How can I make my SG sound like a Strat?

G

gerard

New member
So basically, I have a 2003 Gibson SG Faded with crescent inlays. It's been a great guitar, and I definitely enjoy the feel of it, so I'd rather not get rid of it for a Fender. Nevertheless, I am now playing in a band that does more disco/dance type music so my SG, which was great when I was in a grunge band, is no longer really making the grade. This summer, my brother let me use his American Strat, which was perfect for what I was doing. Now that he's taken his guitar back, I need to find a way to get a better sound than my SG is giving me now. I've considered trading in my SG, but then I thought I might be able to replace the pickups on the SG to make it sound brighter and cleaner. Does anyone have any advice on what pickups could to that? Obviously, they'd have to fit into the double pickup slots on the SG. Or do you think I would just better off not messing with SG and just trying to find a good deal on a Fender?

Thanks.
 
Re: How can I make my SG sound like a Strat?

welcome to the forum!

you can put brighter and cleaner pups in but it will never sound like a strat. everything is different about the guitar. woods, neck construction, scale length, bridge, pup type etc...

a pair of underwound phat cats with a5 magnets will get you as close are you are gonna get but i think if you want a strat sound, get a strat.
 
Re: How can I make my SG sound like a Strat?

Light tailpiece.

Get a Strat-in-humbucker pickup for the neck from the Custom shop. Get a P-rails for the bridge.

For the real thing you would need a tremolo but the SG body isn't deep enough. So even if you are willing to route then you can't do it unless you find a very short block.
 
Re: How can I make my SG sound like a Strat?

Although you can get single coil sounds on an SG with several SD pickups, it won't sound like a Strat. If money is an object get a Mexican Strat and keep the SG. You can always trade up to better Strat later on.
 
Re: How can I make my SG sound like a Strat?

So the general consensus is to trade for a Strat. I believe I bought my SG in 2003 for $799. Do you think I can trade straight up for an American Strat or do you think I'll have to put in some money?
 
Re: How can I make my SG sound like a Strat?

A faded is less valuable than an American Strat. And to be honest, a regular American Strat can be pretty lousy. You shouldn't trade that blind. In general, aiming for a 57 or 62 vintage reissue is the better idea unless you get lucky and find a good Am Std in person. But if you go that route you can as well start testing lots of Mexican Strats which can come out very well, too (or not).

The faded SG is also "unfairly" underpriced, the used prices are pretty horrible.
 
Re: How can I make my SG sound like a Strat?

Maybe an open single coil sound, like a P-90 with A5's, would be even better for your uses than a Strat (it sure is for me). Instead of spending a lot of money selling & buying guitars, I'd put in a couple of bright HB-sized P-90's. There's a lot of them out there today, and installing them is easy. Look for a deal on eBay, for new or used ones.
 
Re: How can I make my SG sound like a Strat?

A Phat Cat is very close to a PAF class-wise.

I think a SG can take one of those Strat-in-humbucker casing pickups in the neck. But then that's an expensive pickup.
 
Re: How can I make my SG sound like a Strat?

. . . easy !


gibsonsg3fireburst.jpg





James
 
Re: How can I make my SG sound like a Strat?

gerard said:
So basically, I have a 2003 Gibson SG Faded with crescent inlays. It's been a great guitar, and I definitely enjoy the feel of it, so I'd rather not get rid of it for a Fender. Nevertheless, I am now playing in a band that does more disco/dance type music so my SG, which was great when I was in a grunge band, is no longer really making the grade. This summer, my brother let me use his American Strat, which was perfect for what I was doing. Now that he's taken his guitar back, I need to find a way to get a better sound than my SG is giving me now. I've considered trading in my SG, but then I thought I might be able to replace the pickups on the SG to make it sound brighter and cleaner. Does anyone have any advice on what pickups could to that? Obviously, they'd have to fit into the double pickup slots on the SG. Or do you think I would just better off not messing with SG and just trying to find a good deal on a Fender?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

The goal is to get a good tone for disco/dance (why are my fingers burning when I type that?), which a Fender Strat seems to do for you, but it doesn't need to be 100% Strat. The 80/20 rule should work without having to pay up the wazoo.

Get some 4 conductor pickups (your current pickups might work, you'll need to see), and either push/pull pots to split the coils, or as was mentioned, some triple shot rings.

I have lots of guitars where I installed coil taps, and it's good enough for me. I've currently got tapped JB, CC, 496R, 500T, Full Shred neck and bridge, they all sound good.
 
Re: How can I make my SG sound like a Strat?

SlowGroove said:
. . . easy !


gibsonsg3fireburst.jpg
Click to expand...
I liked this guitar ever since I saw it. But I have never seen one in person or had the chance to plug in and hear one. I'd like to.

Gerard, it's a tough choice. I'm the kind of guy who would say "I'll get a Strat and keep the SG so I can play grunge and disco!". Well, I wouldn't exactly say that because I really don't play either style, nor do I especially want to. But anyway, if you need one guitar, the right guitar to play the style you play now, and the Strat was doing it for you, I guess I'd put the SG up for sale and look around for a Strat that I could bond with. Try before you buy, since different Strats can feel and sound different.

OTOH, if you only need to get in the ballpark, and you can get by with single coil tones but it doesn't have to be a Strat, then some of the options mentioned here - the Stag Mag, P Rails, coil tapping your SG's pickups - should get you in the ballpark. The P Rails was designed to allow players to get humbucker, single coil, and P90 tones from the same pickup. The Stag Mag is designed to give vintage single coil tones when coil tapped.
 
Re: How can I make my SG sound like a Strat?

I dunno, the guy from Flock Of Seagulls got a decent Stratty/Dance/Disco tone from his 2-hum SG.

Maybe try an EQ pedal instead?
 
Re: How can I make my SG sound like a Strat?

You know, the conversion rings (from allparts.com) will work on the SG. Just have to drill 4 small screw holes (for the conversion mounting rings) in the pickguard. In that area there probably is wood underneath, which would be great. Then just mount the singles in the conversion rings. Very simple, quick, and not to expensive either.

If it were me, however, I would go for the P-Rails and Stag Mag. That way I would have options for humbucker, P-90, or single/Strat sounds in one guitar. Very cooool.
 
Re: How can I make my SG sound like a Strat?

gerard said:
So the general consensus is to trade for a Strat. I believe I bought my SG in 2003 for $799. Do you think I can trade straight up for an American Strat or do you think I'll have to put in some money?
Click to expand...

I think you could easily find someone to trade you a nice MIM Strat for your SG, but probably not a Made in USA Strat, and that if you want a Strat, forget about making your SG sound like a Strat. Just get a Strat.
 
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