Using The Pickup Configuration’s That Guitars Are Coming With.

[Alanbama]

A lot of SG’s now are coming with so many different pickup settings and I’m really very old school when it comes to guitars. I’ve never used coil tap’s much and I’ve never used phase switch’s at all. The Epi SG Modern that I have of course has all of that. Well I decided to experiment with them. To make a very long story a little shorter, I have found that using my favorite distortion setting and putting the guitar out of phase sounds incredibly good! I have been test driving it for a couple of days now and I really do like it. Especially when I kick the boost up some for a solo. It is very fun to play and hear. It gives me a unique sound. Have any of you tried this?

 

[plankton]

I also don't usually care for coil splitting, with "vintage" output humbuckers the sound is really thin and weak. The only guitar I have a coil split in is a Hamer Vector that had a really hot HB (16K) accidentally installed in the neck position, and the split sounds are quite good.

I've not tried the out of phase thing, I don't think it's something that I would really use. I believe that was what happened accidentally to Peter Green's Les Paul, wired out of phase? I know that Frank Zappa had that as a feature on his SG as well.

 

[Alanbama]

Well I actually felt the same way. I don’t think any of the guitars that I’ve had were wired that way or had it as a feature and I just tried it on this SG just because it was there. It really works well with these Pro Buckers, which I’m very impressed with by the way, but who knows. I may get tired of it. I love those JB pickups. I have one and a Jazz in my Carvin.

 

[3bolt79]

Enjoy the tonal options. I have a Brian May replica, built by a guy who made a replica for Brian May. It has an on/Orr and out of phase switch for each pickup.

Try using the out of phase when you are playing leads. It’s a very different sound.

 

[Go Nigel Go]

I agree, if you have it you may as well try it out and see what it can do for you. Worst case scenario is you have a feature or two that you just don't use.

 

[Alanbama]

You all are right. I have used it for some soloing and it definitely gives you a unique sound. I like it. I haven’t had a chance to use it in a band scenario yet but we may do it tonight.

 

[smitty_p]

I also don't usually care for coil splitting, with "vintage" output humbuckers the sound is really thin and weak. The only guitar I have a coil split in is a Hamer Vector that had a really hot HB (16K) accidentally installed in the neck position, and the split sounds are quite good.

I've not tried the out of phase thing, I don't think it's something that I would really use. I believe that was what happened accidentally to Peter Green's Les Paul, wired out of phase? I know that Frank Zappa had that as a feature on his SG as well.

I like to use coil splitting on a neck pickup to get a light, airy, clean sound. I will usually roll the tone back just a touch and and add a bit of chorus and delay. But, I don't really use it with distortion or overdrive as that gives it a harsh quality. I use it clean. It does have limited applicability, but sometimes it's just the thing.

 

[smitty_p]

A lot of SG’s now are coming with so many different pickup settings and I’m really very old school when it comes to guitars. I’ve never used coil tap’s much ...

Just a hint, every time the term "coil tap" is used in reference to a humbucking pickup, the term is being misused. The term "coil split" is the correct term in such cases.

It's quite amazing how often even guitar manufacturers get these sorts of technical details wrong in their literature.

In a way, it's kind of like when Leo Fender used the term "tremolo" to refer to his new floating bridge, when, in fact, it doesn't produce a tremolo effect at all. It is a vibrato.

 

[Alanbama]

You’re exactly right of course and I even know better. It is a coil split. I have to admit though that I didn’t know or understand phase switching at all until I got this guitar. I got a clue when only one tone control had a push pull switch on it. Then I realized that you used both pickups and they are out of phase with each other. I just didn’t know any better.

 

[smitty_p]

You’re exactly right of course and I even know better. It is a coil split. I have to admit though that I didn’t know or understand phase switching at all until I got this guitar. I got a clue when only one tone control had a push pull switch on it. Then I realized that you used both pickups and they are out of phase with each other. I just didn’t know any better.

I installed phase switching in a Les Paul that I built up from a husk several years ago. It was interesting. I eventually sold the guitar, but it did give a cool sound for some applications.

 

[3bolt79]

I think I’m going to try a Prophesy SG next time.

 

[Alanbama]

I thought about getting a Prophesy SG myself but I’m not a fan of jumbo frets. I have them on my Carvin and for me they are just too tall. Sliding up and down the fretboard my fingers hang on the frets. It’s a $2000.00 custom guitar with excellent quality and amazing beauty that I would never sell for the sentimental value but I never play it just because of those big frets. I thought about having the frets replaced with medium jumbo frets but now that I have these Epi SG’s I doubt that I ever do. Sorry for the bad pic

 

[SGFanWNC82]

The Jimmy Page LP had these features and I think they are fucking awesome- I have taken a VERY LOW END Les Paul Satin Wine Finish from 2016 and installed a Jimmy Page LP harness, potentiometers, and I've played with the caps- it has the taking the p'ups out of phase, coil tap on both, and series-parallel operation. It is fucking awesome.

Frank Zappa used these types of wiring arrangements on his SG's. He'd use coil tap as well as an in/out of phase together with a varitone that he'd try different capacitor types. Zappa came up with many innovations and ideas in wiring to get tone and took many a Gibson SG and had the wiring made and even early synth and active electronics mods made to add to SG's. Certainly Zappa had the mods that have become known as the Jimmy Page LP wiring mod as early as when Page had them as well as many more variations. Zappa just wasn't into the buzzsaw "EMG" distortion active electronics most people think of now.

But yes, this sort of thing is one of the reasons I find to keep alive and keep busy.

If I can find another 2000-2018 that is cheap to purchase I will GLADLY do a Bare Knuckle classic voiced humbucker with the varitone and the Page style wiring.

 

[Huntroll]

Be on the lookout for a 2018 Gibson SG hp II.
They have the PCB that has programmable pull-up pots for either of those functions.
In my opinion printed circuit boards don't negatively effect the sound in any way.
For a while there was a steady stream of these SG hp II circuit boards for sale by people having their guitars hard wired the old fashioned way.
I was happy to snatch them up and upgrade my other SG's and SGJ's with them.
The only catch was that the rear control covers had to be modified with holes directly behind each of the slightly larger pots to fit flushly like stock covers.
No big deal, for me as least.
Otherwise if the guitar came with 4-wire pickups with connectors, the boards fit & plug right in.
Strange how the do-all printed circuit boards only came out that one year.
Apparently the vast majority of guitarists are slow to change, (and live in the past).
I consider my SG hp II's superior to all my other Gibsons .

 

[Bad Penguin]

Some of mine have splits, but I prefer series/parallel. More of a Gretsch like sound. Single twang, without the hum. As for Phase, try lowering the volume on one of the pickups to get more/less of the out of phase sound. Enjoy!

 

[Fumble fingers]

Sweet ! I have a 2014 anniversary Les Paul with all the stuff and I like it too , I like the out of phase on the heavy channels with both pick ups together , the P90 split seems OK with both pickups and thin with just one pickup