Gibson sg- very dark.

[Brock Little]

These are the ones I normally use Ernie Ball | Electric Strings - Power Slinky Nickel Wound
I just came across these strings, and wondered if they would be worth checking out Ernie Ball | Electric Strings

I stopped using Blue Steels years ago when I had to record a lot of heavy guitar tracks for a friend's demo. They were fine on my strat (bright, and plenty of character), but when it came to heavy distortion, I found they had a lot of uneven oscillation noise. I generally stay away from bright strings nowadays for this reason.

B

[Steve A.]

Strings- I will have a read about those- I have regular EBall slinky 9's on right now and use fast-fret to clean each time.

I use Fast Fret to freshen up dry rosewood until the natural oils take over. But never to clean the strings. It is white petroleum, same stuff as Vaseline.
I'd check the DC resistance of your pickups. If its like 12k or higher it's going to be dark and muddy but if its around 8k or 9k I'd try swapping out the magnets. I usually replace Alnico 5 with Alnico 2 to get a smoother tone, which might not b a bad idea once you change out the pots. You might want to try a .015uf tone cap on the neck pickup for the EC "woman" tone.
BTW what kind of amp are you using?

Steve A.

[Sea Chief]

Hi Chaps-

thanks for all the suggestions and excellent info. I apologise I had thought the thread died quietly and had no notificatios of replies since my last.

Its a gibson sg special, 490T/490R afaik. Fat and dark are defo two words that fit to me.

Strings: i have annoyingly oily hands (I remeber very embarrassingly as a kid, forced to play the flute, that my nickel plated one -the poor kid/ others had shiny silver ones didnt they the rotten ***ts/ all of 'em- had permenant tarnish that polishing didnt do a thing). Same with strings, so I use fast-fret: always have & I find its great for brighteneing the strings and lasting them longe, taking my mitt oil off after a play. Its great for me.

Pots: I already have neck pickup nr flat to the pickguard (still sounds dark), so I will defo have a try replacing the pot. Now, what I find is the bridge pickup is tonally ok/ I dont use alone much anyway.. so can I just adjust the neck pickups' pot to a CTS 500k w'out replacing the bridge's too?

I find it strange gibson dont do this as stock- maybe its simply to differentiate the 'better' gtrs from the cheaper to reap more income. I wonder whether the 490t/490R are found in other 'higher' models with different pots/ caps?

Id love to whack in a couple of p90's.. but funds are too tight, as is the idea of swappingout the pickups altoghether for anything really. They have a nice tone anyway, Id be loathed to put chinese GHS things in there (I tried this in a EPI sg and there was no difference in sound whatsoever- still fat and dark, and cheapy sounding).

many thanks guys- Sea Chief.

[Sea Chief]

I put Slinky 10s on everything I work on that needs strings.
I also keep S Slinkies in case someone asks for 9s.
T

I tend to agree- my stock are slinky 10's.

Btw the strings arent the crux here: there may well be small differences between various strings brands.. but Im on about a much bigger stalwart fat mud that string differences wont address here, which is evident on a fresh new set of strings just bedded in as it is on an older tarnished set needing replacing- just they sound a bit fresher thats all obviously.

[big_teee]

With neck humbuckers there are a few basic things that effect the tone.
In the pickup it is how it is wound the size of wire, the amount of turms, and the magnet type.
I personally like a little underwound neck humbuckers around 7.2k with a A2, or A5 magnet.
The A5 will be brighter.
If you get up above 7.4k the bass strings will start to get darker.
In your case you could start with the Pots, just for the neck pickup.
A 500k in both Volume and tone, and a .022uf tone cap, or less.
If you're rewiring the cavity, Myself I would replace all the pots at one time, it is easier to get it over with, while you have it torn a part.
So why not start with the pots, and caps, and go from there?
T

[Sea Chief]

With neck humbuckers there are a few basic things that effect the tone.
In the pickup it is how it is wound the size of wire, the amount of turms, and the magnet type.
I personally like a little underwound neck humbuckers around 7.2k with a A2, or A5 magnet.
The A5 will be brighter.
If you get up above 7.4k the bass strings will start to get darker.
In your case you could start with the Pots, just for the neck pickup.
A 500k in both Volume and tone, and a .022uf tone cap, or less.
If you're rewiring the cavity, Myself I would replace all the pots at one time, it is easier to get it over with, while you have it torn a part.
So why not start with the pots, and caps, and go from there?
T

Ok so I can just replace the neck pickup.. both the vol and the tone pot together is it then? And I can leave the bridge pickup pots alone then? will there be no imbalance in s'thing between the pickups?

or are you suggesting replace all 4 pots? Thats too much faff for me tbh, if I can avoid it and there's no imbalance by just addressing the neck pickup's pot(s?).

[olddawg]

Ok so I can just replace the neck pickup.. both the vol and the tone pot together is it then? And I can leave the bridge pickup pots alone then? will there be no imbalance in s'thing between the pickups?

or are you suggesting replace all 4 pots? Thats too much faff for me tbh, if I can avoid it and there's no imbalance by just addressing the neck pickup's pot(s?).

