Guitar Setup

[SteveG]

My Epi SG is the same, flat out or nowt!! They made a huge fuss about how good the pickups were gonna be, but I dont really hear it.

[Saijinn Maas]

Mark -

What you described is the number one reason people upgrade the pickups. Most stock pickups are subpar. The problem for most people just learn about this stuff is that they read great reviews online about this stuff, and assume that they are as good as the review state. The problem is that it is all relative. Most people giving them great ratings do so because they don't know any better.

I thought the stock pickups in my Ibanez S520ex sound pretty damn good. Until I started making adjustments like you are. I then upgraded them to the Hottrodded set of Seymour Duncans, and the difference is unbelieveable.

When it comes to tone and pickups, there isn't much you can do other than upgrading. Changing out POTS and electronics will "help" but it will not make as much difference as you are probably looking for.

Of course, all of this is based on my own experience with each of the 3 guitars I own. One of which is being rebuilt and upgraded currently.

Good luck

BTW... What is the model number of your SG?

[launched]

Thanks, Steve & Sai - I figured there wasn't much I could do, but it doesn't hurt to ask!

Sai, my model might be a G-310. I thought it was a 400 but it has a bolt on neck - I looked up the serial number and it was made in 1996, so who knows what it is really. It has 2 tone and 2 volume with humbuckers, so I'm assuming 400 electronics are similar in design.

If I did anything, I should probably replace it all, right? I'm happy with the guitar itself and can't tell the difference from the real deal anyway. I play my friend's Gibson SG all the time and the only difference I can tell is that it sounds a lot freakin' better!

Mark

[Davo]

Yeah epi buckers are pretty bad they are both muddy and harsh.

I have luck by setting em low.  Also if it has adjustable pole pieces screw the low e and especially the g down.
The G is usually way loud due to its higher output, and by screwing the pole piece down almost as far as it will go it helps balance the sound.  I set the bridge first, then set the neck pup to balance to it.
Stainless steel strings will brighten up the tone also.
Good luck!

[Saijinn Maas]

A quick look online shows that the stock pickups are the most complained about aspect of that model. That's generally the case with sub $400 guitars.

Do you know what model SG your friend has? With most companies there is a BIG difference in pickups between models at different price points. This seems to be the case even more so with Gibson (Epiphone) and Fender (Squier).

Although things like what wood the guitar is made from, type of bridge, even the nut, can all have an effect on your tone, the pickups and your amp are the main things that determine overall sound.

Kinda hard to say what you "should" do though. Some don't like the idea of spending $130 on a set of Seymour Duncans (for example) for a guitar that only cost $250. It really comes down to just how much you like the feel of the guitar and whether it is worth it to YOU. I'll spend a few hundred on a guitar that I may have picked for only $50 if I like how the guitar feels. But that's me.

If you plan to keep the guitar long term, you may eventually wanna upgrade the electronics but there are only a few things that lower end guitars have you need to worry about.

As long as the VOL and TONE pots do not "cut out" while turning them or that the sound doesn't cut out completely upon volume set at max or min, you should be okay for the time being. The only part of the electronics that would effect your tone is if the pots are 250k or 500k pots. I know Fenders, Squiers, Vintage, etc... use 250K. Not too sure about the Epis, especially the SGs. The website doesn't seem to have that info that I can see.

[Bro]

You guys all lost me!!

Yeah well, your not really missing out on anything.

Sometimes the fycial laws of guitars pisses me off

[launched]

Thanks Davo - I'm probably going to drop mine in the meantime, but I might go pickup shopping now.

A quick look online shows that the stock pickups are the most complained about aspect of that model. That's generally the case with sub $400 guitars.

I'm getting that vibe now.

Do you know what model SG your friend has? With most companies there is a BIG difference in pickups between models at different price points. This seems to be the case even more so with Gibson (Epiphone) and Fender (Squier).

It's a Deluxe I think? The ones you see on the cover of the magazines It was a couple grand I think - And understandably so, it really does sound better. It has oversized frets which I'm not too fond of, thoug.

Although things like what wood the guitar is made from, type of bridge, even the nut, can all have an effect on your tone, the pickups and your amp are the main things that determine overall sound.

Kinda hard to say what you "should" do though. Some don't like the idea of spending $130 on a set of Seymour Duncans (for example) for a guitar that only cost $250. It really comes down to just how much you like the feel of the guitar and whether it is worth it to YOU. I'll spend a few hundred on a guitar that I may have picked for only $50 if I like how the guitar feels. But that's me.

I really like my guitar and how it plays - agree with you totally there. I only paid $100 for it, so anything I do will cost more than that.

If you plan to keep the guitar long term, you may eventually wanna upgrade the electronics but there are only a few things that lower end guitars have you need to worry about.

Which ones are better - 250K or 500K pots. I think I can look up what I have to find out. They are not scratchy at all, and no cutting out.

Thanks, Sai!!

[Saijinn Maas]

Which is better is pretty subjective. Supposedly, a 250K will give a slightly warmer tone than a 500K pot. The 250K pot bleeds off (attenuates) some of the high frequencies to ground. A 1Meg-ohm pot will attenuate even less than a 500K pot.

Personally, I've noticed more of a difference tone-wise by changing the pickups rather than the pots.

But if you are not getting any cut out or static when turning them, I'd leave them be.


A deluxe?? Yeah, that thing most definitely came with some much higher grade pickups.


Wiley -

Yeah, you're most definitely not really missing anything. I guess some of us can't help but to mess with our gear. I usually completely disassemble every guitar I have ever bought within the first couple of weeks of getting it. Resolder the wires, new pickups, strings, etc. My wife just about has a heart attack when she comes home and I got my new guitar in pieces.  heh

[launched]

Sounds like it's time to go look for a set of pickups, then

Thanks again for the help!

Mark

[guitarron]

Sounds like it's time to go look for a set of pickups, then

Thanks again for the help!

Mark

Good pickups are a must have-there worth the money and generally not that hard to change

i've used mostly seymours over the years-dimarzio makes good stuff too-

if your guitar is a strat you can buy a prewired pickgaurd-just drop it in and go