Early santana pickup help

[4g63]

hello,




Ive recently got my hands on a epi SG(comes with 2 humbuckers), and im trying to attempt to get the same tone or as close as material will allow out of it that santana had when he played a gibson Sg in the 60's. Think jingo,soul sacrifice, wood stock performances etc.



Ive heard alnico p90's but then i hear alot of people say the new ones have a fat tone to them and don't really sound like the originals. Any suggestions on a maker/model of pickups that can get really bright and just scream?



thank you

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Early santana pickup help

I'd go with stock P90's. Bear in mind that both pickups in Carlos SG were identical output pickups. In those days pickups were not calibrated. These days, most bridge pickups are wound slightly hotter than the neck pickup and the neck pickup is underwound a little to give you more clarity and a more balanced output. In any case, the Duncan Vintage P90 set would do the trick. I wonder if you'd be better off going with two neck pickups or two bridge pickups though if you wanted the most authentic 60's P90 tone?

 

[yeti]

Re: Early santana pickup help

Lew, were there any screw spacing differences (for the strings) between the neck and bridge pups back then? Or was it "one-model-fits-everywhere"?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Early santana pickup help

Lew, were there any screw spacing differences (for the strings) between the neck and bridge pups back then? Or was it "one-model-fits-everywhere"?

One size/one pickup fits all was the policy back in the 50's and 60's. As long as it worked and sounded "good", that was good enough! :laugh2: Personally, I think the pickups being made today surpass the pickups of the 50's and 60's. I sold all of my old 50's pafs and P90's when I became a pickup dealer. Lew

 

[4g63]

Re: Early santana pickup help

Thanks lew i'll try the duncan vintage's. i might try the two necks/bridge idea if i cant seem to find the tone