some pickup advice

Markn951 · Post by **Markn951** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:57 pm

so guys, here's the dilemma. I'm probably getting a Gibson SG Special faded (half of you are groaning "no0o0ob" right now) because I found a kick-ass deal for it cuz I participated at King of the Blues at Guitar Center. so, one-day-only prices + 10% off + some haggling + me knowing and being friends with all the employees of the store = lookin good on the price. The thing is, I love everything about the guitar except the pickups which are pretty dull and uninteresting (last time I tried it out, anyways). So, I'm thinking of getting the GFS Vintage 59 (for doing an Led Zeppelin-ish classic rock riffz).

Zep are one of my biggest influences, and I love the look of Page's guitar. So, yep, I'm gonna Page the SG out. strings wrapped around the tailpiece, odd-coloured pickups and all.

Heres what I'm asking for advice with.

1: should I stick with the GFS pickups? Never tried them out before, and there might be other good choices, like Stew Mac's Golden Age pups.

2: If I get the GFS pups (or any pups) the neck's gonna be nickel-covered. The bridge will be uncovered. Jimmy's bridge was a white colour. Should I do the white coils, or a zebra? I loves me some zebra pups...

mickie08 · Post by **mickie08** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 9:06 pm

I have had good experience with the GFs pups I have had. I say go for it. They are great for the price.

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 9:08 pm

I've had nothing but good luck with GFS pups and GFS as a business.

Markn951 · Post by **Markn951** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 9:10 pm

good to know guys thanks. The GFS are cheaper, and have a pup in white coils, I think I made up my mind.

oh AND four wires for ass-hat backwards electronics. FUCK YES!

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 9:27 pm

endsjustifymeans wrote:I've had nothing but good luck with GFS pups and GFS as a business.

Ditto. Really thinking about putting some Mean 90's in my SG.

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 9:48 pm

endsjustifymeans wrote:I've had nothing but good luck with GFS pups and GFS as a business.

hey ends,
that loudmouth of yours, why don't you fucking shut it is it in the bridge position?

hey ends,
do you have the ability to record stuff?

if so.
can has demo?

audio only or whatever but i'm curious. i really can't settle on what bridge 'bucker to buy and the loudmouth looks mint.

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 9:54 pm

Both bridge and neck, I can record but it's a shitty computer mic so I'm not sure what you'r egonna get out of it. Be happy too if that will work for you though. I also have one of their high outputs in my `51.

I also suck at guitar so you'll more likely just get open chords rather than a song so as not to fully embarrass myself.

nondas · Post by **nondas** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 12:05 am

Maybe it needs a good setup first before spending money on aftermarket stuff. You may be surprised with a sting change and pickup height adjustment that those stock gibson pickups are pretty good. If they still sound crap after that, then by all means go head and swap em out.

Markn951 · Post by **Markn951** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 12:19 am

nondas wrote:Maybe it needs a good setup first before spending money on aftermarket stuff. You may be surprised with a sting change and pickup height adjustment that those stock gibson pickups are pretty good. If they still sound crap after that, then by all means go head and swap em out.

I mean, height adjustment only goes so far, and doesn't really affect tone, just output levels relative to the position of the strings to the magnets.
A string change will help, but I can tell, the problem is with the pups. It's no coincidence that I tried 3 guitars (This SG, The LP version, and an LP Custom, all Gibby) with the same pups and I didn't like the tone of any of 'em. I may not be that good of a player but when it comes to tone and gear, I feel like I can swing with the big boys.

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 1:20 am

I don't even know if this is worth posting, it's pretty awful.

recorded with a computer mic. Gibson Les Paul with GFS loudmouth in the bridge through Sunn Beta Lead.

I broke it into four parts: clean, clean coil tapped, dirty (just gain from the amp, no pedals), dirty coiltapped. you can hear me call them out.

My guitar playing is sloppy as hell as I am a newb, only 6 months in. I don't play any real riffs or songs because frankly it's too embarrassing. So that combined with the crappy mic really don't show you how good these pickups sound. But as I guess I'm the only person in the world with a set and a computer, here you are:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=WCAHZKRV

again, it's like a gorilla banging on a guitar into a tin can, so don't judge the pickup by this too harshly... just putting it up because reece asked for it.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 1:23 am

How'd you do at King of Blues? Win the old man's soul back from Steve Vai?

Noirie. · Post by **Noirie.** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 1:30 am

endsjustifymeans wrote:I don't even know if this is worth posting, it's pretty awful.

recorded with a computer mic. Gibson Les Paul with GFS loudmouth in the bridge through Sunn Beta Lead.

I broke it into four parts: clean, clean coil tapped, dirty (just gain from the amp, no pedals), dirty coiltapped. you can hear me call them out.

My guitar playing is sloppy as hell as I am a newb, only 6 months in. I don't play any real riffs or songs because frankly it's too embarrassing. So that combined with the crappy mic really don't show you how good these pickups sound. But as I guess I'm the only person in the world with a set and a computer, here you are:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=WCAHZKRV

again, it's like a gorilla banging on a guitar into a tin can, so don't judge the pickup by this too harshly... just putting it up because reece asked for it.

Nice stuff Ends. Shame they don't make em in gold =[

Sparky · Post by **Sparky** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 3:11 am

I'll be back at the University of Hartford on Sunday. We should jam sometime if you can get yourself over there. I'll have a bunch of gear with me too.

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 3:30 am

thanks ends!

when you said computer mic i was expecting the worst but that's at least listenable.
sounds good, looks good, ima get me one i think.

what pots are in that LP?

edit: fuck i forgot you had a beta lead. DO WANT.
double edit: TEH KRUDTZ

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 6:00 am

Reece wrote:thanks ends!

when you said computer mic i was expecting the worst but that's at least listenable.
sounds good, looks good, ima get me one i think.

what pots are in that LP?

edit: fuck i forgot you had a beta lead. DO WANT.
double edit: TEH KRUDTZ

Teh buzzo

500k longstems from GFS. the pushpulls are 500k as well, forgot where I got them though.

Haze · Post by **Haze** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 6:20 am

fralin low output buckers

favourite humbucker at the moment, but spendy

dub · Post by **dub** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 8:13 am

ahah, that wipers intro was one of the first things i learned as well.
Cheers for the clip ends, I've alway been curious how those pups sound.
the Beta lead sounds great too.

If I was putting together a classic rock SG, I'd probably want p90s.
I did try the GFS Mean 90 in the neck of my first guitar, and it was sweeeeet.
I paired it up with a super distortion in the bridge and it was a really versatile combo.

Markn951 · Post by **Markn951** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 2:44 pm

yeah about the P90's but I play a lot from like Beatles shit to Zep to Who so, I need some versatile shit, with PAFs plus coil taps, plus phase switch, plus maybe series-parallel, this things gonna ROCK!

Then again, maybe I'll have a P90 bucker sized in the neck and a PAF in the bridge? Who knows...maybe I should wait till I get the guitar to make up my mind LOL

Markn951 · Post by **Markn951** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 2:48 pm

Ends: the demo was fine man, don't sweat it.

Paul: well all the guys there had been playing for years and years, all of them were really good, so a 2-year noob like me wasn't about to win anything. Still, it was a nice first experience playing in front of people and I got a cool t-shirt

Sparky: I wish I saw this earlier! I would've tried to make it, but I think it's too late now? its almost 11:00 on Sunday right now.

That would've been cool!

Post by **Mike** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 2:49 pm

Haze wrote:((drool))

Who the fuck added this to our smilies? I'm going to fucking delete the forum.