Custom shop replica of Clapton's SG bridge pup

[Jeffrec]

I was reading the interview of Warren Haynes on the SD website, artist section. He indicated that he has a '61 SG/LP reissue with a SD custom shop replica of Clapton's Cream-era SG bridge pup. Anyone have any info on this? I couldn't find it in the Custom Shop section. I'm currently using a C-5 in mine. I love it, but I'm sure it's a lot hotter than what Clapton was using back then.

Thanks in advance.

Jeff

 

[Bludave]

Re: Custom shop replica of Clapton's SG bridge pup

Clapton was playing PAF's back then... There is nothing that compares..... well maybe a Seth Lover, but not quite! As far as SD making WH a replica of that sound, its the first I've heard of it!

 

[flank]

Re: Custom shop replica of Clapton's SG bridge pup

Lew was talkin about this a few months ago.....and i dont remember if he got any replies or not!

 

[yes-fan]

Re: Custom shop replica of Clapton's SG bridge pup

were claptons pickups origonal pafs or did he mod them in some way?

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: Custom shop replica of Clapton's SG bridge pup

As it turns out, his psychedelic SG was a '64 with patent # pups. Probably Alnico-5 magnets. I asked one of the techs at Duncan, years ago before the Forum was born, about those pups and he felt that the closest at the time were '59's.

As far as modding the pups, Clapton and Bruce had the controls modded to distort a bit more. I may be wrong, but I think Ernie Ball did the mods at the time.

I would love to hear from Evan re: Hayne's pups. They may be a one-shot Custom deal for him.

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: Custom shop replica of Clapton's SG bridge pup

Bump

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Custom shop replica of Clapton's SG bridge pup

As it turns out, his psychedelic SG was a '64 with patent # pups. Probably Alnico-5 magnets. I asked one of the techs at Duncan, years ago before the Forum was born, about those pups and he felt that the closest at the time were '59's.

As far as modding the pups, Clapton and Bruce had the controls modded to distort a bit more. I may be wrong, but I think Ernie Ball did the mods at the time.

I would love to hear from Evan re: Hayne's pups. They may be a one-shot Custom deal for him.

My #1 favorite humbucker tone of all time is Clapton's tone with Cream. It revolutionized rock guitar playing. No one sounded like that before Clapton...not even Freddie King who Clapton has credited as an influence on coming up with that tone. Personally, I think the pickup that get's the closest to Clapton's tone with the SG is the Duncan 59B. It's alnico 5 like the patent # Gibson pickups from the early 60's. However, a cranked vintage style Marshall amp through Celestion speakers is even more important than the correct pickups, IMO...don't overlook the importance of a good Marshall. As for the controls being modded to increase distortion, I doubt it. There's nothing that could've been done to dramaticly increase the output of passive humbuckers by changing the volume and tone controls...especially in those days. Maybe they found 300K pots and switched them to 500K or 1meg or something like that, but that's about all that could've been done. That would've bled off fewer highs and the result would be that the guitar would sound a bit brighter, but not more distorted. Best of luck! Lew

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: Custom shop replica of Clapton's SG bridge pup

Lew,

Nice assessment..as usual. I agree the 59B would probably do it. The C5 I have definitely does, but is obviously more potent. I defintely agree that the Mashall/Celestion/turned up to "11" is another peice of the puzzle (along with Clapton's hands). I wish I could get myhands on that article. It was an interview with Jack Bruce (in 20th Century Guitar). I may still have it somewhere. He described some type of mod, but I forget what it was. He may also be mis-remembering (can't do that much acid and not have a few false memories!).

Thanks again.

Jeff

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: Custom shop replica of Clapton's SG bridge pup

Lew,

I found the Jack Bruce article in Vintage Guitar mag. He indicates that Dan Armstrong had a shop across from Manny's in NYC and Dan put a "diode on the volume pots" to create distortion. Don't know what that means exactly, but thought you'ld be interested.

Jeff

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Custom shop replica of Clapton's SG bridge pup

Lew,

I found the Jack Bruce article in Vintage Guitar mag. He indicates that Dan Armstrong had a shop across from Manny's in NYC and Dan put a "diode on the volume pots" to create distortion. Don't know what that means exactly, but thought you'ld be interested.

Jeff

Thanks Jeff! Maybe it's similar to that BLACK ICE thing Stew-Mac sells. It installs inside the guitar, supposedly makes the guitar more distorted, works without a battery and reportedly sounds awful! Maybe John could explain how that works. Clipping Diodes maybe? Lew

 

[Artie]

Re: Custom shop replica of Clapton's SG bridge pup

Hmmm . . . I suppose this might work, but I'm doubtful.

I measured the output of my original 59n/C5 combo on a 'scope, and hitting it pretty hard, I could only get about 300 - 500 mv out of it. An older germanium diode would require around that much just to overcome the forward voltage of the diode. In other words, only the voltage over the 300 - 500mv would make it through, and that would sound weak and horrible.

A modern diode would require more in the 700mv range, and would be even worse.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Custom shop replica of Clapton's SG bridge pup

Hmmm . . . I suppose this might work, but I'm doubtful.

I measured the output of my original 59n/C5 combo on a 'scope, and hitting it pretty hard, I could only get about 300 - 500 mv out of it. An older germanium diode would require around that much just to overcome the forward voltage of the diode. In other words, only the voltage over the 300 - 500mv would make it through, and that would sound weak and horrible.

A modern diode would require more in the 700mv range, and would be even worse.

Dan Armstrong did do tricks like that tho...I forgot all about him. So did Bill Lawrence. Never cared for the tone, but those guys did do things like that.
Bill Lawrence still does. Lew

 

[Artie]

Re: Custom shop replica of Clapton's SG bridge pup

Yeah, and I was just thinking - I made that measurement back when I first put them in. That was with the original 250k pots. With the 500k pots, the output voltage could potentially be twice as high, which would work much better.

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: Custom shop replica of Clapton's SG bridge pup

Thanks Jeff! Maybe it's similar to that BLACK ICE thing Stew-Mac sells. It installs inside the guitar, supposedly makes the guitar more distorted, works without a battery and reportedly sounds awful! Maybe John could explain how that works. Clipping Diodes maybe? Lew

Lew & Artie,

Thanks for info. You're probably right. It's probably something like the "Black Ice " thing, which I've also heard sucks eggs bigtime. Actually when you listen to Clapton's SG on those songs (live "Spponful", "Crossroads", "Sweet Wine") it's not distorted, but fat, creamy, etc, just like a good overdriven Marshall should sound like. So maybe Jack was referring to the studio distorted stuff like Claptons solo on "Sittin' On Top of the World" from Wheels of Fire. That has a funky sound, almost like he's playing through a slightly ripped speaker or plastic wrap.

Jeff