Gibson SG's - What kinds of pickups usually lend themselves well to SG's?

Y

Young Angus

Kometose Tonologist
No maple cap, thinner mahogany body, etc......what kinds of pickups usually lend themselves well to SG's.

57 classics usually seem to work well with them since lots of people have them and they come stock with lots of models...I have some in my '61 reissue and they sound good but I wouldn't mind a little more clarity from the neck.

Are A5 magnet pickups usually too harsh in an SG or are they just fine and dandy?

Not really specific to any particular type of music, just after a general discussion about people's experiences.

HAVE AT YOU :sword:
 
Re: Gibson SG's - What kinds of pickups usually lend themselves well to SG's?

Custom 5 and Jazz.

All you need right there, especially given your username. :)
 
Re: Gibson SG's - What kinds of pickups usually lend themselves well to SG's?

In my experience, avoid anything with a pushed mid range - I've always gotten that "aww" sound out of anything like a JB. I like bass heavy, lower midrange pickups for my SG... or the opposite - crispy pickups. I just posted in another thread that the Screamin' Demon was one of my favorite bridge pickups in my SG.
 
Re: Gibson SG's - What kinds of pickups usually lend themselves well to SG's?

i prefer the pgn and c5. thats the set i had in my sg that i liked best
 
Re: Gibson SG's - What kinds of pickups usually lend themselves well to SG's?

Or a C5/'59N, which has been the most common SG recomendation here. I think you see a common denominator with a C5.
 
Re: Gibson SG's - What kinds of pickups usually lend themselves well to SG's?

In my opinion you either need infantry (PAF) or artillery (heaviest wind) pickups.

Most of the commando style medium pickups need a Les Paul or Explorer/V body to drive them, and in a SG they sound thin but are already too compressed.

SGs take 59s better than Les Pauls, they don't get boomy. That particularly applies to the neck pickup.
 
Re: Gibson SG's - What kinds of pickups usually lend themselves well to SG's?

The Demon works great in my SG X. No neck pickup or pickguard just a slab of mahogany and a rosewood fretboard. It balances the EQ nice and is alot more open than the 500T it replaced.

In my Gothic a straight out Custom is the only pup that would match well with the '59 neck. The Demon and '59 bridges were too thin for the neck. The Invader was just too woolly to eq right with the '59. The Distortion was cool and if I hadn't won a Custom off of Ebay it would still be there.
 
Re: Gibson SG's - What kinds of pickups usually lend themselves well to SG's?

I recently bought a SG Faded with a set of Gibson Burstbuckers (1 and 2 combo) and it sounds incredible! So, I would agree with those who recommend PAF-ish pickups like 59's, Alnico II pros, or 57 classics. I also recommend 50's style wiring because I'm a purist at heart!
 
Re: Gibson SG's - What kinds of pickups usually lend themselves well to SG's?

I actually dig the stock 490t in the bridge. The 490r is way too muddy and 'hot' in the neck. I tried a Seth neck, but it wasn't quite right. I had an A5 magnet laying around,so I made a SethN a5. For an off-the-shelf solution, I'd imagine that a 59neck would be pretty good.

As for the Seth bridge, I found it too weak and bright, at least compared to the 490t (which isn't exactly known for being hot).
 
Re: Gibson SG's - What kinds of pickups usually lend themselves well to SG's?

jeremy said:
i prefer the pgn and c5. thats the set i had in my sg that i liked best
Click to expand...
+1 I had a PGn and '59 bridge that was a really nice combo. With my Les Paul I swapped out the magnet from a Custom Custom and put it into my bridge '59, to make an Alnico II bridge. I took the Alnico V magnet and put it into my Custom Custom to make a C5. This thing smokes!!! Great combo, highly recommend!!! :banana:

Jack
 
Re: Gibson SG's - What kinds of pickups usually lend themselves well to SG's?

If you like the Gibson '57 Classic Treble pickup, the way to get clarity from the neck position and retain overall output balance is to go for lower power from the neck pickup.

I would stick with Gibson and install the under-wound Burstbucker model. (BB#3, I think.)
 
Re: Gibson SG's - What kinds of pickups usually lend themselves well to SG's?

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Re: Gibson SG's - What kinds of pickups usually lend themselves well to SG's?

BB3 is the hottest wind, BB1 is the weakest.

59s are a great choice, my SG has a Demon in the neck and a 59 in the bridge. Given the tonal nature of a SG, I bet a C5 would sound excellent as well if you wanted more chug.
 
Re: Gibson SG's - What kinds of pickups usually lend themselves well to SG's?

59n / Brobucker. The Brobucker often gets called the "angus in a box" pickup. PAF sound with a bit more chest hair. NAILS the late 70s ac/dc sound to a T, even through my Vox amp.
 
Re: Gibson SG's - What kinds of pickups usually lend themselves well to SG's?

Custom 5 is awesome in an SG and it will nail your Angus sound dead on thru a tube amp.
 
Re: Gibson SG's - What kinds of pickups usually lend themselves well to SG's?

I had one for a while that I ended up giving as a present to my uncle that had a 7.2k neck pickup and a gibson 498T with A4 in the bridge. The bridge pickup was quite good under distortion and combined well with the neck pickup - the closest thing I guess would be a custom 5 so that's what I'm gonna recommend. The neck pickup however, was sublime. I had a broken VHPAF lying around, and I sent it to a guy who custom winds pickups - asked for a 7.2k neck wind with A2, unpotted as well as it wouldn't be covered. The result is a neck pickup that, to this day, is the best neck humbucker I have heard in any guitar (well, in person at least). Although it has been a while since I played the pickups in his 1962 SG w/ vibrola tailpiece - unfortunately I won't be able to hear them again anytime soon because he has since sold the guitar.

I think I really like PAF winds w/ A2 in the neck. That seems to be what I gravitate towards, at least.
 
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