Gibson SG Special Upgrade - Can New P90 Pickups & Wiring Fix It?

[@theguitaristas]

Just a quick note... in case any of your comments disappear at any time it may be as a result of KZbin blocking those spam competition win replies. I have noticed they are successfully blocking them now but the original comments also seem to be disappearing... sorry if that happens! 🤷‍♂

[@Idontlikethisever]

Colin is there any chance to see you with the captain and danish pete from andertons checking out some vintage gear. Would love to see that video

[@theguitaristas]

@@Idontlikethisever Well that would be fun for sure! 😁

[@rawiczrawa3561]

Hi, I enjoy your guitar shows very much. Thank you for your reference to Murray Guitar Pickups. I have couple of questions: # Did you ever examine Fender Telecaster American Professional II series? I would love to watch or listen to you and your opinion on this guitar and how does it compare to other better Telies? # Did you ever examine Telecaster Vintage II Deluxe 1975 model (new Fender line). I am about to get one and your opinion and examination would be of great value. Greetings from Gold Coast Australia - Kris.

[@catdaddy57]

I just watched your original video on this guitar....then this one.. it does sound better with the new pups and pots... pity you spend alot of money on these and have to mod them to make them better... I'd send that invoice to Gibson for a refund....lol...definitely more 'oomph'

[@75YBA]

@@theguitaristas Nothing but the best to you and yours! Your channel is such a great alternative to all the rest. Big Canuck thanks! 🇨🇦

[@sqidvishus]

Colin, I can't tell you how much I appreciate the fact that you don't try to hide the mistakes or trials from the audience. That keeps our expectations real and feels more honest. It also makes me feel better about the mistakes I make. Sometimes editing makes us forget that we are all human and all make mistakes. Brilliant film as always, mate, and I thank you. Have a beautiful weekend. Cheers!

[@MrSCollier64]

That bit when he calls himself a twat was priceless.

[@begooode380]

When he relented and said “no, I won’t accept your pickups for free, but I’ll buy them from you” - hard to get more authentic than that, especially while upgrading a Gibson, lol

[@PerpetuallyTiredMusician]

Best "effing around with guitars" channel I've found. Good natured and calm host, SGs all over the place and pleasant tones. If there is a lord, then you are doing his work. Peace, stay safe and have a great weekend everyone.

[@GypsyLane]

Yes…calm host! So much better than the hyper rest on KZbin. Cheers to you, Colin!

[@disco4535]

Spot on. It's obvious he has a true passion and love for guitar. Not just a salesman. Like a breath of fresh air in these times.

[@murrayguitarpickups9545]

I feel a bit guilty for giving you the idea of taking out the mounting plate. If I was nearby I would swing past and repair the paint for you. It will be a simple easy repair for an experienced painter but also easy to mess up for an amateur, it can be filled and just have a spot of nitrocelulose airbrushed on, sanded smooth and polished. I'm sorry if I led you down the wrong path I was just concerned about the air gap causing feedback, I think I would have just stuffed a tissue in there and not bothered removing them altogether.

[@theguitaristas]

no worries it adds a bit of extra character to go with the great pickups! 😁👍

[@murrayguitarpickups9545]

@@theguitaristas its not really your guitar u till you've done minor damage..lol

[@davidhamilton7780]

Watching your adventures in the evening after a crazy busy day is almost as enjoyable as watching you at lunchtime. Taking one for the team really makes you a legend!

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers David! 😆👍

[@TimB335]

Only discovered this channel in the last few weeks and I'm hooked! Don't know how I missed it for so long! The format and style is great! (Not sure how good it is for my guitar addiction though!!!! 🤣)

[@pinkiewerewolf]

Colin is the very best guitar addiction enabler that I know, I highly recommend.

[@davelewis4215]

Got myself a drink and sitting back watching with my feet up on the big screen🍺👍

[@davidkerr1971]

Me too Dave, 😎slippers are on, coffee in the mug lol

[@catmandoodoo7903]

Same here. Feet up, brew, big screen, cheese and crackers.

[@mattgalbraith3050]

I’m curious to see if a new bridge would make the difference. I put a music city saavy bridge on my Jr. And it made an enormous difference. It now has way more sustain and resonance, and is intonated.

