Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: ShredHeadJHJ on April 16, 2011, 08:17:35 AM
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And I need some direction :p :p
I just bought a Warmoth Les Paul from a local guy the other day. Seems to have came along at a pretty sweet time because I have been loosely hunting for a nice aftermarket LP for a while. Specs below:
Body: Black Korina :) (Clear finish) :)
Top: Maple (Black top, no flame/quilt)
Neck: Mahogany
Fretboard: Ebony
Bridge: Gold Gotoh Tune-O-Matic
Tuners: Gold Locking Sperzels
Bridge Pup: SD Distortion
Neck Pup: SD Slash Alinico Pro II
Electronics: Added push-pull pot to split both hums
This is going to sound slightly odd, but I haven't really even heard the guitar through any kind of decent rig yet. I played it for about 10 minutes through some sort of practice amp before buying it. It was really dirty and definitely needed some TLC when I got it home. Before I could even get it home I had to get the strings off of it. I took the bridge off, scrubbed it, and buffed the hell out of the body. I taped the entire fretboard and polished the hell out of the frets with steel wool. I sanded the neck and I have a coat of satin finish drying on the neck now. Going to sand and apply another coat or two on it over the next few days. Should come out really nice, I hope :)
Anyways, I won't be able to play the guitar for a few anyways. It's going to be a bad week for me. I need to get the guitar all situated and I am cabless at the moment. I'm waiting on a new Port City Standard 2x12 to arrive, and I should be receiving it shortly :)
A-N-Y-W-A-Y-S-! - To get back on track -
I am trying to get some suggestions on what to put in it. I have Miracle Man's in my Suhr, so that is going to be my tight metal guitar. I want something more organic in this guitar. It has to be able to EASILY handle metal as that is the core of what I play, but I would also like to get some fresh new sounds out of the guitar. I'm either going to set the guitar up for Eb or D with 11's. Something that splits well, or at least has that general vibe that it might split well, would be nice. A fair amount of output will be needed... But nothing over the top. I'm assuming that a C-WP, for example, would be more than what I am looking for... I think... I always like tight pups, but I want something with a tad of open character this time around. Also, I want something on the warm side, and definitely NOT something bright and piercing. I'm thinking about trying to go more with an 80's rock sort of sound, if that makes sense... Maybe... I don't know... Yet... For sure...
As a guideline, I have also been heavily thinking about putting a set of Rio Grande BBQ/Texas hums in this guitar. I have; however, decided that I would rather try a set of BKPs that perhaps have a bit more tightness and hotness, but still somehow retain a somewhat similar character if possible.
Since the guitar has a very distinct look with the gold hardware, there is a HUGE part of me that wants to jump right into the Gold Ray Gun Covered Rebel Yells. I like the clips I've heard and the site description of RY's seems very very neat, but I am scarred from the reviews I have read on here from people describing the pick ups as being "piercing". I have a pretty bright amp (Splawn Quick Rod)... While the MM's tame the amp's bright character quite well, I'm looking for a different sound with this guitar... An Alinico-5 bridge pup will definitely go in this one.
Here are some BKP's that I am interested in trying, but I am definitely open for suggestions:
Rebel Yells
Holy Divers
A5 Warpigs (mayyyyybe)
A5 Nail Bombs (an even bigger maaaaaayyyyyyyybe)
WP or NB bridge / Cold Sweat neck
Or... depending on how good BKP's warranty is... I may be willing to try a slightly lower output bridge... A big part of me really wants to try the VHII set, but I'm afraid to put them in the LP.
Or anything that I might like
BTW, I would like to hear some thoughts on korina wood too? Thanks for reading.
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The sound you describe seems to suggest Holydiver to me more than anything else but if you like the idea of a Rebel Yell I would imagine the A-Bomb would be a good choice as well as I believe the RY was based on an A-Bomb so I assume it would give a similar tone without being as bright and piercing. If you fancy more vintage hot, how about Black Dogs, though that's a real shot in the dark as I've never tried them myself.
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If your Les Paul is not overly bright, I would certainly take a bet on the RY's.
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Well, it has an ebony board in it now, but I may eventually put a new neck in with a Brazilian rosewood board. That will warm the guitar up. I don't know yet if the guitar is bright, but it has a Korina body. From what I hear korina is just like mahogany but with a tad more lower mids.
