Yamaha SG2000 pickups, yea or nay?
Nate Connors
workmanship, sustain, and playability. One thing is that I'm not quite
sure if I like the pickups. They sound pretty fat but they're very
microphonic and pick up a lot of extraneous taps and bumps while
playing.
Does anybody know anything about the stock Yamaha humbuckers? How
about suggestions for replacements if I choose to do that?
Thanks a lot,
Nate
Nate Connors
Rob Dobson
Yamaha's SG1000 and 2000 models from the 70's might have achieved
"classic" status if it weren't for their truly brutal choice of pickups.
The design, materials and craftmanship of these guitars is
otherwise really pretty good.
Replace the existing pickups with any modern humbucker that emultes a PAF
kind of tone. (Don't use anything too "hot" or you'll overwhelm the
guitar's natural dense woody sound). You shouldn't have to do any routing
with most replacements, just drop 'em in. I put Seymor Duncans in my
SG1000 and it has a pleasing fat, mellow tone. The difference is night
and day.
Hope this helps.
Stevie Rob
Franks Jr S. A. (Stacy)
> In <4e16ig$3...@cloner3.netcom.com> dna...@ix.netcom.com(Nate Connors )
> writes:
> >
> > I just bought a used 1977 SG2000 and am impressed with the
> >workmanship, sustain, and playability. One thing is that I'm not
> quite
> >sure if I like the pickups. They sound pretty fat but they're very
> >microphonic and pick up a lot of extraneous taps and bumps while
> >playing.
> > Does anybody know anything about the stock Yamaha humbuckers?
> How
> >about suggestions for replacements if I choose to do that?
> >
> > Thanks a lot,
> > Nate
>
The original SG2000 p.u.'s were actually pretty hot pickups. Carlos Santana
used to play (and endorse) this guitar, and as far as I know, the pickups
he used were the stock Yamaha pickups that came in that particular guitar.
I don't know about them going microphonic on you. I don't recall ever having
heard any complaints like that, although I do know that they are (were) very
sensitive. If you don't like the way they sound, you can replace them with
any of about 20 bajillion aftermarket pickups made by Duncan, Di Marzio,
Gibson, or EMG (just to name a few) depending on your taste and the style
of music you play.
s.f. - f/w
Nate Connors
Dave Powell
I also have a 1977 SG2000 (Sunburst) and yes I think you are right.
The workmanship is great, obviously the sustain is too. But two things
are for sure; 1) they need a locking nut since the bridges are just
like some of the Gibsons I've played. That is the biggest issue. I
used mine gigging for 15 years, and love the sound but the intonation
was always rough.
2) The pickups, when driven through the right rig should be OK, but
EMGs or equiv. should surely help. I'd say that was pretty true.
My best and last stage gear (and people laugh at this) was a Rockman
through a Lab Series L-5 head, used a 1/15 Celestion cabinet. This
was absolutely the best sounding, consistant stage setup I ever had.
I was almost embarrased to use the Rockmank, but every player that
came to hear me said they couldn't believe my sound. I'd try a hotter,
higher-end pickup though Nate.
Best wishes,
Dave
Omaha, NE
Nate Connors
Anthony Tze Chan
: I just bought a used 1977 SG2000 and am impressed with the
: Thanks a lot,
: Nate
I have two Yamaha SG2000S's. The semi-covered stock pickups sounded too
trebly to me, although they have decent output. A couple of years ago I
finally got rid of them and installed a variety of Seymour Duncan pickups
on them: one is equipped with The '59 neck and JB bride; while the other
one has a Jazz neck and a Custom bridge. All four pickups have four
conductor leads for coil-splitting. They make a very significant
improvement over. If you have a chance to check out Duncan's catalogue,
their description on how those pickups sound are quite close to what they
really sound like on my guitar.
I am sure there are others who like the stock pickup. However, I find
the Duncan's work very well for me. Hope this helps.
Anthony Tze Chan
: The original SG2000 p.u.'s were actually pretty hot pickups. Carlos
: Santana used to play (and endorse) this guitar, and as far as I
: know, the pickups he used were the stock Yamaha pickups that came in
: that particular guitar...... <snip>
There is a comic book on Santana. At the end of the book there is a
photoessay of Santana's guitar collecton. The Yamaha SG's that he has
are equipped with Gibson PAF's, not stock pickups. I think there is a
picture of Santana with one of his Yamaha's in one of the sleeves of the
Moonflower LP. If you look carefully, you'll notice that the pickup
mounting brackets have one height-adjustment screw on each side, where
stock Yamaha SG's have two screws on the left and one on the right for
height-adjustment. I believe I have also read from somewhere (probably
Guitar Player) of his preference on Gibson PAF's at the time.
Also, Santana's Yamaha SG's have 24 frets (stock ones have 22 frets). His
SG's are more like SG-3000S becuase of the abalone binding on the body.
Of course, the extensive inlay (and the truss rod cover that reads "Carlos
Santana") is exclusive for the guitarist.
herr...@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu
>>workmanship, sustain, and playability. One thing is that I'm not
> quite
>>sure if I like the pickups. They sound pretty fat but they're very
>>microphonic and pick up a lot of extraneous taps and bumps while
>>playing.
>> Does anybody know anything about the stock Yamaha humbuckers?
> How
>>about suggestions for replacements if I choose to do that?
That should be a great guitar, and Guitar Player mag once praised it, pickups
and all, in a Pawnshop Prize column. Often the pickups are the weak link
in 70s Japanese guitars. Seymour Duncan makes a good selection of pickups,
including the '59, JB, and Pearly Gatess models. You can get a catalog by
emailing him at sdpi...@aol.com.
Alex