[@stilllifewithguitar184]

Agreed with like the tonepros studs and a different bridge can give it some more heft. I did this change on a LP JR and it does have an impact, although not you know, not night and day, but it feeds into it.

[@gunsnguitars77]

Bridge pickup is crazy close to the bridge for some reason on the black one. Only so much you can do with that placement.

[@theguitaristas]

Yes it’s too close and makes it very brittle

[@jamessutherington3471]

I did the same to my Gibson special tribute. Changed pick ups to lolla p90s and changed tuners and knobs. Miles better now! The lolla p90s have awoken a beast! Great demo as always Colin. 🎶🎸

[@darrencarpenter6468]

A definite improvement in sound and looks, I like the mixed p/u covers and I didn’t think I would. Nice work Colin👌👍🏻🤘

[@andrewmiller2868]

I've only just got to the part of the video where you show that you'd screwed through the back of the SG body and I've got to say thank you for your honesty Colin. I say that because that is the sort of thing that I would do even though I would be trying to be as careful as I could. I'm glad to find out it's not just me.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Andrew, it’s amazing that we can do stuff like this… but yes it still happens! 🤣🤦‍♂️

[@jeffberg8015]

My first thought when hearing you were going to screw directly into the bottom of the pickup recess, "I sure hope he's very careful not to over do it". Didn't take long to find out. Sorry about that happening but thanks for being honest and warning us. A skilled luthier could make that hole disappear if it winds up bothering you. On the brighter side, those new pickups really made a significant difference. In my opinion the old ones had a more muted jazzbox tone versus the livelier rock tones that should be the SG's forte. Glad to hear that your work has improved your bond with that guitar.

[@tjfulton181]

The new sound hole in the back help free those molecules you said needed to be free by letting it set

[@theguitaristas]

Maybe subconsciously I knew that? 🤣

[@ernieb3626]

I agree on the tail piece so close to pick up causing it to sound brittle. I recently picked up the Rick Beato and because it has a regular tail piece instead of a wraparound I think it sounds less brittle. That’s still a beautiful guitar you have there. Thank you so much for the show and God bless from Michigan. Oh I almost forgot, Thanks for not editing out that you drilled through the guitar lol that shows how real this program is. Take care

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Ernie! 😆👍

[@davepark1827]

I love how you show us the comparisons through each step, and that your just honest about everything and not trying to sell anything. thank you for all the great content.

[@joeking433]

I have a Gibson SG Standard and it's by far the best guitar I've ever played, and I've played 'em all.

[@chrisvsmusicny]

I had a similar problem with my '02 Gibson SG Special. It came with 490R/498T humbuckers that always sounded muddy to my ears - for no fewer than 20 years. I finally changed them for a set of 2 & 3 Burstbuckers and loved the sound, but had to take those out and put them in another guitar I was selling at the time. I replaced them with Seymour Duncan Phat Cats to try to give it some P90 growl. Truthfully, I miss the Burstbuckers, but it's definitely better than where it started. 🤘

[@georged9615]

Another fun guitar project well done! I recently replaced the wiring harness and pickups in my 2014 SG, which had 57 Classics with coil splits. The stock electronics sounded muddy in the mids and the highs felt muffled. A good part of my inspiration to do the project came from watching you doing similar projects. I first changed the wiring to 50s wiring with 500k CTS pots and orange drops. That made a huge difference. Really opened up the sound with clarity throughout the spectrum and a lot stronger highs. I really liked the sound for the first time. But I couldn't stop there. I ordered a set of Fralin humbucker shaped P-90s and installed those. That took it to a whole other level of liveliness and punch. Sweet sounding! Very happy I did the project. (Ok, so I did burn a small hole in the finish with the soldering iron.) Thanks for what you do on this channel Colin.

[@pinkiewerewolf]

I love it, sounds great! The ivory cover looks good with the neck binding. Colin, you're bending those guitar stings to my ear's favorite tones. I'm excited to catch the wiring on the Guitaristas' VHX channel.

[@PK111133]

the main difference in tone is the location of the bridge pickup. the Gibson USA has the bridge pickup much closer to the bridge for some reason.

