Time to BKP my SG Standard - Mules or RiffRaffs or ... Holydivers?

[badgermark]

Should be hum free in the middle position. I love my MQs in my epi les paul. Very little noise, even with a high gain fuzz. Only really gets noisy when pointed to an old tv, not even my laptop interferes with it.

[Twinfan]

You can have the MQs hum cancelling or not.  I ordered non-cancelling P90s in my LP Special, hum-cancelling was standard.

[Chris Rowberry]

From what im reading i would think the Riff Raffs would be bang on for you in your SG.

[Fourth Feline]

Hi Hunter,

Tim recommended that I get the standard M.Q wiring, ( i.e. not-hum cancelling in the mid position ) - to keep the tone and output fat / stong in the middle toggle position.

He explained that because the M.Qs encase the windings in a sealed nickel box - it effectively creates a 'Faraday Cage' - and dispells hum / interferance that way, without having to set any coil (s) in opposition to each other. 

I have not gigged them, but am finding them very quiet at home, in a house where single coil hum and noise pickup has been a problem in the past. I cannot tell the difference between them and humbuckers noise wise, but am blown away by the tone .  :)

[ericsabbath]

I'm loving the Cold Sweat in my Les Paul, so I'm keeping it there and the Holy Diver will be installed on my SG right tomorrow  :D
the Holy Diver is not as dark as most people paint it
how could a JB based pickup be so dark?
it may sound dark in lower tunings if compared to ceramic pickups, but in standard tunings it sounds pretty bright, just not overly bright like a Duncan JB
most Gibson pickups are darker than it
but I'd love to try a SG with Riff Raffs too  :D

[il˙ti]

the Holy Diver will be installed on my SG right tomorrow  :D

Let us know all about it.

[hunter]

Soooo, got reply from Tim, this is what he said:

my personal fav on an SG is either Riff Raff calibrated set or Stormy Monday calibrated set-both sets seem to work exceptionally well with the construction and timber and deliver the tones you associate in your 'minds ear' with early '60 SGs................SMs are bright,articulate and extremely dynamic whereas RRs have the vintage snarl of Angus Young or Jimmy Page when they really get going.
One other option which I have in a 73 SG is a Mississippi queen set-awesome fat P90 tones and tonally almost between the SMs and RRs.
Cold Sweat humbuckers will turn it into more of an all out rock monster-I've done 2 sets of these last week destined for SGs where the customers wanted to keep the bright attack of the SG but add more balls to the tone and output.


If it were me-classic rock- got to be Riff Raff bridge........neck either Riff Raff or MQ......................if you want to stray outside your norm try MQs, you'll love them.


My decision is: RR bridge, MQ neck

Now about looks. I was wondering if I should go for a black bridge and nickel or chrome neck, what do you guys reckon?

[Philly Q]

Now about looks. I was wondering if I should go for a black bridge and nickel or chrome neck, what do you guys reckon?

Nooooo, chrome or nickel all the way!

(Interested to know how the RR/MQ combo works out - I thought the MQ might be a bit hot, but since Tim's suggested it... )

[Buddha]

I to would be interested to hear how this turns out. At the moment either chrome/ nickel and black, or just nickel/ chrome looks good, sorry that doesn't help at all really

[FernandoDuarte]

Both chrome/nickel (which color is the hardware?)

[Philly Q]

Both chrome/nickel (which color is the hardware?)

If it's a Standard, it'll be all chrome - apart from nickel tuners.  Bloody Gibson.  :roll:

[il˙ti]

Black covers, nickel screws. Why would you want it looking stock anyway?

[gwEm]

RR/MQ sounds cool to me  8)

I thought your idea for the black/chrome colour combo would be weird, but i quite like it in fact in your prepared image.

[hunter]

I thought the MQ might be a bit hot, but since Tim's suggested it... )

RiffRaff Neck: 7.4KOhm
MQ Neck: 7KOhm

According to resistance it should be fine, but I assume if I order them together to be matched, Tim will take care anyways?

[Canadian Steve]

Hunter, although you already have a set of Black Dogs, I was wondering if you had ever tried them in your SG.  I emailed Tim about getting a tone similar to Kim Thayil (Soundgarden) and he recommended these.