Hello forum,
A long while back I swapped out stock pickups in a gibson sg standard (mid 90s) for an sd invader and 59n. I love the 59n, it's never leaving that guitar. But, I'd like to replace the invader for a different sd bridge pup.
The stock bridge pickup (490 or 498) was too thin and weak for me. The invader made the guitar sound bigger, fatter, punchier, etc; all of which I like. However, it also made it brittle (especially in the highs), harsh, and fuzzy/dirty/crackly for lack of a better word (too hot?).
I'm looking for a pickup for my sg that will thicken the guitar up, make it bigger, fatter, punchier, etc, but not make it sound brittle, harsh and fuzzy/crackly. I've looked over the forums a good deal and have narrowed things down a bit, but I still don't know what to go with.
I thought the custom would be a good choice, but then I learned it has a ceramic magnet like the invader, so I worry the harsh/brittle/shrill feel might stick around. I guess the best I can come up with is the custom 5, but I don't know if this will be ballsy enough. Altogether, my short list is: custom, custom 5, custom custom, 59 bridge, alt 8. I know the "custom 8" would probably be a great match, but if you recommend that, please also recommend a production pup.
Oh yeah, I play metal, pretty heavy stuff (progressive, neo-classical, melodic death metal, etc), but I want something still warm sounding, not sterile/brittle/you get the point. Here's a link to a sound/band I like (the human abstract, from Nocturne):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1n5IWbHqu8
Thanks much,
Jim
A long while back I swapped out stock pickups in a gibson sg standard (mid 90s) for an sd invader and 59n. I love the 59n, it's never leaving that guitar. But, I'd like to replace the invader for a different sd bridge pup.
The stock bridge pickup (490 or 498) was too thin and weak for me. The invader made the guitar sound bigger, fatter, punchier, etc; all of which I like. However, it also made it brittle (especially in the highs), harsh, and fuzzy/dirty/crackly for lack of a better word (too hot?).
I'm looking for a pickup for my sg that will thicken the guitar up, make it bigger, fatter, punchier, etc, but not make it sound brittle, harsh and fuzzy/crackly. I've looked over the forums a good deal and have narrowed things down a bit, but I still don't know what to go with.
I thought the custom would be a good choice, but then I learned it has a ceramic magnet like the invader, so I worry the harsh/brittle/shrill feel might stick around. I guess the best I can come up with is the custom 5, but I don't know if this will be ballsy enough. Altogether, my short list is: custom, custom 5, custom custom, 59 bridge, alt 8. I know the "custom 8" would probably be a great match, but if you recommend that, please also recommend a production pup.
Oh yeah, I play metal, pretty heavy stuff (progressive, neo-classical, melodic death metal, etc), but I want something still warm sounding, not sterile/brittle/you get the point. Here's a link to a sound/band I like (the human abstract, from Nocturne):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1n5IWbHqu8
Thanks much,
Jim
