MQ or SM for low gain blues to 70's rock?

[Doctor X]

Hi all - long time reader, first time poster.

I was hoping for a bit of advice on my choice for a recently acquired Gibson SG Special.  I mostly play low gain stuff but am also fond of a bit of Zep style rocking.  The amp I play through is a Sheldon TT3-R.

I already have a set of Mules in a LP style guitar which are fantastic.  I am leaning towards a set of MQ's, my logic being that as I already have some HB's, P-90's will give me more versatility between the 2 guitars.  The thing that's holding me back, however,  is that I know very little about P-90's (other than Townsend's tone) - i.e. are they even any good at the low gain and clean stuff?

Any help or advice would be gratefully received.
Chris.

[38thBeatle]

Welcome-I cannot offer recent experience but many years ago I borrowed a mates Les Paul-I think it was a Special but in any event it had a couple of P90's and I recall it doing cleans and just breaking up tones very well. It is too long ago to give a comparision between P90s and, say, Strat or Les Paul tones to be honest. I haven't taken this very far but I think help in the form of other members will be on hand.

[Sailor Charon]

Well, I've got a pair of MQs in my SG, and I'm pretty happy with them. At the moment I tend to only play clean :(  But yes, they're good...

[PhilKing]

Which magnets do you have in the Mules?  I have a set of unpotted Stormy Mondays with Alnico II's in my 335 and they sound great.   For a really great blues/rock sound, you could put the PG set in.

The MQ will give you the older blues tone, but can also get you an early Sabbath sound too.  They have more kick than the mules too!

[Doctor X]

Thanks for the replies!  My Mules have got alnico IV's in them.  They made an immense improvement to my Washburn.  I was after something with a little less kick than the Mules for the SG so perhaps MQ's aren't the way to go?

The PG set is certainly something else for me to think about. I believe they're similar to the SM's, and that low output vibe is what I'm after.  I must confess my ignorance - I don't really get the concept of 'out of phase'.  I know that Peter Green had a great tone but imagine he could have probably nailed six strings to the side of a tree and managed to get a good sound out of it.  I think more research is called for!

Thanks guys - you've been most helpful.

[PhilKing]

On the PG set, the middle setting (both pickups on), gives a thinner sound, almost Fender like.  This is the big difference in his sound and was caused by the magnets being reversed in the neck pickup after it was rewound.  There are other differences too, but I am getting a set for a custom built Les Paul (like a Jeff Beck but with a 25.5 in scale).  Everyone who has them seems to love them, so I am sure I will like them.

Don't get me wrong with the MQ, they are a very dynamic pickup and respond really well to how hard you play.  All P-90's are like that, at lower volumes and attack they are very clean, but when you dig in and turn up, then they drive the amp and really sing.  I am a big P-90 fan and can even live with the hum!!

[Doctor X]

Oh wow - that's really informative!  Thanks a lot for the info Phil, the PG's are sounding really appealing.  Then again, so are the MQ's.  This may well be decided by a coin toss as it'll be a winner either way.

Thanks again.
Chris

[Rob Stobbs]

Hi Chris,

There's quite a discussion going on regarding the PGs in the Topic "Mules" with various Photos etc which you might find an interesting read....Just a Heads Up.

MQs:  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh. Well I have a Guitar that was originally fitted with an MQ at the Neck and a Crawler at the Bridge. The Combination was Good Enough....BUT.....I have subsequently changed over to a MQ at the Bridge instead.  At this point I should perhaps mention that I adore P90s? I have various Guitars with all manner of Pickups, but I do tend to use P90s first and then swap over depending on how the material develops and what Pickup works best for the required sound.

I was recently staying with a Friend (Another BK Devotee) and he was setting up for a Sound he particularly required for a Recording......I put the MQs through a Treble Booster and an AC30 and got REMARKABLY close to a Brian May sound without even trying!!!!! Think the Solo in "I Want It All".  Pinched Harmonics are an absolute sinch.......The thing just SCREAMS!!!!!!   Anyway....Here she is...but hand is in the way of the Bridge Unit...................



Beautiful Pickups....ALL the Usual BKP "Openness" and a whole lot more!!!

Cheer's
Rob

[Doctor X]

Thanks Rob!  That's a nice looking guitar!

I think I will go with the MQ's.  I get paid on Friday so there's still time for me to change my mind before then so I'll keep an eye out to see what other's think of their PG's when they get them.  

That "openness" is exactily what I'm after so it's good to hear the MQ's have it.  The Mules have it, and knowing very little about P-90's I was not really sure whether they were what I'm looking for.

[Doctor X]

Oops...double post!