Saturday Night Specials in a Mahogany Flying V?

[ThreeChordWonder]

I'm still waiting for an all black set of pickups to arrive from Dean. They were ordered on May 2nd, but still haven't arrived.

I have a black/cream set, which won't look right in a black/white paint job. I'm planning on saving those for the next one.

I have a black/white neck, but can't find a black/white bridge in Gibson spacing to match. Fender spacing, yes, Gibson, no. And I'm a stickler for the correct pole spacings. It may not matter that much, but there you go.

So...

I also have a set of SD Saturday Night Specials sitting unopened from SD. Nickel or chrome covers, so they'll work. I also have a set of Gibson 57s with nickel covers I pulled from my SG.

Thoughts on either of these in a mahogany Flying V body?

 

[beaubrummels]

I would expect the SNS in any mahogany guitar would not be too far off from the Duncan clips of them in an SG, which is almost like the target they were designed for. I haven't played either set yet, but I've only read of certain cases where the 57s were preferred to other pickups, usually odd situations, like 'in the neck of my shred guitar with XXX bridge' or 'paired with a Custom (something) bridge in my Epi LP' etc. Maybe a few cases where a 57 set as is was ok for the owner. But also, I've seen far fewer people who actually owned and tried the SNS, so hard to compare.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

So, of push comes to shove, and I have to buy another set (the SNSs can still be returned), what would you suggest for a V?

 

[Bogner]

JB/Jazz work great in my ESP V.

 

[beaubrummels]

So, of push comes to shove, and I have to buy another set (the SNSs can still be returned), what would you suggest for a V?

I've got a list of 6-7 sets that would work fine, but you've got the SNS and all evidence I've read and clips I've heard indicates they are stellar in mahogany Gibson type guitars. Why not just install those?

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

That's what I was thinking. If the Deans don't show up, that's what I will do.

 

[Mincer]

I think the SNS set would sound better than any Dean pickup I've ever tried.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

"Well. He would say that, wouldn't he?" [Dave, Ambassador/Writer/Artist for Seymour Duncan]

 

[JamesPaul]

But I think he has also been spotted at a Dean Owners' Association weekend...or two.

 

[pskorz]

I have Saturday night specials in an SG and I think they’re great. They certainly do a 70’s vibe just fine. Alice cooper, Aerosmith, kiss, etc. but they’re very versatile. I typically play into a classic 30 with no pedals. But into a modeling amp on a mesa or soldono setting, they sound good getting an 80s heavier vibe, too.

I think the neck pickup is the real gem of them, though. So you may find that you want a bridge pickup with a different or heavier vibe, but I bet you may keep the neck SNS in it no matter what.

 

[Ascension]

Like the SNS set a lot. Have a set now in my Mahogany body neck through Carvin AE 185. Nails that classic rock tone plus they have almost an acoustic vibe clean. Very versatile set and seems to work particularly well in Mahogany.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

Well it turns out the delay was finding boxes for them

I'm told, as a sorry for the delay, they're sending one pickup in a box signed by Schenker himself

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

Mannfred Schenker. A postman from Dusseldorf, no doubt.

 

[jeremy]

i think the sns would sounds great in a v, i have mine in a prs se and everyone loves that guitar

 

[Mincer]

"Well. He would say that, wouldn't he?" [Dave, Ambassador/Writer/Artist for Seymour Duncan]

Well, of course, but I've also played a lot of Dean pickups, too, as they are based in this area, and I have spent a lot of time at their factory trying out pickups and guitars.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

Well, of course, but I've also played a lot of Dean pickups, too, as they are based in this area, and I have spent a lot of time at their factory trying out pickups and guitars.

Fairy Nuff :beerchug:

I chose the MSGs cos I'm building an MSG V.

I will probably save the SNSs for the next one, which will be a 58 style with the smaller pickguard and chrome through body v-piece.

 

[hamerfan]

For me the genuine Schenker sound are 2 T-Tops. Get 2 Jazz necks and you are good to go.

NB: Maybe i a kind of traditionalist. Last time i was in the zone I grabbed a T-Top for the bridge and a 59 for the neck of a Les Paul and it sounded so close to JP.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

I'm going with the MSGs, for now at least.

Schenker's classic tone, to my ears at least, is quite "thin" and "nasal". I believe it comes from using a half-cocked wah pedal, and, IIRC he described it as "like a finger without the bone" (whatever the heck that means). Listen to the opening chords of Lights Out in London as an example.


https://youtu.be/l7Gjj-mLpUk

Just as an FYI, huge classic UFO / MSG fan here, right up to the 1985 Way/Mogg split. All the albums from Phenomenon through to Mechanix bought at least twice, saw the Paul Chapman UFO twice, 81 and 83 IIRC, MSG twice also, 81 and 82 IIRC.

 

[Doublea1269]

Last year I went through the same search. I had just bought a used Epiphany V, black with white pickguard, and was all over the place trying to figure out what to put in there. Even though I've always used Duncans whenever I replaced pups, in this case I ended up going DiMarzio. Super Distortion in the bridge, Super 2 in the neck. Uncovered, all black for the bridge, and black/white for the neck. Perfect set for me, turned that V into a 70s rock machine...