Middle Pickup Suggestions for SG Custom
- Thread starter ljberbi
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Re: Middle Pickup Suggestions for SG Custom
I have a 3 PU Les Paul Custom.I put a Phat Cat in the middle and LOVE it.REALLY opens up the tonal palette.....I had it re wired with 2 push pull pots so I can have ANY combination or any single PU at a time.LOTS of differeent settings.Phat Cat sounds GREAT!!! Looks wicked too!!!
I have a 3 PU Les Paul Custom.I put a Phat Cat in the middle and LOVE it.REALLY opens up the tonal palette.....I had it re wired with 2 push pull pots so I can have ANY combination or any single PU at a time.LOTS of differeent settings.Phat Cat sounds GREAT!!! Looks wicked too!!!
Re: Middle Pickup Suggestions for SG Custom
What an awesome SG!
Just to be sure, you are talking about 3 full sized hums? I love the minibucker version but you just dont see it very often-
Here's where I'm going- You can get some very 'quacky' (No strat exactlky quack) the closer you get to a single coil and I love the middle of a Gibson for this- So dont think you would go mini, how about a really good spliting hum and coil combine wiht neck and bridge?
What an awesome SG!
Just to be sure, you are talking about 3 full sized hums? I love the minibucker version but you just dont see it very often-
Here's where I'm going- You can get some very 'quacky' (No strat exactlky quack) the closer you get to a single coil and I love the middle of a Gibson for this- So dont think you would go mini, how about a really good spliting hum and coil combine wiht neck and bridge?
Re: Middle Pickup Suggestions for SG Custom
My 3 pup EPI LP is going to be Seth/Fred/PG. Since I haven't heard it,
I still think this is a good approach. Put an EVO or EVO2 in the middle
and make both coils available for quack tones (I have an on/off/on
switch for the Fred so I can get either of the single coils).
If you want less sci-fi than that, and want to stay in the SD family, the
Phat Cat should be an excellent middle pup, or a StagMag would give
really good splits for quack sounds...
(My 3 pup LP project started out os Phat Cats in neck and bridge with
Stag Mag in the middle).
My 3 pup EPI LP is going to be Seth/Fred/PG. Since I haven't heard it,
I still think this is a good approach. Put an EVO or EVO2 in the middle
and make both coils available for quack tones (I have an on/off/on
switch for the Fred so I can get either of the single coils).
If you want less sci-fi than that, and want to stay in the SD family, the
Phat Cat should be an excellent middle pup, or a StagMag would give
really good splits for quack sounds...
(My 3 pup LP project started out os Phat Cats in neck and bridge with
Stag Mag in the middle).
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: Middle Pickup Suggestions for SG Custom
I'd go for another PGn in the middle if you want to combine the neck and middle pickups...or a PGb if you're more interested in combining the middle and bridge pickups. I love the Phat Cat but it's not a humbucker...I'd want all three to be humbucking if it was my guitar. Lew
I'd go for another PGn in the middle if you want to combine the neck and middle pickups...or a PGb if you're more interested in combining the middle and bridge pickups. I love the Phat Cat but it's not a humbucker...I'd want all three to be humbucking if it was my guitar. Lew
Re: Middle Pickup Suggestions for SG Custom
Hi Lew: The guitar is currently wired (standard from factory) so that when the toggle is in the middle position, the bridge and middle pickups are on. I have no intention of doing any coil spliting with this guitar, and most likely will not alter the wiring/switching where the toggle is concerned. Just want to make the best middle pickup choice to go with the PGn and CC bridge. Seymours website says the phat cat is wired to be humbucking. I got the impression it's a single coil with humcancelling qualitites by reading the specs on the website. Is that correct? Thought it may be kinda cool to add a little single coil quack in the middle position if the pickup was quiet. Might just stick with another PG bridge in the middle. Not sure...
Lewguitar said:
Hi Lew: The guitar is currently wired (standard from factory) so that when the toggle is in the middle position, the bridge and middle pickups are on. I have no intention of doing any coil spliting with this guitar, and most likely will not alter the wiring/switching where the toggle is concerned. Just want to make the best middle pickup choice to go with the PGn and CC bridge. Seymours website says the phat cat is wired to be humbucking. I got the impression it's a single coil with humcancelling qualitites by reading the specs on the website. Is that correct? Thought it may be kinda cool to add a little single coil quack in the middle position if the pickup was quiet. Might just stick with another PG bridge in the middle. Not sure...
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: Middle Pickup Suggestions for SG Custom
The Phatcat is not humcancelling as far as I know. However, the neck and bridge models are RW/RP relative to each other so that when combined the combination of the two is humcancelling. But used individually they are not a humbucking pickup.
The bridge model PGb is wound to the same DC resistance as would have been used in the 50's for both the neck and bridge pickups. These days we use underwound neck models for a clearer tone that doesn't overpower the bridge pickup.
I think a PGb would be a good choice for the middle position of your guitar since you'll be combining it with the bridge pickup and not the neck pickup.
Lew
The Phatcat is not humcancelling as far as I know. However, the neck and bridge models are RW/RP relative to each other so that when combined the combination of the two is humcancelling. But used individually they are not a humbucking pickup.
The bridge model PGb is wound to the same DC resistance as would have been used in the 50's for both the neck and bridge pickups. These days we use underwound neck models for a clearer tone that doesn't overpower the bridge pickup.
I think a PGb would be a good choice for the middle position of your guitar since you'll be combining it with the bridge pickup and not the neck pickup.
