Got some random free pickups - should I switch?

[thebigcheese]

I've got an old '79 Gibson The Paul with the stock pickups in it. I recently inherited some random pickups and am wondering if they might clear up the sound a little. I have noticed that, compared to my Strat, the Gibson doesn't give me as clear distinctions between notes, but it definitely gives me a lot more crunch. I'm not sure how much of that is the wood and how much is the pickups, but here's what I've got:
-Stock humbuckers from an Epiphone Les Paul.
-Korean-made humbuckers (G&B or something), probably from a cheaper PRS
Nothing spectacular, but I suppose there's a possibility that they are nicer. Is it worth bothering?

 

[clivus]

The Fender single coils give a much clearer sound than the humbuckers IMHO. Won't hurt anything to try your inherited pickups, but I suspect that they won't be significantly better. P-90s might be a better choice (which is what I use on my LP) for tone and articulation.

 

[Red Black]

You've referred to your guitar as both a Gibson and an Epiphone . . which one is it?

Given that you've already got a Strat I wouldn't bother trying to make your Les Paul sound more like it. The crunch sound you describe is definitely from the pickups and is THE sound of the Les Paul that people know and love, so I wouldn't bother chucking in these random pickups just for the hell of it.

A more useful option would be to replace just one of your stock humbuckers with a humbucker that has a coil-tap switch, which would allow it to switch from a humbucking to single coil tone at the flick of a switch. That way you're adding to your tonal possibilities without losing what options you already have . . .

Just my 2c :]

 

[mjbphotos]

It's a Gibson - the 'extra' pickups are from an Epiphone!

Stick with what you've got. If you want a different tone, use a different guitar, LPs sound the way they do because they are LPs.

 

[stevieb]

Of course, I can not comment on the tone the pups in your Gibson sound- that is a subjective thing- but I can tell you that I removed the stock pickups from an Epi Les Paul Standard, and replaced them with a pair of Gibson Burstbucker Pro Alneco 5's, which are Gibson's top of the line pups (excluding endorsed pickups, which are for a particular taste after the endorsee's tone,) and there was a noticeable improvement in the tone. Even another guitarist whom I play music with weekly noticed, and I had not told him I had change the pups. The Epi's were not bad, but the Gibsons were much better.

I don't think the other pups will be any better, either- but if you wanna, try them all out. What have you got to lose?

 

[CoolCat]

I like stories like that...you didnt even tell them and they noticed an improvement.