[@theguitaristas]

Yes I mentioned that

[@rafaframa]

I think a big contributor to the sound differences is the placement of the bridge pickup relative to the bridge/ tail piece. The Epiphone and custom shop have the pickups further away from the bridge than the Special.

[@keymaker_coils686]

I love the way my Epi SG special p90s sound but I'm never one to leave well enough alone so I've ordered some DIY kits with Alnico 2,3,and 5 magnets to play around with wind count and magnet types! I wound the p90s in my first telecaster build and they turned out great! Awesome comparison video and great playing Colin! 🎸🎶🤘

[@clovergrass9439]

I just put on a master kit from faber, a 920D wiring harness and switchcraft selector and JB and '59 seymour duncan pu's on my alpine white epi les paul custom. Sounds killer. It was a fun project. Would I do it again on another guitar? Likely not. Thanks for the content!

[@chasintone316]

great vid as always mate! sweet tones from her now hey!

[@geraldhills41]

I owned a Les Paul std wine red in the mid 80's .I had a pro setup on it , put seymour duncans on it and it still sounded dull ! I realised it would never sound good when I played it unplugged with new strings ,still sounded dull ! Over the years Some of my mates have had gibsons including a black beauty and a 335 with the exact problem !

[@voiceofexperience]

It's hard finding a good'un. Always was since the 70s, and these days if anything even moreso.

[@Nathan-zw7nq]

I think the tonal difference is caused by the pickup spacing on the black SG. They look to be further apart from one another than on the other two. One thing I’ve learned is that pick-up spacing/height and guitar strings (nickel vs stainless steel, not necessarily brand) affect guitar tone a lot more than changing the actual pickups out. This is even more true when you throw dirt on the signal. The only other thing I can think of is the speaker, but I presume you’re playing through the same head and cab; so it can’t be that. I would try playing with the pick-up height in relation to the strings before mucking around with swapping pick-ups and pots. If that doesn’t work than by all means, swap away! I just hate doing the expensive changes to a guitar before trying out the ones that come at very little to no cost. It’s probably due to my experience being a mechanic working on clay throwing machines and in gunsmithing. Always try the simplest solutions first; they work about 95% of the time. I know this comment is a bit late. But what can you do? Greetings from South Carolina, USA!

[@MartyGerman]

Definite improvement over the OEM components. Much more musical sounding pup's. Happy tunes from frozen America!

[@BladeDoomer86]

Woke up this morning, brewed my coffee, opened up Ytube, and what do i see? New video from our favorite Guitarista -_- Great feeling, merci mon ami ;) Opinion after the facts: - Guitar looks much better - Small but noticeable tone difference after upgrade (was it worth it? sometimes, it's the journey that counts lol) - Noodling riffs were terrific, as always. You always have song-worthy riffs in your demos imo, very musical. Keep on rocking the good rock amigo

[@albert2395]

Colin, I think the sound is better for definite! Plus I think the white pick up cover looks superb with the tortoise shell pick guard! What about having them both white? Congrats!

[@toledo2983]

the white cover adds some sparkle to the sound definitely.

[@BBQROCKSTAR178]

Hey mate….if you’ll screw down the adjustable pole pieces in the pup, wax will exude if potted….no wax, probably not potted. Wax potting makes a huge difference, especially in P-90’s

[@davidkerr1971]

Great episode Colin, the guitar looks and sounds superb, love the new pick guard, hope you're well, take care, thanks for sharing.✌😎✌

[@jkkau]

I have the same guitar and had the same experience. The bridge pickup on that model is closer to the bridge compared to the others for some reason so the vibrations at the bridge makes it super brittle and low output sounding. The pickup swap is great and i swapped to a locking bridge on mine as well to give it better stability and tuning and added treble bleeds to make the pots work better for mine. Great video for insight!

[@standingbadger]

The Murrays are a definite improvement over the stock pickups; more articulation, sweetness and solidity behind them. A guitar does feel better when it sounds better to the player. Still don’t know which I liked the sound of better between the Epi and the custom shop though!

