What makes a metal guitar (aka my SG doesn't sound that great above the 15th fret)
Question:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> A true Gibson SG standard should be a fine guitar for what you > want. Considering you don’t like the sound in the upper frets > ("tinny"), I wonder if you are using bridge pickup solo? Try both, or > just neck pickup. The distortion setup you are going through can make a > big difference, too – as can the setup on the guitar itself, as Patrick > said. Several possibilites to check out, but the guitar you are using > (if it has the original Gibson ‘buckers on it), should actually put you > ahead of the game for metal. > ok, first thanks to everyone…..I’m was curious (as was my girl friend was > since she has a 72 SG with a bigsby) and now I have the answer…..everyone > seems to think the SG should be fine sounding up in that over 15th fret > area…and a couple things. > 1. I am playing thru a cheap, small, practice amp and not playing very loud. > A used Pevey Aud 30. I live in a 1 bedroom apartment so I also can’t turn up > very loud.
I have the same problem. My solution is a POD2, through a small mixer (actually an old Fostex 260 4-track cassette recorder) and into two 10-w Fostex monitiors turned to 3. To me, it has many very good souinds. I’ve never used it for performance, just practice and recording. It also supports headphones. If I’m playing quietly and using an amp, I like my little white Marshall Lead 12 (the ‘combo’, not the ‘mini-stack’ version – 15w transistor, 10" spkr). If I’m playing with a drummer or recording with others, I use my Fender Pro Junior (15 w tube, 10" speaker). I currently have possession of a Peavy Rage which I really don’t like the sound of. > 2. It has the original Gibson pickups. > 3. I was using the "noisy" pickup…as you will now see just how much of a > beginner I am. I have never known which pickup is which. As in, I think, the > bridge pickup is the noisy one….correct? and the neck pickup is not as > noisy but more of a full sound??
The bridge pickup has more treble. I’m, not sure what you mean by ‘noise’. This may indicate a grounding issue or something else. Can you descrive the term ‘noise’? Plug the guitar in and take a blade screwdriver, or any iron-based rod. Move the pickup switch one way and turn all the knobs up. gently tap on the polepieces of the pickup with the screwdriver, you should hear it through the amp. If not, move the switch the other way. When you hear the tapping, you’ve identified the switch position for the pickup. > I play with the "noisy" one because my > pinch harmonic playing stinks yet I LOVE the sound and it’s much easier for > me to do with just that pickup. What I also often do is play with BOTH > pickups but with the volume turned up about twice as high on the noisy > pickup. This sort of gives me the best of both worlds. > 4. I also play thru a Boss Heavy Metal HM-2…the distortion pedal they > don’t make anymore (thank you ebay). > maybe i’ll try and find someone to look at the guitar…since all things > point to it either being me just not turning up loud enough or it being the > setup of the guitar.
The setup is a strong possibility. I did buy it used from a guy who had it strung upside > down (he was a right hander playing right handed and it’s a lefty > guitar)…….
That may cause some other issues if you didn’t switch the bridge saddles, or if he switched the bridge orientation… > I’m playing lefty……and hey…no jokes about THAT being my > problem…….
Absolutely not. -pk – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> thanks > mike
Response:
> So I got to thinking, and not a lot of more modern (80s or 90s) metal > guys > who solo a lot did NOT play Gibson SGs. The two main metal guitarists I > think can of are Toni Iommi and Angus Young. >Actually, both of those people do play SG’s. But players who need a >vibrato tailpiece, like a Floyd Rose, do not use SG’s because those units >simply don’t fit on the SG. > Yea This was my poor writing. What I meant to say was that those are the > only two metal players I know that play SGs. Most seem to play something > else.
