Alder Soloist Tone Question

[Viper_Roxx]

I got my first SL2H about a year ago, and every couple of months I go from being bummed about the way it sounds, to somewhat enjoying the tone. When I'm not playing it I'm playing my Gibson SG, and I love its tone...always. The thing is, my soloist sounds dead when played directly after my SG. It's thin and lifeless, whereas the SG has a nice bottom and and great growl to it. Obviously they are made of different woods (Alder vs. Mahogany), and have different PUPs (JB vs. '57 classic). I have a Bare Knuckle Holy Diver that I'm planning to install in the SL2H, but I'm worried I won't be completely satisfied once it's in.

Is the wood completely to blame for this? Should I maybe look into a SL2H MAH?

[Force]

It's unlikely to be the wood unless it's a bad piece. Alder is my favourite because it highlights the mids.

I have 2 DK2s. One that I built has EMGs & it's my best sounding guitar, no bottom end but the EQ can fix that.
The other had a JB & sounded bloody awful so I put a D'Activator X in it, the difference was amazing. It has plenty of bottom end but the mids are still obvious.

I wouldn't worry about a p'up swap failing, that's how you find what you're looking for.

[murkat]

it's not the wood,
equal to the sum of all parts.
Pickup, maybe.
Plenty of other little culprits as well, keeping it from being "alive".
Exactly what model, hardware, etc. could narrow it down better for all of us
attempting to opinion, scrutinize

[Viper_Roxx]

it's not the wood,
equal to the sum of all parts.
Pickup, maybe.
Plenty of other little culprits as well, keeping it from being "alive".
Exactly what model, hardware, etc. could narrow it down better for all of us
attempting to opinion, scrutinize

It's a 2012 SL2H, OFR, JB/59 as PUPs (soon to be BK Holy Diver in the bridge), and 9-46 DR strings. I haven't made any changes to the hardware, except I also have a brass block to install and some heavy noiseless springs.

[shreddermon]

Dude, IMHO an SL and SG are two guitars that are pretty close to being on opposite extremes of the guitar tone spectrum. You HAVE to expect these to sound very different. Woods, bridges, pickups, etc. It all adds up. One isn't necessarily better than the other. It's just all personal preferences.

[pro-fusion]

It could be that this particular Soloist just isn't a very good one. I have three USA Soloists from the mid to late '80s, and all three sound completely different from each other, regardless of pickups.

[Whoopu2]

The guitar probably sounds exactly like it's supposed to. You may just be a Gibson man.

That said the JB doesn't get a lot of love around here, especially in a Soloist, so you may still want to try swapping it out. Personally, I like it.

[Viper_Roxx]

Dude, IMHO an SL and SG are two guitars that are pretty close to being on opposite extremes of the guitar tone spectrum. You HAVE to expect these to sound very different. Woods, bridges, pickups, etc. It all adds up. One isn't necessarily better than the other. It's just all personal preferences.

I realize the SG and SL are completely different from each other. I was just hoping to get some opinions/feedback from others regarding the wood and pickups and their stories/remedies. It's a shame that others have come to the conclusion that they received a "dud" of a guitar. I'm not going to say that yet as I still have some stuff to try, but I sure hope that it doesn't come down to that.

The guitar probably sounds exactly like it's supposed to. You may just be a Gibson man.
That said the JB doesn't get a lot of love around here, especially in a Soloist, so you may still want to try swapping it out. Personally, I like it.

Maybe so, but it sounds almost painfully thin to my ears. I'm hoping the BKP makes a difference.

[84sups]

The JB does have a bit of highs and Gibsons are more fat bottom end toned. I would go for something a bit darker or put a ceramic magnet it the JB and see how you like it. The JB would sound great in a LP or the SG. You could always try swapping the bridge pickup out of the SG to see it that sounds good. I have a set of Gibsons in my alder Dinky and it sounds pretty damn good.

[Viper_Roxx]

The JB does have a bit of highs and Gibsons are more fat bottom end toned. I would go for something a bit darker or put a ceramic magnet it the JB and see how you like it. The JB would sound great in a LP or the SG. You could always try swapping the bridge pickup out of the SG to see it that sounds good. I have a set of Gibsons in my alder Dinky and it sounds pretty damn good.

I may have to give some of those options a try if the BKP doesn't work out.

[Hellbat]

Is the guitar dead acoustically? If it is, the pickups won't really save it. But it doesn't mean the guitar is a dud if it is. It could be something a little set up or adjustment can rescue.

If it isn't, try a Seymour Duncan Custom. I have yet to have a Charvel/Jackson that didn't sound great with that pickup in it. It not an amazing clean pickup (it's passable but a little bright) but from crunch to scream it just agrees with the woods and produces killer tones. I use the Jazz in the neck for cleans anyways, because for me it's the perfect clean pickup.

Definitely try the BKP you have though. It might just do the trick. Keep in mind though, Viv's tone back in the day which that pickup is trying to cop had a very mid-high resonant peak, so if the guitar is thin already that pickup may not help.

If you feel like trying something exotic that would give you some cool tone options, try a Duncan P-Rails Hot (SH-PR2). It's a humbucker that mixes a Strat like top end with a p-90 punchy bottom end. With some push/pull knobs or switches for coil tapping it can give you tons of tone options. Even if you don't want that kind of versatility that coil taps can bring you, it makes a killer rock/metal humbucker.

[84sups]

What tone are you going for? Dropped C, thrash, new metal. If you're going for a Gibson tone why not try an Iommi, a super distortion, Duncan distortion, any of the Duncan Customs an alternative 8...the list goes on. I happen to like the JB in my promod but it sounds shrill in some guitars and amazing in some guitars with the same wood combo's. You can also grab the modular preamp from SD and go active with out changing the pickups too.

[Viper_Roxx]

Hellbat and 84sups:

I was actually debating between a Duncan Custom, Custom Custom, and the BKP before I finally decided on the BKP. If the BKP doesn't work out the Custom is definitely the next option. Acoustically it's fine. As someone mentioned earlier, it probably "sounds" exactly like it is supposed to. I don't think it's a dud at all, more along the lines of I've gotten used to the prominent low end of my Gibson after playing it for a couple days in a row. As for the tone that I'm looking for with my SL, I almost always keep it set up a half-step down and play primarily 80s rock. I don't want the Gibson tone, I just want some damn low end haha.

[DonP]

What model of SG is it? Standards come with the 490R/498T unless they are a special run. Historic versions come with 57 Classics.

Just wondering because a 498T is a hot bridge compared to a 57.

[toejam]

Maple neck/alder body compared to mahogany neck/mahogany body... of course it's going to sound different. You're going to need to adjust the EQ on your amp when going from one guitar to the other, too.