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The ebony board adds some percussiveness. Maybe look at pickups a little warmer in the midrange and a little more vintage(hot)-sounding like the Abraxas.
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How would the covers affect the tone? Are all BKP covers metal?
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no pics, no tips :x
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no pics, no tips :x
The guitar is in pieces bro. Still want pics :) I can get some up tomorrow when I get off work. I'm a bum that buys $3000 guitars and custom pedals and I won't spend $70 on a digital camera, BUT luckily I have my friend's here that I borrowed the other day :)
I'll take pics tomorrow afternoon, and when I get them up... When I do, I DARE someone to say that the Ray Gun RYs wouldn't look killer in this guitar.
RY vs A-NB... What are the differences?
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A-bomb has a tad more bass. Both have agressive uppermids. The RY's are quite cutting.
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The whole pic idea has been 86'ed for the time being. My friend came to pick up his camera.
I love the idea of RY's, but I'm not quite sold on them. I want a smooth upper midrange and not something that has a chance of sounding harsh, especially with the ebony board and all.
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After reading what Tim says here about covered pick-ups:
http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=10.0
It makes me feel a little better about ordering gold covered RY's. Sounds like it can help to keep the highs a tad smoother.
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AGGRESSIVE
SIZZLING
Not overly tight
Not piercing, but not dark
Cutting (but again, not piercing)
Throaty
BOLD
ORGANIC
Takes well to high gain Marshally (Splawn) tones
Goes well in (korina) Les Pauls
Usable in a variety of situations
Those are all things that I am looknig for.
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This is a VERY initial response and I'll post something more detailed later but if Rebel Yells are tighter than a Nailbomb then I think you'll find them too tight based on your description. I've just fitted an A-Bomb to the bridge of my Jackson SL3 and it really is ludicrously tight. I've played ceramics with less tightness so I dread to think what the Rebel Yells will be like. I'm going to have a play around with the pickup height to see if I can tame it somewhat as I had asked for a pickup that was 'fat and fluid with a fairly tight bottom end' and all I have at the moment is a pickup that is VERY tight and nothing else. If anyone has any suggestions then please chime in.
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Rebel Yell...!
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Take a look at the Holy Divers. They have big mids and rounded topend. They do great leads. Could be too much middyness in korina though. I think you'd better ask Tim on this one.
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Tim recommended Crawler's... Weird. I'm not a fan of the JB BTW. Looking for something bolder.
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From what I know the crawler is pretty damn bold and fatt sounding. If one thing IŽd be concerned about the agressiveness as I donŽt know too much about that, everything else youŽre searching for should be covered well.
Also if Tim says so you should take another good look at them, as everyone will tell you he knows his stuff.
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Well, I do know that the clips on the site of the Crawler totally don't represent what I am looking for... But I know how that goes...
Another thread here peaked my interest in HD's but I am slightly worried about putting them in an LP. It's korina at that, which is supposably very very similar to mahogany but with a bit more lower mids.
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How well would A-NB's handle the 80's metal thing? I didn't want another really high output pup, but I am thinking that the NB may be the way to go... I can do more with it, it seems.
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Maybe the Nailbomb is not the best bet for your demands. A lot of people stated is sounds thinner then the HD, which has massive (low)mids. I understand Tim's advice very well. The Crawler represents for a great part what you describe: Not overly tight, not piercing, but not dark, cutting (but again, not piercing), throaty, bold, organic. It's definitely not superagressive, but growling in a fantastic way, providing great leads, a topend like I always wanted (just enough treble), bold midrange, cleans up great. This pu can be shaped very well with the amp-eq. It can be biting with a lot of treble, but not piercing. This pu has vintagehot-character though (which I like), where the NB is modern voiced en not (so) warm like the Crawler. You have to decide what is important for you, modern agressiveness like the NB, or organic, balanced, throaty, big vintage-oriëntated tones with enough output to drive an amp (Crawler).
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Well, it kind or brings me right back to the....
Crawler vs. Rebel Yell
... thing that I mentioned to Tim. I have Duncan Distortion in the bridge of the LP, and I would like to take that up a notch.
