guitar help

tt0511 · #1 02-22-2008, 10:55 AM

I have a Gibson SG STD. I bought it because the neck was nice and the fingerboard on this particular one is uber sweet. It is a joy to play. I've never been very fond of the looks of the SG though. After having it about a year, it mostly stays in it's case because I've come to really be able to hear the mid-rangi-ness of the SG, especially since I predominately play my RGT, custom JEM and of late a strat I've been piecing together. The SG just sounds shrill to my ears. I'm finding that I just like more of a growley sounding guitar.

So, I'm faced with the dilemna of what to do with the SG. I'm wondering if there are replacement pickups that I can put in there (that don't look goofy, lol) to change the range of the tone of this guitar or if it's more a function of the design of the guitar causing that. Ya know, ...it's mahogany, ...and I THOUGHT mahogany was supposed to give darker / less bright tone.

Or, is there some other fixed bridge guitar I should look into getting and sell the SG? I wanted a fixed bridge guitar (another reason I bought the SG) so I would have the ability to downtune if I so desired. I really never have taken to the Les Paul design for a couple of reasons: higher fret access isn't all that great, and it weighs a ton which is a big deal for me since I have an old shoulder injury.

I've really become an Ibanez lover, and increasingly I am loving strats when they are done right. I have the RGT320QRBB, the custom swirled jem, the ugliest strat in the world (sounds great though

) and the SG. I sure would appreciate some opinions from you guys to help me out here. I don't know what to do. I have guitar paralysis, lol.

tt0511 · #2 02-22-2008, 11:36 AM

I guess I should add, ...after thinking about it, that other than drop d on a few occassions, ....I hardly ever if at all downtune, lol. Guess I'm lazy. Guess I might not actually "need" a fixed bridge. It would be nice to retain the capability though. You never know when the mood or need will arise. I guess if I wanted to play along to a van halen tune I'd need that since the tunings are all over the place, lol.

tt0511 · #3 02-24-2008, 08:11 PM

Okay, I was thinking about getting a new american standard Strat upon selling the SG. All my guitars have turned into humbucking guitars, so I figure I ought to have at least one that does cleans real well and is versatile, ...like a Strat. But, I just saw a post here about Carvin. I don't know anything about carvin but they look pretty awesome.

So, ...for you guys that know Carvin, ...would you recommend a Carvin Bolt over an american Strat?

tt0511 · #4 02-26-2008, 10:50 AM

Ha ha, ...no replies. I think a lot of you must have been thinking I was crazy regarding my dislikes of the SG. Well, I spent some time with my SG last night after talking to a fellow jemsiter via PM's. I'd never checked it, but he mentioned pickup height so I made a two full turn screw adjustment, lowering the bridge pickup, and also ended up dialing the bridge tone knob back to about 8 and wow! Very nice and significant difference! I just recently learned of the importance of pickup height from reading in this forum, and have made adjustments to my other guitars, but I never thought of checking the SG, ...mostly I guess because I haven't been playing it. Well, ...now I think I'll be keeping it forever, lol.

I still would like to get a great strat though. Still would like to hear from Carvin owners as to their opinion regarding the differences / superiority of a Carvin Bolt versus an American Standard Strat. Which one do you think is the better tone monster?

LuredMaul · #5 02-26-2008, 12:38 PM

I have a love/hate with the Stratocaster.
It looks cooler than hell to me but I hate the tone of singlecoils usually.

I like the carvin bolt but the headstock isn't nearly as sexxy to me as a strat.

I'm now on the search for the pefect middle ground between true strat sound and humbuckers.

tt0511 · #6 02-26-2008, 03:56 PM

Yeah, I'm kinda questionable on the carvin headstock. I don't hate it, to be sure, but I like the Fender headstock better. But, as far as I know I can't get a Fender with a tung oiled neck either. Since my swirl neck is tunged, and so is my calico strat (started as a 70 reissue mexi strat, had it relic-ed, didn't like the work he did, had to buy a new neck for some of those reasons from Warmoth). The tone on both of those guitars is hugely superior to my finished neck guitars. I'm after the tone. And, for cleans I dig single coils. Stevie Ray's tone on Riviera Paradise and Lenny is incredible to me.

LuredMaul · #7 02-26-2008, 10:20 PM

Then I'd go Carvin Bolt

**elcid** · #8 02-26-2008, 10:27 PM

I have a 61 RI SG with 57 Classics and it kills. Thickest sounding guitar I have.

tt0511 · #9 02-26-2008, 10:41 PM

I wonder what the difference is between the 57's and the 490T in my bridge. Some people seem to think they are "basically" the same thing, ...and other people hate the 490 and love the 57. I'd just hate to spend over $200 for new pups and it not make a significant difference.

**elcid** · #10 02-26-2008, 10:51 PM

Put me in the hate the 490 but love 57C category. 57 Classic is a top 3 pickup for me.

David McCarroll · #11 02-26-2008, 10:57 PM

490 should already be middier than a Classic - would suggest you have a crack at a Dimarzio ToneZone or a Duncan Custom Custom as a potential replacement - as always KEEP the original pickup safely stashed away - your SG is worth more totally original than it would be with almost any aftermarket accessories added.

CosmicDebris · #12 02-26-2008, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcid

Thickest sounding guitar I have.

Always about the thickness.

tt0511 · #13 02-26-2008, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David McCarroll

490 should already be middier than a Classic - would suggest you have a crack at a Dimarzio ToneZone or a Duncan Custom Custom as a potential replacement - as always KEEP the original pickup safely stashed away - your SG is worth more totally original than it would be with almost any aftermarket accessories added.

Yeah, I definitely agree with that. I'm playing it right now and since I lowered the bridge pickup and dialed the tone back a little I'm liking it pretty good, but I bet it could still be a touch better. I'd like to hear an SG with the 57's before I spend ~$225, that's for sure. But if they are worth it, ...they are worth it! I wouldn't mind hearing it with a Norton since they are billed as "the" pickup for mahogany set neck guitars. Got one in my swirl guitar and love it. Wouldn't mind trying a Tone Zone too. I thought the SG would look stupid with normal black humbuckers but I've seen some picks of some SG's that come with pickups like that over the past couple of days and I don't think it looks bad at all. Might try it sometime on a rainy day just to see what happens.

I'm really liking this guitar for stone temple pilot tunes. Get's those tones pretty faithfully.

**elcid** · #14 02-27-2008, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CosmicDebris

Always about the thickness.

I should've said it was my "girthiest" sounding guitar maybe?

David McCarroll · #15 02-27-2008, 01:15 AM

Dimarzio will do you a ToneZone in a nickel plated cover in any case - you can get 'em for about $70 or so on some *Bay stores. I had a Les Paul Goldtop with Classic '57s a few years ago - can't honestly say I found it extremely girthworthy, so Cid obviously has a very different amp setup to me.....