Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: watsonb2 on May 30, 2011, 01:04:41 AM
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All,
Last time I picked up a set of BKP's, the input here was good, so I figured I'd try again.
I just bought a Caparison Horus, and want to nix the stock pups for something a bit better. Now, the seller's throwing in a D-Sonic for free, but when I tried the EBMM Petrucci sig, I was so far beyond unimpressed with how tight the bridge pup was. Don't get me wrong, it sounded great for what Petrucci plays, and in that regard is therefore an awesome representation of the sound he needs, but I didn't find it anywhere close to what I wanted it to sound like. That was obviously in a Basswood guitar, which is fairly bland as far as it's tonal repertoire, so will the Mahogany body of the Horus help to give the D-Sonic some more 'Balls?'
If not, what kind of bridge pup should I be looking at? I got a Painkiller for my RGA121 and was ridiculously satisfied with it, but since I plan on using the bridge for anything distorted, including really tight stuff, I'm not quite sure if that's where I should be looking. And, before anyone goes there, I'm really not sure I want to go with a 'Pig simply because of the fact that it is so high output, and I don't just play metal... As far as the tonal characteristics are concerned, I want something that can sustain and have a really full-bodied tone, but can also clean and tighten up when running really percussive riffs, which I'm not quite sure I was able to accomplish with the PK (been a while since I sold the guitar with them installed).
tl;dr - What bridge 'bucker for a rich, full distorted tone that can also tighten up to no end.
Bridge Bucker aside, I'll be using the neck pup almost solely for cleans, and I have to say that I REALLY liked the clean tone that I got from the Petrucci combo (adding the Air Norton Neck, I believe), when running the "in-between" config of both buckers. I assume I'll want something with less output that the Sinner, which is focused on the more metal player...but I do want something that can still hold its own under distortion. I was thinking the Trilogy unless someone can chime in as to the clean characteristics of the Sinner...I also finally figured out why people solo on the Neck pup when I had the JP6, as it was the first guitar I've owned with a neck pup that really sounded like I wanted it to/though it should. Is there a single coil, from BK's range or otherwise that can get me this type of sound? (I'd prefer to keep it BK...)
tl;dr - What Neck Single for sparkling cleans and a Petrucci-esque lead from time to time.
And, onto more technical things, as I was looking at the pup cavities on the Caparison, it almost looked as if there was a weird screw configuration on the base plate that mounts it onto the guitar. E.g. two on one side and one on the other, with the cavity routed larger on the side with two. Is there a special way to accommodate for this, or should I simply ask Tim to "make 'em fit in a Caparison?" And, on that note, I assume all direct-mount single coils have the same base plate configuration (with that large "fillet" on the bottom), so no need to change anything there, correct?
tl;dr - Any special considerations for a Caparison Horus as far as the pickups themselves are concerned with regards to mounting them?
Also, what cover for the bridge do you think would look best in the "Thundercloud" color variation? Full, HD pics can been seen here: http://www.guitar-gallery.de/en/caparison-guitars-horus-thunder-cloud-black.html#
I'd really like your guys' opinions, as I have no idea, and don't necessarily want to go with straight black...
Hope to get some good input guys.
Regards,
B
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What bridge 'bucker for a rich, full distorted tone that can also tighten up to no end.
I would recommend a Nailbomb, standard alnico version.
What Neck Single for sparkling cleans and a Petrucci-esque lead from time to time.
Trilogy Suite seems to be the most appropriate for what you described.
Any special considerations for a Caparison Horus as far as the pickups themselves are concerned with regards to mounting them?
Sorry, no idea on that one.
Also, what cover for the bridge do you think would look best in the "Thundercloud" color variation? Full, HD pics can been seen here: http://www.guitar-gallery.de/en/caparison-guitars-horus-thunder-cloud-black.html#
I'd really like your guys' opinions, as I have no idea, and don't necessarily want to go with straight black...
Hmm, straight black was my first thought. But I think chrome would work well, too.
Cheers Stephan
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Alnico warpig bridge :)
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=598816&songID=10654470 (http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=598816&songID=10654470) Kride uses it in a Horus too :)
And i think the trilogy would be cool to add in the neck :)
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I would probably go with a Nailbomb in the bridge. Screw Petrucci's sound - it's mostly about playing very clear and articulate really. The Nailbomb sounds great, articulate and is quite tight while still being organic.
The Air Norton - probably the best neck humbucker DiMarzio makes - will be quite hard to cover. I wouldn't know which pickup can do that tone.
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well then keep the air norton. :)
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well then keep the air norton. :)
He does not have one - his guitar will have a single coil in the neck position. He just liked the Air Norton in the JP6 he tried.
Cheers Stephan
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All,
Thanks for the responses, and, obviously, the Nailbomb has come highly recommended. But, I haven't really heard anything that really informs me as to how tight the pickup can actually be on its own (not that clips do it justice, nor that the amp remains a constant)...
