8 Best Les Paul Pickups of 2024

When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Love them or hate them, Gibson Les Paul guitars have cemented their place as some of the most important guitars in history. From their instantly recognizable body design to their renowned vintage tone, these guitars have had a huge impact on modern rock ever since they were first designed in the 1950s.

The pickups play the most important role in creating the Les Paul's iconic tone. This article is for anyone who wants to replace or upgrade the pickups on their own Les Paul guitar. We've ranked the 8 best pickups for Les Pauls and outlined the most important details of each one.

Between our recommendations, the buyer's guide, and the FAQ section, you'll learn everything you need to know about Les Paul pickups.

Upgrade your guitar with confidence, so you can be sure your instrument is delivering the exact types of tones you want it to. Check out our picks for guitar pickups and strat pickups of 2024 if you don't play a Les Paul.

Best Les Paul Pickups

1. Best Overall – Bare Knuckle The Mule Nickel Humbucker Pickups

SPECS

• Price: $359
• Active/Passive: Passive

The Mule pickups are the perfect way to spice up your Les Paul. They take the number one spot on our list because they deliver the widely-known Les Paul tone, but with a little extra edge that will set you apart from other players.

So what makes these pickups such a great fit for someone looking to upgrade their Les Paul? They capture the warm, classic tone that people have come to expect from Les Paul, but with just a bit more definition than the default pickups have.

Humbuckers like these are comprised of two coils, a magnet, and a base plate and cover. Instead of being manufactured by machines in a factory, Bare Knuckle humbuckers are hand-made over two to three weeks.

The tension varies slightly throughout the coils as a result of the meticulous hand-winding process. This creates a clean, open tone that captures all sorts of dynamics and details that would get left behind by a lower-quality pickup.

The price tag is a bit higher than most other pickups on the market, but that's because they've simply had more time put into them. The craftsmen apply a rigorous level of quality control to each unit, ensuring they get the best pickups they can.

Upgrade your guitar with The Mule Bare Knuckle pickups to capture the spirit of Les Paul while taking it a step further in terms of detail and definition.

2. Best for Classic Rock – Gibson Burstbucker Pro Humbucker Pickups

SPECS

• Price: $149 each
• Active/Passive: Passive

Gibson's Burstbucker series is a more modern take on the exact same style of pickups that were used in Les Pauls back in the '50s.

PAF pickups (or "Patent Applied For" pickups) were designed in 1955, and they have remained dependable for decades, although their design specs have been slightly improved upon over the years.

The Burstbucker Pros are Gibson's top-of-the-line PAF-style pickups that sound fantastic for many different genres, especially classic rock. They have a warm, vintage sound with just a little extra bite. They contain Alnico V magnets which are more powerful versions of the magnets used decades ago.

Some guitar players opt to modify their instruments by adding actual vintage pickups that have been sitting on a shelf somewhere since 1960. This route definitely has its appeal, but you'd probably be better off just going with Gibson's Burstbucker Pros instead.

The Burstbuckers capture the Les Paul sound just like actual vintage pickups do, and they also have improved material compared to what was used in the 50s and 60s. As passive pickups with Alnico magnets, these Burstbuckers are perfect for authentic-sounding classic rock.

3. Best for Noise Reduction – Fishman Fluence Modern Active Humbuckers

SPECS

• Price: $259
• Active/Passive: Active

Introducing high-quality pickups that bring a whole new perspective to the Les Paul.

The Fishman Fluence Modern Active Humbuckers are extremely effective at doing what Humbuckers do best—bucking the hum! These pickups sound amazing and eliminate nearly all unwanted noise from your signal.

While the build quality and performance of the Fishman pickups are incredible, choosing to install them into a Les Paul is, admittedly, a bit of an undertaking. This is because Les Pauls are built with passive pickups, and the Fishmans are active pickups.

Switching from passive to active doesn't just mean swapping out the pickups; it also means making room in your guitar's body for the 9V battery and special circuitry required to run them.

Since this process can be tricky, we'd definitely recommend consulting a technician (and preferably not one who just got hired at Guitar Center last week!).

That said, if you do manage to complete this upgrade, then you'll be the coolest kid on the block because everyone will be wondering how the hell you managed to get an active pickup sound from a Les Paul.

