59 or Saturday Night Specials

[tyrion]

Before anyone states it I have done some searches but I seem to only find old posts.I'm sure I'm searching wrong but anywho here goes.

I have a 2014 SG thatt has 57 classics but they're completely underwhelming and sound harsh to my ears regardless of what I do, pole piece adjustments, etc. I understand that it has 300K pots and it also has a PCB in it so I'm gutting it. About a year ago I did the same to my LP and put some 50's wiring in it and a set of Seth Lovers. Haven't looked back. But I'm thinking of doing something a bit different with the SG. I'd like to turn my SG into a classic/hard rock guitar. Probably going with modern wiring and I was set on the 59's for both neck and bridge but since these Saturday Night Specials came out I'm having second thoughts.I'm also entertaining the idea of a 59 in the neck and a Saturday Night Special in the bridge. Any thoughts or opinions always appreciated. Oh and if it matters I mostly play through a small 12 watt single channel plexi clone tube amp but I also play through a 100watt JVM when the occasion calls for it. Cheers.

Oh and I'm not interested in doing any magnet swaps, just wanted to head that off at the pass if you will.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: 59 or Saturday Night Specials

I love the 59 in the neck for an SG and I think that the best thing you could pair it with would be a Custom (the ceramic one). They pair eachother perfectly in any guitar, but in an SG they don't have the boomy bass that they are known for in other Gibson guitars.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: 59 or Saturday Night Specials

A few people here are very well qualified to answer your questions on these pickups and magnets in particular.

I don’t know if you know but the Saturday night specials have alnico four magnets. They claim the idea came from this forum and for a while I went crazy with ideas regarding A4 and I wonder if it was me who put that particular magnet into their thoughts. Then again, what kind of an egotistical jerk would I have to be to believe that? Lol

I’ve heard the alnico five magnets work great in SGs. I like the alnico two myself in my Les Paul but it’s a different instrument altogether.

The 57s just plain suck. They came stock on my Les Paul. The sound was good but not articulate.


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[astrozombie]

Re: 59 or Saturday Night Specials

The alnico four sounded good in my Les pauls but I thought the sound wasn’t as “pretty” as the alnico 2 pros I have now.

Turns out I actually prefer the color some magnets give although on paper they seem limiting.




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[astrozombie]

Re: 59 or Saturday Night Specials

A4 is pretty transparent sounding

Sorry I kept posting I keep forgetting key points lol


Have you considered the whole lotta humbucker they are regarded kind of as a 59 deluxe


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[beaubrummels]

Re: 59 or Saturday Night Specials

Pearly Gates bridge and Jazz neck for me. Or Whole Lotta Humbucker set.

Don't have experience with SNS but have tried A4 in my 59 set. Really good, but not exactly right. an A2Pro set was a little better for me for aforementioned music types.

 

[chadd]

Re: 59 or Saturday Night Specials

If you thought the 57s sounded harsh in your SG with 300k pots, I can't imagine the SNS with 500k pots sounding any less harsh.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: 59 or Saturday Night Specials

I really like the video of the SNS demo on the Duncan site, and that was done with an SG. That video makes me want a set. I actually have a SNS bridge that is meant to replace a Brobucker in one of my Dean Hardtails, but I haven't installed it yet.

For your application, the 59's are a tried and true set known to have favorable results most of the time. I have no experience with the WLH set, but I feel that the neck specs out too high. I know DCR doesn't tell the whole story, but I like PAF style pups to be in the mid 7's as far as DCR....but that's a personal thing. I like warmth but clarity in the neck.... no mud, no boomy bass.

The SNS set is pretty hot right now, so if you try them and don't like them you could get a good chunk of your cash back selling them here or elsewhere on line. 59's are plentiful and cheaper to pick up in exchange.

Let us know what you decide and good luck.

 

[tyrion]

Re: 59 or Saturday Night Specials

Thanks all for your comments. In regards to the comment about harsh and 500k pots. Maybe harsh is not that accurate. For my ears I find that the lack of clarity in the 57's "harsh", just a clanging strident mish mash, I don't find them very touch sensitive either. I have a Pearly Gates set in my Heritage and they sound great in that but just kinda looking for something different for the SG.

