Should i put new pickups in my SG?

[CZ deluxe]

Hi everyone,

i'm looking for some advice: i have a new Gibson SG 'faded' and it's a very nice guitar but i'm not so sure about the quality of the pickups. Acoustically, the guitar sounds very clear and expressive, if not too warm (it's got an ebony fretboard), but amplified it sounds a little flat and boomy and it seems like i'm losing a lot of sparkle. I don't use a lot of distortion, i'm really looking for a sweet singing tone with lots of clarity and definition. Can anyone tell me how the stock pickups (490R/490T) compare to something like Seth Lovers or Pearly Gates? Will the difference be very big, or only subtle? Are the 490's bad pickups? Or should i go a little further out and try something like Phat Cats or TV Jones' TV'trons (i really like that Gretsch type of sound). Does anyone have experience with these?
Lots of questions, i know, but all help will be much appreciated!

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: Should i put new pickups in my SG?

CZ,

Welcome to the forum!

It'll depend on your style of playing, but I'm using a Seth in the bridge of my '61 LP/SG reissue and it sounds great. (I play classic rock & blues/British blues). You might also consider an AP-II for warmth or a set of '59s. If your into higher output, check out the C-5 or Custom Custom. As for more distortion, wait and see what some of the other folks have to say.

Good luck and have a happy holiday,

Jeff

 

[Sabe]

Re: Should i put new pickups in my SG?

I've got a 92 SG Special that also had 490/490. I found them "just ok" for crunch, and I hated them for cleans. They were very flat sounding, with limited dynamic range.

I play classic rock, ranging from everything between Allmans>Zep, with a lot of stopovers in the Beatles, Dead, Stones, and NY/CSNY stations.

I switched them out to a pair of 59's, and I've been loving it, and kicking myself for having waited so long. I shoulda done it 12 years ago. The leads cut through so much better, and there's a definite sizzle that was otherwise missing. Because I am so happy with the tones coming through the guitar, I've basically abandoned most of my pedals.

have fun,
sabe

 

[jimmy]

Re: Should i put new pickups in my SG?

I have two SGs-one faded brown.
I would go with the SH-13 in the bridge.
You might think it's a super high gain pickup, but it's not.
It matains a lot of clarity under high gain, has good dynamics, and sweet bass response.
When you throw it in an SG, it almost sounds as thick as a Les Paul.

Rock.