58/08 LT questions

[Bsic]

Hi all,

Long time lurker and member at the old forum. Been a while!

My main guitars are a custom 22 with 59/09s and a Gibson R9 with BB1/2. I play covers from 60s to 90s, a prettty wide swath.

I’m eyeing a few candidates for the next acquisition. I’m down to a custom 24 and the two I’m considering have either 85/15 or 58/15 LT. I’ve read tons of forum posts that mention either pickup but hoping to get specific feedback.

Im a big fan of PAF tones and my R9 is amazing. The cu22 is more versatile as it can cover more modern tunes and had great coil tapping. Between the two I got a great pair for what I play.

From some comments it seems some folks find the LT too bright and searing, and unpleasant feedback. Since I can’t try either locally, hoping y’all can shed some light.

What do you like or dislike about the 58/08LT, what styles of music do you see it fit best?

Any firsthand comments with it in a custom 24 also appreciated...

Note I ride the bridge pickup 90% of the time as well....

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

I had a 58/15LT neck paired with a 59/09 bridge in my Custom 24 and it was alright. Now I have a 57/08 in that guitar and to me it’s way better of a combo (for that guitar). I put the 58/15LTs in my SC Trem and i absolutely love them in that guitar. I don’t personally have the shrillness or feedback issues.

I will say the splits on the 58/15LTs are incredible.

The 85/15 is a great neck pickup, had it in the same custom 24 for awhile paired with a \M/ bridge. That’s an awesome modern combo! I felt that the 85/15 neck didn’t mesh too great with the 59/09 bridge especially in the middle position.

 

[László]

I have a CU24 with 85/15s, and I think it’s the perfect pickup to compliment the tone of that guitar. I also have the 58/15LT in a 594, and again, given what the guitar is designed to do, I love the combination of the guitar and pickup.

I don’t take forum criticisms too seriously; they’ve sold thousands of guitars with both pickups, and every so often someone doesn’t like one of them. Big deal. Doesn’t mean you will or won’t. Many more people are satisfied than dissatisfied, hence the popularity of both guitars with the stock pickups.

 

[Casi1]

I had a set of 85/15 pups in a Custom 24 but didn’t care for the tones it produced. I like somewhere between vintage and modern but all I heard was modern there. Now that same Custom with 57/08s was glorious... so it depends on what tones you are after. I put a set of LTs in my McCarty and the clarity/definition is beautiful.

If I had a Custom 22, a Custom 24, and a LP. I’d probably put the 59/09s in the Cu24, and either the LTs or the 85/15 set in the Cu22.

But that’s just what my ears prefer.