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

We do love an SG but our latest Gibson has failed to impress so far, being called 'brittle', a bit 'meh', and 'tight-arse'... but today help is on hand with a new set of top notch Murray 50's wind P90's and some Bare Knuckle CTS Pots. Can we fix it?... grab drink and join us to find out!
Murray Guitar Pickups: murrayguitarpickups.com
The Tone Lab: www.thetonelab.co.uk
Here's where I got the Pickguard from on Ebay UK: www.ebay.co.uk/str/earlpilanz
Gibson SG Special Review: • I Bought Another New G...
SG Specials Comparison: • Which SG Special Would...
Subscribe to our TV channel at: theguitaristas.vhx.tv where you can join our growing list of members enjoying AD FREE viewing of all our videos, plus exclusive extras and a members only forum.
00:00 intro & coming up
01:19 what's happening today
03:54 sound comparisons 1
07:04 I'm sure we can fix it
07:44 stage 1: metal plate experiment
14:05 does it sound any different?
14:39 stage 2: changing the pots & caps
22:58 does it still work?
23:47 does it sound any different?
24:47 stage 3: changing the pickups
30:33 does it still work now?
30:57 so does it sound any different now?
31:54 this is what it sounds like now
32:38 let's play something
35:32 I've pimped the SG!
36:21 it felt and sounded better
36:59 before & after comparison
37:59 it definitely sounds better
39:54 so what do I think?
42:20 I've bonded with the guitar
43:19 slowed down wiring extra
44:53 that's all for this week
45:09 play out jam
Signal Chain Info:
TC Polytune / Boss CS3
Drive Pedals (when on): Soul Food / Rat / Jim Dunlop Wah
Boss DD7 / Boss RC5 Looper
Amp: Fender Princeton Reverb Tweed 1 x 12 / OX Attenuator
Mics AKG C414 & SM57
Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 into Protools
I AM NOT AN EXPERT. Some things I do know and some things I don't know but think I know and sometimes I say things that are not entirely correct. Once I have said things it's too late to correct them so please check any 'so called facts' with an adult, google, wikipedia, or someone else that knows.
We run this channel to provide therapy for our gear addiction and for an excuse to buy more. Please like and subscribe and keep coming back to watch our films if you would like to support the channel!
#sgspecial #guitar #guitaraddict #theguitaristas #guitarist #guitarporn

[@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.

[@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.

[@ranga821]

Sounds fantastic! Always glad to see builders here in Australia getting support.

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@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. 🎶🎸

[@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!

[@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👌👍🏻🤘

[@davidkerr1971]

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

[@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? 🤣

[@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.

[@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!

[@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.

[@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 .

[@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. 😅

[@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! 🎸🎶🤘

[@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! 🤣🤦‍♂️

[@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! 🤘😎

[@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! 😎👍

[@MartyGerman]

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

[@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! 😆👍

[@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.

[@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.

[@BobPerrone]

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

[@nicholasbarile5492]

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

[@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!

[@robbev517]

Absolutely love the growth on this channel. It is well deserved! Keep making these great vids, thanks ;)

[@theguitaristas]

Thanks for supporting it… that’s the key!! 😎👍👍

[@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

[@Mitch-6-Strings]

Another fantastic video Colin. Friday fix sorted. Once again, great tones and skills !

[@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!

[@jonathonawarnberg]

Dude, I can't tell you how much I appreciate a guitar channel with someone who plays tastefully and lets the sound of the guitars be heard. Kind of a Neil Young vibe, and you absolutely can't go wrong with that 🙂

[@stevegroves]

Another good one mate! great stuff this is really useful to folk thinking about changing pups or just wanting to make changes and repairs to their guitars. Thanks for doing these really great vids.

[@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.

[@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 😊 👍

[@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 🎸🎞️

[@stevenhorton7457]

Nice one Colin ,always look forward to this every coming friday 🎸👍

[@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

[@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.

[@chasintone316]

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

[@davidharding200]

Another great video Colin! The funniest thing happened. I must have dozed off. I thought you mentioned little old Adelaide! This is the most attention we’ve had since we lost the F1 Grand Prix!!

[@murrayguitarpickups9545]

Or the Snowtown murders....

[@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! 😁👍

[@touchthesun2448]

Colin! You definitely got the molecules lined up this week. Those Murry's are sweet! Great job my friend. I like what you did with the caps too. This is my favorite episode of all time, so you can stop now... My special is going to get the neck repaired today. Thanks for another great episode. I hope you have a great weekend! Cheers from Atlanta

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Bob and you mate.

[@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!

[@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

[@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.

[@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!!

[@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!

