toneseeker74
New member
My SG doesn't sustain worth a poop. Has a new bone nut. Tech just installed Gotoh bridge with properly cut saddles. Using Seth Lover pickups. Any thoughts?
SG poor sustain
- Thread starter toneseeker74
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Jeffrec
New member
Re: SG poor sustain
How new is yours? I have a 2001 SG/LP reissue that my wife bought me new. Initially it sucked as far as sustain, so I rarely played it. Once I started playing it regularly, it started breaking in. It sustains really nicely now. Even played acoustically. I also have a Seth in the bridge. Sounds killer.
How new is yours? I have a 2001 SG/LP reissue that my wife bought me new. Initially it sucked as far as sustain, so I rarely played it. Once I started playing it regularly, it started breaking in. It sustains really nicely now. Even played acoustically. I also have a Seth in the bridge. Sounds killer.
ErikH
Well-known member
Re: SG poor sustain
How low is your action and what gauge strings do you use? I noticed on a SG Classic I had (wish I still did) that it sustained a lot better with 10-46 strings on it and the action can't be too low (that can apply to any guitar). If it's too low, the string vibrations can get choked out. Is the tailpiece all the way down? That can affect it some as well if it is not.
How low is your action and what gauge strings do you use? I noticed on a SG Classic I had (wish I still did) that it sustained a lot better with 10-46 strings on it and the action can't be too low (that can apply to any guitar). If it's too low, the string vibrations can get choked out. Is the tailpiece all the way down? That can affect it some as well if it is not.
toneseeker74
New member
Re: SG poor sustain
Thanks everybody. I'll answer some of your questions below:
I'm using 11-49 strings. The guitar is from 2005. I'll measure the action and the string height above the pickups tonight. Pots are all 500k with 50's wiring. Tailpiece does not touch the body of the guitar. Two of the strings touch the back of the bridge behind the saddles, while the others clear the bridge. I plan to raise the tailpiece to keep all strings from touching the bridge.
Thanks everybody. I'll answer some of your questions below:
I'm using 11-49 strings. The guitar is from 2005. I'll measure the action and the string height above the pickups tonight. Pots are all 500k with 50's wiring. Tailpiece does not touch the body of the guitar. Two of the strings touch the back of the bridge behind the saddles, while the others clear the bridge. I plan to raise the tailpiece to keep all strings from touching the bridge.
Re: SG poor sustain
Some points, some you already covered and some you don't:
- Nut (ok)
- loose saddles (apparently no)
- string gauge (11's should be ok)
- string height
- pickup height (not too low or too high)
- tailpiece height (i usually don't let any of the strings touching the bridge)
- truss rod adjustment and fret level (is it clear from any buzz?)
that should do =)
Some points, some you already covered and some you don't:
- Nut (ok)
- loose saddles (apparently no)
- string gauge (11's should be ok)
- string height
- pickup height (not too low or too high)
- tailpiece height (i usually don't let any of the strings touching the bridge)
- truss rod adjustment and fret level (is it clear from any buzz?)
that should do =)
toneseeker74
New member
Re: SG poor sustain
No fret buzz.
I'm happy with the neck relief, which isn't much relief at all.
No fret buzz.
I'm happy with the neck relief, which isn't much relief at all.
Ace Flibble
New member
Re: SG poor sustain
Don't raise the stopbar. Lowering the stopbar right down will help with sustain immensely. It does not matter if the strings rest on the back of the tune-o-matic; they stop ringing at the saddle, anyway, so what happens after that doesn't really matter. If you insist on having the strings higher at the rear, top wrap the stopbar so the bar itself can still be set completely against the body, with the strings coming over the top for a shallower break angle. There's really no reason the stopbar should ever not be screwed down all the way.
The main key to getting more sustain is to keep everything as solid and as tight as possible, with as little getting in the way of the strings between the nut and the saddles. Having a more severe break angle over the sadles and nut helps (i.e. higher nut/saddles, lower tuning pegs/stopbar), generally higher action can help and lowering your pickups can help, though of course then you can run into the problems of having such little output that notes don't seem to ring out for long, even though the strings actually are. Of course, good vibrato technique is the biggest factor in your sustain, but that's not something your guitar's set up has anything to do with.
SGs in general can have issues with sustain because the neck join is so flimsy and easily influenced by what the neck pickup is doing. Packing additional solid material, e.g. more wood, tightly under the neck pickup can help, sometimes. If your SG has the larger pickguard, make sure it is properly screwed down, especially near the neck.
