changed my mind...modern humbucker for SG

[jangoux]

Hey guys,

I posted a while ago about thinking of going P90 route on my SG but I've changed my mind. It currently has a RY on the bridge, and while great sounding for live usage, it sounds think for recording - all upper mid range, and  A LOT of mid frequencies on the 300~600hz area, lots of honky stuff. I want something that gives me some scoopness on this area, some more powerful bass while not sounding muddy on an all-mahogany SG. I'd prefer something not-ceramic, but I am open to your opinions. Crawler? Nailbomb or C-Nailbomb? Cold Sweat? What do you think? I am not really a metal player, more of a modern rock/rock/grunge type of player but I need *some* verstility for recording.

What do you guys suggest?

Thanks
Ivan

[BigB]

I'd really avoid the Crawler in a SG, this pup needs a brighter guitar.  I personnaly like the ABomb in my SG, works fine for what we do (punk-rock / grunge / hard-rock stuff with a few metal influences) but it doesn't sound "scooped" at all. Never played the CBomb or CS so I can't tell....

[Mr. Air]

I have no SG experience myself, but I've heard great clips of SGs with Miracle Man and Cold Sweat pups. Both bridge models are ceramic though.

[Philly Q]

It currently has a RY on the bridge, and while great sounding for live usage, it sounds think for recording - all upper mid range, and  A LOT of mid frequencies on the 300~600hz area, lots of honky stuff. I want something that gives me some scoopness on this area, some more powerful bass while not sounding muddy on an all-mahogany SG.

Cold Sweat for sure!  :D

Don't worry about it being ceramic.  You didn't mention the neck pickup, but consider getting the CS set - they work superbly in mahogany and there's a really good contrast between neck and bridge.

[Sancho]

I've been thinking about a Cold Sweat set for a possible future SG. It seems like a good combination.

[ericsabbath]

fala, Ivan


já tive o Holy Diver numa SG e sei do que vc tá falando, e ainda levando em conta que o Diver é ainda mais anasalado que o Rebel

cata o Riff Raff
tem o brilho que costuma fazer falta numa SG com captadores médios e o timbre mais aberto de todos os BKP bridge que já experimentei
não é tão médio quanto mostra o chart no site novo
aliás passa longe daquilo

o Cold Sweat é uma boa também, mas o Riff Raff é MUITO mais versátil e se sai melhor que a maioria dos outros pro que vc toca
o Black Dog seria excelente, mas se fosse em uma guitarra com menos médio e mais brilho (na les paul, ficou bem Soundgarden)

não sinto a menor falta dos captadores de saída mais alta na minha les paul custom '73, que já teve nailbombs, cold sweats, aftermath, holy diver, dentre outros
quando quero mais sustain, ligo um booster limpo, um equalizer ou overdrive, que já resolve (usava com os outros também, então não dificultou em nada)


o EP da minha banda foi todo gravado com essa les paul, na epoca com um black dog (hoje um riff raff) e mais uma PRS mccarty com um cold sweat
http://www.myspace.com/colidium
dificil separar, pq todas as bases foram com as duas, mas em 'Bendito Fruto' tem um solo com o black dog apenas e todos os leads de 'Alterego Torto'

as qualidades do Riff Raff pra tocar rock clássico, 'grunge' e etc, todos já conhecem
mas semana passada achei este vídeo de um russo demonstrando uns lances mais pesados
achei bem representativo, apesar da qualidade meia boca
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMVHiPa0xm8&t=275

ele e o holy diver são os meus favoritos pra quase tudo

that's it
google translator, mates  :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Philly Q]

google translator, mates  :lol: :lol: :lol:

Google comes up with:  "the Diver is even more nasal than the Rebel" in your first comment, Eric.

Is that right, or is "nasal" the wrong word?  I've still not tried the HD but I've never thought of it as nasal (the RY?..... yes, probably)

[HTH AMPS]

I'd say Cold Sweat, but you might also just use some EQ on the recording if you're only using the guitar for recording.

<pedantic>
I wouldn't consider 300-600Hz to be 'honky mids' territory either, thats all low-mids, the 'thump' of your guitar where you'd EQ to get some chunk on palm mutes. 
</pedantic>

[ericsabbath]

google translator, mates  :lol: :lol: :lol:

Google comes up with:  "the Diver is even more nasal than the Rebel" in your first comment, Eric.

Is that right, or is "nasal" the wrong word?  I've still not tried the HD but I've never thought of it as nasal (the RY?..... yes, probably)

in a Gibson SG, that's it  :(
not in les pauls, though

[jangoux]

300hz to 600hz is needed for the body but excess of it also makes thing honky,dull, muddy - and that's where I am at right now.

I have *some* experience with ceramics and I really,really don't like they feels. Never tried a BK ceramic, tho'.

Eric, Achei o clip do Riff Raff muito doido, mas ele parece meio 'tight' demais pra mim. E eu acho que essa SG em particular sente falta de graves. Ela é meio magrinha, e os médios e graves estão centralizados baixo demais ao meu ver, então fica sem grave e um monte de médio grave. Até achei que o problema era no meu amp ou nos meus métodos de gravação, mas uma vez paguei um cara pra fazer reamping pra mim, e o resultado foi identico. Se tivesse um Riff Raff com mais graves, seria perfeito pra mim :(

[ericsabbath]

quando perguntei por um riff raff com mais punch e saída, me indicaram o VHII
mas quando mandei email pro Tim perguntando sobre overwinding, a sugestão dele foi um Riff Raff com ímã oversized de 4mm

Tim's words:

"To be honest the Riff Raff has the best bite of the 42 AWG PE wound h/buckers so maybe an idea would be to use a larger magnet so you get the same tone but more power"

"the VHII has a softer mid with more bass than the Riff Raff and I'm not sure I would recommend that for a maple neck LP plus I physically can't overwind a VHII as there's simply not enough room on the bobbins.
I still think the best idea is to go with a Riff Raff but with a larger magnet, that way you'll retain the bright edge and bite you want plus the vintage voice but get more output to push the amp along."

"I couldn't get the RR up to the VHII DC as the VHII has heavily asymmetrical coils to achieve that and simply replicating that would just produce a VHII, the asymmetry gives it the softer mid range.However I can wind the RR up to @ DC8.3 - 8.4K before the highs roll back too heavily - the only way to go hotter is to move away from plain enamel and go to polysol like your McCarty pickups but then the voicing changes which spoils the point of the exercise."

"a VHII with bigger magnet will just over emphasise the bass when you really want more mids."

[Philly Q]

Very interesting quote from Tim there - not often we get to see such specific technical details about different pickup models.  :D

[jangoux]

emailed Tim and he answered within 5 minutos  :mrgreen:  impressively quick.

Anyway, he recommended the VHII and I might just go for it. If it really is a more powerfull Riff Raff, then it might be perfectly what I need

[ericsabbath]

by "softer mids" he usually means more scooped (due to the asymmetrical coils)
guess that should will fit your needs