[@paulkowatch7401]

Another great film, I think it looks brilliant now, love the pickguard and mixed coloured covers. Sounds fantastic as well.

[@ELPORTUS]

Definitely looks amazing better than before, the sound is more hard to tell but of course the sound was great, I did enjoy this video form the beginning to the end 😅. This Gibson in your signature 😅😅😅. Thanks for this amazing channel

[@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.

[@barrypilson2158]

You can hear the excitement in your playing when you found that sound.

[@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.

[@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.

[@_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! 😎👍

[@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.

[@robbyray]

Fantastic video. I’m addicted to this channel! Great work. Thank you!

[@theguitaristas]

😁🙏

[@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! 😁👍

[@edwardsmith9801]

Sounds & looks better in my humble opinion. I like the mixed pickup covers, great show.

[@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....

[@davelewis4215]

Colin, Thanks for a very enjoyable entertaining video man👍 It’s always handy to keep some double sided tape & some blutak in ones workshop 👍

[@SunMaschine]

I learn so much from watching your videos. Thanks lads from sunny Honduras!

[@carpathus]

Lovely work! Love these sort of vids so thanks! Also, saving strings is a good thing. Freaking things have skyrocketed in price here lately. Cheers! P.S, That hole though 😵‍💫

[@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!

[@benallmark9671]

Great video as always Colin. I love the tortoise shell pickguard but IMO ( not that it matters ) I would use the black pickups with the tortoise shell pickguard and the cream with the black pickguard. Cheers from Canada !

[@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 🍻

[@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!

[@txkflier]

It definitely looks and sounds much better than before. You did good, as usual..

[@jefftucker201]

Great vid Colin!! Oh Man, Screw length gotcha! lol All the best mate.

[@ravendagrey]

Hi Colin, another amazing video! I did hear the difference and agree with you on the bridge pickup, the Epiphone sounded better. it's a shame about the hole in the back, hopefully lessons learned and thankfully it wouldn't be a huge repair job. I can think of a couple of ways to fix it already. I love the tortoise shell guard but the cream pickup cover is throwing me off to each their own I suppose. I actually got a deal too good to pass up and I traded my Epiphone 1961 Les Paul SG for a 2013 Gibson SG 50's Tribute with p90's and I forgot how good P90s can be! Anyways as usual I look forward to your next video!

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers man, good score that’s a nice guitar that tribute! 😎👍

[@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.

[@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

[@waspcatcher]

Yet another great video. Funnily enough, I prefer the original bridge pickup, but really enjoyed the difference with the new neck pup.

[@petekent794]

Hi Colin, great vid as always. I thought there was a slight difference, but obviously it will sound different when you are playing in the room. I think it looks great with the scratchplate etc. I would have chosen the two cream covers (probably ?).

[@brentbeltz8968]

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

[@GravyDaveNewson]

love tortie plates on black guitars and it blends the white cover in too. I like the two tone covers as well, I would stick with that. You clearly enjoyed playing the new version so worth all the effort, well done :)

[@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!

[@YOSTINATOR]

Great taste Colin! Love what you did to her!!

[@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!

[@kenoguitar41]

Hey Colin! New subscriber to the channel here, love your work! I have the same SG and you’re lucky you didn’t try replacing the bridge, I tried with mine for a Tone Pro AVT2G and it’s a bit bigger and closer to the bridge pickup and it made it more brittle to my ears so I ended swapping back to the original bridge. I am using pure Nickel strings which helps, waiting on some Murray pickups to arrive now :) thanks for making amazing videos!

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers mate, thanks for the sub! 😁👍

[@bristol1312]

I went with the graph tech resomax nw2. I’m having the same issue with brittle bridge pup. I dunno if I should swap back

[@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!

[@joehahn8817]

Glad you didn't screw it to the bench...🤣🤣🤣 Now you have a legit reason to have it refinished. Or I suppose you could just wait for the inevitable buckle rash to hide it. Or maybe a black Sharpie???🤔🤔🤔 Great video as always...thanks for another entertaining one!!! See ya' next Friday...TTFN!!!

[@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.