Consider switching to more powerful pickups and lowering the pickups, especially at the neck. That allows you to weaken the pull on the strings, while a hotter wind will mean you maintain regular output and don't get an unusually thin tone. DiMarzio's 'Air' pickups are based on this principle, though it'll work with any pickup so long as you lower the magnet further from the strings.
Don't raise the stopbar. Lowering the stopbar right down will help with sustain immensely. It does not matter if the strings rest on the back of the tune-o-matic; they stop ringing at the saddle, anyway, so what happens after that doesn't really matter. If you insist on having the strings higher at the rear, top wrap the stopbar so the bar itself can still be set completely against the body, with the strings coming over the top for a shallower break angle. There's really no reason the stopbar should ever not be screwed down all the way.
The main key to getting more sustain is to keep everything as solid and as tight as possible, with as little getting in the way of the strings between the nut and the saddles. Having a more severe break angle over the sadles and nut helps (i.e. higher nut/saddles, lower tuning pegs/stopbar), generally higher action can help and lowering your pickups can help, though of course then you can run into the problems of having such little output that notes don't seem to ring out for long, even though the strings actually are. Of course, good vibrato technique is the biggest factor in your sustain, but that's not something your guitar's set up has anything to do with.
SGs in general can have issues with sustain because the neck join is so flimsy and easily influenced by what the neck pickup is doing. Packing additional solid material, e.g. more wood, tightly under the neck pickup can help, sometimes. If your SG has the larger pickguard, make sure it is properly screwed down, especially near the neck.
Consider switching to more powerful pickups and lowering the pickups, especially at the neck. That allows you to weaken the pull on the strings, while a hotter wind will mean you maintain regular output and don't get an unusually thin tone. DiMarzio's 'Air' pickups are based on this principle, though it'll work with any pickup so long as you lower the magnet further from the strings.
Jeffrec
New member
Re: SG poor sustain
I agree with adjusting the stop tail down to the body. This does make a big difference as far as sustain. I don't think you need more powerful pups. The Seth's are perfect for that guitar. They allow plenty of string travel, which is part of what sustain is, and they're plenty warm sounding, but can scream like hell if you want.
I agree with adjusting the stop tail down to the body. This does make a big difference as far as sustain. I don't think you need more powerful pups. The Seth's are perfect for that guitar. They allow plenty of string travel, which is part of what sustain is, and they're plenty warm sounding, but can scream like hell if you want.
Christopher Caruana
New member
Re: SG poor sustain
1. your action may be too low
2. your pickups may be too high
3. The wood on your guitar just isn't very resonant (you're sol)
1. your action may be too low
2. your pickups may be too high
3. The wood on your guitar just isn't very resonant (you're sol)
Myaccount876
Amira-Maker
Re: SG poor sustain
Sustained notes in an electric guitar comes from compression. A dynamic sound will have just that - different levels for each note throughout. A compressed sound in this case picks up the quieter notes and brings them forward while limiting louder notes. That way, all notes will have the same amplitude, and it will stay at that level as the note decays until there is barely any more string vibrations to pick up. In a dynamic sound, you'll hear the note rapidly decay.
I think your speciific guitar is lacking some natural compression found in others guitars, such as a Les Paul for example, and the combination with very dynamic pickups such as the Seth Lover creates a very dynamic sounding guitar, where you'll hear notes decay pretty fast.
Solutions that come to mind are a compressor pedal if you have one, or a pickup swap for a more compressed pickup. I'm not saying total-compression is the way to go, because I like dynamics too, but finding a balance that you personally like is the key in my opinion.
Sustained notes in an electric guitar comes from compression. A dynamic sound will have just that - different levels for each note throughout. A compressed sound in this case picks up the quieter notes and brings them forward while limiting louder notes. That way, all notes will have the same amplitude, and it will stay at that level as the note decays until there is barely any more string vibrations to pick up. In a dynamic sound, you'll hear the note rapidly decay.
I think your speciific guitar is lacking some natural compression found in others guitars, such as a Les Paul for example, and the combination with very dynamic pickups such as the Seth Lover creates a very dynamic sounding guitar, where you'll hear notes decay pretty fast.
Solutions that come to mind are a compressor pedal if you have one, or a pickup swap for a more compressed pickup. I'm not saying total-compression is the way to go, because I like dynamics too, but finding a balance that you personally like is the key in my opinion.
