Recommend Me Do: Pickups for an SG

[Muttley]

Hi,

I've got a mid-80's Gibson SG, and I'm a little unhappy with the pickups on it. They're great if you want to go for an Angus Young style sound, but are a bit muddy for the more extreme kinda sounds.

Anyway, I'm contemplating replacing the pickups and have been having a look around. I know the EMG 81/85 combo is popular around these here parts (have to say, I quite like the sound of the 85 in the bridge from the EMG website), but are there any others that are worth looking at?

Cheers

Muttley

 

[Tachy]

Emg 81, or passive Seymour duncan pick ups....

 

[prititing]

85, 81, JB in that order works for me. Nothing out of the ordinary but a safe and good choice. IMHO

Edit: That is for bridge. As for neck i like the 89 or Jazz ( passive)

 

[Tachy]

Try one guitar with a dimarzio tone zone or a super distortion, I don't like this pickups but this is my opinion.

 

[cobhc]

you dont like what pickups? the ones you just told him to try?

 

[Tachy]

I don't like dimarzios in general, I had guitars with dimarzios tone zone and an sg with a super distortion in the bridge.
Dimarzio make good quality pick ups, but I sincerly prefeer seymour duncan...this is my only fuckin opinion, but I'm not Muttley..

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

i'd be tempted to go JB.

 

[Nitronium Blood]

Get the 85. I am very sure you will be happy.

 

[Ermz]

The JB and Jazz combo seems quite nice. You have to keep in mind if you go EMG that it will become a METAL guitar, meaning it's gonna sound like a bat outta hell when you're ripping into those riffs and heavy solos, but you're not going to sound too flash playing anything else.

I think the JB/Jazz combo would give you a versatile array of sounds, suited to an SG. Plus you wouldn't have to go changing the circuitry to fit active PUs.

 

[Ravenous Enemy]

If you're looking in the higher-end range Bareknuckle are worth looking at (www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk. The Nailbomb, Warpig and Miracle Man all sound like they could suit you.

 

[Muttley]

I'm kinda aiming for an all-out high-gain metal guitar with the SG at the moment. I've got a JEM 7BSB which has a bit more subtlety for other styles of playing.

Hadn't thought of Seymour Duncans, will give those a listen.

Thanks for the help guys.

Muttley

 

[djairouks]

and i recommend an emg 60 in the neck it's a beautifull pickup for solo and cleans think nothing else matters sound

 

[The ORIGINAL South Of Heaven]

If you don't mind used pickups, I will be having a Seymour Duncan JB/Jazz set up for sale soon from my King V.

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

If you don't mind used pickups, I will be having a Seymour Duncan JB/Jazz set up for sale soon from my King V.

that'd be ideal imo, throwing the EMG combo in a decent SG is kind of killing it for me.

 

[FULLMETALSPEEDO]

I bought the Zakk Wylde set of EMG's with the 81/85 combo. They recommend putting the 81 in the bridge but I went with the 85 in that spot. The 85 has great punch in the bridge. IMO go with the EMG 85. Great for high gain with balls.


P.S. This is the setup in my Gibson SG as well.

 

[Suicide_As_Alibi]

I don't like EMG's, I know everyone raves about them but I wasn't impressed when I tried them.

Personally, I use a Seymour Duncan Jazz (I think it's an SH2 if you're looking them up that way) in the neck - it's very thick sounding but still really clear, but I use it for the mellower moments.

In the bridge, I've got a Kent Armstrong Ultra Distortion - I reckon that's suit you perfectly. It's really high output (but still passive), has lots of bite and clarity, and the harmonics are amazing. Best of all, I got mine brand new for £25 - a third of the price of the SD, and in my opinion it sound better than the Seymour Ducan Distortion.

Steve

 

[MilkAndCheese]

DiMarzio Evolution.

Trust me.

 

[Muttley]

If you're looking in the higher-end range Bareknuckle are worth looking at (www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk. The Nailbomb, Warpig and Miracle Man all sound like they could suit you.

Just had a listen to these, as never I've heard of them before. Definitely worthy of more investigation methinks.

Thanks.

Muttley

 

[J the TyranT]

I've got a JB in the bridge and a 59 in the neck of my `78 Les Paul... I like that setup... that's what I'd go with.

 

[Muttley]

After much deliberation I've gone for a set of Bare Knuckle Pickups' Nailbombs, and the SG is in the shop now having them fitted, and also having a refret.

I'll post some clips once I get it back.

Thanks for the pointers guys.

Muttley