The SG Special appreciation thread

Robert, as one who has taken a guitar to a Gibson Warranty repair man, I had a good experience dealing with the expert.
The reason I am responding is to suggest a few good reasons for you doing so. First, you can get a documented case with Gibson for current and future warranty issues. Second, you can show the tech in person what the offending behavior of the guitar is. Finally, maybe you can get them to put a different type pickup in there for you on their nickel.

Since you have GFS's already, other than a set of new strings and time without your guitar during the pickup swap, I see no down side to this.
I would be inclined to ask Gib for a set of 57 Classics or a 57 and 57+ or other Potted pups of your choice. This way you get an upgrade free and do not void the warranty. Once you get the guitar home, give it a good test and if the new pickups don't suit, then put the GFS's in there and sell off the new p'ups and get some cash for your troubles..
 
Chilli speaks the truth. That's what I would be doing.
I also have 490s in an SG Special, and don't get the shorting out problems Robert described either...
 
Ok,

I spoke to a local Gibson representative (Fountain Valley) who is very familiar with this symptomology. It is, apparently, quite common in the T-Series guitars with unpotted pickups. However, the loud buzzing when the bobbins are touched is likely a bad ground on the pickup base plate.

The question is now, will Gibby 'upgrade' the pickup to a modern, potted version.

It will be Saturday before I can get the guitar to them. The local Gibby guy folded recently....
 
Robert, I called Gibson.

The rep said they would replace with the pickups with the same equipment or equivalent if that is not available.
I would get the repair facility on the line and run your scenario by him, then explain what you are shooting for and what you are not expecting to happen, like a repeat of the same problem of another dog in there if that is all you will get with a direct replacement.

Hope it works out, bro.
 
chilipeppermaniac said:
Robert, I called Gibson.

The rep said they would replace with the pickups with the same equipment or equivalent if that is not available.
I would get the repair facility on the line and run your scenario by him, then explain what you are shooting for and what you are not expecting to happen, like a repeat of the same problem of another dog in there if that is all you will get with a direct replacement.

Hope it works out, bro.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Man...pretty much the same thing I got from Gibson...if it has 490's, then it gets 490's....

Well, I did a little more research....

Turns out my guitar does have the PCB. Now, for the most part, a conductor is a conductor...at low voltages anyways, but the PCB makes it more difficult to swap about pickups and the like. At this point, I'm really thinking about just shielding the guitar myself and installing the vintage wiring, along with the double-potted GFS PAF clones.....

Gibson 2016 SG.png
 
I got my supplies from Tone Man and did it all from scratch on my Faded SG. I didn't have the PCB though.
His ready to go harnesses look very nice to me too. I just wanted to do it myself and see how easy it would be to get the same results as the pre made ones.
Col Mustard found good results from StewMac harnesses too.
I never used Sigler.
Also, there is The Art of Tone http://www.theartoftone.com/guitar-wiring-upgrade-kits/
I also bought copper shielding tape with conductive adhesive off ebay and shielded the control cavity and the pickup routs, and plastic control cover in order to shield everything.
 
I actually did have good results from Sigler Music... I recently replaced the wiring harness in my
Epiphone ES-339 P-90 pro. The Sigler-made harness was about as easy to install as anything can
be on a semi hollow, and now it's in and the combination of the Sigler harness and my Rose p'ups turns
the Epiphone into a real player. I didn't want to spend large money on an Epi I bought for $339.00.
And that has actually paid off. I have less than $800 sunk into a wonderful guitar, including all my
mods and parts and pro setup and a good case. She'll do now, and she brings me joy.

I've also bought wiring harness from Martin SixString... these are much more pricey, but I installed it into
my beloved '07 SG faded special, and have no regrets. It's a love thing, ya know. Nothin' but the best for
my baby. Since you're pissed at your SG, you prolly don't feel the same, and might want to not splurge.

Truly, installing this instead of the PCB will void your warranty. So I wouldn't do it. I'd get Gibson to follow
through on their promise, and then play the guitar hard, and loud, and do everything you can to test it.
And then come back here and tell us what you've ended up with. You can always do the mods later.
I just want to hear your take on how you've been treated, and whether your SG makes the grade by your
exacting standards. I don't think that buzzing thing is right, and Gibson's willing to correct it for you. Your call...

Gibson is supposed to live up to exacting standards. I have two Gibsons, and mine both do. I don't play as
loud or high gain as Robert, but I listen with a critical ear. One of my Gibsons has been thoroughly modded, and
one's mostly stock. Lucky me, eh? But I'm curious, and so would any lurkers and/or newbies searching for
straight talk info on how these things get handled by those who know what they're doing.
 
Colonel,

Here's where I am at know, 4 months into owning my SG.


The unplugged volume is remarkable. Its as loud as an acoustic. I'm not kidding. That, to me, is a plus...


Intonation is 100% right on and it never goes out of tune...another plus.


With those pluses in mind, the only thing I need is to correct the electronics issue. I really don't have much confidence in Gibson to be quite honest...in some respects, I really don't want anybody touching it....
 
Robert Herndon said:
Robert,

Unpotted coils have a very dynamic and touch-sensitive feel with a brighter edge which is well-suited to low gain playing, while potted coils have better feedback rejection and are much more practical for any playing style where high amounts of preamp gain and loud volume are used. We do make pickups with unpotted coils, and the T-series guitars receive the 'traditional style' unpotted versions, although we lacquer the magnet and use paper tape inside the cover to help reduce squealing, just as in the early humbuckers. Some players will absolutely insist on unpotted pickups as they feel they are an important element of the vintages tones associated with early Gibsons.

Thanks for you inquiry

Nicolas Chemsak
Gibson USA
Click to expand...

Good response. I agree with what Nick here is saying 100%, but also agree that unpotted pickups are not for everyone. Hope you get it sorted with them.
 
gball said:
Good response. I agree with what Nick here is saying 100%, but also agree that unpotted pickups are not for everyone. Hope you get it sorted with them.
Click to expand...

I have a set of potted pickups already....I do not like unpotted. they don't work for me...
 
chilipeppermaniac said:
Col, what caps did you go with with your Sigler unit?>
Click to expand...


Keep in mind, once you roll the tone control to 100% open, the cap is out of play...Also...two tone capacitors with the same measured capacitance value and low leakage yield the same tone, regardless of rated voltage, size, dielectric construction, or price... I think the value of the cap (.022,.047, etc) and the tone pot quality has far more effect on tonality than what type or brand is used.

Having said that, one must also consider capacitor tolerance....Even a 20% tolerance would make a .022 range from .0176-.0264...

Old paper caps (the so-called PIO) can deteriorate over time and become 'leaky', that is they act as if there was a resistance across them. This tends to pass more lows and mids to ground, reducing the apparent output of the pickup and changing the tone more in favor of the mid to high end of things...

Confusing!!!!
 
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Col Mustard said:
that seems like a correct analysis to me... I don't think that's a normal characteristic of
any pickup.

And on a new guitar, that should be under warranty.
Click to expand...

The noise, the "short" if you please, is covered, but I'm not crazy about the work quality of some of these warranty guys....not to mention the pickup replaced is only what came in the instrument...
 
61' SG Special ... absolute perfection x's infinity +1 till I pick up the next one!

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