Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: Jcortez on July 27, 2010, 12:47:21 AM
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I am looking for a good replacement pup for my 2006 Gibson les paul. The Burstbucker is just way too bright and I have to turn the tone knob @ least 1/2 way down to make it bareable. I play mostly metal and some classic rock and blues. I guess I want something that can get really nasty but, can clean up with the volume knob well for the blues and classic rock stuff. I play through a Splawn Quickrod into a 4x12 with V 30's currently. I like what I have heard of the Miracle Man and think that maybe a ceramic magnet might be the way to go. Any suggestions would be great!
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Hi JC!!, and welcome!!. Tim Mills from this forum plays a MM( amongst other PUs) on a Les Paul std, you can check his clips on the players section, and contact him at the sales department with all your inquires. Also some of the gentlemen of this forum may be of greater help, they may pinch in any moment.
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Thanks for the welcome.I am really looking forward to putting one of these BKP in my Gibby, I think it will definitley be an upgrade to the stock pup's. Been hearing good things about them for years now. Just want to get the right one and get down to business.
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you'll be looking in the vintage hot range... crawler, emerald, black dog.
tell us more about your style! :)
the miracle man is marvellous, but its not the best for cleaning up
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Hi
Well, I don't have any experience with ceramic BKPs, but from what I've experienced with other makers ceramic pups, I can only second gwEm : I think you want some alnico pup. The Crawlers just shine in my all-maple going-thru neck (hence very tight and bright) Vox Custom 24, smooth cleans and slight OD on the neck, crushing, cutting, sharp yet still warm on the bridge, and boy, they do deliver when you need POWAH !-). Now I don't know how they'd sound in a LP, and I while they are just great for anything from blues to rock to old school hard rock to punk, I don't think they'd be the best choice for metal. Emerald might be a better fit (if gwEm suggests them), or perhaps holydivers ?
Just my 2 cents. And, yes, welcome here BTW 8)
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I play everything from Allman Bros and AC/DC to Pantera, Ozzy(from Randy to Zakk) and up to 5 finger Death Punch. I know one pup ain't gonna cover it all but, I guess I need it to be heavy foremost and somewhat versatile. I have 2 other guitars both with SD custom 5's and I like the way they sound. I play somewhat heavy handed, lot of harmonics and thought the MM sounded like the right fit. I like the clarity of the BBpro that is in the guitar just not the annoying high end. I guess I want the LP to be my go to modern heavy guitar and use the fenders and charvel for the 70's and 80's rock/meatl stuff. Don't know if that clears it up thanks for the suggestiuons so far :D
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I think a holy diver would sound great through your rig
not a vintage model, but quite versatile
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I do like the Holydiver as heard in some of the clips. It is definitely an option. Seems like everyone is trying to talk me out of the MM. Does the MM lack versatility? Is the MM only good for crushing metal tones?
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I read earlier today on old posts about some people not liking the HD in a mahogany-with-maple-cap LP. Too dark was the criticism there. The MM is certainly not the most versatile pickup (though I maintain it's not a one-trick pony), but there's much love for the MM in les pauls.
However, the Vintage Hot range can get PLENTY nasty enough, so don't let that put you off.
Have you asked Tim, yet? (if not, do!)
Roo
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No, I have not asked Tim yet, thought I would throw it out to ya'll first to get some opinions! I guess the only way to really be sure is to buy 2-3 different BKP's and try them all out :lol:
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I e-mailed Tim the other night and he answered me back incredibly fast,less than 24 hours, now that is what I call a quick response! I gave him my specs and he suggested the MM or the Painkiller. I listened to clips on the site and like both of them ALOT! They both have that crushing distortion I'm looking for with the PK sounding more focused in the mids and the MM with looser sounding mids. Maybe I will just get both and put the PK in my mahogany charvel natural and the MM in my Les paul :P I could switch them up and do a little experimenting.
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Its not a bad plan, but I'd start the other way round. The MM is happy, one way or another, in most guitars - its got enough low end to still sound full in a guitar with weaker low end like a typical superstrat and enough high end that it can cut through a slab of mahogany. The PK, however, can be overly cutting in a bright guitar.
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Thanks for the heads up MDV. My charvel mahogany weighs about 2lbs heavier than my alder Fender HSS so it is a little more chunkier than a typical superstrat but no where near as heavy as my LP which I have never weighed but, has got to weigh in @ 13-14 lbs. @ least it feels like it to my back!
