SGD Lutherie Pickups

[rythman6969]

Well, the neck Jazz pickup is a bit bigger than that standard EMGHZs Jazz pickup that was in my Stargazer. Gonna have to get the drimmel out later. The MM fit fine and I have it wired up with the EMGHZ Jazz right now and all I can say is....WOW.

Hi-output grind if I boost a bit of treb and low end on the BTC preamp and roll the bass down a bit on my VB-2. If I flat out push everything and really dig in it's this really grindy overdrive sound. I'm really, really, really digging this pickup man. I take it the Jazz version will be a bit more low-low-mid voiced than the bridge MM?

Sorry for getting in your hair earlier about the wait, these are well worth it.

Yes they are .

 

[TapyTap]

They were true low impedance pickups (unlike EMGs) that used a JFET based preamp that was external to the pickup. So you could do series/parallel and still have an active pickup.

That was my first pickup offering back in 2007. The neos replaced those. At the time people kept asking for passive pickups, and when the neos ended up sounding very similar I stopped making the active pickups.

But I've been thinking of bringing them back, so if you want some that can happen.

Well, I was afraid that they would be active. I really want passive pickups. I really like the sound of that bridge pickup! Is it hum canceling?

Just out of curiosity, what is the signal path on the Bass Head track?

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Well, I was afraid that they would be active. I really want passive pickups. I really like the sound of that bridge pickup! Is it hum canceling?

Just out of curiosity, what is the signal path on the Bass Head track?

They are only active because the low impedance windings produce a very low output signal. There is no free lunch, so as you add windings to get more output, you lose the flat response and extended high end you get from low Z pickups.

They were humbuckers, almost exactly like my neos, only with less wire. They used ceramic magnets, but the bridge pickup in that clip used a neo.

The signal path was pickups/buffers to an EMG BTC, then direct into a Roland VM-3100Pro digital mixer and then into Cubase. The pickups sounded the same without the BTC, which was probably set for a slight bass boost. It was the bass in my avatar.

But fear not, the sidewinders will get you a very similar tone, especially if I wind them on the low end like I used to do. Same is true of the neos. As long as you don't mind a slightly lower output pickup, you can get that tone. But even the standard neos are very close.

 

[Double Agent]

I didn't see this question. Does the Carvin use two bridge size Jazz pickup?

With the ND3-J4, I can get it up to 3.27" wide. With the SW4-J4 I can make the blade the entire width of the case (3.6").

Yes, two bridge size pickups. Carvin claims that their pickups cover a string span of 3.2", but the output of the low B makes me wonder if its more like 3.17"...they do get the B string, but not at the same volume as the other strings on the bass. Following the fretboard radius, you would think the B would be one of the loudest strings because it is a little closer to the pickup than the other strings (except for the C, of course).

The pickups I would be most interested in would get me closer to a Jazz tone. Being a neck-thru, I don't ever expect it to sound exactly like a Jazz. But, I do want more single-coil-like sizzle and grind than the stock pickups are giving me. I'm not sure which of your pickups would be better for that, but from what I've read, I think it would be the SWs, right?

The only pickups that seem to be out there as a replacement for the 6-string Carvins are the Bartolini 69J1s. Bartolini makes very good pickups, but their tone tends to be on the "polite" side to me. I think they would improve the low B response, but do little to add the upper mids and highs that I would like to get more of. I think your pickups seem more up my alley for about the same price.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Yes, two bridge size pickups. Carvin claims that their pickups cover a string span of 3.2", but the output of the low B makes me wonder if its more like 3.17"...they do get the B string, but not at the same volume as the other strings on the bass. Following the fretboard radius, you would think the B would be one of the loudest strings because it is a little closer to the pickup than the other strings (except for the C, of course).

The pickups I would be most interested in would get me closer to a Jazz tone. Being a neck-thru, I don't ever expect it to sound exactly like a Jazz. But, I do want more single-coil-like sizzle and grind than the stock pickups are giving me. I'm not sure which of your pickups would be better for that, but from what I've read, I think it would be the SWs, right?

The only pickups that seem to be out there as a replacement for the 6-string Carvins are the Bartolini 69J1s. Bartolini makes very good pickups, but their tone tends to be on the "polite" side to me. I think they would improve the low B response, but do little to add the upper mids and highs that I would like to get more of. I think your pickups seem more up my alley for about the same price.

The sidewinders would have more sizzle. The jazz buckers have a thicker tone, while still being bright. But they don't have that extended top end. Neither one is polite.

 

[TapyTap]

They are only active because the low impedance windings produce a very low output signal. There is no free lunch, so as you add windings to get more output, you lose the flat response and extended high end you get from low Z pickups.

You're right, there is no free lunch. This makes total sense.

They were humbuckers, almost exactly like my neos, only with less wire. They used ceramic magnets, but the bridge pickup in that clip used a neo.

Since the neodymium material is so much stronger than the ceramic, I was hoping that a low Z pickup could be wound with enough strength to allow descent passive output...without the string pull or hotspots as you mentioned earlier.

But fear not, the sidewinders will get you a very similar tone, especially if I wind them on the low end like I used to do. Same is true of the neos. As long as you don't mind a slightly lower output pickup, you can get that tone. But even the standard neos are very close.

