corners and boost the bottom line.
Hey guys,
Just an update.
Well I checked the pickups, neck is about 8k and bridge is about 8.2k. Seems ok.
Adjusted the pickup height and still pretty much the same thin sounding guitar.
Was so disappointed until I changed both stock volume pots to Gibson standard ones (only had 2 new pots, so decided to change the volume pots and left the tone pots stock).
WOWWW what a difference it made! Seems like the sound is amplified and so much more creamier!
The sound that I had prior to changing the pots was like ‘level 8’ on the current volume setting.
So stocked right now!
Just an update.
Well I checked the pickups, neck is about 8k and bridge is about 8.2k. Seems ok.
Adjusted the pickup height and still pretty much the same thin sounding guitar.
Was so disappointed until I changed both stock volume pots to Gibson standard ones (only had 2 new pots, so decided to change the volume pots and left the tone pots stock).
WOWWW what a difference it made! Seems like the sound is amplified and so much more creamier!
The sound that I had prior to changing the pots was like ‘level 8’ on the current volume setting.
So stocked right now!
Bruce R
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When I purchased my R8 in '07 I noticed all the pots were just awful. When I rolled the volume down at all the high end disappeared. Also, the volume pot was more like an on/off switch - at 5 the volume just went away. I did some research and ultimately purchased a a complete wiring harness from RS Guitarworks. The guitar came alive!! The difference was night & day.
May I check which RS guitarworks wiring harness did you install?
Wilko
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Do you play with other players? How's your gear? all this talk online is worthless if you don't have real-world experience and "get" how tone works and what a real expectation is. Someone who knows a lot and "gets it" should hang with you and your gear and feel it out before changing anything expensive. 500k pots are usually the ticket, and should have been on your guitar.
There can be a lot of difference between a loud standard Les Paul and a vintage spec, resonant Les Paul. :hmm That difference is where the subtle magic lives.
There can be a lot of difference between a loud standard Les Paul and a vintage spec, resonant Les Paul. :hmm That difference is where the subtle magic lives.
Bruce R
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At the time I was not concerned in making the guitar appear as a vintage one, so used the Prewired Modern Upgrade Kit:
https://store.rsguitarworks.net/col...ed-modern-electronics-upgrade-kit-short-shaft
If you really want a vintage-looking harness you can use the Prewired Vintage Upgrade Kit. I just wanted the one that made the guitar sound as good as it could and didn't care how it looked, and it was a bit cheaper. I'm sure the vintage one sounds fantastic. It should be noted that the Historic guitars of the period that mine was (2006) were known for the "less than stellar" sounding harnesses. I felt my guitar was not playable the way it sounded stock and was greatly relieved to hear the difference the kit made.
wintomato
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Hi, I have the same thing with my 2015 true historic, 60s. Looks and plays great, but bridge pickup sounds thin, at any height, and too narrow a mid range sound. And whilst the neck pickup is very rich and detailed, too bass heavy to use for chords or crunch. I am reluctant to start swapping bits out but may be the only solution. Both pickups measure around 8k (the bridge ought to be 8.5k according to the specs).
p19978
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I'm firmly in the "pup swaps are overrated" camp.
I swapped out some '57s for Lollars and cant hear any improvement. Different? Maybe. Better... no.
I second the recommendation on checking nut/saddles... setups make all the difference.
I swapped out some '57s for Lollars and cant hear any improvement. Different? Maybe. Better... no.
I second the recommendation on checking nut/saddles... setups make all the difference.
B.Shredfingers
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Poor you, I hear that they can be painful.
El Gringo
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This is a historic Les Paul which came with Custombuckers which are nice , but don't have enough juice for my taste and liking and thus I discovered the joys and wonders of Throbak MXV-SLE-101 Plus which are hot and full of tone and vibe . I use a Marshall 2555X and together with the Les Paul and the ThroBak Pickups it is so easy to dial in the tone and just concentrate on playing which is what it is all about ! Seriously I highly recommend them !