Before replacing anything, temporarily connect the offensive pickup directly to the jack and use the amp volume control. Try adjusting the pickup at various heights. Start with it level with the mounting ring and bring it up incrementally. If it is still dark with no volume or tone controls, you need a brighter pickup. Odd though, the SGs I have owned were never muddy at all. I was freaking out at a gig a while back with my guitar tone being thin and realized that the damn Crybaby hadn't completely disengaged. Of course that has never happened to anyone, lol.

[big_teee]

Before replacing anything, temporarily connect the offensive pickup directly to the jack and use the amp volume control. Try adjusting the pickup at various heights. Start with it level with the mounting ring and bring it up incrementally. If it is still dark with no volume or tone controls, you need a brighter pickup. Odd though, the SGs I have owned were never muddy at all. I was freaking out at a gig a while back with my guitar tone being thin and realized that the damn Crybaby hadn't completely disengaged. Of course that has never happened to anyone, lol.

I bet that is too much trouble too.
Don't mean to be hard on him, but as far as I know, he has not tried a single thing, here or on the 5F1 Thread.
Out of 200 posts, both threads combined, I don't think he has changed a single component!
With All due respect, If you want to change the sound of things, get the soldering iron out and try something!
If not I would play both the guitar and amp, as is!
T

[g1]

That's right, enough talk, let's hear the results of some action!
Pickup straight into the jack like olddawg said, don't even need to get any parts. How does it sound?

[Sea Chief]

I bet that is too much trouble too.
Don't mean to be hard on him, but as far as I know, he has not tried a single thing, here or on the 5F1 Thread.
Out of 200 posts, both threads combined, I don't think he has changed a single component!
With All due respect, If you want to change the sound of things, get the soldering iron out and try something!
If not I would play both the guitar and amp, as is!
T

Ok I wont be reading your posts anymore thanks. Until I understand why there is no OD, or why the SG is so dark there f-all point dicking around blindly with a soldering iron like you. That's for simpletons. I think/ understand why 1st. Then put into practise. I dont have a 300k pot around to simply swap- I need to source first/ look see how its wired/ note, then wait for components. Its not a case of the 5 min job of your premature ejaculations big-tee hee hee.

I have of course tried the pickup at all heights. At the mo it is nr level with the scratchplate. Making it higher increaces vol and the sound fattens even more.

The next time I make an order to my supplier, Ill add a cts pot suggested by the good folks on here (not you) to save some £. If thats even 2 weeks away I dont give a fk. SC

[Sea Chief]

Before replacing anything, temporarily connect the offensive pickup directly to the jack and use the amp volume control. Try adjusting the pickup at various heights. Start with it level with the mounting ring and bring it up incrementally. If it is still dark with no volume or tone controls, you need a brighter pickup. Odd though, the SGs I have owned were never muddy at all. I was freaking out at a gig a while back with my guitar tone being thin and realized that the damn Crybaby hadn't completely disengaged. Of course that has never happened to anyone, lol.

Is the idea of adjusting the pickup height, effectively simulating a lower K 300k pot then? If so theres no point in swapping the pots and it sounds like I do need a new pickup. So thats a dead duck idea then/ I cant afford one.

Im sure the newer SG's, esp the 'budget' ones are made from lesser quality 'SG mahogany': heavier/ denser basically adding to the fat tone, leaning more twds a thicker LP sound rather than the SG sound which Im sure should be lighter/ brighter/ more pacey and zingy. I tried a few SGs & should have bought in 80's (esp the one with a bad diy white paint job@ £230 argh!) which were considerably/ noticeably lighter and no muddy sound there. So wood density Im sure is a factor here too.

[big_teee]

Is the idea of adjusting the pickup height, effectively simulating a lower K 300k pot then? If so theres no point in swapping the pots and it sounds like I do need a new pickup. So thats a dead duck idea then/ I cant afford one.

Im sure the newer SG's, esp the 'budget' ones are made from lesser quality 'SG mahogany': heavier/ denser basically adding to the fat tone, leaning more twds a thicker LP sound rather than the SG sound which Im sure should be lighter/ brighter/ more pacey and zingy. I tried a few SGs & should have bought in 80's (esp the one with a bad diy white paint job@ £230 argh!) which were considerably/ noticeably lighter and no muddy sound there. So wood density Im sure is a factor here too.

Read post 3 & 5!

[tedmich]

I too have acquired an SG that is "too dark for words" It makes a black hole seem like a super nova etc etc.

I am contemplating unwinding the pickups and rewinding them with the wires ends reversed; please discuss extensively.

;P

[big_teee]

I too have acquired an SG that is "too dark for words" It makes a black hole seem like a super nova etc etc.

I am contemplating unwinding the pickups and rewinding them with the wires ends reversed; please discuss extensively.

;P

As suggested by olddawg, temp wire the neck direct to test the pickup without the pots muddying the water.
If the neck pickup is still too dark Reduce the neck pickup to around 7.2k and leave the cover off, for your experiment.
If you have 300k ohm pots, for the neck pickup replace them with 500ks.
Anyone that can make a 8 string guitar like you did will have no trouble with the SG!
GL,
T
** It makes a black hole seem like a super nova!
I like that!

[tedmich]

cynical sarcasm met with earnest advice, I am chastened...