Finally got my SG Special back this past last week. The tech had it since January 27! Well, he's great, he knows his stuff and said he's never been as busy as he has been these last few months.
The main reason taking it to him was to have the nut replaced with a Tusq nut. I loaned the guitar to a friend of mine who proceeded to knock the side of the original nut against a table causing a nasty crack. As a result, it played havoc on the guitar causing some nasty wavers on the D and G strings. Nice and smooth now!
Prior to taking it to him I installed the Music City Savvy bridge. It was a royal pain installing it but I did it! The intonation is SO much better!
I also replaced the stock bridge pickup with a Lollar P90 soapbar (regular wind). It's got a touch more output than the stock pickup with a bit more of the "umph" factor. With my multimeter I'm showing 8.88.
I also had the tech replace the stock neck pickup with a Lollar 50's wind P90 neck soapbar. Multimeter shows 6.97. While it's a huge improvement over the stock neck pickup it's still a bit boomey for my liking. But I use a Line 6 Pod Go and in Snapshot mode I'm able to create a preset where I can cut a lot of that low end out so it balances out with the bridge pickup. This is my first guitar with P90's and I am loving the sound! That kind of clarity is what I've been after. As some have said, it's like a Telecaster on steroids and I agree! Such an "alive" sound! But it doesn't push things as much as a guitar with HB's. Find I have to goose things up a bit. But man, that tone!
I also had the tech install a strap button on the inside of the upper cutaway. The one thing I don't like about SG's is how they lean away from you. I first tried a strap button in this new location on my Epiphone SG to see if I would like it. I do! The guitar balances out so much better now and it actually leans into me instead of away from me. Makes it so much more comfortable for me to play now.
Question. In the Gibson Collection interview series with Brad Whitford, he was showing one of his 50's LP's with P90's and he said "these pickups are very hot." He also said some of the P90's from that era are "very explosive." Just how hot were some of the P90's from that era?
The main reason taking it to him was to have the nut replaced with a Tusq nut. I loaned the guitar to a friend of mine who proceeded to knock the side of the original nut against a table causing a nasty crack. As a result, it played havoc on the guitar causing some nasty wavers on the D and G strings. Nice and smooth now!
Prior to taking it to him I installed the Music City Savvy bridge. It was a royal pain installing it but I did it! The intonation is SO much better!
I also replaced the stock bridge pickup with a Lollar P90 soapbar (regular wind). It's got a touch more output than the stock pickup with a bit more of the "umph" factor. With my multimeter I'm showing 8.88.
I also had the tech replace the stock neck pickup with a Lollar 50's wind P90 neck soapbar. Multimeter shows 6.97. While it's a huge improvement over the stock neck pickup it's still a bit boomey for my liking. But I use a Line 6 Pod Go and in Snapshot mode I'm able to create a preset where I can cut a lot of that low end out so it balances out with the bridge pickup. This is my first guitar with P90's and I am loving the sound! That kind of clarity is what I've been after. As some have said, it's like a Telecaster on steroids and I agree! Such an "alive" sound! But it doesn't push things as much as a guitar with HB's. Find I have to goose things up a bit. But man, that tone!
I also had the tech install a strap button on the inside of the upper cutaway. The one thing I don't like about SG's is how they lean away from you. I first tried a strap button in this new location on my Epiphone SG to see if I would like it. I do! The guitar balances out so much better now and it actually leans into me instead of away from me. Makes it so much more comfortable for me to play now.
Question. In the Gibson Collection interview series with Brad Whitford, he was showing one of his 50's LP's with P90's and he said "these pickups are very hot." He also said some of the P90's from that era are "very explosive." Just how hot were some of the P90's from that era?
