Brighter but not hotter than a SH-11

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namklak

New member
New project is REO Gary Richrath. Roll with the changes opens with pentatonic major box first position 17th fret. My SG has a SH-11 in the bridge, and the first double stop bend fizzles out fast. Play the same riff octave lower, no problem.

I'm wondering if I need a JB SH-4, Screamin' Demon, or maybe swap magnets in my SH-11?

Also wondering if a brighter pickup would help the pick/pinch harmonics.

My LP Custom with P90s Stack doesn't fizzle out. Sure the LP (not a carved top) has better sustain, but...

Playing into a Fractal AX8 Plexi 50 watt jumpered. Tone is damn close - just need to fix the high end "fizzle out".

I don't want to go too hot because I'm hoping to use the same patches with the LP with the P90s stack installed.

Thanks.
 
Easy...swap an A5 mag into your SH-11 to make it a "Custom 5". It'll bump the output a tad, but it won't be "too hot" like you're worried about. Another in-between magnet would be an unoriented A5 (UOA5) if you didn't want to go full A5
 
OK- let's stop the insanity right here:

Gary Richrath is a Les Paul loaded with TWO Super Distortions, and a wah pedal, into a Marshall. Do not fight the obvious.


Your question is roughly the equivalent of asking "Doing a KISS / Ace Frehlely tribute. What can I do to get the sound of Speeding Back? I have a Duncan A2P, but need more bite? Would a Pearly Gates help?"
 
I have three SG's (one since 1990). I've read about "dead spots" on SG's but haven't investigated. A test I've read is to add a temporary high mass to the headstock to see if it moves the dead spot or gets rid of it completely. If so, there is the "Fathead" or heavy Grover tuners. But then the headstock might droop because of the extra weight.

Take it on the run is better.
 
bigcupholder said:
I'd check that the truss rod is properly set, then raise the action as needed. No amount of hardware upgrades will save a bad setup.

Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk
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I've never had a truss affect sustain. He didn't say there was fret buzz. But maybe that's what 'fizzle' meant.
 
Aceman said:
OK- let's stop the insanity right here:

Gary Richrath is a Les Paul loaded with TWO Super Distortions, and a wah pedal, into a Marshall. Do not fight the obvious.


Your question is roughly the equivalent of asking "Doing a KISS / Ace Frehlely tribute. What can I do to get the sound of Speeding Back? I have a Duncan A2P, but need more bite? Would a Pearly Gates help?"
Click to expand...

Seriously? Super D's are great. I made my Dave Murray with some old ones (12.61K) and it sounds fantastic.
 
Sounds like the guitar needs a setup. I’ve used the CC in several different guitars and have it in my LP. This high end fizzle out does not exist and has not existing in any others I’ve used it with. Start with the setup. The action may be too low and the fizzle out may be the string may be dying out on the frets.
 
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Great info, thanks.
Considering Super Distortions. But with modeling does "how hot" a pickup is really matter? SDs do have a unique EQ...
I ordered A5, UOA5, and a C8 for swapping. Hard to find the ceramic spacers, I think Mojotone has maybe the right thing...
The fizzle is all 3 notes decaying quickly (D bent up to E on G string, while holding the G on B and C on E) and the same, so 3 different strings/notes all up high (the C on the E is on the 20th fret).
And uh in response to another comment, Golden Country. As a guitar player, I'm doing this for the 70s stuff but half the crowd will be the Time For Me To Fly drivel fans.
I have heavier aftermarket tuners installed already - and this is a very light guitar. Sustain is an issue with this axe, but this problem is way worse on very high notes, that's why I was thinking pickup EQ.
Thanks again.
 
ErikH said:
Sounds like the guitar needs a setup. I’ve used the CC in several different guitars and have it in my LP. This high end fizzle out does not exist and has not existing in any others I’ve used it with. Start with the setup. The action may be too low and the fizzle out may be the string may be dying out on the frets.
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I have a very good luthier, but it's been probably 5 years since this axe has been in... He's very good at adjust pickup height so it does not pull/interfere with the strings.
 
I don’t think any change of pickup will fix that. It’s the guitar itself from the sounds of it. A setup should be the first order of business.
The Super Distortion is a great pickup. Even with modeling, don’t see any problem. My Dean ML has two in it. I wired the neck in parallel though. If a setup on the SG doesn’t help, the Super Distortion might help mask it some.
What gauge strings do you use? If 9-42, toss on a set of 10-46 with the setup.
 
namklak said:
I have a very good luthier, but it's been probably 5 years since this axe has been in... He's very good at adjust pickup height so it does not pull/interfere with the strings.
Click to expand...

There’s more to a setup than adjusting the pickup height. Truss rod adjustment if needed for neck relief, check the nut slots, saddles on the bridge, action. Sometimes a fret level/polish is necessary depending on play wear. And always do a setup with fresh strings.
 
I'm just saying, Gary played a fairly consistent guitar throughout his REO years. Instead of doing backflips through invisible flaming hoops to get close to the mystical tone, just get what he used.

Whether Golden Country, Keep Pushing' Back On The Road Again, or Tough Guys....Les Paul, two SuperD's, Wah, and a Marshall Plexi. But you do you.

When I want to do Gary, I grab one of my KISS Les Paul's and tune it up a half step. It really is that easy.
 
There is some truth to heavier guitars sustaining longer.

my lighter ones sustain less than my heavier ones on average.


sustain issues are very common with longer mahogany necks. SGs, and 335s suffer more than les pauls, for instance.

Where the dead note is, depends on the weight and density of the wood used.

My revstar has the 12th fret g string with half the sustain of all the other notes. The same note on adjacent strings is fine.
 
I play a C chord triad up above the 17th fret: I bend the G string 19th fret D to an E, and complete the C chord triad on the 20th fret with the G on the B string and C on the high E - all three notes fizzle out the same. It could be that this light weight guitar just won't sustain on very high notes, but it sounds like a bandwidth issue to me...

When I experiment with the A5 and C8 magnets, I will probably need to lower the pickup or raise the strings to avoid pickup interference.
- I should probably play with that now... Also, it doesn't sound or feel like fret buzz...

As far as axes, I have a LP with noiseless P90s and an SG with humbuckers (the guitar in question for this thread). This is a low commitment project and I retired from music 3 years ago due to old age physical limitations - I was hoping to not have to buy an axe for this project. If I did, I would look for a LP Double Cutaway - I seen a few pix of him playing one (or maybe it's a Hamer?), which would allow easier access to the high frets. My SG allows great access, the LP not so much... And I will not be dragging a plexi half stack (with power soak, because none of the venues we will be playing in will let me dime a 50 watt plexi half stack) because I'm too old to do that. An AX8 and a 10" FRFR is my rig.

Edit: just found this interview regarding the double cut
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VG: On an M-TV concert, you were playing what appeared to be a double cut-away 'Burst. It looked sort of like an Ibanez Artist.

GR: That's a Worthington guitar, made by the folks at Silver Strong Music in St. Louis. My good friend Ed Seelig works there, and I've bought almost all my Les Pauls from him. They also make guitars. I sent them one of my Les Pauls and they made an exact copy - the neck is right and everything. The only difference is the double cut-away style. If I was worried about taking my Les Pauls on the road, I'd carry a Worthington.

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