Custom 24 replacement pickup recommendations

Lovefish01

New Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2022
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62
Hi peeples
I bought a wood library custom 24 last year. It came with 85/15 lt+ pickups in it.
I've tried really hard to love them and got say low output/cleans they're amazing. However, once I put some gain into it I'm always left just a bit disappointed tonally. I just don't get that kick in the pants that I want, particularly with the bridge pickup.
As I play a good chunk of gain more often than not and am usually playing rock (Ozzy type stuff) and metal (maiden/judas priest type stuff), however, the pickups still need to be fairly flexible still as I've never liked having a guitar that can just do one thing only.
I was hoping I might be able to get my guitar sounding like this from stock but it doesn't really.

So this had led me to the conclusion that I need to change the pickups to get the tone im wanting.
I've looked around for a set of 85/15 pickups but the prices seem to be crazy high and I'm really not sure how much hotter/better they are vs the LT version of them, plus I've heard mixed reviews about them. Those that might have both the standard and the LT versions id love to know the differences between them.

Im also not wanting active pickups I've just never gotten on with them for one reason or another. Nor a crazy hot pickup set either, im probably maxing out output wise at around 13k ish bridge pickup wise.
Im toying with putting a BKP cold sweat neck pickup in and a holy diver in the bridge or maybe a DiMarzio super distortion and paf pro set something along those lines at mo.
However, im still pretty open-minded about it at the moment. So if you've swapped out your standard pickups in your custom 24 for something else that's a bit hotter id love to know what you put in and what you thought of it to get some ideas.
 
Dude, put your LTs on Reverb and cash in. You will have $$ to buy what you want.
Plus 1 on this. I sold my LTs for $750 about 4 years ago. I'm sure they've come down since then, but you can still make a boatload.

As far as a recommendation, take a look at the PRS \m/ pickups. Not a one trick pony. Clean up nicely. Tons of clarity.
 
Dude, put your LTs on Reverb and cash in. You will have $$ to buy what you want.

As far as a recommendation, I have nothing. I use low output pickups and find it easy to get up to Maiden level gain with ease.
Id be reluctant to sell the original LT+s as I've got a single-cutaway guitar I was thinking about putting em in as the +s were specifically designed for those kinds of guitars to simulate a vintage less paul sound specifically.
Plus I've no plan to ever do it but should I ever need to sell my custom 24 id like to be able to put it back to stock if needs be.
Well, Maiden was just an example to give an idea of that kinda sound, not Maiden specifically.
Its more I just don't really like the LTs they don't sound like me.
 
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Plus 1 on this. I sold my LTs for $750 about 4 years ago. I'm sure they've come down since then, but you can still make a boatload.

As far as a recommendation, take a look at the PRS \m/ pickups. Not a one trick pony. Clean up nicely. Tons of clarity.
I looked at the M pickups but thought they looked way too hot. Plus if I'm going that hot the Tremontis
look pretty awesome also. Its always difficult to know what will work just through a youtube recording. Ill definitely try to find a few artists rocking the M pickups and see.
 
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Listened to the video. I can get that type of sound with 57/08 pickups. I find that tone in the amp/effects more than the pickup.
Agreed I wasn't saying I need a pickup that sounds exactly like this. But as hot as that and the LTs don't really do that. The 57/08s are a good shout!
Ive just had a look at their specs and not far off the ball park I'm looking for and they're actually available and for sale currently which is awesome considering how elusive and expensive the good PRS pickups usually are :D
 
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Agreed I wasn't saying I need a pickup that sounds like this. But as hot as that and the LTs don't really do that. The 57/08s are a good shout!
Ive just had a look at their specs and not far off the ball park I'm looking for and they're actually available and for sale currently which is awesome to know :D

I use to use the JB, PAF Pro, and the SD Custom. Once I tried 57/08s I never looked back. I grabbed a pair a couple weeks back to put in my SE245. They changed that guitar into a tone machine! Do it, lol!!
 
