Les Paul with SD Jazz in the neck: what would you put in the bridge?

[metropolis_4]

An SD Jazz is my all time favorite neck pickup for a Les Paul. What is your favorite bridge pickup to pair with it?

 

[shupe13]

JB

 

[70 Mach 1]

Super D.

 

[Rod]

Zhangbucker Duane or Brownbucker...... Duncan Jazz in the neck....

496385F9-7EB5-457B-A9CD-AB612D3A6CED

• Rod
• Aug 9, 2019

Kevin Swaim (Swaim Guitar Works, Raleigh NC) 1 off Black Limba/curly maple LP w/Zhangbuckers

 

[AaeCee]

Duncan 59. Traditional sounds with a little extra snap. Inexpensive and readily available.

 

[atquinn]

Duncan Custom

 

[pipedwho]

Duncan 59 for a more traditional sound, or a JB for something more dramatic,

 

[Rockin J]

I’m going with the 59 also

 

[slipbeer]

I have a Knaggs Kenai Doug Rappaport that has an SD Jazz in the neck slot and what is called an SD78 in the neck, which is their Eddie Van Halen tribute pickup.

It's a way better combination than I expected and I get everything I need out of this guitar.

 

[snow and steel]

I use a jazz in the neck and a 59 on the bridge of nearly every guitar. The two compliment each other exceptionally well in both output and tone. Highly recommended.

 

[Rod]

Duncan 59. Traditional sounds with a little extra snap. Inexpensive and readily available.

,,,,,
as much as I like the 59 in all my mahogany guitars , they can be really bright (overly bright) in Les Pauls, but then again, many guitarists like really bright tones....

 

[BigDoug1053]

I like the JB, but then again, I am not going for tradition. I have JB/Jazz and JB/59 combos - with series-single-parallel switches - in several Jacksons and a Gibson LP Std DC...

Dinky DK7QM 7 string

SL2QM Soloist

SLATQM Soloist 7 String

Gibson LP Std Pro DC

 

[G34RSLU7]

59/custom Hybrid (SH-16) if you can't decide between a 59 and JB

FWIW i think the JB is too hot (no dynamics) and the 59 lacks OOMPH

 

[DonP]

An SD Jazz is my all time favorite neck pickup for a Les Paul. What is your favorite bridge pickup to pair with it?

Why not try a Jazz in the bridge?

 

[Jarick]

Slash bridge then swap the magnets for alnico or unoriented alnico 5

 

[Jabby92]

Duncan 59' for sure or a Seth Lover for a little more warmth. JB is way too hot and harsh IMO, unless you really need the extra push.

 

[metropolis_4]

I like the JB is the bridge of Fender guitars, but I've always heard it doesn't work that well in a Les Paul. But I've honestly never tried it myself so I don't know.

The 59 was one that came to my mind too, and I might try that. I've also thought about a Pearly Gates.

Why not try a Jazz in the bridge?

I tried it once and it was ok, but a little too bright and thin for what I wanted out of a Les Paul. Almost sounded more like a Telecaster bridge to me.

 

[Yer Blues]

I like a 59 in the neck, not so much in the bridge.... but I do tend to like something a little hotter in the bridge and have been a fan of the JB. So, I'd probably go with something a little hotter for the bridge.

I was actually considering buying a pearly gates set, but I found an OX4 limited Slash set for a good deal so I said what the hell. I still need to put them in though.

OX4 Slash Pickup Set Black Bobbins

This is the new OX4 Slash humbucker! The Slash is a pickup with medium output and Alnico 5 magnets full of top-end bite and chunky rhythm tones, inspired by the tones on Appetite For Destruction!

Seems odd that Slash signature set uses Alnico II and these use Alnico V. But, I already have a LP with a set of 57 classics which I actually like, so I figured ALnico V to mix it up. I thought Alnico V was high output though, not medium?

 

[gkoelling]

Zhangbucker Duane or Brownbucker...... Duncan Jazz in the neck....

496385F9-7EB5-457B-A9CD-AB612D3A6CED

• Rod
• Aug 9, 2019

Kevin Swaim (Swaim Guitar Works, Raleigh NC) 1 off Black Limba/curly maple LP w/Zhangbuckers

Nice! What is that?

Thanks

 

[Rod]

Nice! What is that?

Thanks

Zhangbucker is a winder out of Missouri, (originally Hollywood) . he’s been doing it for 20 years. I’ve tried many boutique winders and he is my favorite. He uses scatterwound winding with unbalanced coils. what this means musically is that with even the hotter Duane plus 10k pickup for the bridge, it sounds very open and musical and never muddy...
They work well in the bridge position of Les Pauls cause it adds more mids and fattens up the sound.. they’re cost imho is reasonable for his regular wind, still handfed @ $125..... www.zhangbucker.com
His Tele and P-90’s are very fine sounding as well....
He‘s a 1 man shop. His name is David Plummer. Give him a call . He’s great to talk to and really understands his art....tell him Rod Welles sent you.. I’ve bought about 15 pickups from him