Grateful Dead Music Forum

Not much discussion or tone chasing for the SG tone (search didn't help much, but 7 pages of topics and I gave up)... Is not considered desirable? I'm guessing he had T-tops for pickups which are fairily low output. Thoughts?

Not desirable?? Live Dead is toppermost of the poppermost for me.

TI4-1009 wrote:Not desirable?? Live Dead is toppermost of the poppermost for me.

Agreed. Further... Some of the new humbucker pickup winders are nailing very clear and musical tone... As opposed to the Gibson pickups from the late 70's and beyond that tend to get muddy, especially on the neck.

I stuck a set of SD Seth Lover pups in my SG, it gets a convincing imitation of the Live/Dead tone through the SMS Classic along with Brad's Earth Drive pedal. Next on my list: play 8 hours a day like Jerry. The tone is uncanny, especially when the amp is good and hot. It can get pretty nasty (in a good way).

The story I've heard is that Seymour Duncan purchased the original PAF winding machine from Kalamazoo, and that they use the original machine on all the Seth Lover pickups they produce. I don't really know if it's that or if it's just a good quality, well-designed pup, but however it's made it sounds close if not identical to me.

I was playing my 78 LP though the SMS and T-Rex Dr Swamp and it gets pretty darn close. I'm gonna get an Earthdrive soon, that should get even closer.