WLH set? I never even considered those, that might be the ticket but like Jeff_H I like my PAF neck pickups to be in the mid 7's for DCR. Hrrmmmm so many choices.... If the WLH pickup is considered a PAF deluxe maybe a 59 in the neck and a WLH in the bridge, that might work. Also thought about a custom or custome 5 in the bridge but that might be too much. Again so many choices....

 

[Mincer]

Re: 59 or Saturday Night Specials

Well, I find the 59s very clear...very scooped, with a healthy bass and treble. Good for guitars with some mids. The SNS set is a little more 'polite' EQ-wise, with a more balanced sound across all frequencies.

 

[blueman335]

Re: 59 or Saturday Night Specials

My go-to set for an SG is a pair of '59's, with an UOA5 in the bridge. Good match of PU & guitar. You can find good deals on used '59's. One of the most recommended bridge PU's here for SG's are C8's, for those that want warmth, horsepower, and a firm low end. I wouldn't want to spend the money on a SNS set and then decide that they'd sound better in my guitar with different magnets.

WLH's are warmer, especially the neck, a lot more mids than '59's. Agree with you on '57 Classics; lack of clarity and a weird 'ribbony' high end. I don't know what Gibson's thinking putting those in so many models of guitar.

 

[tyrion]

Re: 59 or Saturday Night Specials

Thanks for all the suggestions. Most likely going to go with 59's but I also starting to toy with P90's... I don't have any guitars with P90's so this SG might just be it. Still undecided. So many options... Great time to be a guitarist.

 

[Ben1962]

Re: 59 or Saturday Night Specials

Was just going to suggest P90s myself

 

[tyrion]

Re: 59 or Saturday Night Specials

Was just going to suggest P90s myself

Yeah I think I'm going to go the P90 route. Makes sense as none of my other guitars have P90's in them. Now I just need to decide on which ones. I have some Lollar's in my Tele that sound great so I might take a look at his stuff but damn if it isn't expensive.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: 59 or Saturday Night Specials

Pro tip: Mag swaps in a Phat Cat (which won't require routing in your HH SG. It's also got two magnets so it's easily customisable if you are into that type of thing.

 

[UTGrad]

Re: 59 or Saturday Night Specials

WLH Humbucker bridge sounds great in my Epi SG. Has that Jimmy Page sound from “Song Remains the Same” live album. Doesn’t have that 80s metal sound nor mid 60s Clapton sound either. 70s hard rock tone.


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[Wattage]

Re: 59 or Saturday Night Specials

Gibson P-94's over the Phat Cats, no mag swap necessary

I have an SNS set in my SG, with coil splits. Really sounds good, splits well, actually the best match for those pickups so far is the SG. I have had them in a couple of guitars and the A4's didn't quite match up so well with my Mira or the funky Firebird Zero.

 

[tyrion]

Re: 59 or Saturday Night Specials

Whelp Lollars are out. Just got hit with a huge tax bill. :lame: Might have to go with Phat Cats. Its just that most of my guitars have Seymour's in them I thought I'd go with something a bit different this time around. Have to do some thinking. I'll report back when/if I decide and have them installed.

 

[czac]

Re: 59 or Saturday Night Specials

I have a set of SNS I just put into my schecter and oh my goodness. They sound fantastic. I hardly touch the bridge pickup, the neck just does something special in terms of warmth and sweet drive sound. And to Wattage’s point yes, they split so well

 

[blueman335]

Re: 59 or Saturday Night Specials

Yeah I think I'm going to go the P90 route. Makes sense as none of my other guitars have P90's in them. Now I just need to decide on which ones.

P-90's are great In SG's (think 1970's Pete Townsend, Carlos Santana, and Tony Iommi). GFS Mean 90's have gotten a lot of positive comments here, highly recommended. They have A5's and actually sound like P-90's, Phat Cats don't. Plus if you decide to tweak your tone with mag swaps, it's easier in Mean 90's (or any other P-90), than it is for Phat Cats (I don't know why PC's have the cover soldered on, which is the only thing holding the pickup together. Strange design). Plus Mean 90's have a 2nd ground wire, PC's don't.