Since the Fishmans are high-output pickups, they're perfect for heavier genres, from punk to extreme metal. These pickups tend to even out your sound, which can be useful for power chords or any rhythm parts that you don't want to have too much dynamic range.

The Fishmans have a more modern sound that is ideal for recording crystal-clear guitar parts or experimenting with all types of crazy effects.

When it comes to upgrading pickups, putting Fishman Fluence Modern Active Humbuckers in your Les Paul is certainly a big adjustment, but if you love Les Paul guitars and you love Fishman pickups, why not go for it?

4. Best Mix of Modern and Vintage Qualities – Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates Humbucker Pickups

SPECS

• Price: $278
• Active/Passive: Passive

These Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates pickups are a dynamite choice for playing modern rock, classic rock, blues, or jam rock. They are authentic PAF-style pickups with slightly more output than the original models from which they take their inspiration.

The higher output makes them suitable for more experimental and fx-heavy genres than actual vintage pickups. But they still sound right at home in a southern rock track or blues jam sesh.

They are hand-built with Alnico II magnets, giving them a vintage-inspired tone that is also suitable for more modern styles of music. They provide an airy-sounding high end which can make reverb-heavy solos or lead parts sound huge.

Additionally, the midrange is slightly more pronounced than that of actual vintage pickups, giving the Pearly Gates a bit more impact than their predecessors.

Seymour Duncan pickups tend to work great with Les Paul electric guitars because they're overall well-made and stylistically consistent with the iconic Les Paul sound.

Overall, the Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates pickups are the ideal choice for guitarists who want an authentic vintage-sounding tone with slightly more edge and higher output.

5. Best for Metal – EMG 81 MetalWorks Active Ceramic Bridge Humbucker Pickup

SPECS

• Price: $99 each
• Active/Passive: Active

Everyone likes classic rock, but what about Les Paul players who want to play heavier genres? While there are other brands out there like Fender and Schecter that are great for metal and hardcore, many metalheads appreciate the build quality and durability of Les Pauls as well.

If you find yourself about to join a metal or arena rock band, but you're not happy with the default pickups on your Les Paul, then you can always upgrade the pickups to something more suitable for heavy genres.

If this is you, then the EMG 81 MetalWorks Active Ceramic pickups are the perfect choice. These EMGs are a favorite among metal guitarists.

What makes these pickups so coveted for heavier genres? Short answer, they sound great with distortion.

The EMG 81s have very high output, defined midrange, tight attack, and crystal clear definition. As active humbuckers, they're able to maintain note clarity even under heavy distortion. Pickups like this are the holy grail for metal guitarists.

You could always buy another guitar that is tailor-made for metal, but modifying your Les Paul to include these EMGs will probably be a cheaper alternative to buying a whole new instrument. What's more, you'll get to enjoy the renowned playability of the Les Paul, as well as the sturdy build that will likely keep it free from damage on the road.

Just keep in mind that, like the Fishman Fluence pickups, these EMGs are active and require the appropriate modifications to be made. We recommend hiring a guitar tech for this upgrade unless it's something you already have experience with.

6. Best for the Iconic Les Paul Tone – Seymour Duncan Seth Lover Humbuckers

SPECS

• Price: $258
• Active/Passive: Passive

Seth Lover was the original designer of Gibson's PAF humbucker pickups back in 1955. Likewise, Seymour Duncan has been the premier manufacturer of this style of pickup since the 1970s.

If you want the authentic tone that always comes to mind when people think of vintage Les Paul guitars, then look no further than the Seymour Duncan Seth Lover Humbuckers. These pickups are as close as you can get to the original pickups Seth Lover designed in the 50s.

Notably, the Seymour Duncan Seth Lover humbuckers are not wax-potted. The wires in more modern pickups are dipped in wax near the end of the assembly, to keep the parts from rattling and causing unwanted noise.

Seymour Duncan has opted not to wax pot these humbuckers because they wanted them to be as close as possible to the original PAF humbuckers, which also lacked wax potting.

So does this affect the sound? Only slightly; you may get some minor feedback, but it just makes the tone even more evocative of the 50s and 60s.

The Seth Lover humbuckers are as close to Gibson's iconic vintage rock and roll tone as modern Les Paul pickups can get.

7. Best for Funk & Jazz – Gibson Nickel Greenybucker Pickups

SPECS

• Price: ~$300
• Active/Passive: Passive

These Greenybucker pickups are surprisingly versatile and work particularly well for groovier genres like funk, jazz, soft rock, swing, or blues. They deliver a warm vintage-sounding tone when in the bridge position or neck position.

