Gibson V - Bright tone.. need some input..

Bash_Man

Well-known member
hey everyone,
so i recently swapped out the pickups in my Gibson Flying V from Duncan Blackouts to a Duncan Distortion SH-6B and Dimarzio (dont remember the model) in the neck. Put a .022uf cap and 500k pots for Vol/Vol/Tone.

The guitar on either position is VERY bright. I mean, so bright so a point of being boarderline shrill. I'd have to turn down the Tone control down to 2 or 3 to get a decent tone, even then, its still missing alot of body and definition on it.

Any suggestions?

Thanks
 
I had a Gibson V with SH6's, and it wasn't bright whatsoever. But, it was a 2005, so there's no telling what wood qualities might contribute.

That said, a Duncan Custom Custom is fantastic for bright guitars. It's the SH-11. It's extremely warm, and really smooths out bright guitars.

What's the amp?
 
napalmdeath":wxf0nopw said:
I had a Gibson V with SH6's, and it wasn't bright whatsoever. But, it was a 2005, so there's no telling what wood qualities might contribute.

That said, a Duncan Custom Custom is fantastic for bright guitars. It's the SH-11. It's extremely warm, and really smooths out bright guitars.

What's the amp?
Splawn Nitro.
 
Its really weird.. cause years ago prior to me putting the Duncan Blackouts, it had a Gibson 500T in the bridge. I just cant seem to find the original electronics (pots, pickups, etc..) .

The Duncan Distortion and 500T are fairly equed the same as I understand.

Maybe a lower value tone pot needs to be put in like a 250k instead of a 500k?
 
Duke of Metal":xfskjgue said:
Its really weird.. cause years ago prior to me putting the Duncan Blackouts, it had a Gibson 500T in the bridge. I just cant seem to find the original electronics (pots, pickups, etc..) .

The Duncan Distortion and 500T are fairly equed the same as I understand.

Maybe a lower value tone pot needs to be put in like a 250k instead of a 500k?

I had the 496R and 500T my V when I bought it. To my ears, the 500T was harsh. I like it in the Exlorer, and LP Classics back in the day, but the V is more on par with an SG, and are a tad brighter and less beefy, by nature.

Now, I've owned 4 Splawns, and they can, indeed, take your head off. I tend to lean to a warmer tube for those amps. In addition, I'd slap an MXR 10-band in the loop, and cut the highs slightly. Worked well for me.

I gotta think the amp is contributing. Those Splawns get bright, real easy. Try the EQ in the loop. I absolutely LOVED my V with Distortions. In fact, I held on to it for a record 8 years! Try the EQ and thank me later. In fact, EVERYONE should have one. My #1 must-have piece of gear.
 
napalmdeath":2i1jbvpi said:
Duke of Metal":2i1jbvpi said:
Its really weird.. cause years ago prior to me putting the Duncan Blackouts, it had a Gibson 500T in the bridge. I just cant seem to find the original electronics (pots, pickups, etc..) .

The Duncan Distortion and 500T are fairly equed the same as I understand.

Maybe a lower value tone pot needs to be put in like a 250k instead of a 500k?

I had the 496R and 500T my V when I bought it. To my ears, the 500T was harsh. I like it in the Exlorer, and LP Classics back in the day, but the V is more on par with an SG, and are a tad brighter and less beefy, by nature.

Now, I've owned 4 Splawns, and they can, indeed, take your head off. I tend to lean to a warmer tube for those amps. In addition, I'd slap an MXR 10-band in the loop, and cut the highs slightly. Worked well for me.

I gotta think the amp is contributing. Those Splawns get bright, real easy. Try the EQ in the loop. I absolutely LOVED my V with Distortions. In fact, I held on to it for a record 8 years! Try the EQ and thank me later. In fact, EVERYONE should have one. My #1 must-have piece of gear.
That's weird. I always found the Nitro to be rich of the low mids type tones. EQ is one of those things that I almost refuse to get.. cause you end up spending so much time trying to tweek it to get a "better" tone. I know for the many years I've gone through EQ pedals and racks, I've always ended up bypassing them and using whatever tone comes out of the amp.
 
SH6 is "bright" to me in everything I've had it in, and I really used to like them. Something changed with those pickups, but now they just sound ugly & ice pick-y to me. Brittle, hot, but ZERO character. Maybe a Full Shred?
 
Duke of Metal":2nd7jxuv said:
napalmdeath":2nd7jxuv said:
Duke of Metal":2nd7jxuv said:
Its really weird.. cause years ago prior to me putting the Duncan Blackouts, it had a Gibson 500T in the bridge. I just cant seem to find the original electronics (pots, pickups, etc..) .

The Duncan Distortion and 500T are fairly equed the same as I understand.

Maybe a lower value tone pot needs to be put in like a 250k instead of a 500k?

I had the 496R and 500T my V when I bought it. To my ears, the 500T was harsh. I like it in the Exlorer, and LP Classics back in the day, but the V is more on par with an SG, and are a tad brighter and less beefy, by nature.

Now, I've owned 4 Splawns, and they can, indeed, take your head off. I tend to lean to a warmer tube for those amps. In addition, I'd slap an MXR 10-band in the loop, and cut the highs slightly. Worked well for me.

