Author Topic: Gibson SG Special Pickups (Read 4155 times)

Ginger Ninja · « **on:** February 04, 2006, 04:50:44 PM »

Right, I have just purchased a Gibson SG Special - very nice guitar, tried it, loved it, bought it.

I like the pickups on it, but will change them to Miracle Men in future months, but for the meantime I was wondering if it is possible to fit pickup covers onto the existing ones?

Dont ask me why, but i like my LP's pickups uncovered and my SG ones covered. I heard it makes a difference to tone, not quite sure what though. Any help would be good! If i bought some pickup covers, how would i go about fitting them to the open coil pickups and can this even be done??

Sorry for seeming like a fool, i just dont know much about pickups so thought id best turn the the masters!

dave_mc · « **Reply #1 on:** February 04, 2006, 05:56:24 PM »

i'm not a master by a long way, but i hear they sound warmer (a little less treble) with the covers on, and a little less "in-your-face".

There's morre to it than that, hopefully some of the other regulars will chip in.

Tim · « **Reply #2 on:** February 04, 2006, 06:30:58 PM »

When covers are retrofitted onto a p/up they really need to be fitted properly and that involves having them potted on.You'll also find that your SG special will need the p/up holes opened out a touch to get covered p/ups in.

Ginger Ninja · « **Reply #3 on:** February 05, 2006, 01:23:21 AM »

Thanks for the help! That doesnt sound like a massive effect on the tone, i think it will clean it all up a little from the sounds of it.

And thanks Tim for that bit of info! It really helps! Does that mean that if i were to purchase some new pickups that had covers on, in order to get them fitted the guitar would have to have a little bit of work done to it?

PhilKing · « **Reply #4 on:** February 05, 2006, 01:53:24 PM »

It depends how tight the routing is. I wanted to fit covered pickups into my old Hamer Sunburst, but the routing was so tight that they wouldn't fit and I didn't want to change it as it is a 79 guitar. If Gibson use the same body for a few guitars, they might fit with no work, or just opening up the scratchplate holes.

Floyd Pepper · « **Reply #5 on:** February 05, 2006, 10:10:31 PM »

The modern Gibson SG special has the pickups mounted directly onto the scratch plate, ie without the pickup rings. This means the pickups aren't angled to match the strings. They're flat like the body. Bit dumb really. You'd need to drill the scratch plates if you want to fit some rings. Sould be easy enough to do and the holes would be under covered by the ring.

The amazing Phil · « **Reply #6 on:** February 07, 2006, 12:05:37 AM »

Quote from: Floyd Pepper

The modern Gibson SG special has the pickups mounted directly onto the scratch plate, ie without the pickup rings. This means the pickups aren't angled to match the strings. They're flat like the body. Bit dumb really. You'd need to drill the scratch plates if you want to fit some rings. Sould be easy enough to do and the holes would be under covered by the ring.

Somebody wrote into Guitarist or Total Guitar about something similar on their Les Paul and apparently it makes no difference.

Ginger Ninja · « **Reply #7 on:** February 07, 2006, 09:24:09 AM »

Right, so if I get my SG opened up i will be able to see if it need any work done to it then??

I dont mind having the scratchplate cut into if needs be, i think the guitar would look better with the mounting rings anyway.

And yes, it is rather dumb. But thats Gibson for you...