Single Pickup in an SG

[PonyOne]

I have a '98 Epi SG Special that I've modified a bit; better wiring, Seymour Duncan Buckshot bridge pickup, and then converted from right-handed to lefty so I can play it. It was my first guitar, and I'm really fond of it, no matter what anyone says about Epi's.
I also like Telecasters a lot. The other day in a used guitar store, I saw an 80's SG Special that had two Duncan active hums, plus a single EMG inbetween. I didn't get a chance to try it... but it looked really cool.
My question is, does anyone have any say on what the results may be if I put in a Tele or Lipstick pickup on my SG? Naturally this will require cutting, so I'd rather have a pro do it, and even so I'm reluctant, but I would really like to have that nice bluesy sound without having to buy a new guitar and then switch between songs or where necessary. I'm pretty well versed on humbuckers but know very little about singles, being an Epi/Gibson guy. Any advice/experience would be welcomed greatly.

[Elmo45]

Putting a single in the your guitar that you have now would take quite a bit from its tone, bigtime and then you'll lose the hums!
Believe me, you'll wish you had them back if you modify a Gibson-type guitar like that.

[Lordathestrings]

I'm not familiar with the Buckshot or the Antique pickups, but most humbuckers these days are 4-wire jobs that allow coil-switching. With the coils in parallel, you get a thinner, pseudo-single coil sound, while retaining the humbucker effect for hum rejection.

I never did get used to the push-pull switches that seem to be universal equipment for pickup switching. The Yamaha SBG 1000 that I bought new in '77 had push-push switches for selecting S/P coil wiring. (Like a ball-point pen). Since then, I've always used them on my modified guitars. I haven't found a supplier for them, so I have to order from Yamaha, for BIG bucks, but I can change the coil settings by just slapping the Tone control.

This way, you keep the sound you have, and add some new colours to your palette. Don't stuff a single-coil into your Epi; some things you just Know your'e gonna regret.

[Elmo45]

Have you checked out Carvin for something like that?
I think they might have it on thier site. If not it's in thier catalog.
http://www.carvin.com

[Lordathestrings]

Elmo45, old son, you should take some time away from the music long enough to soak up an epic trilogy of tales of swords, sorcery, treachery, and redemption from one J.R.R. Tolkien. It begins with a book called "The Fellowship of The Rings". If I choose to modify the text, while adding a more current conotation to the meanings therein, bear with me; all will fall into place in due course.

More immediately, as is often the case in such tales, your sign points nowhere. Not your fault, I'm sure; my well-intentioned tip for Chris Long (Single Humbucker Wiring), was a dead end due to website reconstruction. **** happens.

I'm still surprised by how reluctant guitar players are to accept change. "Push-pull switches were good enough for ______, so, by God, that's what I want!" StewMac was unable to provide what I asked for because there was not enough demand to justify stocking them.

'scuse me for venting; I run a lab that does compliance testing for electronic equipment destined for export around the world. Innovation and willingness to break a few 'rules' is what produces progress. I look forward to seeing guitars made of exotic composite materials that produce as yet only-dreamed-of combinations of sustain and harmonics.

If we don't stretch the envelope, we're stuck in a white rectangle.

[Edited by Lordathestrings on 02-04-2001 at 09:07 PM]

[PonyOne]

Okay, I guess I'll just buy a low-end Tele and drop in a better neck pickup.

As far as interesting, non-standard guitar-building materials, go I played a 1970's Carvin that one of my friends who played lead in a goth band had. It was all-aluminum, and had a strat-style body. Thing weighed a ton, and had a feel you had to get used to... but it was one of the best guitars for distortion I've ever played. I've played a couple plastic guitars (one was called a Modena, I don't know if that was the company or just the model) and felt like turning around and vomiting violently after playing them, they sounded so horribe. And I heard something awhile back about a carbon-fibre bodied guitar, which I think could be interesting...

Oh, and as to the wiring in pickups... according to the brochure for my Buckshots, they are "high-output, with a ceramic magnet and thousands of turns of copper wire for more chunk." I'm not one to argue, the thing sounds a million times better than before. The only thing I've noticed is odd is that the new pickup is considerably quieter (in terms of volume) than the original, and if anyone knows what I can do to remedy that, please let me know.

[LEEtheV]

*I wouldn't be puttin' no single coil on an SG....You'll kill it for sure.....The sound is gonna go down the tubes (No pun intended..) ......If ya wanna try some nifty stuff out, throw a "Pearly Gates" hummer in that THANG for a nice Controllable sound and decent output.....If ya GOTTA go "Ballz to the Wall", Than buy yourself the "Invader" :D ....Ain't gonna get a very clean sound, BUT CRUNCH BY THE BUCKETFULLZ !!!! :D:D:D

[zeews]

Personally, I would'nt reconmend putting in a lip-stick pick-up in a SG. You should just save up for the tele.
But if you do decide to install one, and get it workin good,let me know.


[Edited by zeews on 02-15-2001 at 12:26 AM]

[Raskolnikov]

StewMac's is stil alive and kickin'?

I haven't got their catalog in a couple years now... atleast.

[Lordathestrings]

Yeah, they're still the place to go for any kind of guitar parts, or repair materials.

http://www.stewmac.com/

It's like rummaging around in a well-stocked hardware store. Ya never know what you're gonna see, an' ya never knew how much ya needed it til' ya seen it!

Enjoy!

[Raskolnikov]

Yeah, I remembered the url right after I had posted that, and checked it out. I miss the catalog though, and DAMMNIT they need EMG's- not the stupid Select by EMG pickups.