Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: jdbwales on April 23, 2012, 01:15:19 AM

Title: BKP bridge for a very bright 70's Les Paul Custom - Holy Diver?
Post by: jdbwales on April 23, 2012, 01:15:19 AM

I've just acquired a beautiful 1978 LPC that could do with some fattening up (maple neck and cap plus ebony fretboard equals brightness!) - I play classic to hard rock and tend to go for a nice thick mid-gain crunch most of the time and boost with pedals for solos, think later Lizzy stuff, middle Weezer stuff, and a bit of Aldrich/Moore for luck. I'd be looking at upwards of 12k resistance for a ballpark measurement!

Would the Holy Diver be the ticket? I had an Emerald in it for a while but it was a bit too bright, even though it sounded superb. I'm currently running a Duncan SH11 Custom Custom which is almost perfect, but I could really do with a bit more clarity and fatness in the tone!

Thanks!

Title: Re: BKP bridge for a very bright 70's Les Paul Custom - Holy Diver?
Post by: TheyCallMeVolume on April 23, 2012, 01:56:29 AM

I'd say Holy Diver sounds good, but matters what amp you have too. Maybe look at VHII's or Black Dogs?

Title: Re: BKP bridge for a very bright 70's Les Paul Custom - Holy Diver?
Post by: itamar101 on April 23, 2012, 05:00:04 AM

Holy Divers will be perfect. Very fat, fluid and always recommended for Aldrich tones and it should do Moore very well too. Like all BKPs its very articulate too, Even under lots of gain. It's cleans are also very good.

Title: Re: BKP bridge for a very bright 70's Les Paul Custom - Holy Diver?
Post by: Mr. Air on April 23, 2012, 05:38:33 AM

Sounds like the holydiver but have a look at the crawler as well.

Title: Re: BKP bridge for a very bright 70's Les Paul Custom - Holy Diver?
Post by: 'Ash' J. Williams on April 23, 2012, 12:45:23 PM

Holydivers.
But BlackDogs will also be fantastic in there, have them in a quite bright LPC, full of mids and bite, more open/a bit less compression than the Divers.
FWIW, my LP with BlackDogs does a better Thin Lizzy tone than the one i have with Emeralds, and they are 2 bright Les Pauls...

Title: Re: BKP bridge for a very bright 70's Les Paul Custom - Holy Diver?
Post by: jdbwales on April 23, 2012, 02:22:33 PM

I should also note I tried the Crawler in this guitar and didn't like it (fancied something heavier) - I think the Black Dogs may also fall under that category!

Also, I'm using Blackstar HT50 and HT20 heads through an Artisan 2x12 cab with G12H and V30, so EL34s are king.

Sounds like the Diver may be the way to go - any more recommendations?

Title: Re: BKP bridge for a very bright 70's Les Paul Custom - Holy Diver?
Post by: 'Ash' J. Williams on April 23, 2012, 02:37:31 PM

Well the Black Dog is not as powerful as the Crawler so maybe you will not like it...
What exactly was wrong with the Crawler ? I'm asking coz i think it bears some similarities with the Holydivers... but i just tried one once (and in a different guitar) so i may be very wrong...
Maybe someone who knows these two p/ups well will chime in.

Title: Re: BKP bridge for a very bright 70's Les Paul Custom - Holy Diver?
Post by: TheyCallMeVolume on April 23, 2012, 02:52:50 PM

Well if you thought the crawler wasn't powerful enough, I'd no doubt go for HD now

Title: Re: BKP bridge for a very bright 70's Les Paul Custom - Holy Diver?
Post by: jdbwales on April 23, 2012, 04:02:46 PM

The Crawler seemed a bit rounded and vintage for me, a bit lifeless too. Hard to describe really - it was the only BKP I've ever really disliked to be honest!

I want a beefy, fat but defined tone, like I said - the Duncan Custom Custom with more detail and clarity. It definitely sounds like the HD is the one!

Thanks gents!

Title: Re: BKP bridge for a very bright 70's Les Paul Custom - Holy Diver?
Post by: darkbluemurder on April 23, 2012, 05:45:05 PM

I have both the Crawler and the Holydiver but I have not tried them in the same guitar. From your description I understand you want a bit more bite than the Crawler offers. Holydiver could be the right choice but I would also look at the Rebel Yell. I have my RY set in a LPC with ebony board and it sounds fantastic. A lot of bite for sure but not too much.

As far as a direct comparison between Crawler and Holydiver that is a question you should ask Tim.

Cheers Stephan

Title: Re: BKP bridge for a very bright 70's Les Paul Custom - Holy Diver?
Post by: ericsabbath on April 23, 2012, 06:50:48 PM

black dog is pretty similar to the diver
diver is brighter and more aggressive
had both in my '73 les paul custom (mahogany neck, though)

the diver should be about as hot as the sh11 but fatter in the low mids, tighter in the low end and have a more articulate midrange

Title: Re: BKP bridge for a very bright 70's Les Paul Custom - Holy Diver?
Post by: jdbwales on May 06, 2012, 07:50:00 PM

Just an update - put in a Holy Diver and it is PERFECT. Everything I liked about the Duncan but with ten times more clarity and punch. Great stuff. Thanks you to everyone for your help!

Title: Re: BKP bridge for a very bright 70's Les Paul Custom - Holy Diver?
Post by: itamar101 on May 06, 2012, 08:45:22 PM

Congrats!! Just how I felt about it!
It just sounds stunning to my ears in my Les Paul. Great at cleans and coil tas too. :)

Title: Re: BKP bridge for a very bright 70's Les Paul Custom - Holy Diver?
Post by: TheyCallMeVolume on May 07, 2012, 04:03:11 AM

Congrats!

Title: Re: BKP bridge for a very bright 70's Les Paul Custom - Holy Diver?
Post by: ericsabbath on May 08, 2012, 12:20:47 AM

great to hear.... oh wait... we didn't!
where are the clips?  :D :D :D

Title: Re: BKP bridge for a very bright 70's Les Paul Custom - Holy Diver?
Post by: Mr. Air on May 08, 2012, 04:37:12 PM

Quote from: Eric Hellstyle on May 08, 2012, 12:20:47 AM

great to hear.... oh wait... we didn't!
where are the clips?  :D :D :D

And the pics!!! Rule is - pics or it didn't happen  :D

Title: Re: BKP bridge for a very bright 70's Les Paul Custom - Holy Diver?
Post by: jdbwales on May 10, 2012, 06:05:03 PM

Haha, pics I can do - I'll sort them over the weekend! I'll have a crack at doing a video too.

Title: Re: BKP bridge for a very bright 70's Les Paul Custom - Holy Diver?
Post by: jdbwales on May 20, 2012, 06:25:08 PM

Quote from: Mr. Air on May 08, 2012, 04:37:12 PM

Quote from: Eric Hellstyle on May 08, 2012, 12:20:47 AM

great to hear.... oh wait... we didn't!
where are the clips?  :D :D :D

And the pics!!! Rule is - pics or it didn't happen  :D

Here's a picture of the guitar - the Diver wasn't quite what I was after in the guitar in a full-blown live mix with my band (needed slightly more bite), so I went for the bridge Cold Sweat to match the neck, both in gold. Gigged it last night and it's just what I'm looking for - finished tinkering with this one now!

(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a232/guitarmonkeycymru/100_0419.jpg)