Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: ShredHeadJHJ on September 26, 2010, 03:21:33 AM
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I've been on here lurking off and on for the last couple of months. I have never personally played through a BKP, but I've heard enough good things about them, and I am ready to stick some in my axe.
First my gear:
Suhr Modern (basswood body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard) w/ Suhr Aldrich's
Splawn Quick Rod w/ Tung Sol pre's and Mullard power's (these tubes have gotta go too... Yuck on these Tung Sol pre's)
Port City OS 2x12 w/ Eminence Manowar / Governor
While I love the tone I'm getting, it definitely needs a fair little bit of work to get to where I want it to be, exactly. The Aldrich's sound great, but something is missing with these. They're similar to a JB/'59 and (I think) I'm kind of looking to get away from that...
I want a tighter pup. The notes just don't seem to really jump out like I would like. While the Suhr is awesome, I've never been too big of a fan of basswood, and I wish the guitar was mahogany. Anyways, I want something tight with more character and I've been kind of thinking I would like something hotter. The amp is already pretty trebly, and while a tube swap would really help with that, I'm looking to tame that "ice pick" sound a bit. I want something responsive, tight, bold, agressive, not overly bright, and in your face. I don't want to sacrifice cleans tooooo much because my amp already has an undesireable clean sound, but I do play with gain well over 90% of the time. I will say that the guitar sounds great clean through my friend's Mesa Lonestar, and it would be nice not to totally ruin that, but I'm aware I'm going to have to make a sacrifice somewhere.
I play metal primarily. Huge into Megadeth's guitar tone on Countdown to Extinction/Youthanasia. Not really going to get that with my amp, but I do love the amp and it's staying, along with the guitar. I just want to mold my tone more in the direction I want. Also influenced by Steve Vai, Dream Theater, Slayer, Testament, and Metallica. Not an EMG fan really at all, but I do have another guitar with an 81/85 in it. Oddly, I'm looking to put Rio Grande's (BBQ/Texas) in that guitar eventually.
I would also really like to hear some reviews of the Aldrich pups from you guys. I'm not really the best at explaining this stuff, but I would really like to hear how various BKP's compare to the Aldrich's, which also seem to be pretty well respected in their own right.
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Also, my Suhr is Chili Pepper Red... Kinda wondering if anyone thinks that if I get like a Camo type pup, does anytone think it would look odd with this guitar? Part of me doesn't want to do the ordinary look, but I want it to look classy too...
I'm pretty sure this is the exact guitar:
(http://www.suhrguitars.com/images/modern/Chili%20Pepper%20Red%20-%20Full.jpg)
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From what i've read, the nailbomb might sound good. Having said that, you should definately ask Tim about it seeing as he has the most knowledge on the subject. Personally, as far as the pickup covers go, I think the nickel ones look really nice on Suhr Moderns. I myself wouldn't go with the camo covers, mostly cos it looks like they'd conflict with the red finish and i've noticed (it's probably just me) that to actually be able to tell they're camo covers you have to be kinda close, otherwise they look kinda ... muddled, for lack of a better word. Of course, they do look nice on some finishes no matter what :D
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When i had the basswood vintage super strat i had both the MM and the nailbomb in the guitar at different times and i didnt really agree with the Nailbomb and ive since found that its very guitar specific (it just never seems to work in mine :P) and the miracle man was great for the countdown to extinction type stuff.
About your tubes i would definitely stick some JJ's in there itll get rid of the ice pickyness somewhat and get you a fuller rounder tone.
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When i had the basswood vintage super strat i had both the MM and the nailbomb in the guitar at different times and i didnt really agree with the Nailbomb and ive since found that its very guitar specific (it just never seems to work in mine :P) and the miracle man was great for the countdown to extinction type stuff.
About your tubes i would definitely stick some JJ's in there itll get rid of the ice pickyness somewhat and get you a fuller rounder tone.
So, are you saying I'm better off with the Miracle Mans? Do they have a generous ammount of output? I heard a Nailbomb and Painkiller clip last night, and I thought the Nailbomb sounded way better, at least on that particular clip.
I had JJ's in a Soldano Decatone I used to have, and something is telling me to go back with JJ's again... But most people at the Splawn forum are saying to go with Chinese Sino's all the way around... Tough decision, but something in me doesn't quite trust the Sino's...
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+1 on the miracle man, I too find nailbombs are very picky with what guitar you put them in (they do sound great in my mahogany schecter) the miracle man should have more than enough output for you and have got a great low mid push. they sound great in in the basswood RG I've got them in.