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I play everything from Allman Bros and AC/DC to Pantera, Ozzy(from Randy to Zakk) and up to 5 finger Death Punch.
If those styles are equally important, a classic PAF type might be the best, they can cover most ground - e.g. Mules (I don't own Mules yet but I want to ;)
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Mostly metal, but some rock and blues - sounds like a Cold Sweat to me. Had them in my Les Paul and they were very versatile, but with a slant on liking the gain turned up to rifftastic. If you want to err on the rock side, go with the Abraxas - sounds like a PAF, but hotter with plenty of poke.
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Maybe mixing two different pickups neck and bridge to cover all those styles. All sort of valid combinations available....
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if you're a booster adept, ask Tim about the custom riff raff with thicker magnet
it did wonders for my PRS mccarty and I'll move it into my les paul standard soon
it's THICK and clear and has a ton of low end punch
I was afraid that it could sound thin or weak, but it's the exact opposite
the reason I recommend a booster is to cut some low end for extra definition, but it sounds great without it too, and your amp isn't that dependent of boosting like some other Marshall based amps
I think a miracle man + quickrod + v30's can be a bit overbright, although I've heard some good tones from that combination
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I cured most of the brightness of the quickrod by pulling out the Tungsol preamps and replacing them with some high gain JJ ecc83's from eurotubes. The combination of the JJ's and the Mullard powertubes is where it's @ for me tone wise(DARK). Brightness is really only an issue when playing through the burstbucker pup in my Les paul right now. My other guitars sound really good through my rig.The cold sweat pup does sound like another good option from the clips I listened to on the site. So as it stands right now 1)MM, 2)Cold sweat, 3)Painkiller. Is the MM really that bright? From the clips I heard it does not sound real bright or trebly. All my current guitars have V magnets in them and that is all I have ever played. Just curious about the ceramics.
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cold sweat is even brighter
all ceramic models tend to be quite bright
not saying it will suck, as all BKPs work great for les pauls, but I can't imagine it sounding less bright than a burstbucker
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I didn't find the Cold Sweats to be bright in my Les Paul - they were really fat, but had a nice cut in the upper mids.
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HTH, what are you using in your LP now? What did you not like about the CS?
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Also check with Denim n Leather as he used to own a splawn quickrod and i believe one of his cabs had v30s in
and he owns guitars with miracle men, cold sweats, holy divers and a few of the vintage hot range too.
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Used to own a Quick Rod? or Owns a Quick Rod? Interesting!!
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Used to own a Quick Rod? or Owns a Quick Rod? Interesting!!
Used to. Till about a month or so ago
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Well, this is a setup I know a bit about.
And I see this thread already has virtually every pickup mentioned already. PDT_008
Anyway --
I say: go with a VHII set; you will be a happy rocker!
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VHII set, interesting! I had not even considered that one yet. Did you find that to be a good mix with QR/LP/V30 setup?
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VHII set, interesting! I had not even considered that one yet. Did you find that to be a good mix with QR/LP/V30 setup?
Im not 100% sure he had the VHII in his LP i think that has Riff Raff.
I think hell be making a recommendation based on your needs and guitar.
I think he has the VHII in one of his custom built strats he has videos up on youtube search for twilight oddysey
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Seems like everyone is pointing me more towards the vintage hots. Which of the vintage hots does metal the best? Seems to me it would have to be either the VHII or the Black Dog. When I say metal I mean Pantera or BLS type metal. I'm not playing a whole lot of drop C or A with my LP.
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Thanks for all the recommendations guys! It has been very educational. After all of the deliberation I am going to go with the calibrated set of cold sweats :D I think the CS's put me right in the middle of where I need to be. Thanks again.
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Excellent!! Let us know....!!
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Seems like everyone is pointing me more towards the vintage hots. Which of the vintage hots does metal the best? Seems to me it would have to be either the VHII or the Black Dog. When I say metal I mean Pantera or BLS type metal. I'm not playing a whole lot of drop C or A with my LP.
don't rule out the riff raff
my custom riff raff feels higher output than the miracle man (I made a straight comparison in similar shaped guitars: my prs and a cort kx1, both mahogany and set neck)
and I play a lot of Pantera and BLS
I was torn between the vhII, black dog and riff raff as well, and Tim recommended the Riff Raff with a thicker magnet for more output and low end punch
I was afraid that it could be too weak, thin and bright, but it's PUNCHY and quite balanced
I'm liking it better than all the hot wound BKPs I had
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my custom riff raff... Tim recommended the Riff Raff with a thicker magnet for more output and low end punch
I was afraid that it could be too weak, thin and bright, but it's PUNCHY and quite balanced
I'm liking it better than all the hot wound BKPs I had
Clips?