[@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

[@richardlynch5632]

Was wondering if the pups and pickguard were going to mirror my black with antiqued white pup covers and guard Revstar...? While screaming into my phone while watching you thinking of drilling pilot holes for pup screws, thought nope...he will catch it...🤔 Having done the same thing on a Danelectro, myself...can feel your pain😉😎👍 Every guitar should have a breathing hole eh...?😉😎👍😁 The metal plates and those channels in the pup cavities are confounding... WHY...? Definitely a educational video. Thanks for taking one for the Guitaristas team Colin😎👍 😎👍❤🖖 Love Brother

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Richard, it was only a little a short screw honest... 🤣🤣🤦‍♂️

[@richardlynch5632]

@@theguitaristas 🤣🤣🤣 My mishap went all the way into my bench. Didn't know what I had done until I tried to reposition the guitar..!!! Looking back on it, I'm sure I looked around to see if anyone noticed...🤣 Bonding with my guitar is different than bondo-ing with my guitar 😉😎👍 😎👍❤🖖 Love Brother

[@theguitaristas]

@@richardlynch5632 Ah that's brilliant! 🤣🤣

[@oldmanzen6682]

Enjoyed this. Nice upgrade, and I like the cream and black covers. Never been a fan of tort, but that's a personal preference.

[@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!! 🤣

[@simonplimbley5778]

Fantastic video mate - really really enjoyed your playing! Great to see you really getting lost in the musical moment 🎸👍 Oh & it looks far better - I put the vintage white covers on a black SG I had but I didn’t like them a month later but one of each with the pick guard looks spot on.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Simon!

[@adge74]

Another great vid, have been pondering this week the thought of eventually getting a real sg to replace my Epiphone classic one day. The conundrum a standard, the 61 or a second hand one. Think I would be devastated to pay for a new one if it wasn't perfect. And after Watching a lot of your content it seams very obvious that could be the case. Liked the upgrade but agree that it was very brittle, I couldn't live with that. Interesting that you think it's because of the tailpiece and bridge pickup. Keep up the good work , your teaching me a lot.

[@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!!! 👏👏👏👏

[@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!

[@activese]

Hey Colin, in 39:01 where you said you can't explain it, in the tokai video, you already did, in your own words: "Livelier feel".😎, oh and boutique "adds finesse" - classy. Nice video, gorgeous pimped SG 😁 with a small new vent-hole , and as usual so pleasant and funny to watch you; At the beginning the best sounding one seems to be the epiphone 🤣😂🙃, mate you are becoming famous, cheers, well deserved. Oh and I do remember that the best sounding paf above all in that tokai mod, were in fact, Murray's and he even answered, such a nice guy Ben, I wish, to earn in British pounds, to pimp all my guitars. lol. Cheers. and say hi to Ben please.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers man, thanks for the kind words as always! I think that Ben Murray might be onto something… will pass on your love! 😎👍

[@murrayguitarpickups9545]

You can say hello personally lol, I read your comment, thankyou for the kind words. I know people want to argue online endlessly about what makes a great tone. I dont think you can pin it down to one thing but if you pay close attention and you experiment a bit you can make incremental improvements. Its controversial because its very hard to tell if for example wax potted sounds better or worse than unpotted or if a different type of magnet is better or worse, its all subjective. However, to compare it to food, you could argue that lamb is better or worse than beef but if they're prepared badly, not cooked properly they won't taste as good as either of them would in a 5 star restaurant. When its prepared with love and the chef and the waiters genuinely try to to give you a great experience the food tastes better. MacDonald's gives you good value and feeds you but its not where you'd take you wife for you're anniversary. My restaurant is run from home but you can bring a date here, its a lovely atmosphere with great food. Thats the difference between Seymour Duncan and me. Hes got a avast food empire and I'm running a quaint little gourmet restaurant from home.

[@theguitaristas]

@@murrayguitarpickups9545 Nice analogy.... reckon this is the mission statement for your website! 😁👍

[@activese]

@@murrayguitarpickups9545 Hi Ben, Patrick here, glad to hear from you, yes indeed, you should have at least 5 Michelin stars 😁 by now, I checked Jim Lill's video about the Wood tone in solid guitars: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGGVpXyjmMpmd6c, and for me the list comes: first, you chops and your approach to all the variables, use, familiarity and/or knowledge in your instrument and style, then quality components, and between those, the crucial would be the pickups, because the rest of the electronic components just add like 1-5%. Hopefully next year I can save some, (my oldest son just finished college, so 1 tuition ended) to purchase your humbuckers and p90s for my guitars, I have and SG and a les paul, in desperate, need of your great recipe. Some big manufacturers, have a bullet proof recipe, but still against yours, they still need that special ingredient that makes, the outstanding ones, now I'm hungry lol. Take good care, maybe someday I can call you and chat about your craftmanship. Cheers.🖐😎

[@texasbootlegger3752]

Always entertaining my friend. Trial and error can produce a satisfied outcome!!!

[@robinfawcett7973]

That looks and sounded fantastic! Was jamming along on the bass...😍

[@theguitaristas]

Nice one cheers Robin! 😎👍

[@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 👍😎

[@S-T-E-V-E]

Another great video man! At least you don't have to worry if you rough it up a bit, now that you put a screw through it! 😂