Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: Twinfan on April 18, 2008, 11:37:06 PM
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They're here, they're installed in my Jackson Dinky and they rock! :twisted:
Very nice sounding pickups through my Matamp Little Rock. They seem to have quite a character - a good low end and some thump in the low mids, with good sparkle at the top end without sounding brittle. Not quite so good clean, where they sound a bit 'hard', these are clearly built for rock tones where they have it in spades.
Looking forward to trying them out with a bit of volume tomorow when people aren't in bed. Sleepy people don't appreciate my murdering of "Hot For Teacher" it seems........ :roll:
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Very Nice to hear Twinfan!
The VH2 seems to be one of the greatest BKP's out there for rock/hardrock.
Please make us a sound clip :twisted:
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they are awesome clean..of course, I am talking about a BOOGIE COLISEUM and EV THIELES!!!!incredible ,warm cleans!!!!incredible pups!
enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I was wondering if they'd turned up, I was going to PM you.
I've been getting quite interested in the VHII, as a lower-output pickup which rocks like a b'stard. How do you reckon it would perform in an SG Dave, especially as compared with a Riff Raff?
I noticed Ben's comment in another thread the other day, where he said in the plexi channel of my amp, I get sheds more gain from my VHII over my Riff Raff, though they are technically both 'vintage' style pups.
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I was wondering if they'd turned up, I was going to PM you.
I've been getting quite interested in the VHII, as a lower-output pickup which rocks like a b'stard. How do you reckon it would perform in an SG Dave, especially as compared with a Riff Raff?
I noticed Ben's comment in another thread the other day, where he said in the plexi channel of my amp, I get sheds more gain from my VHII over my Riff Raff, though they are technically both 'vintage' style pups.
I can judge against BlackDogs, RebelYells, MiracleMan, and the VHIIs are a good bit less hot in the mids (especially from a feel point of view). What I find is that they are very balanced across the whole spectrum, a great rock pickup and at the moment my preferred choice for mahogany/alder bodies. But I might go back to the black dogs in either the Edwards or the Epiphone ... or just get another guitar for them.
Guess that won't change too much in a pure mahogany guitar.
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Very interesting stuff, since I am strongly considering putting a VHII in the neck and a Black Dog in the bridge of a Les Paul Standard on the way.
I want a neck pickup that is bright but not screechy, has articulate, controlled bass, and a decent amount of mids. Not too warm.
I want a bridge that has a strong low-mid kick and muscular bottom end but with detailed and vintage highs.
So can someone describe the VHII clean tones?
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Glad you like the VHIIs Dave :)
I still need to get around to cutting/sanding down the pickguard they're wired to so that they'll fit in my Strat. I've done the routing in the body, but now need to finish off the scratchplate and I can string it all back up :roll:
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I'm wondering how the VH2s would sound in mahogany/maple instead of mahogany/alder.
I've never heard of anybody putting them in a Les Paul Custom and that makes me rather
confused :roll:
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Oop, I meant maple, I am a bit tired today, was a tough week :oops:
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...the VHIIs are a good bit less hot in the mids (especially from a feel point of view). What I find is that they are very balanced across the whole spectrum, a great rock pickup
That sums them up perfectly. Just off to try them with abit more gain/volume :twisted:
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That makes sense Hunter :)
Twinfan -> you're right. Try them with a bit more gain and volume, I think it would be totally awesome!
Really looking forward to hear it.
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I've been getting quite interested in the VHII, as a lower-output pickup which rocks like a b'stard. How do you reckon it would perform in an SG Dave, especially as compared with a Riff Raff?
I think they'd work really well Phil.. They're like a slightly rockier Riff Raff with a bit more lower-mid character :)
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I've been getting quite interested in the VHII, as a lower-output pickup which rocks like a b'stard. How do you reckon it would perform in an SG Dave, especially as compared with a Riff Raff?
I think they'd work really well Phil.. They're like a slightly rockier Riff Raff with a bit more lower-mid character :)
That's what I was hoping you'd say! :D
I'm thinking one SG will get the "definitive" SG setup of a Riff Raff and Stormy Monday, the other can go just a shade heavier with a VHII and Mule....
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VHII and Mule? I'm not sure that'll work well Phil. The Mule is quite full sounding and bright, whereas the the VHII is thinner and has more low end. In the same guitar, it'd be too much contrast I think.
One thing I've found compared to the Riff Raffs in my SG, is that the thinner VHII realy suits a superstrat with lots of gain. It doesn't mush out at all. It really does do what it says on the tin!
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VHII and Mule? I'm not sure that'll work well Phil. The Mule is quite full sounding and bright, whereas the the VHII is thinner and has more low end. In the same guitar, it'd be too much contrast I think.
Well, I do like a lot of contrast on a two humbucker guitar. What I really like is a tight, crunchy sound on the bridge pickup, with strong treble (but fat treble, not thin treble, if that makes any sense :roll: ). And for the neck pickup I like a full, warm sound that borders on mushy with the tone rolled off - for that "woman tone" (much as I hate that term).
