emac
Group: Members
Posts: 66
Joined: May 2002 |
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Posted: Feb. 04 2006, 05:16 |
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Hi all!
Largley infulenced by the early Oldfield stuff I was drawn towards the Gibson SG junior. Mine is a early 66 which is largely the same as the 61-62 ones that mike used in the first half of his recording career, up to about Discovery and can also be heard on Amarok.
They have a distinctive sound and mine is never going to be sold.
I also have the 2000 ish sg junior and it is kind of the same style as the later 60s ones but still sound a lot like the earlier ones.
All in all these are now expensive guitars, and if I were starting again there is no way that I could afford these guitars.
There is a way to get the sound on a budget.
Enter the Epiphone!
As I do not wish breaking or loosing the Gibsons when playing somwhere, I purchased a Epiphone SG 400 custom. It felt a lot like the Early Sg junior (although a lot heavier)
However It sounded not at all like the juniors. In fact It sounded blurry and weak at the same time.
Here is the cure.
I changed the pickups to a P-90 in a humbucker shape.
What is a P-90?... Well it is a very early gibson pickup design that still exists today and it was fitted to many of Gibsons cheaper guitars including the Les paul and Sg juniors.
They have a almost human quality in their sound and they can sound lovable and pure when clean and once distorted, scream like a banshee!
Anyhow I put 3 Wilburn Custom Shop P-90 conversion pickups in this Epiphone and It now sounds somewhat like the Juniors (close enough), plus with the 2 extra pickups I can get a pile of other tones, and all of them good.
The Epiphone cost less than half of the price of the cheapest gibson (and much of the quality is superior)
Wilburn Custom Shop Pickups are not expensive either..
Well that sorts out the guitar. What about the elusive distorted sound?
The other day I purchased a Danelectro Fab Distortion pedal (not the Fabtone pedal) It is about the cheapest pedal on the market, and they sound Great! a good chord and Lead sound with great seperation.
I have used Tube screamers for years, they work well with fender amps... But thats about it. through most other amps they can sound like foghorns.
The Danelectro Fab Distortion does not seem to be fussy about amps and is happy to work with anything.
While you cannot quite get "First Excursion" out of it, Its not far off. And the "knebworth" sound is easily in reach of this pedal.
So there is is. If you cannot afford a Sg junior, a vox practice amp and a glornfindle box. Try an Epiphone SG (even the cheapest plywood ones will get you there), Wilburn Custom Shop P-90 conversion pickups and a Danelectro Fab Distortion.
And then Smoke too much get drunk and play with long fingernails and talent....
And If you want to know where to get WCS pickups look here:
http://www.wilburncustomshop.com/P90bucker-iv.htm
This is no advert, I was just very impressed with these pickups and would like to share the good news for those looking for the elusive MO sound.
While I don't try to emulate Mike anymore (I have My own sound now) The Sgs are still, for me the right guitar. Yes I have a PRS (the Rolls Royce of production guitars) and it plays like falling of a wet log, but they make you a lazy player very quickly.
The cheaper Epiphone (with new pickups) does the job just fine.
So if it can be done on a budget, why would'nt you!
Is there any need to reply to this drivel? (you can if you want)
emac.
Ps. Oh.... if you want to know what I do sound like go here:
http://bathurstafterdark.com/artist/eden_mackenzie.shtml
and check the MP3s out. (Gealach solas and roger's bouzouki)
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, but I've listened to your Gealach Solas and Roger's Bouzouki mp3's, I like them, especially enjoyed the bouzouki one 
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