Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: AnnunakiMassacr on September 27, 2012, 03:16:24 PM

Title: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: AnnunakiMassacr on September 27, 2012, 03:16:24 PM
I'm going to replace the pickups in my Ibanez S (unsure of the model) and wondered what be a great set of versatile, organic, vocal pickups? Something touch sensitive and open where you can really show off your style. Not something which compresses the sound to hell, hiding mistakes.

I was thinking the Abraxas in the bridge? And maybe a VHII in the neck as I hear the VHII has that single coil quality which would be great for cleans and overdriven solos.

I'm going to be playing through a Marshall JVMJS I've just ordered.
Title: Re: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: itamar101 on September 27, 2012, 03:40:57 PM
I'm going to replace the pickups in my Ibanez S (unsure of the model) and wondered what be a great set of versatile, organic, vocal pickups? Something touch sensitive and open where you can really show off your style. Not something which compresses the sound to hell, hiding mistakes.

I was thinking the Abraxas in the bridge? And maybe a VHII in the neck as I hear the VHII has that single coil quality which would be great for cleans and overdriven solos.

I'm going to be playing through a Marshall JVMJS I've just ordered.

That's exactly the combo that I was gonna recommend. The VHII bridge would also work very well if you want something with more treble presence than the abraxas. It's also slightly more open sounding and dynamic but the abraxas is slightly more vocal sounding.
Title: Re: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: AnnunakiMassacr on September 27, 2012, 03:49:16 PM
Sounds a plan the.

Also, what's the deal with the Nailbomb? I've seen it recommended a lot for Satriani styles.
Title: Re: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: Mr. Air on September 27, 2012, 04:11:28 PM
I got a nailbomb in the bridge of my lp clone and it is a very aggressive pickup. It's modern voiced, but i find it very versatile at the same time.
Title: Re: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: Deafcat64 on September 27, 2012, 05:07:27 PM
I would suggest Abraxas bridge, and Mississippi Queen neck. I've been using this combo, and it is incredibly versatile, very organic, and completely uncompressed. The MQ is the most amazing neck pickup I have seen in my 38 years of playing. Exquisite tone, and the most responsive of any pickup, bar none. IMHO. I would actually recommend a Mule bridge with MQ neck for the best response to volume control.
Title: Re: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: darrenw5094 on September 27, 2012, 08:49:46 PM
Abraxas bridge and either Riff Raff or Mule neck. Fairly versatile setup there, hot balanced bridge and less hot (almost single coily) neck.
Title: Re: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: Telerocker on September 27, 2012, 10:29:28 PM
Lots of vintage(hot)-pickups have these qualities you describe. You'll will love the VHII-bridge too. It fits your description. But I'm sure you will be happy with the (somewhat underestimated) Mule-bridge and the Abraxas.
Title: Re: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: CanadianMetalhead on September 28, 2012, 04:04:14 AM
If your going for single coil quality in the neck the Missisipi queen would be awesome. The VHii neck is awesome too but itll have a thicker vibe then the MQ in my opinion.

As for bridge the VHII is a great rock hard rock pickup. Very upfront sounding, open and dynamic. But the mules bridge would be better for you in my opinion. That thing is organic, and the complete opposite to compressed and very versatile ranging from blues to being capable of metal.

 /2cents :P
Title: Re: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: ericsabbath on September 28, 2012, 06:29:48 AM
in my short experience with the vhII, I wouldn't call it a "vocal" pickup
more of a classic PAF tone, but with a tight and focused heavier rock edge
single notes sound deep and heavy, but it has a focused non-middy character, like a nailbomb in a true PAF form (well, the only difference between than is the wire gauge)

the black dog, rebel yell and holy diver are VERY vocal and organic

if you're still after the Schenker thing, my choice would be the holy diver for this particular guitar
Title: Re: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: AnnunakiMassacr on September 28, 2012, 11:04:20 AM
I ended up getting a Rebel Yell for the Schenker sound. Jut looking for something different this time.