The Stormy Monday doesn't have enough "push" in the mids to give that really plummy, singing neck tone, and I suspect the VHII neck may be a bit powerful. Which leaves the Mule, or maybe Black Dog (but again, it's AV, don't know if that'll work). Or, maybe, even the MQ? What I don't want is for the neck pickup to be too bright.
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You're not describing the VHII there at all Phil - I don't think they'll do what you want. A pair of Mules may though?
Could be a case of asking Tim.....
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The Stormy Monday doesn't have enough "push" in the mids to give that really plummy, singing neck tone, and I suspect the VHII neck may be a bit powerful. Which leaves the Mule, or maybe Black Dog (but again, it's AV, don't know if that'll work). Or, maybe, even the MQ? What I don't want is for the neck pickup to be too bright.
The MQ is a great neck pickup
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You're not describing the VHII there at all Phil - I don't think they'll do what you want. A pair of Mules may though?
I was only considering the VHII for the bridge pickup, the rest of that stuff I was waffling on about was for the neck. But if the VHII bridge won't do "tight, crunchy... with strong treble (but fat treble, not thin treble)", then I'm sure you're right Dave.
I'm a bit loath to go for Mules because they're not a million miles from the Riff Raff/SM set. I suppose maybe I could get a Mule set with AIV neck/AV bridge.... but again it's firmly in vintage country.
The MQ is a great neck pickup...it really isn't too bright. The AIV winding and fairly low output makes it a great, singing neck pickup (even with lots of distortion).
Thanks for that, maybe I should seriously consider the MQ for the neck pickup. And I no longer have a guitar with a P-90 neck. But then what humbucker for the bridge? At one point I was thinking about the Warpig (for something really different), but then I read JP's NB-MM-WP-PK review and even he finds the WP a bit hairy, so it's gonna be too much for me.
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I'm a bit loath to go for Mules because they're not a million miles from the Riff Raff/SM set. I suppose maybe I could get a Mule set with AIV neck/AV bridge.... but again it's firmly in vintage country.
ah!! my favourite bkp set :)
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The VHII bridge isn't "fat" treble Phil, it's more "thin/biting" treble. I'll let you know what a BD is like once mine arrives from HTH, bit I think a set of MQs might do what you want....
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I'd think MQ neck/BD bridge...
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The VHII bridge isn't "fat" treble Phil, it's more "thin/biting" treble. I'll let you know what a BD is like once mine arrives from HTH, bit I think a set of MQs might do what you want....
Thin/biting treble doesn't sound what I'm looking for, I agree. But I wonder if it might respond differently in mahogany than in a Strat-type with a trem bridge? Maybe not.
Definitely not going the MQ-set route, I like a single P-90 in either neck or bridge but a pair of P-90s never works for me. I always end up selling my double-P-90 guitars (I've had 4 of them, I'm a slow learner!).
I'd think MQ neck/BD bridge...
The Black Dog is pure classic rock (led zeppelin, angus). It really bites and cuts with the trebles being still 'thick' with an overall full sound....great bridge pickup.
I have a BD in an Edwards V and it doesn't quite do it for me, but I can never decide if that's just because I don't like the way it combines with the Stormy Monday neck. And also I have to admit the Edwards isn't a great guitar - it's lively and resonant but somehow just doesn't sustain very well when it's amplified. Maybe it's just too light, like balsa wood or something.
I'll be taking the BKPs out of the V anyway, so it won't hurt to try the Black Dog in the SG - it might just work.
Thanks, guys, this is all food for thought! :)
(EDIT: Sorry I've completely diverted and taken over your thread, Dave!! :oops: )
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Philly, ever considered a Cold Sweat? It seems to have a lot of bite but the ammount of power makes it appear fatter than the lower output treblies.
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I have a BD in an Edwards V and it doesn't quite do it for me, but I can never decide if that's just because I don't like the way it combines with the Stormy Monday neck. And also I have to admit the Edwards isn't a great guitar - it's lively and resonant but somehow just doesn't sustain very well when it's amplified. Maybe it's just too light, like balsa wood or something.
Nice one! saw one of those on guitarjapan.com and thought it was rather pretty, thank god you just said that :)
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Philly, ever considered a Cold Sweat? It seems to have a lot of bite but the ammount of power makes it appear fatter than the lower output treblies.
The Cold Sweat was the first BKP I ever considered buying (for my Gibson The Paul SL - yet another mahogany guitar). I think Tim recommended I'd be better off with a Rebel Yell, which is what I ended up with.
I think the CS might be a bit too high-output for my SG, but I'd like to get one sometime. I hear they're good in neck-throughs, so if I ever get that Mockingbird....
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I have a BD in an Edwards V and it doesn't quite do it for me, but I can never decide if that's just because I don't like the way it combines with the Stormy Monday neck. And also I have to admit the Edwards isn't a great guitar - it's lively and resonant but somehow just doesn't sustain very well when it's amplified. Maybe it's just too light, like balsa wood or something.
Nice one! saw one of those on guitarjapan.com and thought it was rather pretty, thank god you just said that :)
Don't want to put you off, Will, it may just be my particular guitar. My other Edwards V, which is a sunburst with a maple (veneer) top, sustains like a sustainy thing.