When you set your guitar to the middle position, however, you'll be greeted with a whole new type of tone. These pickups are out of phase with each other, meaning that they have reversed magnetic polarity. As a result, many frequencies are canceled out when both pickups are on at once.

You'll hear a reduction in output, particularly in the low and mid frequencies, resulting in a "hollow" or "twangy" type of sound.

Many jazz or funk players love this partially muted tone because it preserves only the most important parts of the frequency spectrum while cutting out the mud to make more room for the other instruments in the mix.

We would not recommend the out-of-phase sound for every occasion (it's not typically associated with heavier genres, for example), but it is a nice option to have if you can make good use of it. With these guitar pickups, your Les Paul will be a Swiss army knife that can deliver classic vintage tones and more thinned-out jazzy tones as well.

Look up the "out-of-phase" sound if you're unfamiliar and see if it's a tone you'd like to add to your arsenal!

8. Most Budget-Friendly Option – DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion Humbucker Pickups

SPECS

• Price: $99
• Active/Passive: Passive

The DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion pickups are not only affordable, they're also all-around great pickups!

As the name suggests, they are best suited for playing with distortion. These high-output pickups boast a combination of power and definition. While clean tones sound decent with them, playing with distortion, overdrive, or high gain is where they really shine.

The DiMarzios are affordable, durable, and high-performing. Renowned guitarists like Eddie Van Halen and Phil Collen of Def Leppard have used these pickups, along with countless other rock stars throughout the years.

They're perfect for playing classic rock, metal, southern rock, or basically anything high energy. Heavy, groovy, fast, heartfelt—you can capture all sorts of musical feelings with the DiMarzios, and at a lower price point than most competitors!

---

As you can tell by this list, we love a good Humbucker pickups, and we have a list of our favorite pickups they make here.

---

Best Les Paul Pickups Buyer's Guide

Pickups are an exciting category of guitar gear because they have so much power in determining the instrument's tone. Different pickups can result in an entirely different sound.

Here is a handy buyer's guide that will tell you the most important features to look out for on your search for the perfect pickups for you Les Paul.

Pickup Type

The three main types of pickups for guitars are single coil pickups, humbuckers, and P-90 pickups. Whenever you look into replacing your guitar's pickups, it's always a good idea to look up which type of pickup your guitar's body is designed for.

Pickups can also be active or passive.

Finding pickups that are compatible with your guitar's body shape and circuitry will save you time in the installation process. However, if you find pickups you love that aren't a perfect fit, you'll probably be able to find a technician to make the proper adjustments for you.

For Les Pauls, we recommend passive PAF humbuckers because those are the pickups they were originally designed to have.

Tonal Qualities

What kind of tone are your pickups capable of creating? This is probably the most important aspect of any pickup since the whole point of them is to capture the guitar's tone.

Les Pauls are known for having warm, vintage-inspired tones with a lot of sustain. They also tend to have great note definition, even with a lot of distortion applied.

It's always a good idea to test out a guitar with the pickups you desire, or at least look up a video of someone doing that so that you can hear how they sound before you buy and install them.

Pickup Position (Neck, Bridge, or Both?)

When replacing the pickups on your guitar, should you replace just the neck pickup, just the bridge pickup, or both? The answer depends on your situation.

Many of the pickups on this list can be bought individually. This means that if you want to, you can mix and match different types of pickups for some innovative tonal possibilities! If you do this, you'll have entirely unique tones for your neck position, bridge position, and middle position settings.

You might want to only buy a neck or bridge pickup if only one of them has broken and needs replacing. In most other situations, however, it's best practice to replace both pickups in your Les Paul so that you have tonal consistency.

Circuitry (Active or Passive?)

Les Pauls are typically constructed with passive pickups, which is synonymous with the vintage classic rock sound. We generally recommend buying passive pickups unless you plan to play high-gain genres like metal and hardcore music.

Active pickups deliver impressive detail and a more consistent signal, but they also demand a more arduous installation process because Les Pauls isn't designed with active circuitry.

Output Level

The ideal output level for you depends mostly on what type of music you intend to play.

