SG improvements

suspiciousminds

Ok, just looking for some suggestions now - few months back i traded my mustang for a 2007 sg ebony special.
Now the 50's neck and fretboard has taken some getting used to but no doubt has definately helped my technique improve, especially lead riffs as i tended to stick to rhythm mainly.
But, and this may be me, i always end up playing "heavy" tunes on it because the pickups sound (to me anyways) "metal" sounding if that makes sense?
With that in mind can anyone suggest any mods that i can do or any pickup types that would give a bit more versatility?
Its totally stock at the moment, i including the wiring/caps.

stickyfiddle

The stock pickups on those are quite "rock". 57 Classics are a good choice for an SG for more vintage-flavoured tones, or, in what's becoming the stock reply for this forum, give Oil City a call and get him to wind you something even better for less money

impmann

+1 - the original pickups weren't great in mine, if I'm honest (but then I'm not a very 'rawk' player). I'd deffo speak to Ash at Oil City...

Rox

BBC Service Announcement:  Other pickup providers are available.  )

suspiciousminds

Impmann, what pups did you swap yours out for?

xSkarloey

My SG type guitar has vintage PAF type spec pups I put in it and it covers most if not all bases, clean through to heavy.

ThePrettyDamned

Gibson 57s are more classic...

But for similar or less money, oil city pickups wind some bloody excellent lower output humbucker pickups. He does some paf style, and for something really cool, humbucker sized p90s or cow-t-ron, which are amazing.

Marc at mojo pickups is another brit winder who will get you boutique quality for fair money. I'm never getting pickups from anyone else but those guys.

Or emg.

Andyjr1515

Try winding the pups down a mm or so from the strings first - the volume will drop but the tone 'headroom' should improve dramatically.  Do the bridge first, then balance the neck to get similar volume.

Failing that, I put Tonerider Alnico Classic IV's in this build of mine (below) in preference to Gibsons - they sound great...warm but clear.

 

impmann

suspiciousminds said:

Impmann, what pups did you swap yours out for?

Classic 57s. :-)

stonevibe

I've got a BK Mule in the neck of mine and a BK Steve Stevens in the bridge all wired up with a Shugz loom. It s a really versatile guitar now and as the original pickups were a bit brutal.

Phil_aka_Pip

I've got Seymour Duncan 57 & JB in my SG. When I bought it, it had nasty DiMarzio fizzy tinny super-distortion pickups in it.

p90fool

What's in there now? If it's a 498T/490R pair they can do pretty much anything, I play country and rockabilly on 'em.
I'd suggest moving the tone cap to the other lug on the volume pot (50s-style), whacking your amp volume and treble way up, put all the guitar's knobs on 5 then start experimenting from there. You might be amazed at what's already in there trying to get out.

suspiciousminds

Yeh, its the 498t/490r pups in it.
Hmm interesting.

Phil_aka_Pip

nice looking guitar @Andyjr1515

SimpleSimon

Try playing with a clean sound and resist the urge to turn up the distortion, not sure why everyone is clamouring to sell you new pups - do they all have shares in Oil City pickups?

blueskunk

Thinks its just the peeps who have paid for Oil City pickups really dig them tbh.

I know i rave about the cow trons in my Riviera.

Of course theres loads of options, some very good too but guys like Ash and Marc from mojo are cooking some good shit as it were

Btw i love sgs.

Andyjr1515

I still say try dropping the height of the pups a bit before you do anything else. Takes 5 secs, it's free and it takes 5 secs to put it back if it makes no difference. I also agree with @SimpleSimon get it right on clean then add distortion back in

Skipped

Yes - try some adjustment first.
But I would say that  57 Classics are the best sounding pickup for an SG and also the safest suggestion for an SG.
And cheap enough to buy second hand.

Richardj

The one I've just got has been fitted with Burstbucker 1 and 2 and Shugz 50's wiring. It is a lot more sensitive to volume and tone settings and covers a lot of tonal ground.  I do have a temptation to see what it is like with P90s however.

grungebob

I think you could make it much more versatile if you modded it back into a mustang

stickyfiddle

If you're worried about losing too much snap and bite changing to 57's they do occasionally put out runs of them with alnico 3 magnets instead of the usual 2. I have them in my SG and they're brill