SG bridge pickup question

N

Nakhtal

New member
Hello,

I have a 2013 Gibson SG Standard loaded with ’57 Classic pickups. While I do like their clarity, I‘d like a hotter bridge pickup that would match my Les Paul’s SD Custom in terms of output. Should I get another Custom for the SG, or are there other pickups better suited to that guitar?
 
Re: SG bridge pickup question

Actually Duncan makes 3 versions of Customs, and a few more are 'made' by members here:

- SH-5 - ceramic magnet. original Custom, has typical ceramic sound, and best for metal and hard rock.
- SH-11 - A2 magnet. very tick and warm, with a looser low end, lots of texture. usually used in bright woods.
- SH-14 - A5 magnet. bright and mid-scooped, with a tight low end. very good in mahogany.

Members have created these with mag swaps. All are warmer than a SH-14 and brighter than a SH-11:
- C8 - Custom with an A8 magnet. full mids with a tight low end. high output. excellent in SG's.
- UO C5 - Custom with an UOA5 magnet. lots of texture. most 'vintage sounding' Custom variation.
- C4 - Custom with an A4 magnet. Custom variation with the most balanced EQ.
 
Re: SG bridge pickup question

i have a custom custom in the bridge of my sg standard. Even tho it was not my first choice initially, the more i play it, the more i like it. Its a very cool pickup. Can't think of a reason to swap it. Males the SG sound fat and mean with plenty of sustain and warmth.
 
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Re: SG bridge pickup question

My Les Paul's bridge pu is the SH-5 Custom.

I'll check out the SH-11 Custom Custom and the SH-16 Hybrid.

I've read about the mag swaps in other topics, but that's not a road I'm willing to go down. It seems above my level of expertise.
 
Re: SG bridge pickup question

Swapping mags is as easy as changing your shoes (the tricky part is tying the laces).

If you plan on keeping the 57 in the neck, it's my opinion the the hybrid might sound too bright in comparison. However, it would work very well with an A8 magnet (gives it smoother highs, more mids, tighter lows, and more power than the stock hybrid with the A5).

My first choice for what you want would be a Custom 8. Not only would it give you the power you're looking for, but it would match very well with your neck 57. And it just happens to be one of the most popular forum pups for an SG bridge (my personal favorite for an SG bridge other than a P-90).
 
Re: SG bridge pickup question

gibson175 said:
i have a custom custom in the bridge of my sg standard. Even tho it was not my first choice initially, the more i play it, the more i like it. Its a very cool pickup. Can't think of a reason to swap it. Males the SG sound fat and mean with plenty of sustain and warmth.
Click to expand...

+1

I used a Custom Custom in my '61 reissue for years. Great tone and output. I agree, it's a good choice. However, having said that, I'm using a Seth now and it's equally as good. Both are great choices.
 
Re: SG bridge pickup question

What about the SH-15 Alternative 8 ? How does this pickup compare to a Custom 8 ?

As for the neck pickup, I have a spare '59 that I'll probably use.
 
Re: SG bridge pickup question

I think one major factor to help yourself figure out what to pick is, do you want to maybe err on the side of a subtle change, err on the side of extreme change, or err on something that is 'middle of the road' and see where that puts you for reference?

If you like your tone...I'm a big fan of using a true gain boost circuit, and leave it on, all the time/with that guitar.
Sounds too simple...it's widely used by a lot of guys with GREAT tone (as is the tone knob!), IMO, but not often recommended...putting that out there.

Compared to a clean boost circuit, getting a higher output pickup changes tone (and feel, etc.), not just output. Some people want that along with higher output in a new pickup, of course, so...

There are plenty of good options already suggested in terms of higher output pickups. Lots of tonal variations in there...nothing that is higher output will keep that PAF style tone though, of course, for better or worse. Higher output may not require going for a vastly different pickup than your current pickup.
There are varying degrees of tonal change and output increase available if you go for hotter bridge pickup...

- The Perpetual Burn might be a good option to consider. Kind of in the 3/4 of the way to Custom/High output land, similar resistance to the Hybrid, but probably has 2 more similarly wound coils than the Hybrid for a different tonality.
- The Whole Lotta Humbucker is still probably a fair amount higher in output than your current pickups (gibson site says 7.5k for reference), though not as hot as the others mentioned here and before. This might be a solid choise, may be closer to a PAF with a 'boost' than the above, possibly less of a tonal re-voicing than the others above.
- I had a Custom Custom in a Gibson SG for years--for years it was my #1 guitar and basically my only guitar. It may seem like a mismatch--all mahogany, dark and high output A2 pickup. It is, in a way, but it was one way to get a tone I could stand, at that time, and I put a custom custom in two other guitars over the course of many years (side note..I have a nickel cover Custom Custom that's naturally aged, if you happen to land on that style pickup and look. :) I would actually suggest a different pickup when it comes down to my opinion, however!)...

I don't think there are many bad choices...it just depends on what flavor you want, and where on the spectrum of "only higher output" and "extreme tonal change" you think you want.

Hope you land on what YOU are looking for, whatever that turns out to be!
 
Re: SG bridge pickup question

Nakhtal said:
What about the SH-15 Alternative 8 ? How does this pickup compare to a Custom 8 ?
Click to expand...

Similar. The alt 8 is a really great sounding pup. Perhaps a little more output than the C8, but very similar. A bit more mids too.
 
Re: SG bridge pickup question

Nothing wrong with the good ole Custom 5 in an SG. It gives the thinner mahogany body more bass, lets the mahogany dictate the midrange tone, and has clear punchy highs that mahogany needs.

The Custom 5 with a 57 Classic neck, Pearly Gates neck, or WLH neck is a winning combo.
 
Re: SG bridge pickup question

The SG with an A5 magged pup like the C5, misses some mids. That's why the C8 works so wonderfully in an SG...fills in those missing mids and keeps the bass from getting too thick and boomy from the A5 mag.

Try it and see.
 
Re: SG bridge pickup question

GuitarDoc said:
The SG with an A5 magged pup like the C5, misses some mids. That's why the C8 works so wonderfully in an SG...fills in those missing mids and keeps the bass from getting too thick and boomy from the A5 mag.
Click to expand...

+1. C5's were very popular here in SG's, until 5 or 6 years ago, when A8's became readily available. Sine then C8's have taken the limelight. Both PU's are good choices, but a C8 in an SG is hard to beat. Works for a lot of genres. If you're using thick strings and have a warm-toned amp, a C5 may be a better choice for you.
 
Re: SG bridge pickup question

I'm using a clean boost when playing the SG right now. While it does work, my tone gets kind of "ice-picky".

I just watched Keith Merrow's 12 Model Comparison video on YouTube. The Alternative 8 sounds great. It may be my final choice, but I'll keep thinking about that mag swap modification.

Thanks for your help guys!
 
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