Pink Unicorn Horsey
Megä Pöny Rÿdr
Can you provide me with some tips for increasing the sustain in my SG Classic? I find in particular that the low E fizzles out rather quickly.
- Keith
- Keith
How to Improve Sustain in SG?
- Thread starter Pink Unicorn Horsey
- Start date
sosomething
Seymour Duncan Customer Support
Re: How to Improve Sustain in SG?
Well, outside of the obvious maintenance-type things you can do like ensuring that the string isn't fretting out during note decay, and that your saddle and nut grooves are cut smoothly, I'd say your answer is mass.
Adding the Bigsby/Vibramate rig to my Classic did more for the tone of the guitar than even the added utility of vibrato.
Well, outside of the obvious maintenance-type things you can do like ensuring that the string isn't fretting out during note decay, and that your saddle and nut grooves are cut smoothly, I'd say your answer is mass.
Adding the Bigsby/Vibramate rig to my Classic did more for the tone of the guitar than even the added utility of vibrato.
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: How to Improve Sustain in SG?
You might try switching to a TonePros tailpiece and maybe a TonePros bridge as well.
I think for good sustain the string angle behind the bridge should be as steep as possible without the string actually touching the back edge of the base of the bridge.
I first set the string ht. at the bridge and then I lower the stop tailpiece until the strings almost touch the base but there's still a little sliver of space between the bottom of the strings and base of the bridge.
Likewise, as steep a string angle as possible behind the nut is important. So tie your strings and then wind your strings around the tuner posts so that the final turn is close the bottom of the posts.
The next place to look for improvement is the nut and tuners.
Replacing a plastic nut with a bone nut can make an improvement.
I think tuners like Grover Rotomatics improve a guitar's tone like TonePros bridges and tailpieces do. But just like the TonePros, I think they also take away from a certain airy acoustic resonance.
You might try switching to a TonePros tailpiece and maybe a TonePros bridge as well.
I think for good sustain the string angle behind the bridge should be as steep as possible without the string actually touching the back edge of the base of the bridge.
I first set the string ht. at the bridge and then I lower the stop tailpiece until the strings almost touch the base but there's still a little sliver of space between the bottom of the strings and base of the bridge.
Likewise, as steep a string angle as possible behind the nut is important. So tie your strings and then wind your strings around the tuner posts so that the final turn is close the bottom of the posts.
The next place to look for improvement is the nut and tuners.
Replacing a plastic nut with a bone nut can make an improvement.
I think tuners like Grover Rotomatics improve a guitar's tone like TonePros bridges and tailpieces do. But just like the TonePros, I think they also take away from a certain airy acoustic resonance.
Last edited:
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: How to Improve Sustain in SG?
Ask Micheal Anderberg this question!
Ask Micheal Anderberg this question!
Christopher Caruana
New member
Re: How to Improve Sustain in SG?
buy a Les Paul
buy a Les Paul
ratherdashing
Kablamminator
Re: How to Improve Sustain in SG?
Cop out. A good, properly set up SG can and should sustain for days.
Lew's post is pretty much exactly what I would say. I'd leave the tuners alone though.
Cop out. A good, properly set up SG can and should sustain for days.
Lew's post is pretty much exactly what I would say. I'd leave the tuners alone though.
sosomething
Seymour Duncan Customer Support
Re: How to Improve Sustain in SG?
^^ Yeah, putting in heavier tuners on an SG does run a risk of compounding a balance problem that may or may not already exist.
Besides, the stock plastic button tuners are sexy.
^^ Yeah, putting in heavier tuners on an SG does run a risk of compounding a balance problem that may or may not already exist.
Besides, the stock plastic button tuners are sexy.
Christopher Caruana
New member
Re: How to Improve Sustain in SG?
lift up your action. Make sure your strings have enough room to vibrate.
lift up your action. Make sure your strings have enough room to vibrate.
Pink Unicorn Horsey
Megä Pöny Rÿdr
Re: How to Improve Sustain in SG?
I have one.
