New Pickups for an SG

[MusicAng3l]

Hi Guys,

I´m in the hole to put new Pickups into my SG Tribute.

The SG will be used to play hot rodded Blues and Hard Rock. To name a Few.. something like the news Blues stuff from Jared James Nichols, Tyler Bryant etc

The actual Pickups are the 498 and 490 set. The 498 is too uncontrolled for me and the 490 is like a muddy something.

I like my sound a little mid heavy because I play in a trio.

On my list are.:
59´s
Pearly Gates
Saturday night specials
Whole lotta

Which of these would you say is right for that kind of music?

[Simon_F]

Re: New Pickups for an SG

The 498T/490R in their stock form are horrible pickups. Clangy bridge, woolly neck. I've never regretted taking those out of my '96 LP Standard.

I have '59s in an Epi SG Custom and I love them in that guitar for blues and classic rock. The SG itself is a mid-heavy guitar.

I've played WLHs and PGs in a Les Paul but never in an SG. They are both great pickup sets. The WLH is like a '59 with slightly more mids and output, and correspondingly less lows/highs. The PGs are more mid focused with slightly less in the high end.

I suspect the WLHs would work really well in an SG, not sure about the PGs.

I can definitely vouch for '59s in an SG, but if you want to push the mids even more the WLHs might be a good choice.

[Mincer]

Re: New Pickups for an SG

The Saturday Night Specials sound remarkable in an SG.

[MusicAng3l]

Re: New Pickups for an SG

@Mincer how do they compare to the 59s? The Video sounds amazing!! But all Videos from Doug are amazing!

[Simon_F]

Re: New Pickups for an SG

The Saturday Night Specials sound remarkable in an SG.

I can imagine that they do. I haven't tried the SNSs but my experience of A4 in a humbucker is that it gives a very even EQ across bass/mid/treble. SGs tend to be middy so the SNSs would let that shine through.

[pskorz]

Re: New Pickups for an SG

I cannot compare the SNS to a '59 set, but I have a set in a '95 SG special and I LOVE them.

They are a very well balanced set, tonally; they don't seem to dominate in any particular frequency. I've played this guitar in a classic rock/'80s cover band and they do that very well. They seem to be responsive to various amps, too. Through a classic 50, they do old-school classic rock. Through a Bogner setting on a Helix, they can get pretty heavy for Metallica and AIC - style heavy.
I wouldn't call them mid-heavy, but the neck is very good, and not muddy. the bridge will surely be tamer than the 498. The only comparison I can make to them in this SG is to what it came with when I bought it used: a dimarzio super 2 in the neck, and an EMG 85 in the bridge. I certainly like them better than that odd couple.
Sorry to give you this vague statement, but here goes. I don't know if they're exactly what you're looking for, but they are KILLER pickups, and I think you'd love them. but I don't know if they're exactly what you're after.

[Mincer]

Re: New Pickups for an SG

@Mincer how do they compare to the 59s? The Video sounds amazing!! But all Videos from Doug are amazing!

They work particularly well in SGs, as they sort of emphasize the barky nature of those guitars. The 59s have a more scooped EQ, with a tighter bass. So the SNS set sounds 'more SG-ish' to me, while the 59 takes some of the 'SG-ness' out of it.

[beaubrummels]

Re: New Pickups for an SG

To make it mid heavy/chimey I’d put a Brobucker bridge with an A2P neck. An alternate might be a Slash set. Whole Lotta Humbucker would also be very versatile and full sounding. I’d stay away from Pearly Gates, Jazz and maybe even away from 59s, if the goal is mid heavy.

[MusicAng3l]

Re: New Pickups for an SG

I think I go with a Set SNS or Whole lotta.

The SNS is hotter than the Whole Lotta and the Whole lotta is basically a hotter 59 with more mids, right?

What is about a 59/Custom Hybrid? This Pickup should be also hotter that a 59 but is more PAF likely than the other customs?

[MusicAng3l]

Re: New Pickups for an SG

Sooooo...
I heard some of the Soundsamples on the Website.

The WLH has compared to the 59 more mids, a little bit more output and rounder highs
And the Custom/59 has more output but more highs than the 59?

[BluesIsBlood12]

Re: New Pickups for an SG

I liked WLH a lot in mine, stock and with A4s swapped in. I haven't used SNS in anything, but I have to change my pants every time I watch that Youtube vid of them in the SG.

I never tried 59s in it, but I would imagine they'd be pretty similar to WLHs.

[GuitarDoc]

Re: New Pickups for an SG

I'm not sure what you mean by "uncontrolled" for the 498.

When you say you like your sound a little mid heavy, I'm assuming that you are NOT getting that from the 498. Therefore a '59 would probably be your worst choice (sorry Simon)...it is probably the most mid-scooped of all SD pups, and would be more mid-scooped than even the 498.

My absolute favorite bridge pup for an SG and versatile enough to play just about anything is the C8 (any of the Customs with an A8 magnet). It's got solid bass, very strong mids, and clear highs, but not too bright and clangy like the Custom (with ceramic mag). It's very "controllable" especially when you play with the guitar's vol pot, and it splits very well to get even more clarity and control.

The 59/C hybrid is an excellent neck pup. Very clear, not "muddy" at all, and splits wonderfully. Again, extremely versatile pup.

The video that Mincer posted sounds fantastic, but I'm sure you realize that 80% of the guitar's tone is from the amp, its tone settings, and the speaker. The SNS played through a Twin Reverb or Roland JC 120 with tone knobs dimed (or even at 12:00) will not sound anything at all like that vid.

Have you tried wiring your 490 in parallel? That would eliminate the muddiness and cut the output a bit. It may be just what you're looking for in the 490. For the 498, parallel will make it more "controllable", but it will also cut the mids a lot...that may not be what you're after for the bridge.

Bridge = C8,
Neck = 59/C hybrid (or 490 wired parallel).

[David Garner]

Re: New Pickups for an SG

I will tell this story over and over to anyone who will listen. A few years ago we played a multi-band bill with another band, and their guitar player played a Telecaster and a 61 RI SG all night. The SG sounded unreal. I asked him what pickups were in there, expecting something ridiculously rare and expensive and unobtanium.

No, he said "just Duncan 59s."

If I had an SG I'd throw a set of 59s in it and never look back.

[Mr. B]

Re: New Pickups for an SG

I have tried a dozen combinations of pickups and magnet swaps in my SG over the years. I have ended up with the regular Duncan 59 set. You just can't beat it in an SG.

[jeremy]

Re: New Pickups for an SG

the amp/rig involved here makes a huge difference. a 59 set in a sg into the right amp will sound glorious! but it sounds like that might be the case with this rig

im not sure what "uncontrolled" means, if it means its too hot then the c8 isnt a good choice, though it is a great pup and might suit you well. not sure about the hybrid in the neck but ive never tried it