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Author Topic: Pickups for my Gibson SG  (Read 1852 times)

Lumberjack

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Pickups for my Gibson SG
« on: February 27, 2013, 07:16:20 PM »
I've been using Gibson pickups in my limited version Gibson SG from 1991 (not sure which pickup model's in there) and they sound a bit too muddy for my taste and are practially unusable on lower gain levels. Now I'm eager to try some of those bareknuckle pickups and I'm not sure which models to choose for my bridge and neck position. Been thinking about the Alnico V Warpig in the bridge position, assuming that it nails that Wylde tone (or should I go with the Miracle Man?), and the Mule in the neck position for nice organic low gain + clean parts.

My SG has a lot of Bass and Mids and I'd like to play some 80's metal / rock with that thing (it should cover Warren De Martini to Zakk Wylde tones). The obvious choice would be, at least that's what Ben French recommended to me, the Holy Diver, but I've read a few reviews that stated that SG + Holy Diver is a very bad match... so do you guys have any suggestions?

itamar101

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Re: Pickups for my Gibson SG
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2013, 08:03:41 PM »
The Rebel Yell seems like a better fit than the HD to me.

Telerocker

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Re: Pickups for my Gibson SG
« Reply #2 on: February 27, 2013, 09:41:44 PM »
Lots of natural bass and mids requires brighter pickups like (vintagehot) RiffRaffs or contemporary sounding Cold Sweats.
Mules, VHII, Crawler, MM's, IT's, BG50's.

Kiichi

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Re: Pickups for my Gibson SG
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2013, 03:04:21 AM »
The RY, the RR and the CS would fit in their own way here.

You usually canīt go wrong with a RR in an SG, does cleans, classic rock and can go really heavy into the metal terretory. It just goes with SGs soooo well.
The RY is my personal fav bridge PU, it is such pure rock. Punchy tight low end (its a bright PU but with enough low end to get you all you want), really great agressive and wonderfully organic mids (uppermids is the keyword here) and so many nice overtones in general, just a joy to me. I can take mine from blues to classic rock to 80s metal, to pop punk, to modern metal and back through all the allies.
Canīt really comment on the CS, as I only could comment on the neck, which is cited as one of the best neck PUs on the BKP roster for a good reason.

Just stay away from the WP in a guitar with lots of bass and mids. MM does the Zakk tone, after all it is named after him, but it is really heavy on the low mids giving it its power, which again whould probably be overkill for you.
BKPs in use: 10th set / RY set / Holy Diver b, Emerald n / Crawler bridge, Slowhand mid MQ neck/ Manhattan n
On the sidelines: Stockholm b / Suppermassive n, Mule n, AM set, IT mid

Tim

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Re: Pickups for my Gibson SG
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2013, 07:57:47 AM »
If your SG naturally produces a lot of bottom end and mid range you might well be better off with a ceramic powered bridge to keep control of the low end and smooth the mids out a bit for that classic Wylde tone. In an SG the Cold Sweat bridge works really well and reproduces a nice cut in the highs which is also ideal for that De Martini tone(the Holydiver would be my usual choice for his type of tone but given that you'd like the big, tight bass response of Wylde a ceramic powered humbucker is going to be a much better choice).
In the neck you could certainly go with The Mule for classic PAF neck tone which ties in nicely for Zakk style lead playing or you could go with an Emerald neck for a touch more output whilst still balancing well with the CS bridge.
Tim
BKP - "Wound, made and played the traditional way --- by hand!" Amen.