SG pickups

TTBZ

Must be the millionth time I've wanted to change my pickups but I'm after something different this time

I currently have a Bare Knuckle Mississippi Queen neck and Warpig bridge in my SG. The MQ is brilliant - I'd probably get a bridge one to match but I really prefer a humbucker for versatility as this is my only guitar. I'm no longer in my stoner metal band and I'm feeling like it's time I stopped trying to make the SG into something it's not (ie trying to cop LP tones) and go for something a bit more versatile and low output than the Warpig. Embrace the guitar for what it is ie raw punchy rock tones. I'm thinking Angus' tone on If You Want Blood live/Back in Black albums.

So far I've had loads of bridge pickups in it and my favourites have been Bare Knuckle Black Dog and actually the stock 490r/498t which stupidly I sold. Looking at the used prices of those pickups I'd rather spend the same on some UK made Oil City pickups or similar. The obvious choice seems to be the Dynamite but the Airship Trooper also seems good - similar to the black dog perhaps but maybe better suited to an LP? Anyone tried these?

My original music has a lot of single string riffing so I want to avoid it sounding too wiry and stringy for that stuff if possible. I'm after clarity and punch with a bit of weight behind the notes. I can boost for heavier stuff.

thegummy

Does the guitar have the PCB?

What prices are you seeing online?

I have a 498t I could possibly sell but it's the PCB type connector.

FelineGuitars

The oil city Pat 63 may be what you need - based on a genuine 1962 Patent number pickup from the "transitional period" that still had many PAF parts but had an A5 magnet too. The wind count for the bridge pickup version was upped to make it a good balance , as when you have two identically wound pickups the neck will always overpower due to seeing a larger string movement.

TTBZ

@FelineGuitars do you reckon the Pat 63 would have enough power in an SG bridge position and be a better fit than the Dynamite then? I've never gone that low output before so not sure what to expect. The lowest I've had we're BK Mules which were nice, full and warm but too polite for an SG imo. 

Know what you mean re the neck pickup, the MQ can easily overpower the Warpig if it's too high. Might be a dynamics thing too - the guitar sounds much smaller and more focused when I switch to the bridge, going from a fat uncompressed p90 to a high gain compressed humbucker doesn't help!

@thegummy will pm you

OilCityPickups

TTBZ said:

@FelineGuitars do you reckon the Pat 63 would have enough power in an SG bridge position and be a better fit than the Dynamite then? I've never gone that low output before so not sure what to expect. The lowest I've had we're BK Mules which were nice, full and warm but too polite for an SG imo. 

Know what you mean re the neck pickup, the MQ can easily overpower the Warpig if it's too high. Might be a dynamics thing too - the guitar sounds much smaller and more focused when I switch to the bridge, going from a fat uncompressed p90 to a high gain compressed humbucker doesn't help!

@thegummy will pm you

Pat 63s are alnico 5 ... a stronger magnet that kicks out a little bit more power than alnico 4 in the Mules. Also the bass response is stronger (again courtesy of the A5 magnets).  

p90fool

I'm running a 498T with an A3 magnet in my Explorer which matches your description perfectly, and still retains enough warmth and power to split well. 

Maybe get Mojo or Oil City to do you something similar? 

Funkfingers

TTBZ said:

I'm feeling like it's time I stopped trying to make the SG into something it's not (ie trying to cop LP tones) and ... embrace the guitar for what it is ie raw punchy rock tones. I'm thinking Angus' tone on If You Want Blood live/Back in Black albums.

By chance, I discovered that the (G&B) PRS #7 'S' humbuckers from an S2 Singlecut sound really good in a Chinese Tokai SG Standard. These are metal covered, moderate output, Alnico magnet jobbies. The bridge/Treble position pickup rips. With the tone control rolled off, the neck/Rhythm position pickup does Carlos Santana smooth lead tones.

I know somebody with a luthier-built SG that is fitted with BKP 'Pig 90 pickups. Instant Sabbath. These pickups need high quality pots to tame them. 