[@freddieforbes5508]

Glad I found this channel, we have very similar tastes it seems! I had this guitar in Pelham blue and changed every single part on it. It turned it into an absolute monster but I still sold it for the custom shop. 😅

[@whiskeywhiskeyromeo3730]

I have one of these and my guy took out control green board and upgraded the caps wires etc......kept factory pickups as the neck in particular is glorious.....love it

[@hrishchandratre8970]

Thanks Colin for putting in this effort!! I don’t think I have come across any KZbinr who has made stepped changes and shown how it sounds at each step! Keep up the good work❤

[@theguitaristas]

Thanks mate! 😎👍

[@Christian-ew4eg]

Hi Colin . Thanks for yet another great video . Awesome content . I can hear the difference in your audio . Cheers from Christian in Australia . Inspired me to look up Ben Murray to get some pickups .

[@robpodd8665]

I can hear a difference.It's even brighter,crisper.I love content like this!And you ALWAYS make it fun to watch ! And it looks GREAT !🎸 🎸.Cya next week,looking forward to it as always!

[@alpatzy]

Colin could you put a link to where you bought the new pick guard. I really like that look on the ebony.

[@theguitaristas]

Will do that now 👍 check description box.

[@MrCarlzohn]

You can definitely hear a difference. It's subtle (always is), but it IS there. Also, the antique white PU-cover looks amazing against the black finish of the guitar. Though, I probably would have changed it for both pickups. Cheers, mate.

[@Terry3Gs]

I enjoy your lil jams you do. To me ... IF you went with the cream covers go back to the black pickguard .. and if you stay with the tortise .. go back to a full black cover set. That is 1 thing I always felt was not right with the specials ... the not right pickup placement &/or spacing of them on the body.

[@explorervango880]

When I go guitar shopping I play them all acoustically while I hand them to my brother or a buddy to plug in to make sure they function because I don’t want to be there all day. The pickups can be changed as you demonstrated here. Played two new SG Specials and a real 60s SG Junior. One of the Specials was great the others were a pass.

[@Brabdog]

Hi Colin and thanks for the deep dive and commentary! The best improvement to me was that awesome new pick guard… guess I’m just a sucker for a pretty face!

[@BobPerrone]

Another great visit with Colin. I love the cream pup with the black. Those pickups are lovely.

[@larsfocken3456]

Thank you for this interesting video Colin. Glenn Fricker sometimes uses the what he calls the "No More Tears Test" to check out the quality of a guitar tone. I recommend what I call the "I Can See For Miles Test". When you play the sequence where the E triad on the strings 3-5 is moved from E to G, then to A, to C, to D and to the high E over the open E string you can really hear if a PU can separate the notes from each other. Check it out!

[@mortonwilson795]

Great video! The Murrays seem to be 'harmonically richer' overall, and fuller. Honestly, the original bridge pick-up sounded tinny (not woody 😅). The Epiphone outpaced both the Gibsons for me in the earlier comparison. Really like the pick-guard - if it were me I'd go 2 blacks or 2 whites for the covers but that's my OCD coming out, I reckon. Glad you have a guitar that you want to play now - looks and sounds miles better! Cheers.

[@taz4965]

One additional thought. Maybe say to punters that they should take photos of the original wiring before they start to dismantle the wiring. I'd also have a wee fan nearby to keep the solder fumes away!

[@edwardsmith9801]

Completely forgot, I've been running on about buying an epiphone sg special, ended up buying a Gibson sgj 2014. Really comfortable, my first sg, may end up swapping out the 61 zebra pickups it came with? Still pretty new to me. Have a great weekend .

[@rocktorrocks]

Just a few minutes in and already excited! I have the same SG special and LP Jr. and it’s funny but I feel the same as you did about these two models! My LP Jr. is by far my favorite of the two, I can’t explain it but it just feels right and I think I got a very good example that I bonded with…on the other hand, I have yet to really bond with my SG special which gets much less play time. I’ve considered modding the SG more to my liking and your video just gave me some inspiration to do so. Appreciate your videos as always, especially after a tough week it helps a lot. Your content always feels so relevant to my own gear choices. Cheers! 🤘😎

[@Respecttheriff]

I know exactly what you mean about bonding, I'm nearing the end of updating my Gibson USA Iommi Monkey SG Special, converting it to the Gibson Custom Shop specs. I've so far added a zero fret, changed tuners to Sperzel locking, shielded the pickup cavity, aged the entire guitar, lacquered the fretboard (that was interesting for a rosewood board), filed the pickguards to make the edges wide beveled, and lastly now I am waiting for Jaydee Custom "Monkey Replica "pickups to install which I think will conclude my journey. This guitar is special to me now, no pun intended....