Both the ND3s and the SW4s are really great, and I am interested in both styles for different reasons. They definitely seem to be very close to what I am after. The slightly lower output I can live with if the trade off is more extension and transparency. That said, I'm really interested in what you will develop with your prototype neo sidewinder...I think you are on to something there.

I know...I'm really picky!

 

[TapyTap]

But fear not, the sidewinders will get you a very similar tone, especially if I wind them on the low end like I used to do.

Did you previously post an audio clip in this thread with a sidewinder wound this way?

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Did you previously post an audio clip in this thread with a sidewinder wound this way?

The original sidewinders were wound like Lane Poor pickups, and were very bright. Then I did the "plus" version and wind them a little hotter. Then I discontinued the original ones.

But if you listen to the clips on the website, you can still hear the lower wound sidewinders.

 

[kuys]

These are some super strong magnets, I found at certain places on the neck the pull will cause the string to vibrate and squeal with increasing volume. Pretty cool effect honestly. I'll lower the pickup when I get the jazz installed.

Still haven't been able to get the neo jazz installed. My drimmel tool was borrowed recently and returned to me with a burnt out motor. Going to have to pick one up this week and get it fitted and installed. Your jazz cases are bit bigger than a standard EMG HZs version. Just a heads up, I very pleased with this purchase all the same though.

Thank you.

 

[TapyTap]

The original sidewinders were wound like Lane Poor pickups, and were very bright. Then I did the "plus" version and wind them a little hotter. Then I discontinued the original ones.

But if you listen to the clips on the website, you can still hear the lower wound sidewinders.

So, the sidewinder clip with the "deep" neck pickup option is the original version then. Am I on the right track here?

 

[SGD Lutherie]

So, the sidewinder clip with the "deep" neck pickup option is the original version then. Am I on the right track here?

Yes.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

These are some super strong magnets, I found at certain places on the neck the pull will cause the string to vibrate and squeal with increasing volume. Pretty cool effect honestly. I'll lower the pickup when I get the jazz installed.

Actually, even though the Neos are very strong, the magnetic field at the surface of the pickup is about 300Gauss. Over a typical jazz pickup it's about 700G!

So they are very sensitive pickups, but the pull is less than with alnico rod magnets.

Still haven't been able to get the neo jazz installed. My drimmel tool was borrowed recently and returned to me with a burnt out motor. Going to have to pick one up this week and get it fitted and installed. Your jazz cases are bit bigger than a standard EMG HZs version. Just a heads up, I very pleased with this purchase all the same though.

I just started using those covers. They look about the same size as my previous covers, except they are deeper. But there are variations in size. Some companies rout very tight to fit a certain pickup, while others leave a little extra wiggle room.

 

[TapyTap]

Yes.

Great. What is the signal path on sound clip # 8 (Sidewinders with "deep" neck pickup option)?

...me and my signal path questions!

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Great. What is the signal path on sound clip # 8 (Sidewinders with "deep" neck pickup option)?

...me and my signal path questions!

All the sounds clips that I played on, is the bass direct into a Roland VM-3100Pro digital mixer, and then into my Mac via S/PDIF, and recorded with TC Works SparkXL. On the Neo J amp clip, the direct signal was processed though the IKMultimedia Ampeg SVX plugin using the B-15 patch.

The Neo P pickup clip was recorded direct into an M-Audio Firewire Solo. My Roland mixer needs servicing and Spark no longer works in Mac OS X Lion. So now I use Adobe Audition for editing clips.

Some clips have a small amount of EQ, like a little lows and highs boosted, but not much. I tried to keep them as flat as possible, while still sounding like something someone would use in an actual situation.

 

[randysmojo]

This might have been covered recently, but I don't have time to read all the post. Have you gotten any of your pickups to bass player for review yet?

 

[SGD Lutherie]

This might have been covered recently, but I don't have time to read all the post. Have you gotten any of your pickups to bass player for review yet?

No. I emailed them a few times about it, and never heard back from them.

 

[TapyTap]

All the sounds clips that I played on, is the bass direct into a Roland VM-3100Pro digital mixer, and then into my Mac via S/PDIF, and recorded with TC Works SparkXL. On the Neo J amp clip, the direct signal was processed though the IKMultimedia Ampeg SVX plugin using the B-15 patch.

The Neo P pickup clip was recorded direct into an M-Audio Firewire Solo. My Roland mixer needs servicing and Spark no longer works in Mac OS X Lion. So now I use Adobe Audition for editing clips.

Some clips have a small amount of EQ, like a little lows and highs boosted, but not much. I tried to keep them as flat as possible, while still sounding like something someone would use in an actual situation.

Thanks a bunch. Your answers are really helping me.

I really love the transparency of the SGD Sidewinders. Could you place two SW4-J4 pickups in an EMG-35 size wooden cover?

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Thanks a bunch. Your answers are really helping me.

You're welcome.

I really love the transparency of the SGD Sidewinders. Could you place two SW4-J4 pickups in an EMG-35 size wooden cover?

Yes I can.

 

[TapyTap]

Yes I can.

Excellent.

So, if you placed two SW4-J4 pickups as close together as possible (inside of an EMG-35 size wooden cover), what would the distance be between the two blade centers?

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Excellent.

So, if you placed two SW4-J4 pickups as close together as possible (inside of an EMG-35 size wooden cover), what would the distance be between the two blade centers?

The distance between the blades is the same as the previous discussion. The two pickups will be touching each other in the case.