Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: ShotgunInnocence on May 09, 2010, 12:37:44 PM

Title: Suggestion/recomendations/advice please?
Post by: ShotgunInnocence on May 09, 2010, 12:37:44 PM
I may need pups for a 1980 Aria Pro II Leopard (LS-900 or 1000).  Japanese lawsuit Les Paul, 1 piece Honduran mahogany back, 2 piece flamed maple cap, 1 piece mahogany neck, Brazilian rosewood board, long neck tenon.  Weighs in over 11 pounds.  500k pots and still has the original 30 year old DiMarzio PAFs in it. 

Unplugged, the guitar is VERY loud (only way it might get louder is if it were an acoustic) and balanced.  Extremely rich sounding, with resonance and sustain to die for.  Plugged in, the bridge pick up is fairly nice tonally.  Balanced, doesn't overemphasize any part of the tone, maybe just slightly dull in the highs.  The neck though is boomy and woofy.......way too much lows, scooped sounding mids, and mudbucker highs.  On top of that, they both squeal like piggies (no, not Warpigs  :lol:), the neck worse than the bridge. 

Lots of questions raised by this.  Have the pups just gone microphonic?  Were those old DiMarzios PAFs unpotted (these have chrome covers, and I've not broken the soldering on them to peak beneath the hood)?  Could the caps on the tone pots be sucking some of the missing frequencies out of it?  What BKPs would you recommend for a very resonant guitar with a LOT of lows?  Was looking toward something in the vintage hot, to medium/hot range.  First thoughts were VHIIs, Abraxas, Rebel Yells, or Emeralds (in no particular order).  I also considered the Nailbomb wired in series/parallel.   I'm open minded though......tell me what you'd do and why.  And yes, I'll still refer to rule one, after you've all had your say.  LOL!  She's begging for some kind of upgrade.......
Title: Re: Suggestion/recomendations/advice please?
Post by: ShotgunInnocence on May 10, 2010, 03:57:19 PM
Bump.....
Title: Re: Suggestion/recomendations/advice please?
Post by: ericsabbath on May 10, 2010, 04:45:03 PM
probably a VHII set
that's what I intend to put in my next les paul

guitars with true honduran or brazilian mahogany tend to be very loud acoustically
does it have nitro finish?
how about some pics?  :D
Title: Re: Suggestion/recomendations/advice please?
Post by: ShotgunInnocence on May 10, 2010, 06:02:25 PM
Yes, has a nice thin nitro finish, a super fast slim neck.......I don't care what Gibson claimed, their "warning" to the Japanese wasn't about "the open book headstock," they were nervous! 

Title: Re: Suggestion/recomendations/advice please?
Post by: Nolly on May 10, 2010, 06:08:46 PM
I agree on the VHIIs. They're just awesome pickups - just the right amount of heat to cover pretty much anything, but their PAF-based construction will still deliver the classic tones you'd expect from a 'Paul.
Title: Re: Suggestion/recomendations/advice please?
Post by: ShotgunInnocence on May 10, 2010, 06:42:04 PM
The more I've been listening to the clips, the more I'm leaning toward the VHII.  Was wondering though.....I thought I've read once or twice about the the VHIIs being just a lil bit noisy......fact or hogwash?
Title: Re: Suggestion/recomendations/advice please?
Post by: Nolly on May 10, 2010, 06:58:29 PM
Hogwash in my experience!
The VHII neck is possibly my favourite BKP neck right now, I just ordered one to replace the Cold Sweat in one of my main guitars. I feel like it's equally viable for new school shredders as for more classic guys.
Title: Re: Suggestion/recomendations/advice please?
Post by: ShotgunInnocence on May 10, 2010, 07:00:39 PM
Mucho grassy ass Nolly!  BTW, what's the output rated at for the neck model?
Title: Re: Suggestion/recomendations/advice please?
Post by: Nolly on May 10, 2010, 07:19:14 PM
I think it's about 8kΩ if I'm not mistaken