Author Topic: New pickups for my SG (Read 6551 times)

Dimmy · « **on:** July 16, 2006, 08:40:04 PM »

Hi! I'm looking for quality pickups for my SG and I was instructed to turn to the friendly folk of BKP. My guitar is a '61 reissue with two humbuckers, the body is mahogany and so is the neck.

I'm looking for a vintage, PAF-like sound but with more drive and edge. I play lead guitar so the high ends should be in order (or more like WOW! WTF WAS THAT!?) without sacrificing the low bottoms too much. I play a lot of progressive rock and sort of hendrixy songs so the distortion should be clear and separating (and not heavy metal-fuzz-porridge) but still edgy and hard biting (sort of like Jeff Healey's Freedom). I also like to play blues and bluesy rock.

From what I read in the discription of the pickups it looks to me that the Cold Sweat -calibrated set is for me but does anyone have any good suggestions? Sound clips will be appreciated.

THANKS!

Dakine · « **Reply #1 on:** July 16, 2006, 11:55:21 PM »

Check out the Rebel Yell too.

Fourth Feline · « **Reply #2 on:** July 17, 2006, 12:24:14 AM »

I ended up fitting my Alnico II 'Stormy Mondays' into my 1976 Mahogany Gibson S.G Standard to great effect. They really bring out the highs in very clear yet sweet/tasteful way.

Tim at BKP recommended this combination - and that a set of perhaps tighter / focused Alnico IV 'Mules' should replace the SMs in my Les paul to compensate for the much heavier/thicker body.

Please bear in mind, (as Tim did ) that I play mostly clean, with occasional forays into overdrive territory. I have not tested the SMs through distortion yet, but the improvement in sweet, clear, definition on the top three strings is much better than the stock Gibsons.

I must also mention that another forum member kindly and enthusiastically recommended the 'Riff Raffs' for the S.G over and above the Mules, as he had got "awesome" results from those in an Epiphone S.G. Whilst I respected and was really interested in his opinion, I felt our desired tonal outcomes where a little different.

Tim felt I might find the 'Riff Raffs' and any higher gain pickups a bit aggresive for my smoother style(s).

I would speak to/email Tim, he really does 'know his onions' when it comes to what product will give what result in what guitar. We tend to forget that having experimented so much before taking 'loaded' guitars to trade shows, he has probably heard most combinations.

I will watch this thread with continued interest. Whilst I feel the SMs may be too 'sweet' for your tastes, they prove to me that Tim does not do a 'bad' pickup for any guitar, just that there will be a better one for your own tonal vision.

Regards,

Derek. :D

PhilKing · « **Reply #3 on:** July 17, 2006, 01:21:05 AM »

I would also look at the Riff Raff set, or possibly a Riff Raff bridge and Stormy Monday neck. The Cold Sweat is more of a late 70's sound, rather than the PAF sound.

Skybone · « **Reply #4 on:** July 17, 2006, 07:29:38 AM »

VHII's. A little hotter than PAF's (around 9k), but sound sweet, especially in a solid mahogany guitar like an SG. I have one in an Iceman (cross between an SG and a Firebird IMO), and it sounds great.

Twinfan · « **Reply #5 on:** July 17, 2006, 09:12:41 AM »

Dude - you need Riff Raffs. I have a set in my '65 Epi SG and they're awesome. I'm Angus in an AC/DC cover band and they're perfect for getting that "clean yet crunchy and dirty" tone. They're much more versatile than you'd think, so don't right them off because you don't play AC/DC tunes. I took the guitar round to a friend of mine who's a blues player and he flipped it to the neck pickup, rolled back the tone a touch, and played one of the sweetest blues tones I've heard in a long while.

The Riff Raffs are very clear, no buzz or hum, and have a nice chunky depth to them. It's hard to describe, but they are very "wide" tonally, not narrow and spiky like cheaper pickups. I've tried them with loads more gain than I would usually use and they still sound superb - full and meaty.

If you're after classic rock tones, with a slight edge, then the Riff Raffs are the way to go. Every SG should have a set :D

Dimmy · « **Reply #6 on:** July 17, 2006, 12:33:55 PM »

I've contacted Tim via email just today. Now waiting for a reply. I didn't know you could do that. Where I come from you don't go to the pickup winder himself and ask what pickups do I need. Does it really work that way?

_tom_ · « **Reply #7 on:** July 17, 2006, 01:40:48 PM »

Quote from: Dimmy

I've contacted Tim via email just today. Now waiting for a reply. I didn't know you could do that. Where I come from you don't go to the pickup winder himself and ask what pickups do I need. Does it really work that way?

Yep, Tims recommendations are nearly always right :)

Twinfan · « **Reply #8 on:** July 17, 2006, 01:42:28 PM »

Yep, Tim's great like that. This is why BKP service is second to none.

Dimmy · « **Reply #9 on:** July 17, 2006, 05:52:41 PM »

Yeah, talk about customer service. Still waiting for that reply (he's a busy man, of course) so in the meantime does anyone have any sweet soundclips of any of the pickups suggested here?

Twinfan · « **Reply #10 on:** July 17, 2006, 06:02:25 PM »

There's a clip of my SG in the players section somewhere. I'll see if I can find it for you.

*Edit*

Got it:

http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4042&start=0

Dimmy · « **Reply #11 on:** July 17, 2006, 06:57:13 PM »

Those were nice-sounding clips, thanks for posting! Any high end-solo-clips?

deg0ey · « **Reply #12 on:** July 17, 2006, 07:22:15 PM »

Quote from: _tom_

Yep, Tims recommendations are nearly always right :)

YOU BLASPHEME! Tim is always right! :drink:

Dimmy · « **Reply #13 on:** July 17, 2006, 07:29:27 PM »

Um.. is there any place for negotiations on that "join us or you shall be slain"?

deg0ey · « **Reply #14 on:** July 17, 2006, 07:30:54 PM »

Just join us - us being the Tim's hair fanclub - mainly 'cause he has great hair :)

Author Topic: New pickups for my SG (Read 6551 times)

Fourth Feline