I regards to the term "vocal", I've kind of lost the meaning of what it implies now as I would never have though a pickup as compressed as the Holy Diver could sound vocal?
Title: Re: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: itamar101 on September 28, 2012, 12:03:48 PM
I ended up getting a Rebel Yell for the Schenker sound. Jut looking for something different this time.

I regards to the term "vocal", I've kind of lost the meaning of what it implies now as I would never have though a pickup as compressed as the Holy Diver could sound vocal?

The Holy Diver really isn't very compressed. You'll find that most other pickups in the contemporary range are far more compressed. The holy diver isn't open sounding either... it's in the middle between the two.
As far as an organic, vocal sound though... The Holy Diver is very "natural" sounding. It's a rather balanced pickup so it really just gives your guitar a bit of a power boost in terms of sound and the mids give it a very guts, vocal sound.
Title: Re: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: AnnunakiMassacr on September 28, 2012, 12:19:05 PM
I'd just love a pickup set where I can have fantastic cleans, a beautiful tone that sounds almost like it's singing, whilst having an open touch sensitive feel. But also remain the power to rip out the solo from a power ballad now and again. But I guess and overdrive pedal in front of a marhsall would help that?
Title: Re: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: Deafcat64 on September 28, 2012, 03:48:15 PM
The Abraxas is very vocal. It sings on single notes in a guttural way as well. The MQ is also amazing, with a great vocal quality in the mids. The output of the MQ is actually louder than most humbuckers, and cleans up beautifully with the volume knob.
Title: Re: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: darkbluemurder on October 02, 2012, 09:51:43 AM
Definitely agree on the Abraxas bridge as a vocal pickup. The Abraxas neck is more vocal to my ears than the VHII neck but both are great pickups.

Cheers Stephan
Title: Re: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: AnnunakiMassacr on October 02, 2012, 11:17:12 AM
I'd love to hear a bit more about the Abraxas neck, and Mississippi Queen.
Title: Re: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: AnnunakiMassacr on October 03, 2012, 10:36:03 AM
Bump!
Title: Re: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: Telerocker on October 03, 2012, 11:57:31 AM
The Abraxas is close to a Mule-neck. The last one I have and it's very vocal in a good old PAF-way. The MQ is reckoned to be quite powerful, despite the dc-resistance. I think you would be well served with an Abraxas-set or an Abraxas-Mule-combo, unless you like P90's (full and warm, but with a crisp edge) and you can stand some singlecoil hum on higher volumes.
Title: Re: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: AnnunakiMassacr on October 04, 2012, 10:15:31 AM
How does the Riff Raff neck compare to the Abraxas neck?
Title: Re: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: Telerocker on October 04, 2012, 06:21:54 PM
I know the RiffRaff-neck is quite bright for a hb-neckpickup, at least compared to a Mule.
Title: Re: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: Philly Q on October 04, 2012, 06:49:13 PM
I believe the Crawler, Abraxas and Mule neck pickups are all quite similar - essentially vintage-voiced, AIV magnets, similar DC resistance.  I haven't tried the Mule but I think the Abraxas neck was a little brighter than the Crawler.

The Riff Raff neck is brighter than all of them.  Probably (someone correct me if this is wrong!) BKP's brightest neck humbucker.
Title: Re: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: AnnunakiMassacr on October 04, 2012, 07:08:08 PM
What would you say is BKPs closest pickup to the Duncan Custom Custom? The VHII, perhaps?
Title: Re: Versatile, organic, vocal, pickup combos?
Post by: ericsabbath on October 04, 2012, 07:57:37 PM
What would you say is BKPs closest pickup to the Duncan Custom Custom? The VHII, perhaps?

definitely not the vhII
I don't think there's such pickup on bkp line
that should be something between the abraxas and the holy diver, but they're both pretty different and tighter sounding than the sh-11
like an alnico 2 rebel yell, but the only way you could get this would be swapping the magnet by yourself