SG Pup Upgrade? TV Classic Bridge + ??? Neck

[ChampReverb]

I have an SG Special Faded from a few years back with the original 490T / 490R pickups. I've lowered them way down and adjusted the pole pieces up and at the end of the day they do sound better but they still do not excite me. The SG is currently mostly just a backup for my Tele. I play jangley, twangy alt-country / folk-rock through cleanish amps (Vox / Tweed / BF flavors). Lots of chordal arpeggios and partial chords w/ hammer-ons so I need some cleanish clarity and chime but it doesn't have to be virginally pure.

I'm considering swapping in a TV Jones Classic into the bridge slot and am looking for something compatible and interesting in the neck slot.

I could just do the easy thing and get a TV Classic (or Magnetron or Lollartron) for the neck. However, I've also been thinking about humbucker sized P90's (Manlius, Grosh, Sheptone, Zhangbucker, etc.) but at this point I'm just starting the search and it's all talk. I'm not entirely opposed to humbuckers but am leaning away at this point.

Anyway, just figured I'd post here to see what your ideas and experiences might suggest.

Thanks,

-bEn r.

 

[LesPaul59]

Get the best humbucker-sized P90 for the neck: BG (Bryan Gunsher) Pure90 Chrome. That pickup and the TV Jones Classic in the bridge would make the perfect combo.

http://bg-pups.com/pure90/pure90-chrome/

 

[Waxhead]

I have an SG Special Faded from a few years back with the original 490T / 490R pickups. I've lowered them way down and adjusted the pole pieces up and at the end of the day they do sound better but they still do not excite me. The SG is currently mostly just a backup for my Tele. I play jangley, twangey alt-country / folk-rock through cleanish amps (Vox / Tweed / BF flavors). Lots of chordal arpeggios and partial chords w/ hammer-ons so I need some cleanish clarity and chime but it doesn't have to be virginally pure.

I'm considering swapping in a TV Jones Classic into the bridge slot and am looking for something compatible and interesting in the neck slot.

I could just do the easy thing and get a TV Classic (or Magnetron or Lollartron) for the neck. However, I've also been thinking about humbucker sized P90's (Manlius, Grosh, Sheptone, Zhangbucker, etc.) but at this point I'm just starting the search and it's all talk. I'm not entirely opposed to humbuckers but am leaning away at this point.

Anyway, just figured I'd post here to see what your ideas and experiences might suggest.

Thanks,

-bEn r.

I'd stick a TV Jones Powertron in the neck.
Little hotter than the Classic +
TV Jones makes THE best PUPs money can buy imo
Versatile, articulate, quiet, growl and twang and everything else

 

[ChampReverb]

Get the best humbucker-sized P90 for the neck: BG (Bryan Gunsher) Pure90 Chrome. That pickup and the TV Jones Classic in the bridge would make the perfect combo.

http://bg-pups.com/pure90/pure90-chrome/

Those look cool. What else have you tried and what were your comparative impressions?

Thanks,

-bEn r.

 

[LesPaul59]

Those look cool. What else have you tried and what were your comparative impressions?

Thanks,

-bEn r.

I sent you an email.

 

[smolder]

I'm a huge P90 fan... gibsons in the bridge, loller 50's or under wound in the neck. But for humbuckers in an SG I've tried a bunch including everything Gibson makes now... t-tops, and jmrolph '60's. I ended up with loller low winds.

 

[LJD]

I just put Seymour Duncan Antiquity HBs in my SG and they're great. I had them modified for coil splitting that grounds the inner coil, creating more of a telecaster sound when split.

 

[Coldcobra]

I'm with you on this one brother. My 03 SG faded is a decent player but its had quite a few rounds of pickups and nothings final yet. Haven't found "the set" for it. I hated the stock pickups - boring. I tried some SD and Dimarzio and it was good but not quite right. I tried SD Phat Cats and I liked the P90ness of those but they're a bit too clean. They lack the P90 growl. So I'm going back to humbies. I have a WCR crossroads bridge and a HD neck vintage neck humbie that is slated for the SG. The tone quest continues!

TV Jones makes GREAT pickups. BG Pure90s get rave reviews. These are options I considered as well.

 

[ChampReverb]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far.

I saw this:
http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/20058-humbucker-sized-p-90-review-roundup

In other clips the Fralin Pure PAF's and P90's both sound good as do the BG's.

I'm still looking and open to suggestions to fill the humbucker route neck slot.