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AGGRESSIVE
SIZZLING
Not overly tight
Not piercing, but not dark
Cutting (but again, not piercing)
Throaty
BOLD
ORGANIC
Takes well to high gain Marshally (Splawn) tones
Goes well in (korina) Les Pauls
Usable in a variety of situations
Those are all things that I am looknig for.
that's an EXACT description of the alnico nailbomb
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Here are a few of my famous shiteeeeeeety cell phone pics of the guitar :) :) :) The pic does NOT do the korina back justice:
(http://img860.imageshack.us/img860/1162/warmothlp001.jpg)
(http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/2351/warmothlp002.jpg)
(http://img862.imageshack.us/img862/6483/warmothlp003.jpg)
Unfortunately... This is all I have to play it through until my new cab gets here :(
(http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/9186/rolandcube20x001.jpg)
See if you can guess which 4 pedals I have not yet used??
(http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/6151/pedalboard001.jpg)
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EDIT
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I would like to hear some clips of guys playing LP's though Marshalls with Rebel Yells, Cold Sweats, and Crawlers if there are any out there. I'm really torn between these three.
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I got to really open the guitar up today at the jam I had at my friend's. Got my new cab the other day too :)
The Duncan Distortion bridge is a no go. This thing just sounds really harsh and... I don't know how to describe it... It does not gel well with my Splawn at all. The Alinico II Pro neck is better, but to me it really seems to lack character.
I think I'm going to go with the Rebel Yells :) There is a part of me that wants to try Nail Bombs though. All I know is that this SD Distortion is a no-go, big time. The thing is a mess.
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still vote for the nailbomb
just got a PRS CE-22 (bolt-on, mahogany body) with a custom shop duncan el diablo (22k, alnico II, rail bobbins) and all can think is that a nailbomb would sound 10x better in that guitar
the duncan is fine and has a similar voicing to the nailbomb, maybe a bit more mid heavy, but it muds up easily and doesn't clean up like any bare knuckle model
and that's still less harsh than the duncan distortion
nice pics, by the way :D
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Mind going over the differences in the RY and A-NB? I have heard they were smilar, but I don't quite get it. I haven't been thinking about the NB lately as I was thinking it may be really hot, but I don't know now.
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In my guitars the NB is more in your face than the Crawler,so I would agree Nailbomb 100%
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I have two threads floating around here, and in the other thread people are saying to go with the HD, hahaha. It would be nice to be able to still get a Metallica tone too, but I'm guessing all the RY, HD, and A-NB would all be good for that. These are the three I have narrowed it down to, and I am ordering from Axe-Palace tomorrow. He really recommends the RY over there.
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The reason I'd go for the NB over HD and Crawler is, you have stated that the Korina body has a lot of low mids! which the HD and the Crawler have tons of! the NB is more strong in the upper mids! all three are all amazing pickups, NB gets the nod from me.
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Let me clarify this:
I finally got to open the guitar up the other day in a 5 hour jam with my friend. When I pulled out the LP and started playing a tune my friend and I just looked at each other and laughed. My freaking guitar was making farting sounds. It sounded terrible. I was able to dial out SOME of the farting with the SD Distortion, but it still sounded terrible... I'm trying to get away from that. Maybe a low-mid/bass heavy pick-up would NOT be in my best interest.
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Just had my first blast with the Holydiver and it's awesome. All of the hairy edginess of the Nailbomb is gone and replaced with a highly articulate, thick and rich tone. There is tremendous note seperation on chords yet somehow it's a wonderfully smooth distortion in the way a Nailbomb never was. I'll write a detailed review once I've put it through its paces a bit more but initial impressions are that it is superb. It's certainly 80s Rock/Metal but is also easily capable of doing more modern Metal. This is the best pickup I think I've ever played. It really sings.
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You will find that with any of the mentioned BKPs and decent pots etc, that all that rot should stop, have you thought of a lower output pup? maybe a Riffraff!
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You will find that with any of the mentioned BKPs and decent pots etc, that all that rot should stop, have you thought of a lower output pup? maybe a Riffraff!
What do you mean by "rot"? I really think I should stay in the contemporary range. I don't want to lie to myself toooo much. I would rather have a bit too much than not enough, you know.
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I order the Gold Ray Gun Rebel Yells on Monday 8) 8) 8) I hope they're what I'm after!