Changes to my new SG : thoughts?

[phil_104]

Re: Changes to my new SG : thoughts?

You shouldn't need locking tuners for that guitar, I'd have the nut worked on so there is no binding of the strings in the slots. It's not like a Strat Trem that does heavy dive-bomb whammy action. With a properly cut and finished nut, there should not be any problems with the strings going out of tune. Just my opinion.

Have you tried adjusting the pickups?. To get more out of the bridge, screw the pole pieces down into the pickup, and raise the height of the p/u. On the neck, if it overpowers the bridge, raise the polepieces and lower the pickup. Also, check to see if it has 500k pots all around, Gibson puts 300k linear volume pots in most production guitars, changing them to 500k audio pots will get more out of the pickups. The tone pots should already be 500k audio.

I'm wondering why you got the 3-pickup model if you don't like having the middle pickup?. Why didn't you just get a 2-pickup model?.

Al

Yeah, I'll be getting a new nut for it, graphite probably. The locking tuners for me have always been about string changes as much as stability. I just dig them. Pickups have been adjusted, but I'm not getting the results I want.

As for the 2 pickup model vs 3, this guitar came up as a good deal, and I liked the feel of it (specially the neck), as well as the Vibrola.

 

[Gibslayer]

Re: Changes to my new SG : thoughts?

Having owned a Gibson SG Custom in the past, I'd say the new config. looks and works better. The middle pickup gets in the way and even lowering it seems to impact the tone on the other pickups. It kinda goes back to why some folks like having single pickup guitars. There's better tone when there's a more focused magnetic pull and realistically, the middle humbucker doesn't really do anything worthwhile anyways.

When I owned an Epiphone version of the Les Paul Custom sg. I found the middle pickup got in the way a lot. Also... I never used it. Because it's not on a switch but instead of a volume pot I found it harder to use live as if it was on with other pickups. Because it was so close to the other pickups it sounded muddy and unbalanced.

When I had the Epi. I actually re-wired the guitar like a normal 2 pickup SG. But when removing the middle pickup I took the pickup out and replaced it with an empty pickup cover and mount. So it looked like it had the middle pickup. Because it was doing nothing I then lowered it so it was less in the way. That worked for me.

I later sold the guitar because I decided it wasn't for me. Now I own an SG Classic Faded loaded with p90s... it's so sweet.


On a side note I must ask what the video you have at the bottom of your comment is from......

 

[blueman335]

Re: Changes to my new SG : thoughts?

I'd go with a black pickguard and 2 HB's. Can't beat that look. I'd also wire the neck HB for spin-a-split so I could get unbalanced coils to open up the sound. It's tempting to put a mini-HB in the neck slot too.

 

[jake_xms3_punk]

Re: Changes to my new SG : thoughts?

I like the black and gold look! For the wiring I would do it how I wired my sg. push/push tone pot to turn the middle pickup on and off in any position on the 3 way. 3 way wired up as it would be in a normal 2 pickup SG, 3 volumes and one tone.

I really like a humbucker sized p90 in the middle a lot more than a humbucker, it even sounds good on its own! Also the screw poles being in the middle makes it look semetrical.

 

[Hecubus]

Re: Changes to my new SG : thoughts?

I would hope the OP figured this out within the last year.:dance:

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Changes to my new SG : thoughts?

Lol, you're not the first person to say that. I have a few friends who've already inquired. I think, when I change the electronics, I'll take out the wiring harness and I'll keep it intact, just so that I can throw it all back in if I decide to sell the guitar.

Definitely keep the whole electronic package intact. Store it in a small Fedex Box or something. Being a rare signature model Gibson, don't do anything irreversible.....I wouldn't change the tuners either. Just use a two or three wraps around the post, and use the pinch lock method of keeping the string stable. Locking tuners are a waste of money, and they often leave indentation marks on the back of the headstock. I hate when people do this to Gibsons.
Have a good tech file and polish the stock nut so the strings glide through. If you change it out, go with Tusq XL made for a Gibson guitar.

I considered buying that SG, and was intrigued by the spinning 3 way switch/pot, but I only fiddled with it for a few minutes at the store. I'd probably get a regular black 3 ply SG pickguard, and maybe a gold Slash Bridge. If I even changed the neck pickup, I'd probably choose a Seth or PGn.

Congrats on a sweet SG though. You're doing the right thing by making every guitar purchase a lifetime keeper, rather than wasting your money on timely guitars.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Changes to my new SG : thoughts?

When I owned an Epiphone version of the Les Paul Custom sg. I found the middle pickup got in the way a lot. Also... I never used it. Because it's not on a switch but instead of a volume pot I found it harder to use live as if it was on with other pickups. Because it was so close to the other pickups it sounded muddy and unbalanced.

When I had the Epi. I actually re-wired the guitar like a normal 2 pickup SG. But when removing the middle pickup I took the pickup out and replaced it with an empty pickup cover and mount. So it looked like it had the middle pickup. Because it was doing nothing I then lowered it so it was less in the way. That worked for me.

I later sold the guitar because I decided it wasn't for me. Now I own an SG Classic Faded loaded with p90s... it's so sweet.

Exactly. It becomes such a personal thing in the end, but I don't understand the need for a 3rd pickup when all it does is detract from the tone of the other two. On something like a strat, the middle pickup is invaluable. With big output humbuckers, not so much.

On a side note I must ask what the video you have at the bottom of your comment is from......

Some online show called "Pilot Season" and it's from episode 11: Secret. I always dug Isla Fisher and stumbled upon the .gif and thought most guys would enjoy it.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Changes to my new SG : thoughts?

zombies