OilCityPickups

p90fool said:

I'm running a 498T with an A3 magnet in my Explorer which matches your description perfectly, and still retains enough warmth and power to split well. 

Maybe get Mojo or Oil City to do you something similar? 

I already do those ... my Riot Act

TTBZ

@OilCityPickups - between the pickups of yours mentioned in this thread which do you reckon would be the best fit for me? Straight into a Marshall for rock stuff, boosted with a TS for metal and fuzz for filth. I've never used anything with A3 pickups but generally like A5s. Just want it to sound like a good classic SG really I guess.

@funkfingers I used to have a Pig 90 and it was really good, almost like a humbucker but a bit looser. Still twanged with the volume rolled down though.

OilCityPickups

TTBZ said:

@OilCityPickups - between the pickups of yours mentioned in this thread which do you reckon would be the best fit for me? Straight into a Marshall for rock stuff, boosted with a TS for metal and fuzz for filth. I've never used anything with A3 pickups but generally like A5s. Just want it to sound like a good classic SG really I guess.

@funkfingers I used to have a Pig 90 and it was really good, almost like a humbucker but a bit looser. Still twanged with the volume rolled down though.

The Pat 63 @FelineGuitars was suggesting was derived from all the measurements taken when I rebuilt and rewound a pair of pickups from a 63 SG ... so you couldn't really get more authentic a classic SG sound! If you want more compression but with a weaker bass then A3 is for you.

Funkfingers

The only remaining questions about the Pat 63 are; 
1) covers on or off?
2) single wax potted or double?

OilCityPickups

If uit's to be used with a TS or a fuzz then I'd single pot at the very least. Possibly double pot.

TTBZ

Perfect, the Pat 63 sounds ideal then! Expect an order incoming in the next couple of weeks

I'll go for nickel covers and double pot then, I like my high gain stuff as well.

normula1

I reckon the stock Burstbucker 2 in my SG is the best bridge pickup sound I have.

TTBZ

Wife and kids are out today so I actually got to crank the amp up a bit. At proper volume the Warpig is actually getting me some wicked tones, not just for heavy stuff. With the gain backed off and treble pushed up more I'm getting great vintagey rock tones. Matches nicely with the neck MQ which is just amazing, gives me that fat Tom Morello style neck pickup chunk and twangy cleans. So I might just hold fire for a bit, I'm a bit wary of dropping a load of cash on something I may not like when it turns out I just needed to add more volume. I got lost today playing for an hour which hasn't happened in a while!

FelineGuitars

Just a thought - if the value of your pots on the sg are 300k you may find that going over to 500k ones (or 550k) breathes some fresh top end clarity into the sound of the pickup you already have.

TTBZ

I rewired it 50s style with 500k Cts pots a while ago. But been thinking of getting a new harness as I didn't do the best job and I think I'd rather have it modern with treble bleeds to avoid that output loss when you roll off the tone.

Funkfingers

TTBZ said:

I'd rather have it modern with treble bleeds to avoid that output loss when you roll off the tone.

  Noooooooooooooo! 

TTBZ

I know, I do love the volume roll off on 50s style it seems very natural and doesn't go too thin. It's more for the P90 if I want to take some twang off it, it'd be nicer to keep the output consistent. Humbuckers normally just stay on 10. Wondering if there's just a treble bleed cap value which will give me the same rolloff as 50s without thinning it too much.

p90fool

Funkfingers said:

TTBZ said:

I'd rather have it modern with treble bleeds to avoid that output loss when you roll off the tone.

  Noooooooooooooo! 

Yeeeeeeeeeeessss!

I do this to mine, if you don't go too high on the cap value it sounds perfectly natural.

I used 50s wiring for a while on the bridge pickup but found it worthless in a complex band mix. 

Fine in a blues-rock three piece no doubt, but no use to me, I need funk rhythm and fat leads. 

TTBZ

@p90fool what capacitor value do you use? And do you use a resistor as well?