Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: Vilches3 on March 24, 2009, 02:05:52 AM

Title: VHII and Holy diver?
Post by: Vilches3 on March 24, 2009, 02:05:52 AM

I read somewhere when using the search engine that they are tonally similar and the Holy Diver is like a higher gain and more massive sounding VHII? how do they compare besides output and the fact that the VHII is vintage and does cleans better?

Rob

Title: Re: VHII and Holy diver?
Post by: Antag on March 24, 2009, 07:42:49 AM

Quote from: Vilches3 on March 24, 2009, 02:05:52 AM

...and the fact that the VHII ... does cleans better?

:o  :? um, really?

I don't have a VHII bridge, but it's certainly not true for the neck (actually I'd be very surprised if it was true for the bridge either).

Title: Re: VHII and Holy diver?
Post by: Twinfan on March 24, 2009, 08:36:13 AM

I have both sets in identical guitars (which I use for gigging).  There may be guitar differences, but what I hear under 'classic rock' gain levels is:

The VHIIs are thinner sounding.  They're like a beefed up single coil and do a great "Tele on Steroids" sort of sound.  Powerful and distorted, but clear and clean at the same time.  Very Van Halen-esque.

The Holydivers have more mids and thickness, and really sing.  Classic powerful humbucker sound, and very punchy.

Played clean, the VHIIs have more 'spank' and are quite Fender-like.  The Holydivers are similar but much warmer with more mids.

Title: Re: VHII and Holy diver?
Post by: Vilches3 on March 24, 2009, 10:34:30 PM

holy diver good for getting "brown sound" as well then?

Title: Re: VHII and Holy diver?
Post by: Twinfan on March 24, 2009, 10:37:32 PM

Hmm.  Sort of, but more compressed/less open sounding.

Title: Re: VHII and Holy diver?
Post by: Vilches3 on March 24, 2009, 11:17:43 PM

hmmm just asking cause i wanted to be sure that the VHII is what I want for my warmoth project.............Alder and maple, i want something that could get ALOT ALOT of harmonics even on just crunch settings. Whenever I try to do van halen type stuff my pickups can never nail those eVh harmonics on vintage gain like eddie lol. But I stilll wanna be able to accomplish a pinch of modern gain, you know just an all rounder guitar.

Title: Re: VHII and Holy diver?
Post by: Twinfan on March 24, 2009, 11:22:50 PM

They're quite different.  VHIIs are more 'backed off', Holydivers are 'foot to the floor'.

Title: Re: VHII and Holy diver?
Post by: Vilches3 on March 24, 2009, 11:35:38 PM

which one holds more tightness?.........and how does a vintage pup like a VHII handle extreme gain? im asking cause i took notice that Mark from lamb of god has a 59 in the bridge position of his guitars and he gets an insane tone for metal.

Title: Re: VHII and Holy diver?
Post by: Twinfan on March 25, 2009, 03:09:15 PM

No idea - I don't do tightness or extreme gain I'm afraid!!!

Title: Re: VHII and Holy diver?
Post by: Vilches3 on March 25, 2009, 10:26:33 PM

lol its all good, thanks for all the input dude