80's_Metal
Underglazed Hair Metalologist
Re: SG poor sustain
IMHO the SG is a very lightweight thin guitar with a bright near "tinny" tone.
They can be brash and sharp at times, its not the thunder of sustain that the LP or Explorer are.
They can be Great for quick, choppy, palmy, chords, or punk, with a gritty tone, they can do speed metal superbly.
If you are worried about the sustain, add a touch of reverb/echo/delay/ and thicken up your eq/ and/or effects.
Or you can put a different pickup combo in there to thicken it up a bit through the signal.
You can also add weight to the headstock (there are many ways to do this) and you may be surprised how much it changes the sustain wowza!
don't give up on her, they are great guitars.
IMHO the SG is a very lightweight thin guitar with a bright near "tinny" tone.
They can be brash and sharp at times, its not the thunder of sustain that the LP or Explorer are.
They can be Great for quick, choppy, palmy, chords, or punk, with a gritty tone, they can do speed metal superbly.
If you are worried about the sustain, add a touch of reverb/echo/delay/ and thicken up your eq/ and/or effects.
Or you can put a different pickup combo in there to thicken it up a bit through the signal.
You can also add weight to the headstock (there are many ways to do this) and you may be surprised how much it changes the sustain wowza!
don't give up on her, they are great guitars.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: SG poor sustain
Won't thick strings, like 11's, reduce sustain a little, as they have to be tighter to get up to pitch (which is also why they're harder to bend). I'd think a lighter gauge would vibrate and sustain longer.
Won't thick strings, like 11's, reduce sustain a little, as they have to be tighter to get up to pitch (which is also why they're harder to bend). I'd think a lighter gauge would vibrate and sustain longer.
Re: SG poor sustain
Not in my personal experience. When i used elevens in my sg, e tone was fatter and the sustain was a little better. But normally i use tens.
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Not in my personal experience. When i used elevens in my sg, e tone was fatter and the sustain was a little better. But normally i use tens.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Re: SG poor sustain
I have an SG and SG Classic and have not had problems with sustain using 10s. I keep the stop bar at the factory level, and yes a couple strings choke on the backside of the bridge. It's a shorter scale, compared to Fenders. Not sure if that influences sustain when moving up to 11s.
I had Seths in my SG for a while and they were weaker than the stock 498/490 combo, so it sounded like there might be slightly less sustain but what I think it really was is the sustain was the same but with the lower output, volume-wise it trailed off quicker so you blame it on sustain.
I have an SG and SG Classic and have not had problems with sustain using 10s. I keep the stop bar at the factory level, and yes a couple strings choke on the backside of the bridge. It's a shorter scale, compared to Fenders. Not sure if that influences sustain when moving up to 11s.
I had Seths in my SG for a while and they were weaker than the stock 498/490 combo, so it sounded like there might be slightly less sustain but what I think it really was is the sustain was the same but with the lower output, volume-wise it trailed off quicker so you blame it on sustain.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: SG poor sustain
Yes, the tone would be fatter, but don't you think the greater tension reduces vibrations? If you pluck a string and turn the tuner to keep raising the pitch, that's going to reduce vibrations. Tension is a part of sustain. You can adjust other things (amp, gain, pedals, etc) to compensate for it, but I don't see how a thick, tight string can vibrate as much or as long as a thinner one with less tension.
Yes, the tone would be fatter, but don't you think the greater tension reduces vibrations? If you pluck a string and turn the tuner to keep raising the pitch, that's going to reduce vibrations. Tension is a part of sustain. You can adjust other things (amp, gain, pedals, etc) to compensate for it, but I don't see how a thick, tight string can vibrate as much or as long as a thinner one with less tension.
Re: SG poor sustain
Larger mass takes more energy to get moving. However the laws of thermodynamics say that more mass will take more energy to stop, or that the natural time to stop with the same force will be more. So if you hit a note with the same peak volume, the thicker string will sustain more.
Larger mass takes more energy to get moving. However the laws of thermodynamics say that more mass will take more energy to stop, or that the natural time to stop with the same force will be more. So if you hit a note with the same peak volume, the thicker string will sustain more.
Christopher Caruana
New member
Re: SG poor sustain
I really don't kmow the physics involved like the other guy, but, from my experience, my sustain was also more consistent when i used 11s.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I really don't kmow the physics involved like the other guy, but, from my experience, my sustain was also more consistent when i used 11s.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