[@insagt220]

A wonderful job as is come to be expected from you. I’m so glad you are happier with it now. Cheers my friend!

[@AngelMartinez-qs3cf]

I have the same guitar and when I play it with my Headrush Board. It sounds great! Don't have any problems with it.

[@arrodisbaletide2726]

looks way better, sounds better as well. like you said not drastic but noticeable. the main thing is that it feels better for you

[@madnobby8301]

Hi Colin, one little tip for you, if you install new pots measure them out and use 520-550K for the neck and 500-520K for the bridge. Cheers Nobby

[@royrcf]

That was a win, to me it seemed warmer with more sustain, thought the pick up covers gave it a bit of a sophisticated punk look, plus the pickguard. Great video as always.

[@ReprobateMind]

Brilliant video, I wasn't really listening for sound differences, just enjoying it. Speakers in my monitor are too crap to hear a difference anyway. I was screaming mixmatch the pickup covers like a Zebra! Glad you did same way round I would have done it anyway. I have an 80s firebrand that has a Zebra pickup in the bridge with the white side towards the neck reminds me of that. Only thing I'm not a fan of is the tort pickgaurd. Obviously buzzin for you if you like it, it's not mine so why would it matter haha, I'd have just kept it evil and dark might have also left the cream poker chip on to accent the zebraness of the pickups

[@markpell8979]

Good morning, Colin. If you're still on the fence about putting the white cover on the bridge pickup also, here's a vote for Yes. With the black body the contrast says, "That's right, I'M A P90!" Maybe swap the white poker chip back on while (whilst?) you're at it. The red tortoise pickguard (scratchplate?) is an improvement. Black, red & white always seem to look good together... I wonder if white witch hats on the pots would finish off the look or be a little much? As for the sound, nice either way but the Murry's do seem to be more reactive to your picking, assuming you're using similar amp settings and effects. I think I've asked before but do you use a noise gate to quiet your P90s and if so, can you recommend a particular one? Cheers from cold, rainy Dallas!

[@pippydog28]

I had an SG that had p90s and the bridge sounded horrible as well . When I looked it was a neck pickup . They gave me two neck pups . I changed them both anyway . I've had like 4 sets of Gibson p90 s and they've all sounded different .

[@fretmelter5150]

Great demo, I do think the new pots and pickups sound better. I have a sneaking suspicion that the compensated bridge is affecting the intonation. It sounds harsh and dissonant when you play chords with a clean tone.

[@hankmarsh1474]

I could hear the difference in warmth. Subtle but definitely a great improvement

[@michaelwoolley1913]

I have one & there’s nothing wrong with the Gibson pickups , I wouldn’t change em, smoke & mirrors ? Mine sounds ace as it is 👍

[@Furtheronmusic]

One thing I never noticed but you may have mentioned in the original comparison. The bridge pick up on this is further back closer to the bridge than the other two. So that fact it is more brittle and lower output isn't actually that surprising. I think that is actually the main driver (out of the box) for the difference.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Graham... yes indeed I mentioned it several times in both videos! 🤣

[@waynewagner395]

Fill n Finish GluBoost Black will fix the drill thru mishap. It happens, I've done it. The new P90s sound way better and I think removing the base plate definitely improved the sound, even with the stock PUs. Nice video!

[@terencestephenmoss2159]

Great episode 👏 very informative and love the technical side of changing electronics and pickups although both before and after sounds sounded just as good 👍 keep up the good work many thanks 😊 👍

[@jowyong6769]

For Colin so loved the world, that he drilled a hole in one of his SGs for us! Great stuff once again mate! Murray is an absolute star...great sounding P90s; dynamic, articulate and I can totally understand how sound translates to feel, and how that brings a guitar to life. Am lovin' the black and white pick-up combo, not too keen on the tort guard with those colours though. A black bat-wing guard is what it needs imo...