I was thinking that’s what you meant. > They played other guitars. >They play whatever they like, but mostly I’ve seen pictures of those two >with SG’s. > Is this just my guitar? my SG? Or is this why a lot of metal guys play > Jacksons (Judas Priest)? Or Fenders (Iron Maiden). >There’s personal taste, Floyd Rose installations, the >flashy-pointy-headstock factor, and a very real durability factor. Fender >guitars are rather hard to physically break in real road use. > so what your saying is that my SG should sound find, on the 1st string up > around the 17th and 19th frets? > mike
In a word, yes. Your SG should be an excellent guitar and sound great in that area. If it doesn’t it’s really likely that something is interfering with the strings, and it may just take a setup to fix it. It *is* possible that it may take more, as I mentioned, but I am sure that a good tech can clean it up for you the way you want. In fact, be sure to show the tech what you mean, and ask him (or her) to show you one that works properly – preferably one they’ve done the work on. It might cost as much as a couple hundred dollars *if* a refret is required. Bear in mind this is a 30-year old guitar, and think of the cost over that much time. If it’s done well,. it is extremely worthwhile. -pk
Response:
Hey mike, il’l bet some certain parts of certain songs (Priest & Maiden) were recorded with SG’s. You got a great axe, maybe you just need a little set-up help
Response:
> A true Gibson SG standard should be a fine guitar for what you > want. Considering you don’t like the sound in the upper frets > ("tinny"), I wonder if you are using bridge pickup solo? Try both, or > just neck pickup. The distortion setup you are going through can make a > big difference, too – as can the setup on the guitar itself, as Patrick > said. Several possibilites to check out, but the guitar you are using > (if it has the original Gibson ‘buckers on it), should actually put you > ahead of the game for metal.
ok, first thanks to everyone…..I’m was curious (as was my girl friend was since she has a 72 SG with a bigsby) and now I have the answer…..everyone seems to think the SG should be fine sounding up in that over 15th fret area…and a couple things. 1. I am playing thru a cheap, small, practice amp and not playing very loud. A used Pevey Aud 30. I live in a 1 bedroom apartment so I also can’t turn up very loud. 2. It has the original Gibson pickups. 3. I was using the "noisy" pickup…as you will now see just how much of a beginner I am. I have never known which pickup is which. As in, I think, the bridge pickup is the noisy one….correct? and the neck pickup is not as noisy but more of a full sound?? I play with the "noisy" one because my pinch harmonic playing stinks yet I LOVE the sound and it’s much easier for me to do with just that pickup. What I also often do is play with BOTH pickups but with the volume turned up about twice as high on the noisy pickup. This sort of gives me the best of both worlds. 4. I also play thru a Boss Heavy Metal HM-2…the distortion pedal they don’t make anymore (thank you ebay). maybe i’ll try and find someone to look at the guitar…since all things point to it either being me just not turning up loud enough or it being the setup of the guitar. I did buy it used from a guy who had it strung upside down (he was a right hander playing right handed and it’s a lefty guitar)…….I’m playing lefty……and hey…no jokes about THAT being my problem……. thanks mike
Response:
> So I got to thinking, and not a lot of more modern (80s or 90s) metal guys > who solo a lot did NOT play Gibson SGs. The two main metal guitarists I > think can of are Toni Iommi and Angus Young. >Actually, both of those people do play SG’s. But players who need a >vibrato tailpiece, like a Floyd Rose, do not use SG’s because those units >simply don’t fit on the SG.
Yea This was my poor writing. What I meant to say was that those are the only two metal players I know that play SGs. Most seem to play something else. > They played other guitars. >They play whatever they like, but mostly I’ve seen pictures of those two >with SG’s. > Is this just my guitar? my SG? Or is this why a lot of metal guys play > Jacksons (Judas Priest)? Or Fenders (Iron Maiden). >There’s personal taste, Floyd Rose installations, the >flashy-pointy-headstock factor, and a very real durability factor. Fender >guitars are rather hard to physically break in real road use.
