Just about to order BD & MQ for SG. Right choice?

[BadMonkey]

After weeks of pondering & reading this forum I think I've finally made my choice for my Gibson SG:

Black Dog Bridge
Mississippi Queen Neck.

Whadya reckon?? Or will the BD be to bassy for the mahogany SG? :?:

[Philly Q]

I feel like a broken record writing this yet again, but for SGs Tim usually recommends SM, Mule or RR or the really high-gain models like PK, MM and WP.

Having said that, the Black Dog bridge isn't much more powerful than the vintage models and it seems to be quite tight and focused.  I'm very tempted to get one myself.

I think bassiness is more likely to be a problem with the BD neck model, but the MQ should be excellent.

[Twinfan]

I reckon a BD might be a bit too thick and bordering on muddy in an SG.  I have a Mule in Gordon Smith GS-1 (similar to an SG) and it's just about as thick as I'd want to go.

[Mister Crowley]

I don't see how a Black Dog would be muddy in an SG. Wouldn't the
Black Dog be made for a Les Paul. I think an LP would be much darker and bassier because of how much more wood.

[Philly Q]

I think the maple top on an LP gives some brightness that counteracts some of the bassiness of the mahogany.  The LP has a big powerful tone but it's pretty balanced.

Just going by what I've read on this forum, you can put pretty much any pickup in a Les Paul, but I know from personal experience that some pickups mud out in an SG.

Still tempted to try a Black Dog though!  Descriptions vary, but a lot of people say it's quite tight and punchy.  I don't know how close it is to a Rebel Yell, but I know that pickup is definitely clear enough to work in mahogany, despite the medium-hot output.

One for Tim :?:

[Twinfan]

Rebel Yell sounds very cutting to me and would probably be OK in an SG.  The Black Dog is focussed on lower mids and bass and therefore won't work so well in an SG.

It's all opinion though - some might like that kind of tone?  Not me though.  I don't like the Black Dog neck clips that Hunter has posted previously - too flabby for my liking - and that's how I feel they would be in an SG.

[Philly Q]

I don't like the Black Dog neck clips that Hunter has posted previously - too flabby for my liking - and that's how I feel they would be in an SG.

Agreed, I'm pretty certain the BD neck won't work in mahogany, and I now know Hunter didn't like it until he disconnected his tone control.

But I think BD bridge plus SM neck might work.  I just want something a wee bit hotter than a Riff Raff.  :?  I almost wish I wasn't so into mahogany guitars, but... they're what I like.

[Twinfan]

But I think BD bridge plus SM neck might work.  I just want something a wee bit hotter than a Riff Raff.  :?

I reckon a more biting pickup, like the Rebel Yell or the Crawler(?) could be what you're after.

I almost wish I wasn't so into mahogany guitars, but... they're what I like.

Totally agree!  I have two all 'hog acoustics and several electrics.  It's that sweetness of tone I love.  I'm gagging for an all 'hog Les Paul but no-one seems to make them any more  :(

[Philly Q]

I reckon a more biting pickup, like the Rebel Yell or the Crawler(?) could be what you're after.

I think the RY would definitely do the trick, but I already have one so a bit of variety is nice.  What I really want is something right inbetween the RR and the RY, really.  Focused and tight like the RY, but a bit less in-your-face, more vintage sounding.

You reckon the Crawler would have more bite than the BD?  I always thought it was in the same tonal ballpark (God, I sound like some sort of PR bullshiteeter  :roll:) but higher output.

We badly need a tone chart!  Me personally, I'd like a relative brightness chart.

[PhilKing]

just to drop another pickup into the mix, what about an Emerald.  That would sit somewhere between the RiffRaff and Rebel Yell.  I have one that was in an LP and then I moved to a Zematis clone, and it sounds great.  The clone is mahogany with an aluminium top, which probably brings up the brightness, but the sound is really great for vintage hot tones.

[Philly Q]

Thanks Phil.  The Emerald seems to be one of the forgotten pickups in the BK range, if the forum is anything to judge by.  I've never been able to get a clear idea of what it sounds like.

Would you say it's brighter/tighter than the Black Dog?  The DC resistance is higher but I know that's not necessarily an indication of more "power".  And out of interest, what neck pup do you have in the Zemaitis?

[PhilKing]

I have it with an Alnico 4 Mule in the neck.  It is a bit brighter than the Black Dog, but not as bright as the Riff Raff.  Harmonics ring out from it though.  I think the Black Dog has more in the lower mid where the Emerald has more higher mid.

This was my first set of Bare Knuckles and I had told Tim I wanted to get a Peter Green/Paul Kossoff sound and this was his suggestion.

[Philly Q]

Thanks again!  The Emerald definitely goes on the "maybe" list.  That's BD, E (not the greatest abbreviation), maybe Crawler, with the RY to fall back on in an emergency!

I like Green and Kossoff but the tone I have in mind is something like 70s/80s Michael Schenker (although he uses the wah so much it's hard to know what his basic tone was like).  I guess he would have been using stock Patent Number or T-Top humbuckers, which brings me back to the Riff Raff... but then I'm a firm believer that tone is mostly in the player's hands, so I have no intention of trying to duplicate anybody's actual equipment.

And let's face it, I'm unlikely to find any pickup that'll make me sound like Schenker  :( .