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers man! 😁👍

[@globalnova]

this is about the only combo for tort that i like. :)

[@carlospenna]

I agree with you, the new pickups gave this guitar a new lease of life, a brighter sound, more open, I liked the turtle plate too!!! 👏👏👏👏

[@bronzesnake7004]

Colin I think I know what you mean about the "feel" I think the new pu's are fuller, thicker and I think that translates through the neck, the vibration mate. We do operate on vibration, and sound waves all life has vibration and we may be aware of changes in vibration without consciously being aware, but "something" "feels" better! This is actually up there with my favorite changes you've made. Great job brother! Jack ~'()'~

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers man!

[@nicholasbarile5492]

Thanks Colin! Entertaining! Love your level of detail and authenticity. Lets see more of these!

[@haroldbelfast]

I had one of these, sold it (to fund a 335). I really loved the guitar, but the sound was a bit weak; mainly, I think it's because the bridge PU is *SOOOO* close to the bridge. If it was back a little further, it'd be picking up more bass and more signal from the strings. That's my theory, anyway.

[@rocknrollmouseuk]

Hi Colin, great video, in your summing up of the guitar towards the end you say the guitar still sounded "brittle". In the new wiring you used .022 caps, for P90s I've always used .033s; these would take out some of the top end brittleness. Also Orange Drop caps I find very clinical, while I alway use them as a reference, I usually end up swapping them for an alternative type/make (usually warmer sounding) (sorry I'm not good enough to say what type, I've just built up a little selection box of caps I think look interesting over the years 😁). 'Feeling better because it sounds better' - of course that makes sense! We're human beings, a mess of connected nerves and emotions. You've invested dreams into that guitar, you hear something that pleases your ear, of course you're going to feel better playing it (conversely in the before videos I swear I can see the tension in your body when you pick the guitar up to play, disappointment is already running through you).

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers man, lots of experimentation still to come with different caps and stuff until we have tried it all I guess! 😎👍

[@rocknrollmouseuk]

@@theguitaristas lol that's exactly how I do mine too, one step at a time 👍😎

[@NoQuadsNoMasters]

I wonder what having a brass plate made to replace the metal plates would sound like. FU tone makes brass mounting blocks for hums (PMS). I wonder if that would do almost the same

[@YellowJack6]

I know what you mean when you say it feels better after having modified it. That `92 Flying V I mentioned in a previous comment was very “meh” at first, but the pickups were just too high and I didn’t like the speed knobs the previous owner put on it, so I lowered the pickups and put witch hats on it, and now I adore it. Amazing what a difference little things can make, even things like changing the knobs! By the way, I learned recently that some Gibsons from that time and earlier did have German hardware. Mine didn’t say that, but the bridge does say “Japan” under it. Also, while mine does have the same pickups as yours, mine have the “Gibson USA” baseplates. It was made in July of 1992, not too long after yours was made I think. I guess it was a transitional period. Anyway, cheers!

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Carlos, and I agree witch hat knobs definitely sound better! 😁👍

[@SubutaiTuul]

those pups was a much needed improvement for that guitar also love the zebra look you gave it with the pup setup, love 50's wiring as well, the new pick guard was also a nice touch never understood why black SG's come with a black pickguard. and not in white or the one you choose. its such a beautiful SG now. side note everytime i hear that Epiphone SG special im always surprised with how good it sounds, especially when i consider it's cost. Great video glad you didnt sell it.

[@IndyRockStar]

i use Bare Knuckle pots and caps in almost all my guitars. They seem to really help the clarity.

[@adrian_V99]

Another fine video, Colin. My problem is once I upgrade I bond and then can't bring myself to sell? Do I need therapy?

[@theguitaristas]

No it's perfectly normal... or at least I hope it is! 🤣

[@lindamcguigan5989]

You better call Dr Feelgood for Therapy

[@adrian_V99]

@@lindamcguigan5989 I'm in denial but thank you.

[@J.marrrr]

Should you recommend to buy that guitar? The bride pickup is good?

