Advice for beginner - SG pickups

[bl243]

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

[il˙ti]

Bare Knuckle doesn't make any active pickups. But by the mention of Zakk, the Miracle Man is the obvious choice.

[Adam.M]

M i r a c l e M a n

[Spitfire]

get a miricleman, and put a battery in the cavity... instant zakk..

[ericsabbath]

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

[Jonny]

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)

[hunter]

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.

[pagan7]

+1 for nailbombs for low pinched harmonics....even on a set of 9's, and for slightly more rasp and bite....painkillers  :idea:

[TomW]

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.

[bl243]

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?

[Will]

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!

[ericsabbath]

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

[zf]

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.

[bl243]

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.