Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: explorer76 on April 11, 2011, 06:22:53 PM
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Hey guys,
I'm currently playing a Painkiller in the bridge position of my Caparison Dellinger over a Bogner Überschall with a custom 4x12 cabinet boosted with a maxon od808. I want to get closer to that warmer Killswitch Engage sound but keep the great pinch harmonic skills and tightness of the Painkiller. Guitar is tuned to drop b by the way...
So what to do? Play around with the amp's EQ, or just get another Pickup? I've had a Warpig A5 before which indeed was warmer, but somehow "overkill" with my setup. I've got a RebelYell in a very dark sounding LTD Viper 1000 which does the job, but the Dellinger doesn't sound that dark...
Was thinking about trying out the HolyDiver or a Nailbomb or maybe also a RebelYell... or go to the VintageHot Range trying a BlackDog... you might see... I'm totally confused ;-).
Please guys, help me out :)
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The Miracle Man should be your first port of call here! I know the KsE guys use the alnico EMG 85 in the bridge, but the MM will be closest to that sound. :)
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Hey Nolly, thanks for your reply.
Don't know 'bout the MM... I'd like to get away from Ceramic Magnets so I wasn't really considering the MM. Also the clean tones don't quite convince me. Isn't there an alnico alternative for the MM?
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Not saying that's similar to the MM in any way, but the Holydiver (which is A5) seems to have a strong mid-focused tone with a modern edge that always reminds me of late KsE tones.
On the other hand, if you're looking for that awesome tone on Alive Or Just Breathing, you'll probably have to look elsewhere, as the whole album was recorded with a Strat with an EMG-SA (single coil) on it.
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I'm more into the "End of Heartache" or "As Daylight Dies" sound than into "Alive or just breathing"...
"When Darkness Falls" or "Arms of Sorrow" are the direction I want to go to... or the new "Times of Grace" record!
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If you want to steer clear of ceramic pickups, you could try a Miracle Man neck in the bridge spot (the neck MM is essentially just an AV version of the bridge model).
However, a Nailbomb would probably be a good choice for the Times of Grace sound (if you weren't aware, the Times of Grace album was recorded with PRSs with their stock passives).
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I'll chime in and add a +1 to the nailbomb, as Nolly said the Miracle Man does Nail the KSE tone, but the Nailbomb will handle a similar range of tones, but with a more organic tone and better cleans.
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Both Nailbomb and Miracle Man will be ok. I think a Rectifier (or similar fat sounding amp) and doubling the guitar tracks is far more key to KsE's tone.
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Thanks guys for the replies, think I'll give the nailbomb a try and keep the Painkiller for a überbrutalz Metalguitar.
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holy diver or miracle man (ceramic or alnico)
but you NEED a booster with both
the nailbomb might work, but doesn't really sound anything like that
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For dirty sounds I always use a Maxon OD808, just to get that small amount of bass cut and punch for really screaming pinch harmonics and tight palm mutes.
Tim also suggested a Nailbomb... so: What to do? Think I'll follow the master, he knows his pickups best... :?
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Follow the master. :)
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For dirty sounds I always use a Maxon OD808, just to get that small amount of bass cut and punch for really screaming pinch harmonics and tight palm mutes.
Tim also suggested a Nailbomb... so: What to do? Think I'll follow the master, he knows his pickups best... :?
The Maxon OD808 is the most commonly mentioned bit of kit when people talk about getting the KSe sound, so you are probably close - what amp are you running through?
Why are you avoiding Ceramics?
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Prior to the Times of Grace release, Killswitch usd (and probably still) EMG 85s. So even though actives, they're still alnico.
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Amp is a Bogner Überschall Head :). Loving it, greatest amp of all times.
I'm just not into ceramics... it's just that little high fizzle while playing high-gain. Can't really explain, I just prefer that more open, warm and organic alnico tone.
But bringing it down just to the Nailbomb and the Diver:
Which one is the tighter sounding pickup and which one has the better harmonics?
And most important: Which one handles the drop b tuning better?
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But bringing it down just to the Nailbomb and the Diver:
Which one is the tighter sounding pickup and which one has the better harmonics?
And most important: Which one handles the drop b tuning better?
slightly tighter = nailbomb
better (easier, louder, fatter) pinch harmonics = holy diver
both handle low tunings well
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1RafxMYU5w
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That low tuning I'd definitely go with the Nailbomb.
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doesn't make the decision easier...
pinch harmonics are a quiet important part of my playing -> so I'd like to take the Diver...
on the other hand better handling with low tunings -> Nailbomb...