[@WilliamBalsiger]

Hello Colin, Will B. the polisher here. Happy Holidays, and again thank you for all of the brilliant, benevolent work. Were I your neighbor, I would touch-up that through hole on the backside pro-bono over a cup of tea. Would only take me about that long to fill and level, followed by a bit of spot Frenching. You wouldn't be able to detect it at all. A tip: Ebony transtint dropped in to color and allowed to cure, then ebony CA glue carefully "dropped-in" a few applications will secure the broken wood fibers and fill the hole. CA naturally dries to a high degree of sheen without using an accelerator. This alone would provide an adequate layman's repair. Would look like a tiny shiney bump. For near perfection, I would level the tiny bump with 1000, 1500, 2000, and 4000 abrasives and then spot polish to sheen. But again, ebony CA alone will greatly improve the oops. As an aside, my grand-mumm had relatives in the UK that she wrote to regularly. I was very young then and never met them. She only spoke briefly of them and mentioned family being separated during the Blitz. How I do miss her during the Holidays. Happy Holidays Colin! -Will

[@theguitaristas]

Hey Will, thanks man if you were around the corner I'd take advantage of your skills for sure... I can make a nice cup of tea! 😁👍 To be honest I'm not so worried about the SG 'hole' as it only broke through the surface and adds to the character and story of the guitar now, but I'm going got tackle the Stand rash on back of my Les Paul standard soon though and that may need saving by an expert... 🤞

[@WilliamBalsiger]

@@theguitaristas I recall seeing that episode. I can help if I may. Nitro rubs to a beautiful luster as easily as it scratches/press marks. I would "dry French" it with a lint free piece of old t-shirt balled up tight in my hand (traditionally called a rubber in the UK) with no creases or wrinkles, then add just enough isopropyl alcohol to moisten the rubber, then adding a couple drops of lemon oil. The alcohol will soften (re-amalgamate) the finish, and the lemon oil helps the rubber to glide smoothly with the grain just enough to polish the "press marks" out. Another technique is to purchase a high-end high luster automotive rubbing compound, i.e. Meguiar's. The pre-mixed, high luster compounds are easier to use. Another great set of three compounds is made by Novus. They work well on polyester finishes too. Your films have taught me a great deal, thank you. I enjoy giving back. Cheers! Will B.

[@theguitaristas]

@@WilliamBalsiger Thanks Will

[@jeffwelsh4154]

The difference is the location of the bridge in relation to the bridge pickup

[@henninghesse9910]

Great Video. I gonna replace the humbuckers on my cheapo epiphone with P90, or at least the neck. Thanks for your content, I always enjoy watching your videos!

[@stephanematis]

Extra holes make no difference. Thanks for sharing that! No, I am not joking, the fact you are ok to show such things is amazing! BTW, the first sounds you share are amazing. I would go for silver pickup covers and a tortoise poker chip. I wish someone would make a maple necked SG special.

[@spencerfreed6947]

Always a pleasure watching your channel Colin!! Just a thought but since you already put a screw through the back but you don't want to refinish the guitar, how about taking a whack at doing a relic job on the SG??? Would be an awesome episode IMHO!! Just a suggestion though. I do really like the pups, electronics and new pick guard btw! Love the mismatch covers and would look fantastic with a relic lol! Keep up the great work and I'll keep watching, thank you. Cheers!!

[@DoobTube71]

Black SGs need a white or aged white/cream pearloid pickguard to make them pop! Like a reverse white SG with a black guard.

[@leer.2137]

...11/15/22 ~ I definitely hear a difference with new pots/capacitors without the Murray pups. Less shrill/bright. But hey, that's Me 🎸🎞️

[@houndjr40]

Another compensated tailpiece to check out is "The Savvy" by Music city bridge. I'm not sure if they ship internationally though. Love the channel!

[@DreHolzer]

Evening, Sir! Great content as usual! I always grab a drink and go along with it till the end. So, I’m not sold about the two-tone pick-ups cover (two vintage whites or two blacks for me). Yet, this what I would try if I were you, regarding the “brittle” tone. Bridge: definitely try a lighter one, but, get rid of the metal plate and the foam under the pick-ups and go custom shop on that (pick-ups screwed directly into the wood) and try a set of heavier strings (like 0.52-0.11s). Thanks! Cheers 🍻

[@LGuitarB]

I like the new pick guard, but I would have stuck to black pickup covers for both (or both white). But that's personal taste and it's your guitar 🙂

[@stevengood6434]

Lord Colin the new pickups gave it the warmth and soul it was missing with the stock ones. Love it. Nice playing sir and I think the cream covers brake up the color and give it a good look

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Steven, I think I will end up with double white… would you approve? 😁👍

[@stevengood6434]

@@theguitaristas good choice with the new pick gaurd

[@ampalternator]

Do you have your compressor on all the time in your vids? Love the channel. Great work all-round.