so what your saying is that my SG should sound find, on the 1st string up around the 17th and 19th frets? mike
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> So I got to thinking, and not a lot of more modern (80s or 90s) metal > guys > who solo a lot did NOT play Gibson SGs. The two main metal guitarists I > think can of are Toni Iommi and Angus Young. >Actually, both of those people do play SG’s. But players who need a >vibrato tailpiece, like a Floyd Rose, do not use SG’s because those units >simply don’t fit on the SG. > Yea This was my poor writing. What I meant to say was that those are the > only two metal players I know that play SGs. Most seem to play something > else. > They played other guitars. >They play whatever they like, but mostly I’ve seen pictures of those two >with SG’s. > Is this just my guitar? my SG? Or is this why a lot of metal guys play > Jacksons (Judas Priest)? Or Fenders (Iron Maiden). >There’s personal taste, Floyd Rose installations, the >flashy-pointy-headstock factor, and a very real durability factor. Fender >guitars are rather hard to physically break in real road use. > so what your saying is that my SG should sound find, on the 1st string up > around the 17th and 19th frets? > mike
A true Gibson SG standard should be a fine guitar for what you want. Considering you don’t like the sound in the upper frets ("tinny"), I wonder if you are using bridge pickup solo? Try both, or just neck pickup. The distortion setup you are going through can make a big difference, too – as can the setup on the guitar itself, as Patrick said. Several possibilites to check out, but the guitar you are using (if it has the original Gibson ‘buckers on it), should actually put you ahead of the game for metal. The Old Guy http://www.newsfeed.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! —–= Over 100,000 Newsgroups – Unlimited Fast Downloads – 19 Servers =—–
Response:
> I’m a relative beginner at guitar…..but I did pick up a nice 1971 Gibson > SG standard (lefty) and have been playing on it for about a year.
You’re well-equipped then as far as the guitar goes. > I was just playing around, trying to learn a Judas Priest solo….the > simple one from Living After Midnight. I can get the first part of the solo > down but then the end of the solo (on the 1st string) it goes up on frets > 17, 19, and 22. And well, when I get there on my SG, it sounds like crap. It > sounds hollow and tiny…not full like the other notes in the solo.
There may be some simple setup issues. Have you ever had the guitar set up by someone who really knows what they’re doing? Find such a person, and show them what you mean. It’s possible that the guitar may also need a fret dress or even a refret. It won’t need this often, but you’ll find that at the end it will be worth the cost if it is done properly. > So I got to thinking, and not a lot of more modern (80s or 90s) metal guys > who solo a lot did NOT play Gibson SGs. The two main metal guitarists I > think can of are Toni Iommi and Angus Young.
Actually, both of those people do play SG’s. But players who need a vibrato tailpiece, like a Floyd Rose, do not use SG’s because those units simply don’t fit on the SG. > They played other guitars.
They play whatever they like, but mostly I’ve seen pictures of those two with SG’s. > Is this just my guitar? my SG? Or is this why a lot of metal guys play > Jacksons (Judas Priest)? Or Fenders (Iron Maiden).
There’s personal taste, Floyd Rose installations, the flashy-pointy-headstock factor, and a very real durability factor. Fender guitars are rather hard to physically break in real road use. -pk
Response:
I’m a relative beginner at guitar…..but I did pick up a nice 1971 Gibson SG standard (lefty) and have been playing on it for about a year. I was just playing around, trying to learn a Judas Priest solo….the simple one from Living After Midnight. I can get the first part of the solo down but then the end of the solo (on the 1st string) it goes up on frets 17, 19, and 22. And well, when I get there on my SG, it sounds like crap. It sounds hollow and tiny…not full like the other notes in the solo. So I got to thinking, and not a lot of more modern (80s or 90s) metal guys who solo a lot did NOT play Gibson SGs. The two main metal guitarists I think can of are Toni Iommi and Angus Young. They played other guitars. Is this just my guitar? my SG? Or is this why a lot of metal guys play Jacksons (Judas Priest)? Or Fenders (Iron Maiden). thanks mike
Response:
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