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yeah the MM has more than enough output and works really well in basswood.
The Nailbomb may also work well in your particular guitar but ive never really had any luck with it at all.
Its great for megadeth,metallica slayer, falconer kinda stuff the only downside is that the cleans arent really that pristine on it but they still sound good with a little chorus.
The nailbomb i found is a fair bit lower in output but still not really low and isnt as tight or precise.
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I'm a little taken away by all the Miracle Man recommendations... I haven't heard too much about them. I kept thinking that people would recommend Cold Sweats and Nail Bombs... Hmmm...
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Is the War Pig like an EMG 81? I think I heard that somewhere... That's not what I'm looking for, BTW...
Is there anything technical I need to keep in mind when choosing pick ups such as size, spacing, 2-4 conductor, ect.? I'm totally unaware when it comes to that kind of stuff...
For what I'm looking for, would I be better off with a ceramic or alinico V bridge pup...? I prefer a smoother neck sound, and I generally use neck for cleans, so I don't think a ceramic neck would compliment what I'm looking for. I also would like something that spilts well with hopefully as little noise as possible. I know with the Aldrich's my bridge split has no noise, but I get a lot of noise when I use the neck split... Keep in mind that my guitar has a basswood body with a maple top...
So far seems like the Miracle Man may be a good choice. The Zakk esque clip I heard on here from Tim killed, but I didn't like the Painkiller NEARLY as much. I know that it's just a clip and not an actual representation of the exact sound I would get. I posted on another forum and someone recommended a Nailbomb bridge and Cold Sweat neck... Any opinions on that set...?
Really jonsing for new pups and new tubes now, hahaha! :lol:
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Another thing about the output... I think I want something with more output than the Aldrich's, but I really don't want so much output that it muddles my tone. I still want to have a reponsive tone.
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I think the Miracle man set would be ideal for what you're wanting
maybe the CS neck with the MM bridge.
Ceramic & alnico pairing is no problem at all.
I have the miracle man with a mississippi queen in the neck.
Youll need a trem spaced pickup for your bridge itll be 53mm if i remember correctly the neck is just standard
Your best bet would be to email Tim he can tell you exactly what you need.
But i still say MM for the bridge.
Also youll be able to get a really good modern megadeth sound with it too especially now that they use the axe fx ultra live now
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I think the Miracle man set would be ideal for what you're wanting
. . .
Also youll be able to get a really good modern megadeth sound with it too especially now that they use the axe fx ultra live now
Is the MM ceramic bridge and alinico 5 neck? If I recall, isn't the only BKP with a ceramic neck the Painkiller? Would that make the Painkiller the highest output BKP?
And I don't have an Axe-FX, but I would really like to have one!!! :P
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Oh im mixing posts that ive read in my head sorry about that.
yeah the MM bridge is ceramic and the neck i believe is a5
i arent sure about the PK neck being ceramic.
I would say that the Warpig is by far the highest output bkp available
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painkiller
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Gotta throw the Ceramic Warpig out there. No, it's not like an EMG. It's got bucketloads of character, and the notes really jump off the fretboard. It's obviously very, very hot, but it's tight, full and actually cleans up pretty well. It actually has an almost old-school attitude underneath all the heat and power. Depending on your amp settings it can do pretty much anything, and it certainly reaches farther in either direction on the spectrum of
Like I said, tight, bold, colorful, hot, not over-bright, slightly compressed (but it's a BKP, so it can't really be considered a compressed pickup :lol: ).
Go for a Coldsweat in the neck.
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Painkiller. :\ Tight pronounced metal. Yeah the Painkiller. I dread basswood, but my friends with basswood got the Painkiller to compensate, and it did that quite well.
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painkiller
Any Particular reasn why, Sir? I'm a little afraid of that one since it seems so mid heavy. I already have a bright mid heavy amp that I'm trying to tame...
Gotta throw the Ceramic Warpig out there. No, it's not like an EMG. It's got bucketloads of character, and the notes really jump off the fretboard. It's obviously very, very hot, but it's tight, full and actually cleans up pretty well. It actually has an almost old-school attitude underneath all the heat and power. Depending on your amp settings it can do pretty much anything, and it certainly reaches farther in either direction on the spectrum of
Like I said, tight, bold, colorful, hot, not over-bright, slightly compressed (but it's a BKP, so it can't really be considered a compressed pickup :lol: ).
Go for a Coldsweat in the neck.
