I want to put new pickups into my SG. I like the standard pickups enough but I wanted to get noiseless ones that would increase the sustain a bit. I really don't know anything about pickups.

When it comes to the guitar's actual sound, I prefer a retro sound, kind of like Clapton for solos and Townsend for a semi-clean, powerful rhythm sound.

is it a Gibson with the 498 type pickups?

i'd try getting a http://www.gibson.com/en%2Dus/Divisions/Gibson%20Gear/Pickups/%5F57%20Classic%20Humbuckers/ for the bridge and ask your tech to wire the coils in parallel for a sound not too unlike the sound of position 2 on a strat (bridge and middle activated)

and for the neck, try out this baby

http://www.gibson.com/en%2Dus/Divisions/Gibson%20Gear/Pickups/P%2D94/

i've dropped one into my guitar and it's surprising. it tends to overdrive a bit on clean amps but for a distorted tone it compresses everything so well and the chime and bite you get is worth it. very bassy too

oh!

and you owe it to yourself to check out http://www.graphtech.com/

their string saver saddles are a godsend. toughest hardware i've seen

(this coming from the guy who wears out his bridges in a year...)

and they help alot for sustain too.

Awesome. Thanks so much Seb.