Vintage Les Paul pickups have a relatively low output compared to the more modern options, which makes the sound more dependent on the type of wood and how the guitar is set up. More modern, high-output pickups deliver more consistent tones that are less dependent on minutia like fretboard material and articulation while playing.

A high output level is generally better for hard rock and metal, while a lower output level is good for jazz, funk, and the like. Again, though, the right output for you just depends on your personal preference, your playing style, and the type of gear you use alongside your guitar.

Noise Reduction

Noise reduction is second only to tonal quality in terms of what's most important for your pickups. Nobody wants an annoying humming or hissing sound when they're just trying to hear their guitar's beautiful tone.

This is even more important for players who use distortion because distortion often creates a very loud hum when no noise reduction is present. Magnetic interference from other electronic devices can also cause unwanted feedback.

You can find out exactly how much noise reduction your pickups offer by looking up their signal-to-noise ratio.

Brand Reputation

Brand reputation is important when it comes to any piece of musical gear you consider buying. Renowned brands create high-quality, long-lasting products and also tend to offer much more reliable customer service.

Seymour Duncan, Bare Knuckle, and of course, Gibson are all known for making high-quality pickups. It's always a good idea to buy from a known brand rather than an off-brand, especially when it comes to something as important as your guitar's pickups.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What pickups are best suited for a Les Paul?

Humbuckers are best suited for Les Paul guitars. As opposed to single coil pickups, humbuckers have two coils that are opposite in polarity, resulting in a cancellation of most of the unwanted noise in your signal.

Not only does this make humbuckers versatile and suitable for playing clean or distorted, it also means these pickups match the tonal qualities that Les Pauls are known for. In addition, they have the visual look that helped make the guitar famous.

Why install new pickups?

There are several conceivable reasons that you might want to install new pickups into your guitar. The first is if your old pickups happen to break or become damaged.

Pickups can break if exposed to excessive heat or cold, moisture or humidity, or just inadequate handling and maintenance. Some pickups have manufacturing defects or inconsistencies as well.

The output of pickups can also degrade over time, although this degradation tends to be minor. In any event, if you hear unwanted crackling in your signal or no output at all, and you determine that it is not your cable or amplifier, then it may be time to replace your pickups.

Another reason to install new pickups is simply because you want a different sound.

Instead of buying an expensive guitar with fancy pickups, you could buy a cheaper guitar and install the same pickups that the higher-end guitar has. This will give you a similar tone to the expensive guitar, for a price tag that is probably much cheaper.

Perhaps you're joining a new band and would like pickups that are better suited for the genre of music you're about to play. No matter what the case, replacing your guitar's pickups can be rewarding and expand your abilities as a guitar player.

Should I install the pickups myself or consult a professional?

We generally recommend consulting a professional guitar technician to install the new pickups, because the process can be time-consuming, and you risk damaging the pickups if you make a mistake.

This is especially true if you wish to install active pickups into your Les Paul because that process involves rewiring some of the circuitry and making room for a 9V battery.

Guitar technicians can be found at your local music shops, but they tend to have inconsistent hours or schedules that are subject to change. (I know I'm not the only one who's brought my guitar into the shop just to hear "Yeah, Rick won't be here till next week!")

If you are inexperienced at guitar modifications, though, then it is still worth it to wait for a professional to complete the upgrade for you.

What are the differences between bridge and neck pickups?

Some pickups have slightly different design specs between the bridge and neck variants. However, there are some models, like the EMG 81s, that are the same whether you get a neck pickup or a bridge pickup.

If you do get a pair of new pickups, it's a good idea to make sure the neck and bridge pickups are installed in their correct respective places on the guitar.

Neck pickups are typically designed to capture more warmth and fullness, while bridge pickups capture more twang, grit, or percussiveness. This can vary between guitars, so ideally you'll be able to hear a demonstration of the pickups you have in mind, so you can really hear the differences.

In Conclusion

Congratulations, you now have everything you need to upgrade your Les Paul and give it whatever pickups you like!

Imagine upgrading your Epiphone with our number one choice, The Mule Pickups by Bare Knuckle, and all of a sudden your guitar sounds better than a Gibson Les Paul. This is just one of the many possibilities that upgrading your guitar's pickups will open up.

Installing new pickups that sound exceptional will make you stand out from all the other guitarists, and allow you to get more in touch with how your guitar actually works.

Have fun making your playing unique to you so that you can express yourself on an even greater level than ever before.