A lot of people say to go for the Cold Sweat in the neck... I read somewhere on here that the Miracle Man was like a slightly hotter Cold Sweat with a more pronounced bass response. Don't know if that's true.
The War Pig bridge / Cold Sweat neck sounds like it might be a good one, but I didn't think the War Pig was ceramic. It doesn't say it is on the site...
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Painkiller. :\ Tight pronounced metal. Yeah the Painkiller. I dread basswood, but my friends with basswood got the Painkiller to compensate, and it did that quite well.
Yeah, if I was playing say an ENGL the Painkiller would probably be my best bet, but my amp is bright and middy already. Anyone out there used these through a Splawn Quick Rod? I am curious about the Painkiller, but scarred...
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Yeah I think a Painkiller might not cooperate too well with a Splawn for your needs. My mind immediately jumps to Nailbomb but a Miracle Man might be just what you need.
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I will be swapping both the bridge and neck, so I would like something that would work well together. Tight grind on the neck and possibility for good cleans and good split tone on a relatively high output neck would be ideal.
Anyone here have an opinion on Suhr Aldrich's?
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Well just coincidence, but today I was actually looking into what BK was suppose to be closest to the Aldridge, and it seems like the Nailbomb is? So if you want even tighter, then maybe a Ceramic-Nailbomb? I pretty sure MDV is the one to ask about them, he mentioned they were really good.
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Well just coincidence, but today I was actually looking into what BK was suppose to be closest to the Aldridge, and it seems like the Nailbomb is? So if you want even tighter, then maybe a Ceramic-Nailbomb? I pretty sure MDV is the one to ask about them, he mentioned they were really good.
I want more tightness, more output, and more character than the Aldrich... Man, this is really really really hard... These are the kind of decisions that I just hate, because I'm not the type of guy who can just afford to keep swapping pups. The pups are pricey, so my decision will be a lasting one.
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Looking around online and I'm thinking that maybe something extreme like a ceramic War Pig might be up my alley... Man, I don't know. I do a lot of chugging, but I really want the notes to just jump off the fretboard when I bend notes and all that. I don't want to sacrifice either one of those things.
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Looking around online and I'm thinking that maybe something extreme like a ceramic War Pig might be up my alley... Man, I don't know. I do a lot of chugging, but I really want the notes to just jump off the fretboard when I bend notes and all that. I don't want to sacrifice either one of those things.
hey man havent i seen you before on the splawn forum? arent you in Orlando? if so, I have two guitars with two different sets of BKP's id be willing to let you check out sometime if you wanna hang out. I also have a splawn nitro so its kinda in the same ballpark as your situation
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Looking around online and I'm thinking that maybe something extreme like a ceramic War Pig might be up my alley... Man, I don't know. I do a lot of chugging, but I really want the notes to just jump off the fretboard when I bend notes and all that. I don't want to sacrifice either one of those things.
C-Pig will do both. It's not just some overcompressed "too-hot-to-handle-OTT-giant-mosquito-of-doom" hunk of wire and ceramic. It has a very cool character for leads. It can be absolutely brutal in some settings (say, a dimed 6505), and beautifully dynamic in others. It sounds good everywhere on the fretboad, even in my "mostly maple and ebony" ESP Horizon where you'd expect to get some icepick in the high registers with the bridge pickup.
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Looking around online and I'm thinking that maybe something extreme like a ceramic War Pig might be up my alley... Man, I don't know. I do a lot of chugging, but I really want the notes to just jump off the fretboard when I bend notes and all that. I don't want to sacrifice either one of those things.
hey man havent i seen you before on the splawn forum? arent you in Orlando? if so, I have two guitars with two different sets of BKP's id be willing to let you check out sometime if you wanna hang out. I also have a splawn nitro so its kinda in the same ballpark as your situation
Are you in that band, Gorilla Fight... I think... I don't know if you know Craig from the 80's cover band Dirrty Hairy, but he was telling me about a local guy who played a Nitro in his band. We should definitely chill and check out the axe's man. PMed!
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I'm actually not that guy lol. I just happen to have a Nitro in orlando.
email me at gtrball7600@aol.com if you want to talk about hanging out sometime.
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I'm actually not that guy lol. I just happen to have a Nitro in orlando.
email me at gtrball7600@aol.com if you want to talk about hanging out sometime.
Sorry I didn't message earlier. I'm back and fourth at work. I'm messaging you now.
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I know it can be hard to choose Sir! But all of these gentlemen anwers are in a way very valid! Then Sir Have you tried contacting Tim? Good luck and welcome!!