Pickup for Gibson U2

guitarmansteve77

Hi there,
I've just bought a Gibson U2 from 1988. The current pickups are two Bill Lawrence single coils and an old Duncan Custom bridge humbucker. I'm happy with the bridge pickup but not that keen on the BL pickups. Does anyone have any suggestions on pickups that may go well with the Duncan Custom? I'd preferably stick with Seymour Duncan. Thinking maybe YJM's may work? 
Cheers,
Steve

Funkfingers

The guitar pickup cavities have straight-cut sides. This restricts your options for replacement single coil-sized pickups to those without the flange where the output cables are attached.

Amongst the Seymour Duncan range, you are looking at the Hot and Cool Rails, the SSL-3 Hot, SSL-4 Quarter-Pound, SSL-6 Custom Flat and the Li'l humbuckers. 

My money would go on a Red Devil Neck and an STK-S4 Classic Stack for the middle position.

guitarmansteve77

Funkfingers said:

The guitar pickup cavities have straight-cut sides. This restricts your options for replacement single coil-sized pickups to those without the flange where the output cables are attached.

Amongst the Seymour Duncan range, you are looking at the Hot and Cool Rails, the SSL-3 Hot, SSL-4 Quarter-Pound, SSL-6 Custom Flat and the Li'l humbuckers. 

My money would go on a Red Devil Neck and an STK-S4 Classic Stack for the middle position.

Thank you for this, I was unaware of the flat side issue.

ICBM

Jaguar pickups will also fit, but I suspect that’s not the type of sound you’re going for.

I would avoid the SSL-3 Hot Strat, it’s very overwound and a bit congested-sounding. (Unless that’s the type of sound you like!) If it was me I would definitely pick one of the humbucking options, probably the Li’l Screamin’ Demon in the neck and the Li’l ‘59 in the middle, or two of the same. The LSD is not as high-output as the name implies. I’m not a fan of the L’il ‘59 usually (especially not in the bridge position) but it works quite well in a HSH or HSS.

Funkfingers

ICBM said:

Jaguar pickups will also fit, but I suspect that’s not the type of sound you’re going for.

With or without covers and screening "claws"?

ICBM said:

I would avoid the SSL-3 Hot Strat, it’s very overwound and a bit congested-sounding. (Unless that’s the type of sound you like!) 

I concur. (I cannot recall whether the SSL-3 was offered with a coil tapped option.)

ICBM

Funkfingers said:

With or without covers and screening "claws"?

With covers but without claws - I’m pretty sure the bobbin is the same size as a Strat pickup.

Funkfingers

Some Jaguar pickups have the same polepiece spacing as Stratocaster pickups. (These should fit under Stratocaster covers.) Others do not.

As you know, Jaguar pickup covers have lumpen end sections and, then, a slot on either edge to accept the "claw". It would be necessary to modify the U2 pickup cavities to accept these.