I should add have them in a 24-08 and a CE-24 semi hollow and they are my new favs. I also agree with Mark above as I have several older Custom 24’s and 22’s. Three of them have SD Pearly Gates in the bridge. The stand alone CU-22 has covered 57/08’s all good choices but as I said my new friend is the 59/09 covered ( in my 24-08) or uncovered.
 
PRS Favorites
59/09
57/08
Tremonti

PRS equipped
DW Tomahawks

Non Prs pickups that are always a win for me would be wolfetones. The Dr V/Marshallhead is my favorite combo of them all, but email Wolfe for the sound you’re looking for and he'll deliver or rewind for you without hesitation. He also offers short legged option.

Good ol standby
SD JB/Jazz

Honorable Mention
Fralin. I'm partial to his humbucker sized P90s.
 
PRS Favorites
59/09
57/08
Tremonti

PRS equipped
DW Tomahawks

Non Prs pickups that are always a win for me would be wolfetones. The Dr V/Marshallhead is my favorite combo of them all, but email Wolfe for the sound you’re looking for and he'll deliver or rewind for you without hesitation. He also offers short legged option.

Good ol standby
SD JB/Jazz

Honorable Mention
Fralin. I'm partial to his humbucker sized P90s.
wow, so Wolfetone do custom-wound pickups? tbh i don't know a lot about the company at all.

Sounds like the general consensus PRS wise is 59/09s or 57/08s
 
wow, so Wolfetone do custom-wound pickups? tbh i don't know a lot about the company at all.

Sounds like the general consensus PRS wise is 59/09s or 57/08s
Give Wolfe a call and chat with him. He’s a super nice guy and is very open about options and custom work. I ordered and installed a Timbre Wolf in the bridge of my LP last month and I absolutely love it. Kept the stock BB 61R in the neck, and they work very well together.

I‘m very interested in a Marshallhead / Dr V combo, too.
 
Give Wolfe a call and chat with him. He’s a super nice guy and is very open about options and custom work. I ordered and installed a Timbre Wolf in the bridge of my LP last month and I absolutely love it. Kept the stock BB 61R in the neck, and they work very well together.

I‘m very interested in a Marshallhead / Dr V combo, too.
Well, ill have a look into the company and see what it's all about first.
Tho the consensus seems to be it's a very good pickup company.
Ill have to email him as I'm in the UK and call charges are pretty high.
Timbre wolf sounds awesome from the website sample they have.
 
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wow, so Wolfetone do custom-wound pickups? tbh i don't know a lot about the company at all.

Sounds like the general consensus PRS wise is 59/09s or 57/08s
Yes, Wolfe will wind you anything you're after, even if you say sound wise instead of specs. He winds his pickups as ordered. Lightning fast too. I typically have my pickups from him to my door in days. Nicest guy out there too.

Can't go wrong with 57/08 or 59/09. Both are my favs. A combo I've been dying to try is 59/09 bridge and 57/08 neck.
 
Yes, Wolfe will wind you anything you're after, even if you say sound wise instead of specs. He winds his pickups as ordered. Lightning fast too. I typically have my pickups from him to my door in days. Nicest guy out there too.

Can't go wrong with 57/08 or 59/09. Both are my favs. A combo I've been dying to try is 59/09 bridge and 57/08 neck.
Thats cool that he can wind just from sound.
I've always wanted some of the music man axis pickups but made for a single cut away guitar. Obviously, the only way you can get a set of the originals is from a Musicman axis which they sound mind-blowing in but put em in an SC guitar they suddenly sound really muddy :S So it might be worth hitting Wolfe up about that.

Well yes 57neck and 59 bridge could definitely be a winner :)
 
Well, ill have a look into the company and see what it's all about first.
Tho the consensus seems to be it's a very good pickup company.
Ill have to email him as I'm in the UK and call charges are pretty high.
Timbre wolf sounds awesome from the website sample they have.
yeah he’s a small business and I would imagine that international calling and shipping won’t be cheap. but his actual pricing is very reasonable.

and yes, the Timbre Wolf rips.
 
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