Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: Philly Q on July 13, 2011, 02:49:54 PM
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OK, as we know the majority of the tone charts, clips and descriptions on the site concentrate on the bridge model humbuckers. There's lot's of discussion about the neck models too, but just for a bit of fun....
Place the following NECK pickups in order of brightness:
Stormy Monday
PG Blues
The Mule
Riff Raff
VHII
Black Dog
Emerald
Abraxas
Crawler
Holydiver
I've mainly included the Vintage and Vintage Hot models in the list above so there's some comparability - Crawler and HD are there because they're both PAF-ish (I think), not sure if Emerald should be included as it has higher DC due to different wire, but what the hell.
I know I'm over-simplifying a complex question, maybe "brightness" isn't exactly the right criterion, but I'm still interested in people's thoughts. :D
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I'll have a stab for the ones I've owned:
Riff Raff
The Mule
VHII
Stormy Monday
Emerald
Holydiver
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from what I've owned, brightest first...
Cold Sweat
Abraxas
Emerald
Mule
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From the ones I've owned myself:
Stormy Monday
Abraxas
Crawler
Even then I'm a bit doubtful, going by memory as I haven't got any of them any more. Not sure if the SM was actually bright or just clear....
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That is a very interesting topic.
BKP neck humbuckers I have played include the VHII, the Cold Sweat and the Crawler, unfortunately all of them being in different guitars. The VHII appears to be the brightest of those three.
I got two CS necks in different guitars and with different bridge pickups. To my ears the CS sounds bright with a Holydiver or Miracle Man bridge pickup but sounds rather dark with the Cold Sweat bridge, due to the CS being a bright bridge pickup.
Cheers Stephan
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from what I've owned, brightest first...
Cold Sweat
Abraxas
Emerald
Mule
HTH, did you try the Cold Sweat in the same guitar as the Abraxas? I am actually looking for a brighter pickup than the CS neck and had the Abraxas in mind.
Thanks, Stephan
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To my ears the CS sounds bright with a Holydiver or Miracle Man bridge pickup but sounds rather dark with the Cold Sweat bridge, due to the CS being a bright bridge pickup.
Yes, that's a good point, I'm always a bit surprised when people describe the CS neck as bright because I've only tried it with the CS bridge - in comparison with which it sounds lovely, sweet and warm.
But this is good stuff. :) Of course different guitars come into play as well but I'm only after some sort of "average" answer.
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Shameless bump..... any more opinions? I really wanna know. :)
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Only played Crawlers and Mule neck and in very different guitars so it won't be of much help, but I'd say the Mule is a bit "brighter" than the Crawler.
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I would think that the RiffRaff would be the brightest!
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I have just had the fun of playing on a Painkiller neck and hadn't realised how much fun it is
Quite bright as it is a ceramic magnet powered one, but pleasingly full too.
Just thought I'd throw it into the mix
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from what I've owned, brightest first...
Cold Sweat
Abraxas
Emerald
Mule
HTH, did you try the Cold Sweat in the same guitar as the Abraxas? I am actually looking for a brighter pickup than the CS neck and had the Abraxas in mind.
Thanks, Stephan
yep, these were all in my Les Paul standard.
I have the Abraxas neck sitting here doing nothing if you fancy taking it off my hands (PM me).
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From my hands on experience I can now say that the Abraxas neck is definitely brighter than the Crawler neck - I had them in the same guitar. Even though the Crawler has enough highs it appears to be a bit shy on high mids, thus making it a bit darker sounding. I will try it in a brighter guitar.
So far the only neck pickups described as brighter than the Cold Sweat would be Riff Raff and VH2. What about the Holydiver neck?
Cheers Stephan
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the riff raff is clearly the brightest, but the others I wouldn't like to say.
if you really want a bright HB, get a nice powerful neck pickup and wire it in parallel (miracle man maybe)
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From my hands on experience I can now say that the Abraxas neck is definitely brighter than the Crawler neck - I had them in the same guitar. Even though the Crawler has enough highs it appears to be a bit shy on high mids, thus making it a bit darker sounding. I will try it in a brighter guitar.
Wasn't expecting to see this thread back! :D
I agree about the Abraxas and Crawler, although I ddn't try them in the same guitar. A few years ago it was widely believed they were the same pickup, but eventually Tim confirmed they weren't.
They are certainly similar (and very similar specs on paper) but the Abraxas seemed to have a bit of "sizzle" in the upper mids.
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if you really want a bright HB, get a nice powerful neck pickup and wire it in parallel (miracle man maybe)
Good idea, but I'm not looking for bright, just started the thread out of curiosity. :)
If anything it's a case of the darker the better for me (neck not bridge, that is).
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if you really want a bright HB, get a nice powerful neck pickup and wire it in parallel (miracle man maybe)
I have not tried this with any BKP but with a Seymour Duncan JB and with a DiMarzio Super Distortion. Too much bass in both cases which caused the bass strings to be all muddy. I guess I was wording this wrong. I am interested in which humbucker is the clearest in the bass - this need not necessarily be the brightest.
Cheers Stephan
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So far the only neck pickups described as brighter than the Cold Sweat would be Riff Raff and VH2. What about the Holydiver neck?
Never tried the HD neck, but from all I've read I've formed the impression it's a very "clear" PAF type pickup, relatively low output and it is AV - so perhaps it is pretty bright.
(Edit: Just remembered Twinfan rated it darkest in his list! Ignore the above. :lol: )