Someone at TV Jones (via email) even suggested Magnatrons so I'm all over the place in terms of listening to clips and reading online forum opinions & reviews.

-bEn r.

 

[jumpchamp]

to give you another TV option - supertrons. i have one in the neck of an all mahogany telemaster....it's really really really good. probably the best pickup i've ever had. great clarity all around without being sterile, tight bottom end - one of the only neck pups i've come across that holds together for chords without getting muddy or flabby.

you know...just to make the search more interesting

 

[ChampReverb]

to give you another TV option - supertrons. i have one in the neck of an all mahogany telemaster....it's really really really good. probably the best pickup i've ever had. great clarity all around without being sterile, tight bottom end - one of the only neck pups i've come across that holds together for chords without getting muddy or flabby.

you know...just to make the search more interesting

Thanks, I'll give those a listen.

-bEn r.

 

[Waxhead]

Or just stick 2 x 57 Classics in and be done with it

 

[ChampReverb]

to give you another TV option - supertrons. i have one in the neck of an all mahogany telemaster....it's really really really good. probably the best pickup i've ever had. great clarity all around without being sterile, tight bottom end - one of the only neck pups i've come across that holds together for chords without getting muddy or flabby.

you know...just to make the search more interesting

Those sound great. Wish they came in a humbucker mount.

-bEn r.

 

[doc]

Let us know what you end up with and your thoughts on the result - I have one of these stock as well and will probably do a pickup exchange myself, so I'll plan to dig this thread up before I jump. Mine is walnut - is that what you have? I have several nice humbuckers laying around, but I'm tempted to at least try one of the BG Pure 90s in the neck on mine.

 

[bumblefingers]

I always thought the TV jones T'Armond single coil in the neck would pair really well with a Filtertron in the bridge.

 

[ChampReverb]

Let us know what you end up with and your thoughts on the result - I have one of these stock as well and will probably do a pickup exchange myself, so I'll plan to dig this thread up before I jump. Mine is walnut - is that what you have? I have several nice humbuckers laying around, but I'm tempted to at least try one of the BG Pure 90s in the neck on mine.

Yes, I will.

I've been listening to all kinds of clips of different kinds (and makes) of pickups and reading loads of opinions on various forums mostly just to confuse myself it seems.

On top of that, I then wrestle with all of the options.

Demo clip quality is a potentially huge factor and some probably great pickups don't have any or many clips that wow me and make me want to buy them. Other pickup makers have some demo clips that make me think seriously about ponying up the $$$ even though it's possible that their pickups might not be the ultimate best option (and how am I to know that?).

I like the clips I've heard from Fralin (PAF and P90 variants), TV Jones (Super, Classic, etc.) and RS Guitarworks (PAF). The BG pickups (or insert other maker here) may be the greatest pickups ever made but if the clips are so-so it's hard to be swayed by them.

The qualities that I'm looking for in a pickup are likely not everyone's cup of tea so what constitutes "best" is really subjective (even though I know a lot of pickups would probably work better than what I have).

iPhone typing is slow.

-bEn r.

 

[dag2000]

Ben,

That Hamer goldtop I played had Fralin p90s and I found them to be outstanding, kind of chimey cleans, but could also do a nice grind as well.

Mike B

 

[ChampReverb]

Ben,

That Hamer goldtop I played had Fralin p90s and I found them to be outstanding, kind of chimey cleans, but could also do a nice grind as well.

Mike B

Yo Mike!

I'm currently considering a Fralin P90 or a Fralin Pure PAF for the neck slot.

May go with a TV Jones Supertron in the bridge.

Still deciding.
I'm open to new input though.

-bEn r.

 

[dag2000]

Yo Mike!

I'm currently considering a Fralin P90 or a Fralin Pure PAF for the neck slot.

May go with a TV Jones Supertron in the bridge.

Still deciding.
I'm open to new input though.

-bEn r.

I had a Partscaster (T-style) that had TV Jones Classic Plus buckers. I gave it to my brother when I stopped playing (I also gave him the goldtop - thank god I kept some gear) and he has since disassembled it. It sounded great when I had it though.

Never heard the Supertrons. Do you know what kind of guitar those sound clips are played through? Obviously that will make a difference.

 

[tomich]

Note that you don't need the humbucker version - almost all TV Jones pickups also come in a "universal" mount which will work just fine in an SG or other standard humbucker-sized routing.