Pick up suggestions

[Chrome]

I have a custom explorer I had made a couple years ago. It plays incredibly well. The pick ups just don’t do it for me though. It current has Seymour Duncan JB and a 59. They sound dull compared to my other guitars. I’m thinking antiquities but I’m open for suggestions. Mostly southern rock and classic rock.

this is the guy who built it, he just lives a couple miles from me. This guitar is actually on his site. It was the first explorer he ever built

https://www.crossguitars.com/electric

 

[proxy]

Bare Knuckle's Riff Raff

 

[fitz]

Gorgeous guitar.
Absolutely no clue what pickups you might want for your sound, but, gorgeous guitar.

 

[Im247frogs]

I actually bought a 2017 Explorer because I thought the stock pickups were pretty killer. But I'd have to say Bare Knuckle any model as well because I have them in 3 or 4 other guitars and they rip. The EVH II I can vouch for as being blistering.

 

[Old Punker]

I have a custom explorer I had made a couple years ago. It plays incredibly well. The pick ups just don’t do it for me though. It current has Seymour Duncan JB and a 59. They sound dull compared to my other guitars. I’m thinking antiquities but I’m open for suggestions. Mostly southern rock and classic rock.View attachment 88411

this is the guy who built it, he just lives a couple miles from me. This guitar is actually on his site. It was the first explorer he ever built

https://www.crossguitars.com/electric

Wow, that's a beautiful Explorer!

 

[paul-e-mann]

I have a custom explorer I had made a couple years ago. It plays incredibly well. The pick ups just don’t do it for me though. It current has Seymour Duncan JB and a 59. They sound dull compared to my other guitars. I’m thinking antiquities but I’m open for suggestions. Mostly southern rock and classic rock.View attachment 88411

this is the guy who built it, he just lives a couple miles from me. This guitar is actually on his site. It was the first explorer he ever built

https://www.crossguitars.com/electric

Burstbucket2 at the bridge and Burstbucker1 at the neck will sound real classic. If you want something hot 500T at the bridge and 496R at the neck.

 

[ibmorjamn]

I have a custom explorer I had made a couple years ago. It plays incredibly well. The pick ups just don’t do it for me though. It current has Seymour Duncan JB and a 59. They sound dull compared to my other guitars. I’m thinking antiquities but I’m open for suggestions. Mostly southern rock and classic rock.View attachment 88411

this is the guy who built it, he just lives a couple miles from me. This guitar is actually on his site. It was the first explorer he ever built

https://www.crossguitars.com/electric

Nice guitar , is that mahogany ?
What pickups are in your other guitars ?

 

[Dogs of Doom]

1st thing?

change vol pot's...

What does it have currently?

The JB is generally a very bright pickup. You must have low value vol pot's. If you have 250-300k, try 500 or 1meg. 1meg will open them right up...

Explorers came w/ Dirty Fingers, in the '80s. Alvis said his Explorer came w/ another pickup w/ the same value. They are high output, but clean gain, not distorted right off.

Try pot's 1st. They're cheap (about $5/ea) & just might lift the blanket off them...

 

[Cossack]

I really liked the Gibson 490R/490T combo when I had them in an SG. Duncan Seth Lovers are good too. Both would fit your stated musical preferences just fine.
In my Les Paul I kept the stock Burstbucker 3 because it sounds so good with everything from old Rock to classic metal.

I think there are a lot of good choices out there now that would get you there.

What kind of wood is the body? I don't know how much of a difference it would make (people will argue the point to death), but all the pickups I vetted above were in mahogany guitars.

 

[Chrome]

Nice guitar , is that mahogany ?
What pickups are in your other guitars ?

yea the body is mahogany with a flame maple cap. my les paul has 57 classics and my firebirds both have stock mini humbuckers. I will try the pot change first and see if that helps, I currently believe when I was deciding on hardware I went with 500 ohm, but thinking I will try the 1 meg.

 

[pittbull]

Kolev hand wound pickups you won’t be disappointed

 

[El Gringo]

That is a most beautiful Explorer with such a killer maple top . That is a really killer maple top , I mean hot damn she is red smoking hot and oh so sexy . My advice would be to go with some ThroBak MXV-SLE-101 Plus pickups with A5 Magnets . Yes these cost , but the tone they deliver is out of this world great . You probably play thru a high gain Marshall right ? If so do your self a favor and request to have the pickups wax potted as I do which they will do free of charge . I have this same set of tHrobak's in all 10 of my Gibson Les Paul's . These pickups pair so well with the Les Paul's and the Marshall 2555X's and the Celestion Vintage 30's . www.throbak.com

 

[Chrome]

thanks guys, I really love playing it, but have not been for some time due to how much more vibrant, my firebirds play. I want to get more stage use out of it. I threw a couple more pictures, that I pulled off of Gene's website.

 

[MarshallDog]

Man thats one beautiful guitar!!

As for pup's, take a look at the DiMarzio 36th Anniversary ones, based on your style of music, they will be a perfect fit. I have them in all of my Gibson Les Paul Standards...they are a major improvement over the stock pups.

 

[fitz]

thanks guys, I really love playing it, but have not been for some time due to how much more vibrant, my firebirds play. I want to get more stage use out of it. I threw a couple more pictures, that I pulled off of Gene's website.

View attachment 88422 View attachment 88423 View attachment 88424 View attachment 88425

Just a thought, since you already know you like them, what about some gold Firebird mini-hums?
(thanks for more guitar porn, still f-ing gorgeous, btw)

 

[Chrome]

that's a thought, but the pickup rings would have to be made bigger to make up the difference wouldn't they?

 

[fitz]

that's a thought, but the pickup rings would have to be made bigger to make up the difference wouldn't they?

Not the best pic, but mine ('17 HP) has some wide rings that are the same size as a normal HB.

 

[axe4me]

I have a nickel covered PAF Master in my Gibson Memphis 335 Studio.

I love it.

PG makes funny faces.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1437637693...6sP4y-foT___dADLwBV3zmGmBML-S-qBoCNk8QAvD_BwE