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what type of pickup doesn't work in a SG?


Cliff Fiscal

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My personal favorite is the Burstbucker 1 & 2 combo.

So much of it does have to do with the quality of the wood/construction, but I put a set of Burstbucker Pros in an Epi G-400 and those pickups had a bit too much vibe and presence for that guitar. However, Gibson has used those pickups on some of their SGs, including the 2nd generation of Diablo, so maybe with a more resonant slab of mahogany it might soften up those tones.

But I also like the basic 490R/490T combo that's on the SG Specials. They are voiced more for "Classic Rock" which works well for me. I wasn't much of a fan of the 498T, which is very popular, but I recently picked up another SG Standard, which is lighter and more resonant, and the 498 sounds much better to my ears in SG Std number 2.

But BB 1 & 2 are my top nominations. But, it's still got to be good wood.

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But I did A/B/C/D some of my SGs with my stepson:

57s; 490/490; 490/498 & BB 1 & 2 and we both agreed that guitar above was the winner.

I also happen to have an Epi G400 with EMG 85/81 and really, that's a nice sounding SG too. It just hasn't seen much light of day. Too much gear redface.gif

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Quote Originally Posted by Cliff Fiscal View Post
will PAFs be too bright?
Well, that's the primary reason of why I prefer my Diablo with BB 1 & 2 over my '61 RI with the '57s.

They would both be considered PAF style pickups, but the SG with the '57s is brigher than I'd prefer. And it does have "good wood", but it's a bit thinner than other SGs I own.

I've bought a dozen or so SGs, but still, that's not a big enough sample to eliminate all the other variables of wood, design and hardware that also impart their own nuances into the tone.
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This one is my "oddest" SG

Due to its very dense construction, Gibson used the ceramic 496/500 eek.gif

but it makes sense for this guitar. With PAFs it would indeed be too bright, but ceramic mag pickups tend to have a more flat EQ to my ears.

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But if you're talking about "what type" instead of "which HB", then I need to say, I'm most fond of P-90s in an SG. I have two SGs with them, and the cheaper one, the '60s Tribute, is my fave of the two (over the SG Classic).

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