I gotta think the amp is contributing. Those Splawns get bright, real easy. Try the EQ in the loop. I absolutely LOVED my V with Distortions. In fact, I held on to it for a record 8 years! Try the EQ and thank me later. In fact, EVERYONE should have one. My #1 must-have piece of gear.
That's weird. I always found the Nitro to be rich of the low mids type tones. EQ is one of those things that I almost refuse to get.. cause you end up spending so much time trying to tweek it to get a "better" tone. I know for the many years I've gone through EQ pedals and racks, I've always ended up bypassing them and using whatever tone comes out of the amp.
EQ in loop for always sound somewhat 'fake' to me. It alters natural frequencies of amp. If I'm not able to boost or tame EQ of amp I chose wrong amp obliviously.
Bright Gibson mahagony guitars…it is piece by piece, some are really bright and I'm afraid there is no way to fix it and be completely satisfied. I heard excelent growly V's with more botom than good LP. On the other side even LP's can sound like shit and with Gibson it is always lottery unless You go Custom shop.
 
Could be the wiring, the saddles/bridge, could just be the way it sounds with that particular amplifier. I use to play my V through an SLO. Even with its top-end "sizzle", it sounded pretty damn good. Sounded best through my Super Lead, of course. A mid-forward guitar, which should sound fabulous through just about any amp. If it's used, someone may have replaced the stock saddles with titanium saddles. If you're using a buffer, try switching it on/off.
 
I know its been a favorite hot pickup for many folks, but i never got along with the sh6! And the blackout! When i used them was a very hot thick Sounding pickup. I would try something with more mids than highs in the pickups eq.
But re reading your description, it does sound like something may be coil split or grounded wrong. Although i dont personally prefer that pup, its always been useable without a tone control at all...
 
Thanks everyone for your input. I did some searching around on the net and it seems that the SH-6b is a hit and miss with Flying V guitars. Lots of recommendation for the Suhr Aldrich pickup set. I've placed an order for the black set. Will let you guys know if that takes care of the issue.

Cheers
 
Duke of Metal":3hg5f62x said:
Thanks everyone for your input. I did some searching around on the net and it seems that the SH-6b is a hit and miss with Flying V guitars. Lots of recommendation for the Suhr Aldrich pickup set. I've placed an order for the black set. Will let you guys know if that takes care of the issue.

Cheers
I had an Aldrich in my V and it was decent but to be honest the stock 498 was better.
 
LP Freak":2hwyyyqc said:
Duke of Metal":2hwyyyqc said:
Thanks everyone for your input. I did some searching around on the net and it seems that the SH-6b is a hit and miss with Flying V guitars. Lots of recommendation for the Suhr Aldrich pickup set. I've placed an order for the black set. Will let you guys know if that takes care of the issue.

Cheers
I had an Aldrich in my V and it was decent but to be honest the stock 498 was better.
If they dont work well in the V, then I can always put them in my Epi Custom LP to replace the Blackouts in there :)
 
Duke of Metal":24nh2se3 said:
LP Freak":24nh2se3 said:
Duke of Metal":24nh2se3 said:
Thanks everyone for your input. I did some searching around on the net and it seems that the SH-6b is a hit and miss with Flying V guitars. Lots of recommendation for the Suhr Aldrich pickup set. I've placed an order for the black set. Will let you guys know if that takes care of the issue.

Cheers
I had an Aldrich in my V and it was decent but to be honest the stock 498 was better.
If they dont work well in the V, then I can always put them in my Epi Custom LP to replace the Blackouts in there :)
They’re awesome in an LP
 
I bought a V, had a really big open sound, not compressed. Found out it was a N59 Duncan, but in the Bridge position.. It sounds killer.. It seems really odd to have a N pup in the B but I looked it up and looks like some players have done it for years.. The guy that painted a few basses for Nikki Six did the paint, there is some custom add on's done to it and I still cant figure out what the neck pup is.. Duncun said its not theirs.. it has a chrome bottom plate and hand written with a sharpie, says Steve's
 
didn't read all the responses but my first thought is are the pickups 4 wire and is there a chance you wired them to where they are tapped
 
splatter":2c6d3312 said:
didn't read all the responses but my first thought is are the pickups 4 wire and is there a chance you wired them to where they are tapped
I just checked and here's what I have:
- Bridge pickup has the following soldered: Green, Bare, Black. White and Red are taped together
- Neck Pickup has only Red soldered.

I didnt do the wiring my self. I needed a full setup on this guitar to be done and I had taken it to a guitar tech to do the wiring and everything else for me.
 
LP Freak":319luy99 said:
Duke of Metal":319luy99 said:
Thanks everyone for your input. I did some searching around on the net and it seems that the SH-6b is a hit and miss with Flying V guitars. Lots of recommendation for the Suhr Aldrich pickup set. I've placed an order for the black set. Will let you guys know if that takes care of the issue.

Cheers
I had an Aldrich in my V and it was decent but to be honest the stock 498 was better.
I also ordered a Bridge 498T pickup to try out in there see how they compare to the Aldrich pickup.

Thanks
 
I wanted to add some beef to my V, although I didn't find the stock Gibson pups to be overly bright or anything. I just wanted some more Les Paul-esque heft from it.
Went with a Super Distortion and a Breed Neck, and especially that Breed Neck is pure gold in that V (a '67 RI, all mahogany, ebony fb).
Also replaced the tailpiece for an aluminium one. :thumbsup:
 
Back
Top