Author Topic: Upgrading pickups in a 1970's Yamaha SG (Read 21080 times)

Philly Q · « **Reply #45 on:** December 10, 2006, 01:10:02 PM »

The tops of the pickups should be parallel to the mounting rings and also, hopefully, parallel to the strings.

Unless the strings are parallel with the top of the body :?: Which they shouldn't be, as far as I know.

everton_fc · « **Reply #46 on:** December 10, 2006, 02:40:28 PM »

Yep cool, spot on. the pups are parallel with the mounting rings, and as soon a sI put the strings on it all lined up. Thanks god! Cheers... just need to adjust the heights now. Any tips? Further away the better for tone? Such a learning curve!!!

Thanks

Twinfan · « **Reply #47 on:** December 10, 2006, 05:28:55 PM »

I'd say between 2mm and 3mm is optimal, but it's personal preference. Tim uses 3mm as a starting point, so try that and see how it sounds :D

everton_fc · « **Reply #48 on:** December 11, 2006, 08:30:12 AM »

Well I've finally installed the Mules... and gigged with them. I installed them at 4:30pm and was gigging around 7pm - still need to tweak the pickup height on the bridge a little though.

A quick comparison between the stock, late '70's Yamaha SG pups and the Mules:

The stock pickups are really hot. Very hot. Didn't realise HOW hot they were until I put in the Mules. The stock pups I had were great pickups, although the bass was a little mushy and there wasn't alot of clarity when using a fair amount of gain. But they packed a punch, and the neck pickup in particular was great, both clean and overdriven. Also the stock pups had developed a bit of a hum, were quite noisy.

Now the Mules:
All I can say is WOW. Firstly, they are as quiet as a mouse. No background hum or anything. Second - there is so much clarity - the amp settings were the same at first, but you can here all the notes plucked - everything stands out - very clear. The bass is good, the midrange sings and the treble is definately there but it's not the ice-pick in the ear treble - usually, treble is my achilles heal but now the treble seems to be prominent in the mix but softer, almost rounded.

What was good though, which was exactly why I went for Mules, is the variety of applications they can be used. Yesterday I had to do a mix of tunes, some soft, some using a eBow, some rocked out using a wah wah - The Mules excelled themselves in all applications. Still need to adjust the bridge a little to balance the output with the neck - but the neck pup is PERFECT - tone tone tone. Really chuffed.

The whole experience of fitting the pickups was a big learning curve. Never seen a braided pickup set before and the whole process was a little daunting at first, but taking the time, haveing a little patience and a steady hand was the key. At times I thought I f****d my guitar up completely, wishing I hadn't purchased the new pups, if it aint broke dont fix it type of thing - but after hearing them last night, the guitar feels like it's really come to life.

Dont get me wrong, the stock Yamaha SG pups from the late 1970's are damn good, but now the guitar sounds even better. It sounds so professional.

Twinfan · « **Reply #49 on:** December 11, 2006, 09:05:42 AM »

Yep - you got the BKP bug!

I played my Mule equipped Gordon Smith GS-1 last night through my 4x12 with new Vintage 30 speakers. I was in tone heaven :D

Mules rock. Can't wait to get a set in my LP.

zigmund · « **Reply #50 on:** December 12, 2006, 07:49:26 PM »

Excellent stuff! Delighted that you is a happy bunny, and greatly heartened by your success: gigging same day...now that's faith; well done for not fragging the pots there ev(!) Am also quite sobered by your really helpful comments on the mules as I too am pleased with the old un's stock pups, finding that much of the "thinnness" of the bridge disappears by giving it more air. I've found that whereas the stock neck greatly outperforms, say, a burstbucker in terms of that "wooliness" on the lower registers, some boomy bits can hang about.
It sounds like the mules have really brought the bottom end of the neck pup into order whilst also getting the bridge more polite too...really just letting the Yam have a good gallop as it was meant to!
Really encouraging; thanks to you and all for inadvertently helping me along here...a handy aide-memoire for when I take the plunge.

everton_fc · « **Reply #51 on:** December 17, 2006, 09:44:33 PM »

Well had a chance today to go into a rehearsal room for two hours and fine tune my pickup heights and really crank the amp - all on my own, without a bloody drummer wacking his snare next to my ear drum.

The Mule bridge pickup is so damn good. It's really, just, amazing. Wow! You can get some lovely growls out of it and harmonics etc. But for me, the way it "bites" the chords/lead runs is lovelly. Really nice pickup. The neck is lovelly too, especially on clean settings. When using a fair amount of gain, it's great for lead runs, so smooth.

One thing I did today though was increase my amps midrange - even though the Mule pickups are supposed to have a slight midrange "hump" I found the sound became even better when adding more midrange from the amp. I usually am not a massive fan of midrange but today, adding a little more, the guitar came to life so much more.

Great, anyway - the Mules are really nice - LOVING the bridge pickup!!!!!

38thBeatle · « **Reply #52 on:** December 17, 2006, 11:17:34 PM »

That is the proof of the pudding I suppose in a rehearsal situation_ I share your thoughts on drummers ! Are you gigging? It'll be interesting to hear what you think after a gig.

everton_fc · « **Reply #53 on:** December 18, 2006, 10:12:56 AM »

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that these pups naturally push my clean setting on my amp to the "breaking point" - fantastic - the sound is so full, I just love that on the edge sound that I never experienced before using a humbucker equipped guitar. Cool.

zigmund · « **Reply #54 on:** December 30, 2006, 01:57:06 PM »

OK gang, just to put my money where my mouth is, I'm also going where everton has trodden: presently ordering alnico4 4-wire covered Mules for my late 70s Yammy SG2000. Thanks to all for your practical thoughts, as you all have had a small but perfectly-formed part to play in this lovely guitar's rejuvenation. I'll let you hear the results in late January.
Spock out.