Eric, what tuning did you play in your video? And who else played a Diver in a "strat"-style guitar in low tunings?
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I had an explorer based on strat woods (bubinga , some sort of bright and more dense alder, maple neck and ebony fretboard) . I had a nailbomb and it was sharp and bright even in C std... I turned to a holy diver and Holy Schmidt ! :P
It turned my axe into a tight fat growly machine. Riffs, pinch harmonics and leads turned out to be so middy but a dense midrangey sound where the nailbomb was all upper mids and got your ears tired very quickly despite its tightness or percussive bottom. I used to play on a 5150 so having my holy diver to sound tight was not really an issue.
Your dellinger is mahogany if I recall caparison models well. So it should not be as bright as an alder strat but still a nailbomb could be too sharp and not as warm as expected. The painkiller despite being described as uber tight and very middy is quite growly and packs some good low mids. To me its far more balanced than a nailbomb so you if you want it fatter then the HDiver is what you need imo.
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doesn't make the decision easier...
pinch harmonics are a quiet important part of my playing -> so I'd like to take the Diver...
on the other hand better handling with low tunings -> Nailbomb...
Eric, what tuning did you play in your video? And who else played a Diver in a "strat"-style guitar in low tunings?
drop C
sounds kinda loose cause that little power amp head was very saggy sounding with any pickup, and so was that cheap rack preamp
the diver sounded pretty tight and clear through that framus cobra or through my friends 5150 or the peavey rockmaster preamp I had
being in a boosted superstrat, I wouldn't worry about that at all
you could wire some sort of bass cut on the uberschall
it's a pretty easy mod, actually (just installing a pot or switch, or removing a capacitor if you want it as a fixed value)
but if you're happy with its huge and bassy tone, then you'll be fine
the diver isn't a bass heavy pickup at all
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Thanks for the reply Eric... I was always keen on trying the Diver so I'll give it a try and if it doesn't fit, I'll go with the A-Bomb.
Ampwise I'm totally fine with the Überschall and its tone. It was love at first sight and still it is my favourite amp for heavy high-gain and compared to an Orange Rockerverb/Thunderverb I don't find it that bass heavy at all.
It was an odysee to get there having had a Mesa Single Recto (great wall of sound with chords, but lacks definition in single note riffs), a Marshall DSL 100 (imo one of the best Marshalls ever built, just sold because my Bogner and Valvetech can cover all the DSL sounds) or a Koch Powertone, Framus Dragon, Laney GH100 or an Engl Screamer before...
There are better amps for cleans and crunch sounds (therefore I love my Valvetech Hayseed 30 head) but for modern metal, for me, there is no better amp on the market. I also like the new Peavey 6534+ or the Splawn Nitro, but as I said, for me nothing comes close to the Überschall, just total raw EL34 Power :lol:.
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I get lots of pinch harmonics on both pickups. It's not as if I've noticed any difference in that respect.
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We'll see how it turns out ;).
Anyway, many thanks for all the replies!
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One question left...
Got this mail today:
"Hi Bastian,
Thanks for the order, but the bolts are only available on the Aftermaths and Warpigs.
Kind Regards,
Ben
--
Ben French"
Since when isn't it possible to get allen head screws on other pickups than the aftermath or Warpig?
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just to bring this one to an end...
I finally got my HD quite a while ago and just put it into my Dellinger.
And whoa... I'm quite impressed, it does the job perfectly!
The Painkiller and A5 Pig have been quite great in this guitar, but the Diver blows both of them away. The HD has that modern sound I like and stays transparent and tight with my low tunings. But now leadlines sing and the overall sound is much warmer, open and organic than with the PK. A true masterpiece!
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just to bring this one to an end...
I finally got my HD quite a while ago and just put it into my Dellinger.
And whoa... I'm quite impressed, it does the job perfectly!
The Painkiller and A5 Pig have been quite great in this guitar, but the Diver blows both of them away. The HD has that modern sound I like and stays transparent and tight with my low tunings. But now leadlines sing and the overall sound is much warmer, open and organic than with the PK. A true masterpiece!
Glad that you like it :-)
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best pickup in the contemporary line, imo
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I really need to try one of these HD's i wonder if Tim will do a ceramic one as i can't stand alnico for metal.
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best pickup in the contemporary line, imo
Indeed it is, so versatile, so punchy, but screams when it needs to!
Played my first show with the Diver last friday and it was like heaven!