Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: bl243 on March 03, 2008, 12:10:20 AM

Title: Advice for beginner - SG pickups
Post by: bl243 on March 03, 2008, 12:10:20 AM
Hi all,

Not really had any experience with guitar hardware, despite having played for 13 years!

Im currently playing an Epiphone SG with Seymour Duncan (59s I think).  I also have a Gibson SG Standard, but I don't tend to play it so often.

The Epiphone needs new pickups, but im not sure what to go for.

I generally play heavy rock/metal.  Mostly been playing Skid Row and Sikth recently.

I generally struggle with low pinch harmonics (zakk wylde style) - so I guess Im after something that might make this easier - is active the right term?

Has anyone got any recommendations?

Cheers,
Ben
Title: Advice for beginner - SG pickups
Post by: il˙ti on March 03, 2008, 12:14:00 AM
Bare Knuckle doesn't make any active pickups. But by the mention of Zakk, the Miracle Man is the obvious choice.
Title: Advice for beginner - SG pickups
Post by: Adam.M on March 03, 2008, 02:06:51 AM
M i r a c l e M a n
Title: Advice for beginner - SG pickups
Post by: Spitfire on March 03, 2008, 10:24:41 AM
get a miricleman, and put a battery in the cavity... instant zakk..
Title: Advice for beginner - SG pickups
Post by: ericsabbath on March 03, 2008, 04:55:05 PM
i think miracle man will be excessively focused for a sg
probably a bit dark and bassy too

i think skid row guys used mostly alder guitars with duncan jb (scott) and distortion (snake sabo) and the sikth guy uses mahogany blackmachines with ceramic nailbombs

a painkiller will do the job pretty well
Title: Advice for beginner - SG pickups
Post by: Jonny on March 03, 2008, 05:47:28 PM
I'll rock the boat and go for a

NAILBOMB
N A I L B O M B
N  A  I  L  B  O  M  B
N A I L B O M B
NAILBOMB

Ask Nolly, he plays some Sikth and he got Nailbombs (Ceramic bridge too)
Title: Re: Advice for beginner - SG pickups
Post by: hunter on March 03, 2008, 05:54:12 PM
Quote from: bl243

I generally struggle with low pinch harmonics (zakk wylde style)


Downtuning/thicker strings usually does the trick here, try it out by just tuning the low E string to D and see what a difference it makes.
Title: Advice for beginner - SG pickups
Post by: pagan7 on March 03, 2008, 09:20:10 PM
+1 for nailbombs for low pinched harmonics....even on a set of 9's, and for slightly more rasp and bite....painkillers  :idea:
Title: Advice for beginner - SG pickups
Post by: TomW on March 03, 2008, 09:34:27 PM
I'd avoid getting a nailbomb for an sg tbh unless ur sg is very bright, as nailbombs tend to sound very bassy and dark in sg's. A painkiller may work for what you're looking for, however you're best asking tim first as he will know best.
Title: Advice for beginner - SG pickups
Post by: bl243 on March 04, 2008, 09:57:06 PM
Thanks for all the responses.  I've had a listen to a few of the samples.  Miracle Man does look a good way to go.  Hadn't checked out Painkiller though, so ill have a look at that.

In reponse to Hunter:  Im using skinny top heavy bottom strings, the low E is a 54.  The guitar is always a semitone down - and mostly in drop D (Db in my case).

Second quick question while on the subject.  Some Sikth tracks are tuned Ab-Ab-Cb-Gb-Bb-Eb.  I can't get a thicker string than a 54 through the holes in my locking spurzels, maybe a 56 at a real struggle.  Is it possible to drill the hole out a bit bigger to get a 60 through or is it better to replace them with something else?

The 54 at low Ab sounds horrible!

Anyone had experience of this - does the light body of the SG present a problem for using really thick strings?
Title: Advice for beginner - SG pickups
Post by: Will on March 04, 2008, 10:12:29 PM
Quote from: bl243
I can't get a thicker string than a 54 through the holes in my locking spurzels, maybe a 56 at a real struggle.  Is it possible to drill the hole out a bit bigger to get a 60 through or is it better to replace them with something else?



I struggle to get my 52 through!
Title: Advice for beginner - SG pickups
Post by: ericsabbath on March 04, 2008, 10:20:32 PM
buy this -> ghs zw lo 011-070

:lol:


i still insist in the painkiller advice or the ceramic nailbomb
a miracle man in a sg tuned to Ab will be dark as hell
Title: Advice for beginner - SG pickups
Post by: zf on March 04, 2008, 10:32:41 PM
Quote from: bl243
The 54 at low Ab sounds horrible!


Low Ab, are you sure they use guitars with a regular scale length? That's low even for a baritone guitar.

I tune to drop-C on my ESP EC-1000 (so 24,75" scale) and I use a .012-.060 set to get a tight enough response (I use .010-.052 in regular/drop-D tuning). I had to fiddle a bit with the tuning peg to get the .060 to fit (a .058 went through no problem.) The .060 gauge for the low C may seem a bit thick but it's actually just right for me: riffs stay super-tight but I can still throw in the pinch harmonics with a mile-wide vibrato :) I wouldn't personally go lower than C on the les paul scale length.
Title: Advice for beginner - SG pickups
Post by: bl243 on March 06, 2008, 07:40:37 AM
Quote
Low Ab, are you sure they use guitars with a regular scale length? That's low even for a baritone guitar.


Sikth use Black Machine B2 (650mm scale), PRS Custom 24 (635mm scale).  A standard SG is (approx 629mm scale).

Not sure how much of a difference that makes.