Pickup suggestions for 2018 Gibson SG

Deathviper1777

Deathviper1777

New member
Good day Players,
I just bought a 2018 Gibson SG Standard and it has the quick connect system, didn’t know that until after the fact. Does Seymour Duncan have these quick connect pups that will work? How should I go about this? Also, can I just pull the pc board and install new pots, switch, caps etc and go old school?
Thanks in advance.
This will be a rock, metal guitar.
 
Re: Pickup suggestions for 2018 Gibson SG

Blille said:
That’s what I’ve seen done the most.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply,
is doing that as simple as just the replacement? are all the holes etc in the guitar drilled properly? or is there modding to the guitar? I thought about going with a Dirty Fingers quick connect set because they are a higher gain pup but cant find them anywhere.
 
Re: Pickup suggestions for 2018 Gibson SG

Deathviper1777 said:
Thanks for the reply,
is doing that as simple as just the replacement? are all the holes etc in the guitar drilled properly? or is there modding to the guitar? I thought about going with a Dirty Fingers quick connect set because they are a higher gain pup but cant find them anywhere.
Click to expand...

Shouldn't be any modding required, I have done this very thing several times.. Another possible idea is to cut the quick plugs from the stock pickups and wire them to the replacement ones.. Or there are places online that sell the seperate plug (pigtails) for this very purpose.. just make sure that they are either 2 or 4 wire for the replacement pickups
 
Re: Pickup suggestions for 2018 Gibson SG

Aceman said:
Extremely informative thread on the subject. Consensus is just replace with standard gear. Have to agree. However, there is also link to quick connect adapter for regular pups, as well as discussion on how to do it without them.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/65/86/20/6586203d03e8a679c2a028158bdae3e1.jpg

What kind of metal are we talking about?
Click to expand...

Thanks Ace for the reply,

old school Metal to be precise but maybe some newer Metal as well. or what ever i am writing at the time.
you know, im all for technology but this Gibson pc board thing is a little unnerving, ill check the link now,
thanks again.
 
Re: Pickup suggestions for 2018 Gibson SG

Mark Cearlock said:
Shouldn't be any modding required, I have done this very thing several times.. Another possible idea is to cut the quick plugs from the stock pickups and wire them to the replacement ones.. Or there are places online that sell the seperate plug (pigtails) for this very purpose.. just make sure that they are either 2 or 4 wire for the replacement pickups
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply! i guess just cut the wires/plug from the stock (i would assume cut them all the way for length) and solder/tape to the Duncans and that would be it? does the wiring colors match Gibsons colors?
 
Re: Pickup suggestions for 2018 Gibson SG

Well - for old school metal I go to one of two pickups:

For tight bass, articulation, chunk/crunch, and screaming high I like a Distortion. You might find the Black Winter a touch more flexible;e and SG friendly.
For tight bass, thump, and a bit of mid scoop, with screaming highs, I like the Duncan Custom.

Those pickups are going to show their personality regardless of the guitar they are in.

IF you are using an old school amp - I definitely like those two. If a newer amp with gobs of gain....the options are all over the board.
 
Re: Pickup suggestions for 2018 Gibson SG

Aceman said:
Well - for old school metal I go to one of two pickups:

For tight bass, articulation, chunk/crunch, and screaming high I like a Distortion. You might find the Black Winter a touch more flexible;e and SG friendly.
For tight bass, thump, and a bit of mid scoop, with screaming highs, I like the Duncan Custom.

Those pickups are going to show their personality regardless of the guitar they are in.

IF you are using an old school amp - I definitely like those two. If a newer amp with gobs of gain....the options are all over the board.
Click to expand...

Thanks again Ace for the reply,
i have the Duncan Custom in two LPs of mine with 59s in the neck and they sound awesome, wasnt sure about the SG body tone. I use all kinds of amps but lately my Soldano, ill check out the Black Winter, sounds interesting.
 
