SG: 57/AY is gone, now what??

A

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Hey guys,

i have a Tokai SG which is an excellent guitar by the way but i need some help with the pickups selection. Until now i had a Gibson Classic 57 in the neck and a Gibson Angus Young in the bridge. I also have a Tokai Les Paul with a pair of Alnico II Pros initially and a pair of Alnico II Pro Slash as of now. With both of these sets, the les paul sounds absolutely phenomenal - you can go from shimmery cleans (that actually sound pretty single-coilish with the right settings), to mellow blues, to full-out rock. I absolutely love the sound of this guitar which has the right amount of cut and clarity and articulation.

So, how does the SG compare? Well, after liking the les paul so much, i just don't have the love i used to have for the SG and the reason is this: The neck is too boomy and bassy, even when lowered and with the pole pieces raised and the bridge is too edgy, dry and aggressive. I only seem to like it under high gain - low gain seems very harsh.

Now, before installing a set of antiquities in a 335, i gave them a try in the sg and while definitely better than the previous setup, i am still not sure i got 'there'.

So, first of all, i would like the experience of other SG players: is the neck position of the SG doomed to sound bassier than that of the Les Paul (due to differences in woods/construction)?

And second, would a Seth Lover set be good for me? I have searched enough and from what i've gathered the seth lovers are:
-Livelier, with more top end than the 'dull' 57
-A little hotter than the antiquities
-A little brighter than the antiquities but still smooth

Has anyone with an SG run throuth the same problems and if yes have you found a solution?? I am open to other pickup recommendations as well! (i know many favor the 59 - i used to have it in the neck position of a mahogany dime guitar and while good, i wasn't thrilled about it)

Necessary Info: All my guitars have .022 caps, 500k pots and 50s wiring. I am after a PAFish sound and don't care for large amounts of gain/distortion. I like my pickups to be as articulate, clear, with enough top end but not as much as to sound harsh.

Thanks a lot!!!
 
Re: SG: 57/AY is gone, now what??

SGs in general have a less bassy neck pup than LPs; the neck pup is closer to the bridge than on a LP or 335, plus the smaller mass.

The Seths are very much like you describe. I'm one of those that really like 59s in a SG, but if not your cup of tea, try the Seths. I prefer an A5 equipped pup in a SG neck (and usually the bridge, too), I find A2 to be too round & middy in them; love them in LPs, though.
 
Re: SG: 57/AY is gone, now what??

For a straight ahead rocker I would go with a 59/Custom bridge and a PG neck.
 
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Re: SG: 57/AY is gone, now what??

Another option for the neck is a Burstbucker Pro. The edgy nature of this pickup will reduce the typical SG mud
 
Re: SG: 57/AY is gone, now what??

Thanks for the replies guys! One thing i didnt't say: both the 57/ay set and antiquities set sounded a little too mid-heavy in this sg. Would the seth probably sound the same? Does anyone have experience with seths in sg?

The reason i am reluctant about 59s is because i remember it a bit bass-heavy. It had plenty highs, wasn't boomy but was bassy - hard to describe!
 
Re: SG: 57/AY is gone, now what??

The '57 isn't such a bad pup, but many believe that the A2 mag is the big problem with it. Before you go spending a lot of money on a wild goose chase why not try putting in an A5 or A4?
 
Re: SG: 57/AY is gone, now what??

Well, i have tried other a2 sets (a2p, a2p slash, antiquities) and i didn't like the 57 in the first place, compared to them. But apart from that, i have already sold the 57 :)
 
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