SG Faded Pickups

[Masta' C]

Re: SG Faded Pickups

One of these days I will order a Fuglybucker from the Custom Shop.
Triple Ceramic with Invader poles in the screw coil, and a Dime rail in the slug coil.
Muah ha ha ha ha [emoji41]

Now that's smexy!!!

As for Invader for Megadeth and early Metallica...yeah, it could work. I don't know why everyone believes the mids are super scooped on those bands' guitar tones, but they aren't and those guys tend to play mid-heavy pickups through mid-heavy amps, as well.

That said, OP, your complaint was that the stock SG pickups were only good for "thrash or heavier stuff". If you want a little more flexibility in your sound, consider a JB. It can do a mean Metallica and is spot-on for Megadeth and many others.

 

[Degradation Trip]

Re: SG Faded Pickups

Now that's smexy!!!

As for Invader for Megadeth and early Metallica...yeah, it could work. I don't know why everyone believes the mids are super scooped on those bands' guitar tones, but they aren't and those guys tend to play mid-heavy pickups through mid-heavy amps, as well.

That said, OP, your complaint was that the stock SG pickups were only good for "thrash or heavier stuff". If you want a little more flexibility in your sound, consider a JB. It can do a mean Metallica and is spot-on for Megadeth and many others.

I didn't necessarily say it was good at thrash, just best at it

I have another Les Paul style guitar with a Custom 5 in the bridge, maybe that could work? I'd rather that guitar be more vintage sounding, I'm thinking of putting a 59, Seth or PG in the bridge to complement the 59 neck.

The SG sounds pretty thin on higher gain settings through my Mark V 25, definitely want something crunchier. I don't think the C5 in my other guitar sounds great through that amp either. Just sounds a bit 'off'.

Around 7:40 in this video would be kind of an example of the tone I want to get through my amp. Obviously it's a different guitar but that ballpark would be better. The 490s just sound very soft and woody, too open. Saying that, the ability to dial back the gain on the amp and still have some fatness and warmth from the guitar for say AC/DC like tones would be good as well. Not sure if that's too contradictory!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjkfArHfV6Q

 

[Degradation Trip]

Re: SG Faded Pickups

Any help? After further comparisons between my guitars the Custom 5 is pretty close to what I want out of my SG, but it's not quite exactly what I'm after. It's still a little too scooped sounding and maybe a tad high output. I'm also a bit worried that the high output will kill a lot of the tone in the guitar. It works well in the H140 because it's a thicker, heavier more resonant guitar. It seems like it could make the SG sound a bit flat and dead. I could be wrong though! Maybe slightly degaussing the magnet in the C5 could do the trick?

 

[Mincer]

Re: SG Faded Pickups

If the Custom 5 is too scooped and high output, look at the 59/Custom Hybrid, which isn't as hot or scooped, but has a similar edge and tightness.

 

[jtees4]

Re: SG Faded Pickups

Before you give up on the stock 490's, try adjusting them for pickup and polepiece height, and make sure you have 500k audio pots all around. You may have 300k linear volume pots in there.
Al

Totally agree, my first thought was think about switching to other value pots.