Pickups for SG

[Ratrod]

The patient here is an old Yamaha SG-400. She's about 35 years of age and has been in the family for more than 25. She's currently under surgery for new frets, new tuners are on the way. She's a bit of a cross between an SG and an LP: double cut SG style silhouette, mahogany body and neck, slightly arched maple top in tobacco sunburst, cream binding all around and gold hardware. Now I have to choose new pickups. I have already chosen the look: black covers, logo's etched on and gold coloured or brass screws. Currently this guitar has alnico V humbuckers. Sparkling clean sound and surprisingly agressive with distortion. They're not unlike Crawlers actually, so I'm considdering those. The problem is that the guitar seems to hold back a little, like a good but shy singer, it also lacks deffinition and focus. I'm also thinking about Mules, I love the full bodied vintage sound. The Nailbomb clips impressed me a lot, big agressive, organic tone but it's a bit over the top for this guitar. So I need vintage vibe, sparkling clean, agressive distortion, focus and definition. With these criteria in mind I think I'm looking at a set of Emeralds. Did anyone try these, how would you describe them? Any advice is welcome.

Cheers!

[PhilKing]

I picked up a set of Miracle Men in the black logo covers at the show, after playing Tim's custom LP that is featured in some of the BKP ads.  The calibrated set has a ceramic magnet in the bridge and an Alnico 5 in the neck.  These things scream if you want with all the harmonics in the world, but can back off to a bluesey tone when you dial down the volume.

I have an Emerald/Mule set too, and I love those, but they don't have the aggressive punch of the Miracle Man.  

You might also think about a set of Nailbombs.  They will do them in the black covers and they sound great for rock.

Cheers
Phil

[Ratrod]

The MM does sound impressive, very Zakk Wylde but it's not the tone I'm looking for in this guitar. I have seriously considdered the nailbombs but I need a little more vintage vibe. I'm deffinatly gonna put a set of Nailbombs in my next guitar if all goes well (financially)

I guess my choises are: Mules, Crawlers or Emeralds.

[TwilightOdyssey]

The MM does sound impressive, very Zakk Wylde but it's not the tone I'm looking for in this guitar.

Yeah, as clear as the pickup is, to quote Vim from Bad News, it's VERY METAL!!

[lulusg]

I bought a set of emeralds, and it would be a while before they come back from the tech.. I asked Tim about a set that would give a sound similar to Thin Lizzy's: The Boys are Back in Town(those are Les Paul guitars) for my Gibson SG std :)

[The amazing Phil]

You might consider something P-90ish as well, Pete Townsend got a pretty rocking sound on "Live at Leeds" with his, and the extra mahogany will probably give it a bit more warmth if I have my facts straight, just another option to toss into the mix.

[PhilKing]

I have all 3 that you are considering.  I have a Les Paul with an Emerald at the bridge and a Mule neck.  This is a great blues/rock combination, though my LP with Riff Raff (with alnico V) and Stormy Monday (with alnico IV) is great for the vintage Peter Green shounds.  This set also can rock, but cleans up great.

The Emerald has a ton of harmonics, and it is hard to say which is my favourite between this and the Riff Raff.  It is Thin Lizzy vs AC/DC!

For a vintage but driven sound, did you think about VHII's?  I have these in my PRS artist and they work great, especially with the 5-way switch.

The Crawler has a great sound too.  I have this in a PRS EG with 2 P-90's.  It works really well in this guitar.  This pickup will push your amp a bit more than the others and it is a fatter sound, not as bright as an Emerald or Riff Raff.

There are so many pickups that BK makes, it is really hard to decide, it is Tim's plan to make us buy all the differnt ones :twisted:
The wood makes a difference too.  As always, the best man to reccomend the pickups is Tim.

cheers

[The amazing Phil]

Yeah, if he made fewer pickup models we'd be less skint from not having to find new guitars to put em in. :lol:

[HJM]

Yeah, if he made fewer pickup models we'd be less skint from not having to find new guitars to put em in. :lol:

How true, I'm even looking to get a Les Paul, they sound great but I hate the design of them.....but a set of mules would be nice!

[Ratrod]

Thanks guys! I've gotten some usefull info from y'all.

I pretty much like all these pickups and I wish I could get a guitar for all of them. Dammit I'm gonna be in the bloody poorhouse as well :chain:

Here's a vew things I'll put into the equasion: The guitars natural tone, character and soul, what it used to sound like, all the info I've gotten from y'all, how I want it to sound  and how me mum would want it to sound. :P
(It's officially still her guitar, you know)

Well me mum was a big fan of music like Procol Harem, Bad Company etc. and I favor the fatter warmer sound that could really push my amp when it needs to. The old pickups are quite similar: warm and fat but clear.

So I think I'll be going for a set of Crawlers.

Thanks again guys.

If you go on giving advice like this, Tim won't have to anymore