I like the rich, organic nature of what I've heard; I'm looking for something that can go from "Ghost of Perdition's" intro (Opeth for those unfamiliar), and straight into something like Bulb's "New Groove" as far as the percussive nature goes. Is that something you all still think can be accomplished by the A-Bomb, or should I look elsewhere?
Thanks for the Neck Single recommendations guys, sounds like the Air Norton S is the way to go, and nice and cheap too.
Anyone have anymore opinions about the cover color? I think chrome would look nice, but too plain. Has anyone tried the Tyger covers yet? I think those would look cool...
R,
Ben
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The NB is tight for sure. Listen to some Sinners-clips for the neck-pu.
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Not to be rude or anything, but...do you have any personal experience to back that opinion up, or are we back to sound clips?
Additionally, I know that the Horus only has the one push push knob, making it a simpler install for myself, but if I wanted to get the 4-cond (to use later on), it won't affect the functionality, correct?
R,
B
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I don't have the NB myself. That's one 's not my sound. First, all BKP sound tighter and clearer then most other brands. Secondly several NB-users on this forum stated it is (very) tight and I read a lot (read Nolly's experiences; he played all the soundclips for the new website) and indeed listen clips. Third: a fellowmusician has a Nailbomb in a Les Paul Standard. It's, well tight in that one.
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the nailbomb is the tightest alnico pickup I ever played
didn't try the rebel yell, though
the nailbomb has a quite solid low end and a sharp edgy top
not as middy as the charts show, but middy enough
it sounded huge AND tight in my les paul custom
the punch level was easily on pair with the cold sweat or the aftermath I had on the same guitar, although it's not as saturated, but it sounded bigger and louder than both
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I don't have the NB myself. That's one 's not my sound. First, all BKP sound tighter and clearer then most other brands. Secondly several NB-users on this forum stated it is (very) tight and I read a lot (read Nolly's experiences; he played all the soundclips for the new website) and indeed listen clips. Third: a fellowmusician has a Nailbomb in a Les Paul Standard. It's, well tight in that one.
Alright, thanks for providing the context, appreciate it. I actually did just realize that the clip Nolly did for Red Seas Fire's studio update video a while back had him running a 7321 with a NB bridge and it was nice and tight...
the nailbomb is the tightest alnico pickup I ever played
didn't try the rebel yell, though
the nailbomb has a quite solid low end and a sharp edgy top
not as middy as the charts show, but middy enough
it sounded huge AND tight in my les paul custom
the punch level was easily on pair with the cold sweat or the aftermath I had on the same guitar, although it's not as saturated, but it sounded bigger and louder than both
Cool, thanks for the experience man; any chance you've tried a Painkiller to say how the two match up? I think at this point, it's between those two as I loved the PK in my past guitar....
R,
Ben
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Additionally, I know that the Horus only has the one push push knob, making it a simpler install for myself, but if I wanted to get the 4-cond (to use later on), it won't affect the functionality, correct?
Yep, 2 of the conductor wires come linked together (IIRC) so pickup are ready to use as 2 conductor, or break the connection for 4 conductor. If they don't come wire together you can simply solder the relevant wires together as per the wiring diagram that's supplied. Functionality isn't affected.
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For HB cover I would suggest black battleworn (maybe without polepieces).
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Yep, 2 of the conductor wires come linked together (IIRC) so pickup are ready to use as 2 conductor, or break the connection for 4 conductor. If they don't come wire together you can simply solder the relevant wires together as per the wiring diagram that's supplied. Functionality isn't affected.
Thanks for clarifying, just don't want to be stuck if I decide in the future to throw it in another guitar...
For HB cover I would suggest black battleworn (maybe without polepieces).
I was considering that one as well man, do you (or anyone else) know if Tim has resolved the issue of the paint flaking off? I say a thread about it when people were discussing Misha's GW column where you can see about half the paint gone off the neck pup...
I don't pick anywhere near as hard as he does as far as my regular playing goes, but I'd still like to make sure the paint will stay.
R,
Ben
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I ordered a black cover for mine and before I did, Ben assured me that they'd solved that problem. However, on the black battleworn front, be careful. The picture of the Painkiller on the website shows nothing but scarring on the cover but it seems that is the exception rather than the rule. Mine came with the scarring but also absolutely covered in chips. BKP told me that the chipping was a by-product of the scarring process and they couldn't guarantee producing a battleworn cover with no chips on it. That's why I changed to a plain black cover.
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Did you happen to get a cover with the slugs exposed? I would think that, it they don't make the cover out of a pre-treated (black) material, exposing the slugs might allow any paint applied over the top to flake as well...
I ask as I'm leaning towards getting the dual rows of the exposed slugs; thought they looked absolutely sick in Nolly's B2...
Anyone have personal experience with both the NB and the PK in a mahogany guitar, and would care to weigh in with a comparison?
R,
Ben