[@bradyazell]

There is definitely a tonal upgrade. I just got one of these in Pelham Blue from Reverb. I'll have to take it to my guy to get this done though. My soldering skills are awful. Another great video!

[@taz4965]

Love how it looks now. Much better. Not sure that I'd want to spend the time or money adapting what should be a damn near perfect guitar already! Maybe on a Harley benton or a Glarry, but not on a Gibson!

[@fepatton]

I admit I don't hear a ton of difference on the bridge pickup (possibly due to YT's compression), but that neck pickup - wow! Oomph indeed! More body and low end. And the most important thing is that you feel it and it inspires you. Great video as usual! Bummer about the hole in the back, but let's just say it adds character and will discourage you from putting it on Reverb again. 😂

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Fred, yes its a keeper now!! 🤣

[@pcanarsky]

Ouch!!!! I did the exact same thing to the back of a tele. Bothers me to this day, but since it’s on the back I completely forget about it. Need to fix that one :)

[@scottdavidson6066]

The new pickups sounds great! They seem fuller in sound with more midrange than the stock ones.

[@irgnj180]

Great video, as always. Feel a lot more confident now to replace the pickups in my Gibson SG Special. Thank you for your good work!

[@moustachio334]

Wraparound bridges are very bright. You need a hotter pickup in that position or back off the tone knob. The wraparound on my 2012 Epi special actually tilted forward and warped the wood. It's going to be my slide guitar now. It has strong pickups and 500k pots unlike my Gibson that uses 300k. My Gibson is a tune o matic standard with the fat neck, but it has P90's. It's a 2012. Gibson actually used a pcb in the electronics so I have cared to fiddle with the pots. Now I know it won't make a difference. I think Gibson was making better P90's in 2012. I even get a bell like Strat tone when I back off the volume on the neck and the bridge just roars, sings smoothly, and when turned down it has a nice jangle. It's a great year imo, but it does have a PCB. Also, it has a baked maple fretboard because Gibson was banned from using rosewood. Criticism: a Fender amp with a distortion pedal can't do the guitar any good. That's just my hatred for overdriven blackface Fender amps. Try a Marshall or Orange. The Orange amps really fill out the middle frequencies for the P90's. I had an OR50 and it could go from bell like blues tones to overdrive with the volume turned up on the guitar. Next I want an AD30 or a 90's Overdrive model with the FAC and master volume. Those were built by Matamp under Gibson ownership. Gibson also saved Trace Elliot too. The 90's were a fun time.

[@_rafael_b]

"Do you agree with anything I've said today?" Hi Colin! I agree with everything you said today. The pickups sound better, but the bridge pickup is too close to the bridge. I absolutely love the new pickguard with the cream covers. That looks really really good! The bridge pickup would look good in cream also. I have a white LP Studio faded that I did a similar project with. It's a predecessor to the LP Tribute you had in a previous video. I'd love to send some before and after pics and share it with you. Also, I feel your pain on that screw going thru the back. Your next pint would be on me for that one. Cheers Colin! Thanks again for another great journey and have a great weekend!

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Rafael! 😎👍

[@PHeMoX]

Sometimes a guitar that is upgraded like this, is mostly just better in how it can create a new wave of creativity just for being different. I notice that a lot whenever I'm buying a new guitar too. It's not that I don't like my old guitars anymore, it's mostly the boost in creativity and feeling just a tad more inspired on something fresh.

[@TheRealChetManley]

Love your channel man. You and I have the same taste in guitars. I could feel that screw popping through the back, yikes. Awesome show! I wonder if the difference in sound is down to the bridge pickup being closer to the tail piece on the Gibson vs the Epiphone and Custom? 39:54 if looks better and sounds better! It’s bad ass now! Love it!

[@Bona-Who]

Wonder show! Thank you Colin - see you next week.