Check out what I put in my Les Paul

V

Vol. Knob

Hero Member
Messages
601
Got these in the mail yesterday.  Soldered 'em in, tested 'em out and then used it at band practice. 
Full report later.  Suffice to say, they sound as good as they look. 
l_1d93a315692d4293a8a1641fc1eb1b87.jpg
 
I think those would look great to match some natural masked binding.  I hate shiny black plastic humbuckers and rings.  Are those Swineshead pickups?
 
they look a little out of place on that black les paul. Would look better on a rosewood topped one.

Brian
 
Not Swineshead.  These are Reed James Custom.  http://www.reedjamescustom.com

Cocobolo Woodbuckers, customized to my needs.  Cocobolo bobbins and mounting rings.

I agree about them looking odd on a black Les Paul Custom.  They really jump out at you.  The pics kinda look more bright than they do in person.  I'll keep 'em in this guitar until I build another around them.  Yes, the look does indeed clash.  The pickups are a completely different "Pimp" than the Custom.  The Custom is more of a Tuxedo.

I'm thinking they'd look good on a Padouk, Koa, or Rosewood topped LP or LPS.  It all depends upon my ability to weather the economy for a while. 

Looks aside, they'd be sent back if they didnt sound good.  And they sound as good as they look, if not better.  At band practice last night, our bassist and keyboardist both noticed a huge difference in sound.  Very clear note-to-note separation in a chord, even with a bit of overdrive.  Not muddy.  I'm a single coil guy, and I never grabbed my strat or tele all night long. 

More as I get to know them....  At band practice I used my Valvetronix SE pedalboard through the PA, I'm sure purists will balk, so I'll hold off on more assesment until I've played it through my '50s PA converted to a 5E3 run through the Eminance Cannibas Rex 2x12 and '69 Teisco Checkmate 15 (old vox ac15 wannabe) with its Atec 425 8-H 1x10.

l_285aba88b72741b1abf79f5bc032af08.jpg
 
willyk said:
Don't wear brown shoes with a tuxedo :laughing7:
Click to expand...
my thoughts exactly! I was thinking of having this, but I prefer, still, gold covers with a black ring. if it HAS to be wood, ebony, otherwise black metal or just black plastic.
 
Yeah I agree that it looks off on that guitar.  But it's a nice guitar and nice pickups!  They'll be better separate than they are together.  :)  What year is the Custom?
 
I agree that they look "off", but not in a bad way. In an eye-catching way, and I really like them!

 
I think the "brown shoes with a tuxedo" look of these on this guitar is both eye catching and gawdy.  I'm still in the process of writing the review that I'll post here and on Harmony Central.  But I've come to the conclusion that these pickups are the ones for me.  They win, no question in my mind, the "best looking" award.  The final test was if they'd hold up in tone as well.  After a weekend of jam session, band practice and recording, they've passed the test.  Very clear and not at all muddy sounding pickups.  I'm very happy.

Think of this, plastic is a petrolium by-product.  Wood is/was a tree, a living thing.  Plastic is a strand of molecules.  Wood is cellular and far more complex.  I think it stands to reason that there just might be some tonal benefit to using wood over plastic, not that I'm a scientist.  They're Reed James Customs.  http://www.reedjamescustom.com
 
This really is a good way to start a build. Begin with pickups that get you a tone you like, and stick em in an axe you know everything about.  Proceed to play the hell out of them and THEN start making a list.  It's a great to have a solid reference to work from.
 
Vol. Knob said:
Think of this, plastic is a petrolium by-product.  Wood is/was a tree, a living thing.  Plastic is a strand of molecules.  Wood is cellular and far more complex.  I think it stands to reason that there just might be some tonal benefit to using wood over plastic, not that I'm a scientist.
Click to expand...

Wood is cellulose and lignin polymers in varying concentrations with some other things around.  Plastic is probably really old wood that broke down to petroleum, refined, isolated, possible chemically modified, and polymerized with the presence of plasticizers.  Needless to say both are organic from a chemistry perspective, and both are polymers.  I just can't see how the wood would effect the tone.  The magnet, winding, wire and shape I get, but the wood or plastic, I dunno.
Patrick

 
Butt ugly IMO, but to each his own.  Oh, and cells are made up of molecules too.  Whether it's wood or plastic, it just holds the coils and magnets in place.  Tone?  Dunno.
 
Yeah I doubt your tone is coming from the wood in your pickups, but they look amazing. I'm happy to leave it at that.  :toothy10:
 
Owning a set of Reed James woodbuckers my self I am sold , Reed tends to think the wood improves the tone. I am not sure but the tone of my woodbuckers are amazing. My email conversations when I order my pickups, he informed me that deferent woods produce slightly deferent tones . all that aside Reed James Woodbuckers  r off the hook when it comes to tone . Whatever the reasons are why thy sound so good really don’t care who cares about all that scientific crap, thy r gorges and sound amazing 
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

ragamuffin
Tried out some NOS tubes in my 5e3 build
Replies
3
Views
554
ragamuffin
ragamuffin
C
Check Out My Custom Fender USA Jim Root Signature Stratocaster!
Replies
2
Views
1K
Conquistador
C
alfiebennet10
Gathering info for potential warmth les paul build
Replies
17
Views
1K
Spud
S
mrpinter
Do you play acoustic guitar, and feel adventurous?...
Replies
12
Views
754
oliviaadair
oliviaadair
bagman67
Ziggy the Giant Dog - Adoptable soon in Southern Nevada.
Replies
8
Views
758
xld
xld
Back
Top