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Custom Riff Raff, sounds good!I guess my problem is I really just need a place to start. Most of you have had several different BKP's to experiment with so you know which ones you like and which ones you don't, I'm @ a disadvantage" cause I ain't never played with one YET!"( said in my Louisiana accent) So I don't even know how to compare the qualities of the different BKP's to come up with one that is the right fit for me. I want my LP to be able to get those incendiary pick harmonics like John Sykes, Dime, Zakk and still retain clarity/articulation/fullness. The more I play my LP over the last few days the more I think it sounds thin in the upper register and maybe not so trebly like I first thought.
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Lousiana!!!?? Here Mississippi!! Ha! are you going to the Voodoo fest? True you have to start somewhere! Just don't be afraid to try whatever is in your mind.. Ask Tim or these Gentlemen anytime...!!
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Man I wish I was going to Voodoo Fest! I moved to Dallas ,TX. about 10 years ago from Baton Rouge and I can only get home on the holidays if I'm lucky. Luv Missisipi though, a really pretty state, HOME of the BLUES!
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"Baton Rouge"!!! Cajun country !! Been there lots of times, love the city!! Cheers!!!
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I want my LP to be able to get those incendiary pick harmonics like John Sykes, Dime, Zakk and still retain clarity/articulation/fullness. The more I play my LP over the last few days the more I think it sounds thin in the upper register and maybe not so trebly like I first thought.
believe me, I play all that stuff with this pickup and I've been playing all BKP high output models for years
this pickup really surprised me and was the first pickup to make my jaw drop straight out of the box
I still don't know what to expect from it in my les paul, but it sounds glorious in the prs mccarty
if you want a more compressed pickup without getting spikey, you better go with the holy diver or even an alnico warpig, instead of the ceramic models
do not rule out the nailbomb as well
bet it would sound great through the quickrod too
the custom raff reminds of the nailbomb voicing, but without all the compression, more organic, with a cleaner punch
a real beefed up PAF with a lot of bite
I wish I could record a video, but my camera is broken
you can ask Tim for more details
he said the pickup sounded wicked, so I guess he experimented with it
it's like a stock raff, but about 4% overwound
I think the magnet is about 30% thicker than the usual
never tried a stock riff raff, so I can't make a comparison, but Tim said the magnet would increase output and low end (I said I wanted it to be capable of driving my amp as hard as possible for a paf wound pickup)
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Custom Riff Raff!!! Ahhhh! Like this !!
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^ ^ this sounds really bad ass... my tech always recommended the riff raff, but he really doesn't get what style i play. For humbuckers, i need more output than that.
Doesn't look like you could get clips anytime soon, but have you at least hooked it up to a multimeter to see what the output is? I'd be curious how it compares with like a black dog or something... in tone and output
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^ ^ this sounds really bad ass... my tech always recommended the riff raff, but he really doesn't get what style i play. For humbuckers, i need more output than that.
Doesn't look like you could get clips anytime soon, but have you at least hooked it up to a multimeter to see what the output is? I'd be curious how it compares with like a black dog or something... in tone and output
dc resistance isn't an output measure
it's 8.47k, but it has a lot more output than you would expect from that
I have no experience with the other vintage models
I've always been a metal pickup guy and I seriously thought I wouldn't adapt to any under 14k pup
you should e-mail tim and he will explain the differences in details :D
I remember he said, back when he was playing with Iced Earth, that both riff raff and black dog were John Schaffer's favorite BKP models
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Actually know that phenomenon well... my Phat Cat SD is 8.5k and puts out wayyyy more output than any SD humbuckers around that range, from my experience with them. For this reason i was gonna trust changing out the Phat Cat for a Mississippi Queen (7.9k) in that same guitar, even though i'd like to hear more output than what i had to start (Pig90 also an option).
I was just seeing if those modifications translated into more output.
There's really only so much you can explain in terms of characteristics of a pickup.... at a certain point you gotta just hear it in action. *wink
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Saw a youtube vid of some guy, coulssen I believe, with a nailbomb into a LP standard and it is really freaking awesome. The same type tone I am going for in the LP. Damn, decisions! After consulting with some of the guys on the Splawn forum I think I have been talked out of ceramics, seems A5 is the way to go!