Lew
That90'sGuy
DyzaBoyzologist
Re: Middle Pickup Suggestions for SG Custom
Wow, good timing with this thread :fing2:
I'm looking at the same deal myself. The SG Custom is an awesome looking and playing guitar (I'm pretty sure it'll take over my R0 LP Special DC as #1), but finding the right pup combination is a pain (and the stock 57 classics are horrible). Some pickups that are "just right" in a Les Paul, sound too thin on the SG and the middle position gets a weird quacky type of vibe.
So in short, you're not alone ljberbi and I'd love to hear how you make out with it.
Wow, good timing with this thread :fing2:
I'm looking at the same deal myself. The SG Custom is an awesome looking and playing guitar (I'm pretty sure it'll take over my R0 LP Special DC as #1), but finding the right pup combination is a pain (and the stock 57 classics are horrible). Some pickups that are "just right" in a Les Paul, sound too thin on the SG and the middle position gets a weird quacky type of vibe.
So in short, you're not alone ljberbi and I'd love to hear how you make out with it.
Re: Middle Pickup Suggestions for SG Custom
Cool...I know the PG neck sounds great in a Les Paul so I hope it sounds as good in an SG. I decided to try a CC bridge because it seems on this forum that combo is the deal. Also, Lew...thanks for the great explanation of how a phat cat works. This forum is a heck of a learning tool. If the phat cat is not hum-canceling by itself then I won't use it. Here is another question: Is there a rule of thumb concerning the pole piece position on the middle pickup? For example if the middle toggle position activates the middle and bridge pickups does that mean that when you mount the middle pickup, it should have the pole pieces closer to the bridge? Or should the middle pickup pole pieces be closer to the neck? My middle pickups pole pieces are currently closer to the neck and I am just trying to verify if that is correct positioning of the middle humbucker or not. Thanks
the_Chris said:
Cool...I know the PG neck sounds great in a Les Paul so I hope it sounds as good in an SG. I decided to try a CC bridge because it seems on this forum that combo is the deal. Also, Lew...thanks for the great explanation of how a phat cat works. This forum is a heck of a learning tool. If the phat cat is not hum-canceling by itself then I won't use it. Here is another question: Is there a rule of thumb concerning the pole piece position on the middle pickup? For example if the middle toggle position activates the middle and bridge pickups does that mean that when you mount the middle pickup, it should have the pole pieces closer to the bridge? Or should the middle pickup pole pieces be closer to the neck? My middle pickups pole pieces are currently closer to the neck and I am just trying to verify if that is correct positioning of the middle humbucker or not. Thanks
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: Middle Pickup Suggestions for SG Custom
You should try it both ways and see what you like best. Lew
ljberbi said:
You should try it both ways and see what you like best. Lew
Last edited:
That90'sGuy
DyzaBoyzologist
Re: Middle Pickup Suggestions for SG Custom
FWIW, every 3 pup Gibson I've seen has the middle pickups polepiece adjustment screws facing towards the neck (that's the way my SG Custom is). I'm not sure if facing it towards the bridge would give it an even thinner, quackier tone or not.
FWIW, every 3 pup Gibson I've seen has the middle pickups polepiece adjustment screws facing towards the neck (that's the way my SG Custom is). I'm not sure if facing it towards the bridge would give it an even thinner, quackier tone or not.
that'd be pretty cool looking. But like you said, you'd want it to be humcancelling, and the phat cat isnt, even though its a great pickup
viewaskew2k5
New member
Re: Middle Pickup Suggestions for SG Custom
Phaattt caaaatt. I'm going to get one of those epiphone 3 pickup sg's and put all phat cats in it. Then give it a 5 way switch mwahaha. Let the hate begin!! oh oh, i could try putting a strat neck on it!!!
Phaattt caaaatt. I'm going to get one of those epiphone 3 pickup sg's and put all phat cats in it. Then give it a 5 way switch mwahaha. Let the hate begin!! oh oh, i could try putting a strat neck on it!!!
frankfalbo
In Fluence Y'all
Re: Middle Pickup Suggestions for SG Custom
If it were me I'd be trying to emulate a P-90 or single coil for sure. So if you absolutely need hum-cancelling, then think about a Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell. It emulates a single coil when wired as a standard series humbucker.
Otherwise perhaps a Duncan Stag Mag. I would use it as a single coil with the ability to chose one coil or the other, but you don't want any coil cuts. SO...perhaps the Stag Mag wired in parallel? Then your middle pickup would loosely emulate the 2/4 strat tones. You could also wire any middle pickup choice in parallel, and I would highly recommend at least trying it. It would offer more tonal variance when the middle pickup was engaged.
Finally the Dimarzio Bluesbucker is meant to emulate the P-90 when wired as a humbucker.
If it were me I'd be trying to emulate a P-90 or single coil for sure. So if you absolutely need hum-cancelling, then think about a Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell. It emulates a single coil when wired as a standard series humbucker.
Otherwise perhaps a Duncan Stag Mag. I would use it as a single coil with the ability to chose one coil or the other, but you don't want any coil cuts. SO...perhaps the Stag Mag wired in parallel? Then your middle pickup would loosely emulate the 2/4 strat tones. You could also wire any middle pickup choice in parallel, and I would highly recommend at least trying it. It would offer more tonal variance when the middle pickup was engaged.
Finally the Dimarzio Bluesbucker is meant to emulate the P-90 when wired as a humbucker.