Picks for my SG?

[Izzy]

Hi,

First time in this forum...a long story but maybe a short question.

Bought a Gibson SG RI ' 61 a couple of months ago. Love this guitar. It's beautiful and nice to play. But I couldn't get along with the Gibson '57 PAF picks. Dull and boring. No Angus. No attack.

So I changed. Started with the bridge pick and put in a SD SH-4 JB, my favourite since many years and on many guitars. But - it didn't sound as I expected. It was in this guitar to bright and I didn't get that thight, fat bottom I wanted. It seems like this wasn't a god comibnation in this guitar. The pick doesn't support the good tone in the guitar in some strange way.

I changed again. Got a couple of Rio Grande picks (Texas and BBQ) from a friend. Okay, lets try it, I thought. Well, it didn't work out well either. The sound was again dull and boring, not that clear punchy tone with attack.

Now I'm back with the JB in bridge position. It's better but not the best...

In neck poistion I'm gonna put a SD '59. I think it will be swell. But what to do in bridge position? I have thought of trying a Duncan Custom SD-5, but I'm not sure I will like the "cheramic sound". Maybe it's to much distortion. Now I saw there is a SH-14 Custom 5. I've never tried this one but it seems very interesting for me.

Can anybody in this forum give med som information and exeperience on the differences if I put in a SH-5 or even better a SH-14 instead of my JB. What can I expect?

I'm searching for a good traditional rock-sound together with my Marshall JMP. Not heavy metal. More agressive blues rock. Angus, early Whitesnake, Lizzy etc etc.

Hope you did understand my swedish-english

/ Gunnar E

 

[jeremy]

Re: Picks for my SG?

welcome to the forum!!

i used to use a 59/custom combo in my sg and then switched to a pearly gates/c5 which i kept in there till i sold the guitar. the c5 has a good bottom end and a more classic tone than the jb.

when you play the guitar acousticly (not plugged it) is it a bright sound?

 

[Izzy]

Re: Picks for my SG?

welcome to the forum!!

i used to use a 59/custom combo in my sg and then switched to a pearly gates/c5 which i kept in there till i sold the guitar. the c5 has a good bottom end and a more classic tone than the jb.

when you play the guitar acousticly (not plugged it) is it a bright sound?

Hi Jeremy!

Thanks for your answer sharing your exeperience.

No, I don't think my SG has a bright sound at all when played acousticly. I would rather say a warm sweet sound. Harmonic. Vintage!? Definatly not agressive.

When you play on a SG (mine for exampel) you feel the tone in the whole guitar in some way – from the neck an from the thin body. That's what I like with the SG. It's a different feeling from for exampel a Les Paul with it's very distinct tone in the thick massive body (of course a fantastic guitar to, but different).

I also consider that it is much bigger differense between neck and bridge in a SG than in a LP, when we compare “acoustic output” (do you understand me?). I think the SG has a greater need for a pick up with rather high output in the bridge and low output in the neck, compared to LP. Why it is so I don't know. Do you agree?

Maybe the JB can't "capture" the nice warm mid or lower frequenses in my SG. It just ads sharpness in the treble and output overall, but can't bring out the bottom in a nice way. The sound is not ballanced.

I compare my SG to my sons SG, a Special with ebony fingerfret and 490 picks. His SG is much more agressive, has a more bright or att least brilliant tone (still played acousticly). From the amp the tone is clear, brilliant and balanced, distinct bottom. It comes out very well with the standard picks. There's no need for changing picks on his guitar. But I think the JB also would work out well in his guitar.

Maybe my guitar has a need for a neck-pu with some vintage style, but a lot more harmonics and brilliance than for example Gibson PAF ’57 (or my Rio Grandes). I think I’ll try the SH-14 Custom 5 first, and then if I don’t get satisfied - maybe Duncan Custom SH-5.

/ Gunnar