It just seems to me the low E doesn't sustain as long as the other strings, but it's not a particular note or note range. Nothing's fretting out.
iDunno. What's the difference between the two?
I'm planning on leaving the tuners alone.
I have one.
It just seems to me the low E doesn't sustain as long as the other strings, but it's not a particular note or note range. Nothing's fretting out.
iDunno. What's the difference between the two?
I'm planning on leaving the tuners alone.
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: How to Improve Sustain in SG?
Sink the neck joint down a few fret, fill in the bass side cutaway, add some depth to the body then add a 1/2 inch maple top...or just swap it for a Les Paul!
Sink the neck joint down a few fret, fill in the bass side cutaway, add some depth to the body then add a 1/2 inch maple top...or just swap it for a Les Paul!
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: How to Improve Sustain in SG?
OH!
If that doesn't do it for ya I've got a nice Compressor pedal I can loan you!:naughty:
OH!
If that doesn't do it for ya I've got a nice Compressor pedal I can loan you!:naughty:
Pink Unicorn Horsey
Megä Pöny Rÿdr
Re: How to Improve Sustain in SG?
You're not driving tonight, are ya?
You're not driving tonight, are ya?
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: How to Improve Sustain in SG?
You know I'm is!
You're not driving tonight, are ya?
You know I'm is!
ImmortalSix
John Mayer's Mankini
Re: How to Improve Sustain in SG?
I say mass. What Adam said.
And a good nut with good contact in its slot
I say mass. What Adam said.
And a good nut with good contact in its slot
uOpt
Something Cool
Re: How to Improve Sustain in SG?
The ABR-1 bridge is narrower and has slim pots that go directly into the wood. The Nashville is wider and has posts that go into metal anchors in the guitar's top. The latter (the anchors) might be loose and rob sustain.
Did you try different and/or heavier strings?
If it is some variant of dead spot syndrome you can try that stupid Jim Dunlopsustainer thing, a light tailpiece and/or a different TOM, including a ABR-1 on conversion posts.
The ABR-1 bridge is narrower and has slim pots that go directly into the wood. The Nashville is wider and has posts that go into metal anchors in the guitar's top. The latter (the anchors) might be loose and rob sustain.
Did you try different and/or heavier strings?
If it is some variant of dead spot syndrome you can try that stupid Jim Dunlopsustainer thing, a light tailpiece and/or a different TOM, including a ABR-1 on conversion posts.
Re: How to Improve Sustain in SG?
what lew said about the angle over the nut is the easiest thing to do. i usually only do it on my low E too.
leave as much string on as you need to get the winds down almost to the bottom of the peg
also check the cut of the nut and bridge saddle. ive have a few gibsons that had too much of a notch making the action too low compared to the rest of the strings
what lew said about the angle over the nut is the easiest thing to do. i usually only do it on my low E too.
leave as much string on as you need to get the winds down almost to the bottom of the peg
also check the cut of the nut and bridge saddle. ive have a few gibsons that had too much of a notch making the action too low compared to the rest of the strings
Bezmotivnik
New member
Re: How to Improve Sustain in SG?
If it's just on the E, I'm thinking it's a saddle problem, which isn't surprising as Gibson mallet-sets the strings on the SG Classic and ships them that way without even changing out the roached strings, much less dressing the smashed saddles. I know, I bought a Classic myself. The saddles are atrocious. Otherwise, the sustain goes on indefinitely -- heavy fundamental, neck like a piano leg.
Don't buy a bunch of crap, just do a righteous setup -- which Gibson should have done, if they were in the business of building decent guitars instead of exhausting brand equity.
If it's just on the E, I'm thinking it's a saddle problem, which isn't surprising as Gibson mallet-sets the strings on the SG Classic and ships them that way without even changing out the roached strings, much less dressing the smashed saddles. I know, I bought a Classic myself. The saddles are atrocious. Otherwise, the sustain goes on indefinitely -- heavy fundamental, neck like a piano leg.
Don't buy a bunch of crap, just do a righteous setup -- which Gibson should have done, if they were in the business of building decent guitars instead of exhausting brand equity.
