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Hello Everyone,

I'm new to the forum and would like to know what a good pickup combination would be for my Gibson SG Special faded. The stock pickups sound great but are too quot;middle of the roadquot; for what I want tonewise. I listen to bands like AC/DC, black sabbath, Nirvana, BB King, Guns N' Roses. I want a pickups that sound very warm on clean similar to a PAF but, when distorted I want screaming leads and lots of crunch. Now granted, I'm not looking for heavy metal just something grungey and toneful. If anyone could give me suggestions it would be most appreciated.

P.S.- I was looking at the Phat Cats, do they sound good?

thanks!!

Welcome!!!

Phat cats DO sound good (SG p90s = Pete Townsend heaven ) but I'm not sure they'd suit your bands of choice - humbuckers are probably better. As to WHICH humbucker, I'll leave the more knowledgable folk - they'll probably suggest a JB or a custom, pickups which are kindof quot;souped-upquot; PAFs (as opposed to pickups like my 59, which are exactly like the old PAFs!)

Actually, for the sounds you described, you could get away with a pair of 59's, or like Jimbojsr said, a Custom for the bridge paired with a 59 in the bridge would definately rock.

I was going to say either JB/Jazz or JB/'59. The JB is hot but it's an alnico V, so it isn't as quot;metalquot; sounding as the ceramic magneted Custom is at times.


Originally Posted by Slash2987I was going to say either JB/Jazz or JB/'59. The JB is hot but it's an alnico V, so it isn't as quot;metalquot; sounding as the ceramic magneted Custom is at times.

I'll admit that the Custom has hrsher cleans than the JB, but at least to my ear, nothing screams '80s metal like a JB into a gained out Marshall. This is especially true of the lead tones.

The Custom, IMHO, has a broader base of sounds. In my '81 Hamer Special with a Custom/APHn combo, I can get close to tones from AC/DC, STP, Collective Soul, Skynard, and pretty much any other rock/blues flavor that uses a Gibson-like sound for a base.

When I had the JB in ther, everytime I took a solo, it felt like I should be wearing hot pink spandex pants and a rising sun T-shirt with the sleeves cut off.

That and a perm. A really bad, blond, perm.

Hey Benjy, you are a soulmate! The JB is now in the dust bin and my '79 Hamer Studio (yes, yes one of the first ever made) has the Duncan Custom and a DiMarzio VPAF in the neck. I never liked spandex


Originally Posted by hamerfanHey Benjy, you are a soulmate! The JB is now in the dust bin and my '79 Hamer Studio (yes, yes one of the first ever made) has the Duncan Custom and a DiMarzio VPAF in the neck. I never liked spandexLike brothers from another mother.