Need suggestions on a fat , dark sounding HB for my Yamaha SG

X

Xavier

New member
My Yamaha SG2000 has a mahogany body with a maple top, and neck thru construction. It is a bright sounding guitar indeed.

I need a fat / dark sounding pickup to complement the Gibson 490R I have in the neck position (which I love....).

I installed a Custom V and I was quite happy with it, until I went to rehearsal........it's so mid scooped that it gets lost within a band context. I now have a DD in the bridge position, which indeeds cuts through but it has way too much gain.

My first thought would be the Custom Custom, as I really love the smooth treble they have, but the lack of bass it has makes it sound pretty unbalanced when switching to the neck pu.

So my ideal pu would be the Custom Custom with 2X bass........ I am even considering something like a Tonerider Rocksong. Must be Alnico II for sure, as the guitar is rather bright as I mentioned...

Would you have any suggestion ?
 
Re: Need suggestions on a fat , dark sounding HB for my Yamaha SG

JB with an A2 magnet in it.
 
Re: Need suggestions on a fat , dark sounding HB for my Yamaha SG

Make a Distortion/Custom hybrid and use A2 or double thick A5 or double thick A8. Sounds insane.
 
Re: Need suggestions on a fat , dark sounding HB for my Yamaha SG

If you're okay with mag swaps, an A8 magnet will do just that for you. It will make it louder and add a lot more bass, but the rest of the Custom Custom tone will remain mostly intact.

If you aren't alright with magswaps, try an Alternative 8.
 
Re: Need suggestions on a fat , dark sounding HB for my Yamaha SG

Rio Grande BBQ is a really thick, fat pickup that is on the darker side. Lots of bass and low mids with a slightly rolled off high end. I know you want A2 and it is A5 but I think it would still be worth looking into.
 
Re: Need suggestions on a fat , dark sounding HB for my Yamaha SG

Chistopher said:
If you're okay with mag swaps, an A8 magnet will do just that for you. It will make it louder and add a lot more bass, but the rest of the Custom Custom tone will remain mostly intact.

If you aren't alright with magswaps, try an Alternative 8.
Click to expand...
I've always found A8 to have a harsh high end when I've put them in any of my guitars. I would suggest A6 in the custom if you're going to start swapping magnets.

superpete said:
Rio Grande BBQ is a really thick, fat pickup that is on the darker side. Lots of bass and low mids with a slightly rolled off high end. I know you want A2 and it is A5 but I think it would still be worth looking into.
Click to expand...
You still have the option of mag swapping if there is too much high end. Rio makes nice stuff, I just threw a Baby BBQ in my green Kauer.
 
Re: Need suggestions on a fat , dark sounding HB for my Yamaha SG

chadd said:
I've always found A8 to have a harsh high end when I've put them in any of my guitars. I would suggest A6 in the custom if you're going to start swapping magnets.
Click to expand...

An A8 is a fairly dark magnet, about the same as an A2. It's not "dark" per se, but it does lean that way. I've almost never heard anyone describe it as harsh before, what did you try it in?

I would not suggest an A6 as an intro to magnet swapping, as it's fairly picky about what you put it in. The treble frequencies peak in a similar spot as an A5, but it's much more rounded off, so it tends to be happiest in PAF winds in the sub ~7.5k range. I don't think it would fare to well in a Custom.
 
Re: Need suggestions on a fat , dark sounding HB for my Yamaha SG

Chistopher said:
An A8 is a fairly dark magnet, about the same as an A2. It's not "dark" per se, but it does lean that way. I've almost never heard anyone describe it as harsh before, what did you try it in?

I would not suggest an A6 as an intro to magnet swapping, as it's fairly picky about what you put it in. The treble frequencies peak in a similar spot as an A5, but it's much more rounded off, so it tends to be happiest in PAF winds in the sub ~7.5k range. I don't think it would fare to well in a Custom.
Click to expand...
I've used a Demon, a Custom, a Hybrid, Saturday Night Special, a Burstbucker 3, PATB-3, and a couple custom tele pickups before I gave up on them. All of those were harsh through my Road King, Hot Rod Deluxe and Real Tube combo.
 
Re: Need suggestions on a fat , dark sounding HB for my Yamaha SG

Not a fan of the Custom V or Custom Custom.

Try the Lace Sensors signature models, like this
 
Re: Need suggestions on a fat , dark sounding HB for my Yamaha SG

You might consider a Dimarzio Tone Zone. Definitely dark and thick and not too high output.
 
Re: Need suggestions on a fat , dark sounding HB for my Yamaha SG

chadd said:
I've used a Demon, a Custom, a Hybrid, Saturday Night Special, a Burstbucker 3, PATB-3, and a couple custom tele pickups before I gave up on them. All of those were harsh through my Road King, Hot Rod Deluxe and Real Tube combo.
Click to expand...

sorry man, but I'm afraid this is on you. the PATB3 is with the a5 already fairly warm, with an A8 it's like slinging mud in a pool of treacle, it's that rounded and fat. This isn't an insult or an attack, just my observation. I know a dude who's natural tone is so, so bright, he needs custom made guitars with only 'warm' sounding woods to get him going, 250k pots and huge, fat caps.

A fat, dark sounding humbucker? invader. custom custom, custom 8, fuglybucker, x2n dimarzio, warpig by BKP.
 
Re: Need suggestions on a fat , dark sounding HB for my Yamaha SG

Xavier said:
My Yamaha SG2000 is a bright sounding guitar indeed.

I need a fat / dark sounding pickup to complement the Gibson 490R. Would you have any suggestion ?
Click to expand...
Yes. Put an alnico 6 magnet into that Custom 5 of yours and it'll do exactly what you're asking to a "T".

/Peter
 
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Re: Need suggestions on a fat , dark sounding HB for my Yamaha SG

orpheo said:
sorry man, but I'm afraid this is on you. the PATB3 is with the a5 already fairly warm, with an A8 it's like slinging mud in a pool of treacle, it's that rounded and fat. This isn't an insult or an attack, just my observation. I know a dude who's natural tone is so, so bright, he needs custom made guitars with only 'warm' sounding woods to get him going, 250k pots and huge, fat caps.
Click to expand...

Interesting, I found it way more harsh than the A5 or ceramic magnets in every situation. I guess both suppliers could have sent me something other than the A8s that I ordered. Otherwise, I must just be particularly sensitive to particular frequencies, as I always compared the before and after in the same pickup and same guitar with the same amp.
 
Re: Need suggestions on a fat , dark sounding HB for my Yamaha SG

Many high output humbuckers are "fat" and "dark"

If you think the guitar is bright, "must be Alnico 2" shouldn't be a requirement to be honest. Alnico 2 is known to be smoother and warmer sounding, but you also rarely find Alnico 2 pickups with high winding due to the risk of muddiness. Lower winding typically results in a brighter sound and less of a mid bump, which wouldn't exactly be "fat and dark" so to speak.

Duncan Distortion and Invader are probably more along the lines of what you're looking for
Or you can do Dimarzio Tone Zone and D Sonic
Suhr Doug Aldrich is quite dark too
 
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