Gibson SG... mahogany with ebony fret board...

[DaveyHoran]

Hey Folks,

I recently installed a Nailbomb and cold sweat in to my Schecter tempest custom and I’m thinking of giving my SG a similar upgrade. For the neck I’d like to stay very close to the cold sweat because the clean tone is amazing, and for the bridge I’d like to take one step back from the edge that is the Nailbomb. I’m also interested in suggestions for pickup covers.

The Guitar is a 2007 Gibson SG Standard Limited edition Silverburst:
http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Divisions/Gibson%20USA/Guitar%20of%20the%20Week/SG%20Standard/

(Mahogany body and an Ebony Fret board) …At the moment I have the stock 490r and 498t which are good but this guitar deserves better ;-)

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

[ericsabbath]

may sound contradictory, but I say warpig

[DaveyHoran]

I have to bump this :-) I was hoping for some more feed back...

I'm thinking Rebel Yell neck and Cold Sweat Bridge for a Gibson SG Standard (with ebony fretboard)...Any thoughts?

[darkbluemurder]

the neck I’d like to stay very close to the cold sweat because the clean tone is amazing,

That's the Rebel Yell neck.

and for the bridge I’d like to take one step back from the edge that is the Nailbomb. I’m also interested in suggestions for pickup covers.

Not the Cold Sweat. I would look at the Holydiver.

Cheers Stephan

[DoomBuggi]

I recently installed a Nailbomb and cold sweat in to my Schecter tempest custom and I’m thinking of giving my SG a similar upgrade. For the neck I’d like to stay very close to the cold sweat because the clean tone is amazing, and for the bridge I’d like to take one step back from the edge that is the Nailbomb. I’m also interested in suggestions for pickup covers.
(Mahogany body and an Ebony Fret board) …At the moment I have the stock 490r and 498t which are good but this guitar deserves better ;-)

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

What kind of music do you play, what tuning do you use, and what is your signal chain?

[ericsabbath]

holy diver + sg = fail  :(

[DaveyHoran]

Gibson SG standard with ebony fret board... Tuned to E flat...

For the neck, I want the cold sweat clean sound, but I already have a cold sweat neck in my Schecter Tempest which is why I'm thinking the Rebel Yell ? (even though they may well be the same pickup)

For my bridge dirty tone I want an SG tone/sound that sits perfectly on the fence between hard rock and metal. I dont need a metal pickup but I need a pickup just beyond hard rock.  I like the nailbomb in my schecter but I can aford to take a little bit off the gas to gain some more tone if that makes sense???

Thanks for your help and opinions guys.

[Philly Q]

For the neck, I want the cold sweat clean sound, but I already have a cold sweat neck in my Schecter Tempest which is why I'm thinking the Rebel Yell ? (even though they may well be the same pickup)

They're not the same pickup, I believe the RY neck was designed to incorporate elements from the CS and VHII neck models.

I'd have said a Cold Sweat set, I think they're great for SGs (but I don't know how much the ebony board affects things).

Mostly wanted to say very cool guitar, I wish I'd bought one when they were available!  :D

[DoomBuggi]

At the moment I have the stock 490r and 498t which are good but this guitar deserves better

Gibson SG standard with ebony fret board... Tuned to E flat...

[For the neck, I want the cold sweat clean sound, but I already have a cold sweat neck in my Schecter Tempest which is why I'm thinking the Rebel Yell ? (even though they may well be the same pickup)

For my bridge dirty tone I want an SG tone/sound that sits perfectly on the fence between hard rock and metal. I dont need a metal pickup but I need a pickup just beyond hard rock.  I like the nailbomb in my schecter but I can aford to take a little bit off the gas to gain some more tone if that makes sense???

Thanks for your help and opinions guys.

If you like the 490R and 498t, you should keep using them.  Deserves better is an overrated statement.  Its really a matter of preference.

If you want the sound of the coldsweat neck, then you should use the coldsweat neck.

Though, I do not own, and have never played the pickups you are looking at, from what I read about pickups, I would say, look into getting the coldsweat neck.  Maybe a Rebel Yell bridge.

If you want as you say, "you like the 490/498 but it deserves something better", then maybe your look into a RebelYell Set.

I have allot of experience with the 490/498.  Over all, I think they are pretty good pickups for what they are, just not quite my flavor all the way. 

When I used E flat tuning, I always used Alnico Type magnets.  Eflat always seemed tight enough, and I didn't really dig a ceramic magnet sound (in my experience) in that tuning. 

Now I use Ceramic Type magnets, using C# tunings.

[darkbluemurder]

Gibson SG standard with ebony fret board... Tuned to E flat...

For the neck, I want the cold sweat clean sound, but I already have a cold sweat neck in my Schecter Tempest which is why I'm thinking the Rebel Yell ? (even though they may well be the same pickup)

For my bridge dirty tone I want an SG tone/sound that sits perfectly on the fence between hard rock and metal. I dont need a metal pickup but I need a pickup just beyond hard rock.  I like the nailbomb in my schecter but I can aford to take a little bit off the gas to gain some more tone if that makes sense???

That description is a bit different than the previous one. If you want a Nailbomb with a bit less power then Rebel Yell is what you want. However you will get rather more than less edge in your tone compared to the Alnico Nailbomb.

Anyway, Rebel Yell set should do it for this guitar.

Cheers Stephan

[Philly Q]

For my bridge dirty tone I want an SG tone/sound that sits perfectly on the fence between hard rock and metal. I dont need a metal pickup but I need a pickup just beyond hard rock.  I like the nailbomb in my schecter but I can aford to take a little bit off the gas to gain some more tone if that makes sense???

Looking at that description again I think I agree with Rebel Yell.  To me, the RY had a Hair Metal sound - which I guess is just "beyond" classic hard rock but certainly short of full-on Metal.

It wasn't my favourite BKP but that doesn't mean it won't suit you!  :)

[DaveyHoran]

Thanks for the feedback chaps :-) I guess when I said deserves better than the Gibsons I really meant deserves to be even more limited edition with BKP customised pickups.

I'm 99% sure about the RY neck.

And then its 50/50 between a CS and RY bridge... I think either one will give me a solid rock tone in an SG?

Cheers

[DoomBuggi]

Thanks for the feedback chaps :-) I guess when I said deserves better than the Gibsons I really meant deserves to be even more limited edition with BKP customised pickups.

I'm 99% sure about the RY neck.

And then its 50/50 between a CS and RY bridge... I think either one will give me a solid rock tone in an SG?

Cheers

When in doubt, send and Email to BKP.  Tell them what you are using, what kind of style you are working with, your tuning, your complaints and what you are aiming to achieve.  I have found them quite helpful.  They obviously know their stuff.

[richard]

I have RYs in an all mahogany Gibson Firebird Studio and I love them.  I have a 63 SG Junior that has a Seymour JB in the bridge. The SG was my main guitar for over 20 years. When I got the Firebird it had the 490/498 set in it. They are not a good match for one another, it's impossible to dial in a tone on your amp that works for both pickups. I also found that they mushed up under volume and a bit of gain.

I e-mailed BK and Tim suggested the RYs - he was spot on. At some point I'm going to swap out the JB in my SG and am considering which BK would suit me best. I've almost decided to go with another RY set because I don't really want anything too metal or anything too low output.

If you go with the RYs I would very interested in hearing what you think of them in an SG. Please let us know.