Re: Pickup suggestions for 2018 Gibson SG

Duncan's wiring colors are not the same as Gibson's. Some people buy the pigtails, and some rip it all out. I'd opt for the pigtails, because I don't like the idea of buying an expensive guitar and ripping a bunch of it out, especially if the parts function correctly. For older metal, I like the Custom & the Jazz.
 
Re: Pickup suggestions for 2018 Gibson SG

Mincer said:
Duncan's wiring colors are not the same as Gibson's. Some people buy the pigtails, and some rip it all out. I'd opt for the pigtails, because I don't like the idea of buying an expensive guitar and ripping a bunch of it out, especially if the parts function correctly. For older metal, I like the Custom & the Jazz.
Click to expand...


Thank you Mincer! i just watched a vid of a guy from the UK using the stock pigtail from the Gibson and wiring it to the Duncan, and he even posted the Gibson to Duncan wiring colors. i believe that would be the way to do it. economically speaking. and yes, this guitar ran me 1500$ i already knew i was going to hot rod it but didnt know about the pc board thing, i guess i should have done more research,lol
 
Re: Pickup suggestions for 2018 Gibson SG

im really liking the clips from the Black Winter pups.

im assuming the Custom would sound different in the SG as opposed to the two LPs i have it in?
 
Re: Pickup suggestions for 2018 Gibson SG

Based on the Merciful Fate Avatar - Black Winter is what you are all about....

:saeek: :headbang:
 
Re: Pickup suggestions for 2018 Gibson SG

I really don't see much difference in buying a new guitar and swapping pickups versus pulling the PCB and wiring the old fashioned way. I have proper crimpers and the little molex connectors for connectorizing pickups for the Gibson connectors. It get's old real quick. Especially when ones eyes are old too. I won't bother with doing it again. Besides, selling those boards and wiring harness on ebay easily brings more than double the price of new pots. Just don't sell the toggle switch.
 
Re: Pickup suggestions for 2018 Gibson SG

I did the same thing (took out the pcb and started wiring old school) about a year 8/9 months ago, and some of guy's on here can tell you I have had nothing but trouble with it from the beginning. And I have beed wiring guitars for over 50 years and never had this trouble before. My advice is this, I put a set of Seymour Duncan "Slash signature" pups in my explorer, The best pups I ever heard!!! But that's me.. what I like. NO matter what pup's you choose I would simply e-mail SD custom shop and ask them if the pups you want can be made to "plug in" the existing electronics. Again that's what I would do.....
 
Re: Pickup suggestions for 2018 Gibson SG

TinPan said:
I did the same thing (took out the pcb and started wiring old school) about a year 8/9 months ago, and some of guy's on here can tell you I have had nothing but trouble with it from the beginning. And I have beed wiring guitars for over 50 years and never had this trouble before. My advice is this, I put a set of Seymour Duncan "Slash signature" pups in my explorer, The best pups I ever heard!!! But that's me.. what I like. NO matter what pup's you choose I would simply e-mail SD custom shop and ask them if the pups you want can be made to "plug in" the existing electronics. Again that's what I would do.....
Click to expand...

So what you are saying is that Gibson, by installing the PCB's in the control cavities, have, somehow, magically changed the principles of basic electronics ...
 
Last edited:
Re: Pickup suggestions for 2018 Gibson SG

When I bought my LP (2012). It came with the quick connect. I replaced the pickups soon after but I brought it to my local shop. They told me it was a nightmare trying to wire it up.
With the next pickup swap I gutted it and replaced all of the pots with CTS and wired it up 50’s style like a normal setup.
No mods needed. And it’s much simpler to work on.
I sold the pcb online and it covered the cost of the replacement parts.
 
Re: Pickup suggestions for 2018 Gibson SG

Deathviper1777 said:
Thanks for the reply! i guess just cut the wires/plug from the stock (i would assume cut them all the way for length) and solder/tape to the Duncans and that would be it? does the wiring colors match Gibsons colors?
Click to expand...

Colors DO NOT MATCH. therein lies a big part of the problem.
 
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