Stiltzkin wrote:so what pickups are you going for?
I went for Seymour Duncan JB/Jazz combo - sound pretty good. The neck pup sounds to me a little muffled. Must be all that Poly!
I have a SD 59' in the neck of my LP custom and i have a similar complaint, its not an issue of note definition rather the tone doesn't seem to resonate and breath freely, i suspect like you, the finish is to blame.
I have a similar issue with the bridge but not as problematic.
What do you think of the JB in the bridge? I've always felt its a slightly odd pickup for a Les Paul, although many choose it.
TBH I think installing that set was a bit of an error. I had the same set in an Alder bodied Jackson Dinky - I thought it sounded amazing.
It just doesn't work in an LP IMO
I have a pearly gates in my LP another mid heavy pup; it certainly steers the guitar in a certain direction. Vintage les paul tones are harder to come but it nails anything that requires a healthy does of the mids.
I've always preferred to get the mids from the pups or strings myself, rather than the amplifier but theres no doubt the pearly gates robs the LP of some of its more inherent sounds.