SG pickup help

[smitty302]

I need some help deciding which SG to put my SH-5 in. I bought it for my Les Paul, because I hate the 490 and 498 pickups, but ended up selling that guitar. I have 2 SG's, one with a 57 classic and 57 classic plus and the other with burstbuckers 1 and 3. I play everything from blues to metal. Some days I like the 57s better and other days I like the burstbuckers. I just can't decide which one. If I put it in the burstbucker guitar I will keep the burstbucker 1 in the neck because I really love the way it sounds. But if I put it in the guitar with 57s I'll probably change the neck to a jazz or wlh neck. Thanks helping me try to decide.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: SG pickup help

The '57s are the only Gibson pups I care for. I have a set in an SG, and in my other is Antiquities.

 

[Mincer]

Re: SG pickup help

Hard to know. You may just have to pick one and hope you like it better than what is in there. Or do an experiment...keep it in one SG for a month, then switch it over. You might end up just buying another SH-5 and having one for each!

 

[dxlxntxxlxr]

Re: SG pickup help

I need some help deciding which SG to put my SH-5 in. I bought it for my Les Paul, because I hate the 490 and 498 pickups, but ended up selling that guitar. I have 2 SG's, one with a 57 classic and 57 classic plus and the other with burstbuckers 1 and 3. I play everytime from blues to metal. Some days I like the 57s better and other days I like the burstbuckers. I just can't decide which one. If I put it in the burstbucker guitar I will keep the burstbucker 1 in the neck because I really love the way it sounds. But if I put it in the guitar with 57s I'll probably change the neck to a jazz or wlh neck. Thanks helping me try to decide.

if ur that conflicted just do whatever works aesthetically

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: SG pickup help

Is the Custom a zebra or does it have a nickel cover?

 

[Aceman]

Re: SG pickup help

OK - here is the real issue....

You need a 3rd SG!!!!!

With a Custom bridge, 59 neck.

 

[Condemnedsoul]

Re: SG pickup help

Should you need to expand your pickup horizon a bit, and decide another SG is needed to keep those two great guitars company, here is a suggestion.

Please don't overlook the 59/Custom hybrid pickup. It fills the great expanse between the 59 and the SH5 and it is Not a compromise between the two!

Have a Jazz-59/Custom and a WLH-59/Custom and both sets are work well in my SG's.

 

[smitty302]

Re: SG pickup help

Is the Custom a zebra or does it have a nickel cover?

It is a zebra so it would match the burstbucker 1 perfect. Also if anyone ever wonders, the colors on the Seymour zebras are very close to the Gibson zebras.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: SG pickup help

I for sure say throw the Custom in the Cherry SG and rock it there for a while, since you like the neck pickup so much.

 

[smitty302]

Re: SG pickup help

Would there be much of a volume drop between the burstbucker 1 and the custom?

 

[smitty302]

Re: SG pickup help

OK - here is the real issue....

You need a 3rd SG!!!!!

With a Custom bridge, 59 neck.

I think you're right, I need another SG and keep both of them stock. Since they both have 60s necks, I thought about getting one with a 50s neck. Then put the custom in the bridge and a whl, jazz or 59 in the neck. Preferably an alnico 5 neck since I'll already have 2 with alnico 2. But I've got to find a way to divert some of my income tax money into something that will make it appear to disappear.

 

[SJ318]

Re: SG pickup help

I just recently put a Jazz in the neck of my SG '61, and a 59/Custom in the bridge.
The Jazz is SO good for the neck and together with the 59/Cust. bridge they sound like what I hear in my head as a perfect middle position sound.
Yes one is louder than the other, but not by much. I have the Jazz with a nickel cover and the bridge open. I have the Jazz close to the strings, but low enough I have the poles head about halfway out so you can't see the bottom of the screw head. Make that about a third of the way out.
The 59/Cust. is open the screws high enough you can see the bottom of the pole heads just slightly in the middle (D, & G strings) The others (E, A, B, E.)are a little lower. I really love this combo. You can't lose along these lines!!
Steve Buffington (or Buffingtuna, as my shop teacher called me)

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: SG pickup help

sh5 and whole lotta is amazing in Sg's.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: SG pickup help

The '57s are the only Gibson pups I care for. I have a set in an SG, and in my other is Antiquities.

Before reading the OP’s post, and with just reading the title, I was thinking “Put a set of Antiquitys in that puppy!”

 

[Ben1962]

Re: SG pickup help

Just curious, if you like the 2 guitars now, why change? Hold on to the pup and wait till it finds a home, in another SG

 

[smitty302]

Re: SG pickup help

Just curious, if you like the 2 guitars now, why change? Hold on to the pup and wait till it finds a home, in another SG

That's what I'm really thinking about doing, I need one with a 50s neck anyway. I'll just have to make sure it has the 490 pickups, because I can't stand them, or I'll be wanting to keep it stock and buy a 4th SG.lol

 

[CaptainWhizz]

Re: SG pickup help

Would you get another Gibson? Or try something else out, like maybe find a cheaper guitar with a great neck and upgrade the pickups, wiring, etc?

 

[DonP]

Re: SG pickup help

That's what I'm really thinking about doing, I need one with a 50s neck anyway. I'll just have to make sure it has the 490 pickups, because I can't stand them, or I'll be wanting to keep it stock and buy a 4th SG.lol

I hate you. I have the same two colors of SG's but they both have 50s necks. I wish they had thin necks.

Just a question - which of the two has more of an Angus Young tone?

FWIW, I saw a fairly recent video of his gear and it said he uses SD pickups wound to 7.8K, but it failed to said what magnet!

Both my SG's have the fun 490R/498T combo. I want one for Angus tones.

 

[smitty302]

Re: SG pickup help

I hate you. I have the same two colors of SG's but they both have 50s necks. I wish they had thin necks.

Just a question - which of the two has more of an Angus Young tone?

FWIW, I saw a fairly recent video of his gear and it said he uses SD pickups wound to 7.8K, but it failed to said what magnet!

Both my SG's have the fun 490R/498T combo. I want one for Angus tones.

Most definitely the cherry one with the burstbuckers has more of a Angus tone. But really the burstbuckers are very close to the 57s. To me the 57s are a little smoother sounding. I would never swap one out for the other, like some people do, it just wouldn't be worth it for the small amount of difference. They both are able to get that Angus sound it just seems a little easier with the burstbucker 3.

 

[mojosman]

Re: SG pickup help

https://youtu.be/hclNYMVpdXo

You want Angus tone? Here is your Angus tone....