Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: hodgey87 on July 30, 2011, 09:55:32 PM

Title: Pickups for ESP kh202 help please.
Post by: hodgey87 on July 30, 2011, 09:55:32 PM
Hi everyone,

Haven't been playing long, 7 months or so. I brought the guitar mentioned in the title fairly recently at a bargain price, which means I have spare money to swap the pickups. My guitar teacher recommended these pickups, but i didn't realise how much choice there was  :P

At the moment im playing a lot of metallica, black sabbath, iron maiden. With abit of led Zeppelin and acdc thrown in  :D

Could anyone recommend the best pickups for me?

Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: Pickups for ESP kh202 help please.
Post by: Transcend on July 30, 2011, 11:05:25 PM
I would go for the miracle man set.

I play a lot of metallica and its just the ideal pickup for it.

The only other pickup i would use for metallica would be emg 81/60
Title: Re: Pickups for ESP kh202 help please.
Post by: Telerocker on August 01, 2011, 12:32:43 AM
I think the Holy Diver delivers both styles, metal and classic rock.
Title: Re: Pickups for ESP kh202 help please.
Post by: explorer76 on August 01, 2011, 12:52:24 PM
+1 for the Divers, more versatility than the MM and imo better cleans especially on the bridge position.
Title: Re: Pickups for ESP kh202 help please.
Post by: Madsakre on August 01, 2011, 12:58:02 PM
Alnico pickup would be nicest
Title: Re: Pickups for ESP kh202 help please.
Post by: Transcend on August 01, 2011, 05:35:18 PM
I would never use an alnico for any kind of metal. The low end isnt tight enough and doesnt have enough punch.

For the classic rock though i would.

But i would personally shoot for something like a cold sweat in this situation
Title: Re: Pickups for ESP kh202 help please.
Post by: hodgey87 on August 01, 2011, 11:49:27 PM
Cheers for your replies  :D

Went for the holy diver set, looking forward to getting them installed  :P
Title: Re: Pickups for ESP kh202 help please.
Post by: Telerocker on August 01, 2011, 11:50:37 PM
Congrats! Hope you like them. Fiddle with the height to find the sweet spots.
Title: Re: Pickups for ESP kh202 help please.
Post by: asianaxeman on August 02, 2011, 08:40:49 PM
congrats look forward to some demos in the ESP...good choice

alnico pickups can def be tight enough for metal esp with a boost in front of your amp e.g. nailbomb, rebel yell, HD, JB etc. Some of the best metal tones ever have come from alnico pickups so rest assured you've made a great choice.
Title: Re: Pickups for ESP kh202 help please.
Post by: Transcend on August 02, 2011, 09:23:48 PM
congrats look forward to some demos in the ESP...good choice

alnico pickups can def be tight enough for metal esp with a boost in front of your amp e.g. nailbomb, rebel yell, HD, JB etc. Some of the best metal tones ever have come from alnico pickups so rest assured you've made a great choice.

see for me that is a no go.

If it needs a boost its not good enough.

Thinking about it though i could probably get away with an alnico with my SLO rather than when i had the marshall.

Title: Re: Pickups for ESP kh202 help please.
Post by: MDV on August 03, 2011, 02:49:41 AM
Tru dat tony. If you want to boost, if it makes it even more betterer, then great. I do it often. If you need to boost, somethings wrong.

FWIW I think that overal spectrum of sound cant be given with one pickup. 2/3 amps and 3/4 guitars, more like. Compromises have to be made and the HD isnt a bad choice
Title: Re: Pickups for ESP kh202 help please.
Post by: metalmaniac93 on August 03, 2011, 09:55:52 PM
I agree with Toe-Knee and MDV on the boost thing.  There is no reason you would need to use a boost.  Now wanting to take it over the top is something I agree with unless you are using a low gain amp.  The HDs do smoke for sure and will do all of the bands mentioned below though.  The HDs are tight enough for most metal in my opinion, but they can be bass/mid heavy depending on the guitar and amp. 
Title: Re: Pickups for ESP kh202 help please.
Post by: Transcend on August 03, 2011, 09:57:51 PM
Yup i will use a boost if the situation calls for it but for me my preferred way of getting a good tone is simply

guitar -> amp -> cab
Title: Re: Pickups for ESP kh202 help please.
Post by: asianaxeman on August 04, 2011, 12:09:26 AM
yeah if you want to avoid the boost then the tightness achieved is entirely dependent on the amp. HD sounds tight enough in my experience with 5150, fireball, 5150 iii and jvm lead channels. But turning the amp gain down and boost, and sonic maximiser makes it so tight that my HD sounds like a bloody miracle man but still retains that thick middy lead tone.
Title: Re: Pickups for ESP kh202 help please.
Post by: asianaxeman on August 04, 2011, 12:17:38 AM
Here's a clip on this thread of HDs in a jvm, no boost

http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=24497.msg322785#msg322785
Title: Re: Pickups for ESP kh202 help please.
Post by: explorer76 on August 04, 2011, 09:18:42 AM
I do use a boost with my Diver and my Überschall but actually I don't need it :lol:.
I used my OD808 also with the AWP and my PK just because it became part of my sound ;).