MrNylon Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Update: The Curtis Novak pickup is definitely a better pickup than the SG Bass pickup, but still didn't clear up the sound. But he is letting me return it for a refund, which is really nice of him. The pickup is much more powerful than the stock SG Bass pickup, and very responsive, which the stock Gibson pup totally lacks, IMHO. So it would be a great upgrade to the stock pup if you are into the sound of the EB/SG bass. So, I think the SG Bass is going on Clist in the near future. I have had it for a year now, and nothing seems to do the trick. Just too boomy and muddy for me. Sometimes hard to hear what note i am playing. Just not pleasant to hear. I will stick to my Pbasses. But I will try other shortscales, before buying, in the quest for ease of playability. No offense partner, but I think you're SG is a lemon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lungimsam Posted April 5, 2012 Author Share Posted April 5, 2012 Could be. But I can't prove it. All the electronics have been swapped out, and it still sounds bad. I don't see how the wood alone could cause it sounding bad. So I can only assume that's how a shortscale mahogany sounds. In a perfect world, a Gibson CS guy would swoop onto the forum and send me another in exchange. But it has been a year, and I don't think that it is a bad (lemon) bass. Just doesn't work for me for my tone needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrNylon Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 What amp are you running it through? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelvinator Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 If you happen to be near a Guitar Center - stop in and play one of these: http://www.guitarcen...976-i1150632.gc I played one in Cleveland a couple of years ago, and I have to tell you it was hard leaving the store without it. It had active electronics, and you could get tons of different sounds out of it. Amazingly, It played better and sounded better than most of the higher-end basses I tried that day - and it is very inexpensive! I've had a couple of Ibanez basses and liked them very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herb nice Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Hey Lungimsam- That's too bad. I know what you mean about not hearing what note you are playing. On my sg bass, the neck pickup just supplies fatness to the ***-end, and I have to rely on the bridge pickup for note definition. I think that's how it has to be due to where the pickups are located. My stock bridge pup was lifeless and sucky, though. Before I replaced it I could get away with sloppier playing as my tone was a wall of mud. I'd have to use overdrive or fuzz to bring out the notes. I'm reviewing the recording of last night's jam, and my sg bass purrs these days- thanks to the combo of new punchy bridge pickup and old flats. it's closer to a p with the tone rolled back than a j, but still way off in it's own smooth warm garage rock tone corner. I don't need my sansamp any more. If you come across an old Quest by Vantage (80s matsumoko) on your playabilty quest, that's about the easiest to play neck on the planet- mine's around 25 1/4" scale. I originally bought it for a band where we played tiny instruments and pretended that we were giants, but that didn't last long. Over the years I put a bart p in it, chromes on it, swapped the tone for a homebrew varitone, changed the tuners and moved the bridge out 1/4"... After all that work it became one of my nicest playing and sounding basses, and lives by my couch for practising new bits or quick inspiration. It does get used for recording demos fairly regular too. Anyway, that thing definitely sounds more pbassey than the sg and plays like butter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grog Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 Update: The Curtis Novak pickup is definitely a better pickup than the SG Bass pickup, but still didn't clear up the sound. But he is letting me return it for a refund, which is really nice of him. The pickup is much more powerful than the stock SG Bass pickup, and very responsive, which the stock Gibson pup totally lacks, IMHO. So it would be a great upgrade to the stock pup if you are into the sound of the EB/SG bass. So, I think the SG Bass is going on Clist in the near future. I have had it for a year now, and nothing seems to do the trick. Just too boomy and muddy for me. Sometimes hard to hear what note i am playing. Just not pleasant to hear. I will stick to my Pbasses. But I will try other shortscales, before buying, in the quest for ease of playability. I still think you need to try a Les Paul Triumph bass! It's short scale & you can get just about any tone you'd like out of it, It's my favorite Gibson bass and has been for years. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1976-Les-Paul-Bass-Triumph-OHSC-Recording-/170660551346?pt=Guitar&hash=item27bc295ab2 This one is way spendy, but they show up on eBay quite often & are still under valued in most cases. Give one a test drive & you will see.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsech Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 If it ain't broke, why mess with it? My SG Reissue Bass sounds fine with the original neck pickup. If I need it brighter, I just tweak the EQ a bit on the amp. I also have a Precision Bass with a Fender 62 Vintage Pickup. If I need a totally different tone I use the PBass. I'm an old guy and somewhat of a purist. I think the thump the original Gibson pickup puts out adds to the Gibson mystique. I play in a jazz trio and a soft rock band and the SG and original pickup work fine for both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrNylon Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 My SG Std. sounds great. I have a good clear tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelvinator Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 My SG Std. sounds great. I has a good clear tone. Another +1 Must be "Support your local SG" week! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrNylon Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 Another +1 Must be "Support your local SG" week! Yeah SG Std.! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tabdog Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Yeah SG Std.! Is that what they call "slap bass"? Tabdog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrNylon Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 It's an AX! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelvinator Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 It's an AX! I thought there was a Fender crawling on the floor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrNylon Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 I thought there was a Fender crawling on the floor! Welllllll.......It was tooooooo big to step on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lungimsam Posted June 17, 2012 Author Share Posted June 17, 2012 I give up...it is on Clist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramone57 Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 I will stick to my Pbasses to me, this is why you're not happy with the sound of the SG and I don't mean that in a derogatory way. you'll never get the SG to sound like a fender p bass, that's just the way it goes. two differnt animals. the SG and most other Gibson basses do not and will never sound like a p bass. there's nothing wrong with it, it's just the way it is. if you like the p sound, you should stick with a p. although if you really want a short scale Gibson and a p bass sound, you should try an LP Recording or Triumph. they can get closer than any other Gibson, imo. sorry it didn't work out for you and I hope you find a short scale bass that will meet your needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrNylon Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 I really don't think it's as much the basses anymore as it its the amps for the variations in sounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramone57 Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 I really don't think it's as much the basses anymore as it its the amps for the variations in sounds. different woods, different pickups, different consruction, different scales all add up to different sounding instruments. ime, they each have their own voice and neither does what the other does. if the p bass sound is what one hears in their head, the SG or just about any other Gibson bass will fall short of expectations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrNylon Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 I'm just saying there are amps out now that do more to change and alter the sounds of the bass, than just the make up of the bass anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beverlyvista Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 I've had fairly good luck with the DiMarzio Model One -- assuming today's model is the same spec that I bought for my '71 EB-0 in like '79 it's not a bad choice. A mild heads-up about the Hipshot drop in replacement bridge. I tried this with my two-point bridge and it didn't quite fit. Be careful. Had to send it back and then have my guitar guy basically bolt down the old two-point, which works fine -- but is probably limited in adjustment potential down the line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramone57 Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 hi Beverly, my understanding is that Hipshot makes a replacement for the two point bridge as well. the biggest problem with the Gibson 2 point bridge is that many folks didn't loosen the set screws before trying to adjust the bridge height and would wear them out. I have 2 basses (71 LP Triumph & 72 EB-3) that have the 'Tilt-O-Matic' which do not tilt, which I attribute to the set screws still functioning as designed. I bought both used, so I probably just got lucky. perhaps the set screws could be replaced on yours. the 2 pointer is not that bad as long as it's not tilting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onemanband Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Sorry, I just don't get it, or am I missing a point. Why buy a Gibson SG bass and then try and get it sounding like something else? *?! The only modification I've made to my SG, is fitting a Hipshot 3 point bridge, and that was only because there was insufficient string winding clearance on the original bridge to obtain perfect intonation; as it happens it has improved the sustain too. The Gibson SG is a fantastic bass, (my ONLY "weapon of choice") with an individual sound all it's own, call it "muddy" if you like but that's the nature of the beast. Want a Rickenbacker sound, buy a Ricky, want a Precision sound, buy a Precision; I'll stick with my SG thanks, I LOVE it as it is!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassballs Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 Sorry, I just don't get it, or am I missing a point. Why buy a Gibson SG bass and then try and get it sounding like something else? *?! The only modification I've made to my SG, is fitting a Hipshot 3 point bridge, and that was only because there was insufficient string winding clearance on the original bridge to obtain perfect intonation; as it happens it has improved the sustain too. The Gibson SG is a fantastic bass, (my ONLY "weapon of choice") with an individual sound all it's own, call it "muddy" if you like but that's the nature of the beast. Want a Rickenbacker sound, buy a Ricky, want a Precision sound, buy a Precision; I'll stick with my SG thanks, I LOVE it as it is!! +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detroitboy Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 Novak EB-AA Fatbucker for me 1967 EB0...anybody made this swap? Is it a warm gun? Before and after sound clips w/o effects? It's a lot ($233) for an experiment, so help us out...Thanx. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelvinator Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I've had fairly good luck with the DiMarzio Model One -- assuming today's model is the same spec that I bought for my '71 EB-0 in like '79 it's not a bad choice. A mild heads-up about the Hipshot drop in replacement bridge. I tried this with my two-point bridge and it didn't quite fit. Be careful. Had to send it back and then have my guitar guy basically bolt down the old two-point, which works fine -- but is probably limited in adjustment potential down the line. Glad to hear you like the Model 1. I ordered one today from MF for my SG. I love the sound of the stock TB humbucker, but because the TB's have an annoying 60 cycle hum in a couple of the rooms that I play, I have to use something different. I've replaced the pups in 2 of my Les Paul basses with Lace Alumitones, and I love 'em; hope I'm as happy with the DiMarzio in the SG. Most of the reviews I've seen look good, so we'll see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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