Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: jorgercrosa on October 04, 2015, 04:13:27 AM

Title: Neck HSP90 to match Blackhawk bridge
Post by: jorgercrosa on October 04, 2015, 04:13:27 AM

Hi there!

I got a baritone telecaster tuned to Ab, pretty dense custom made mahogany body with a Fender Blacktop neck (maple, rosewood, 27").

Currently it has a Blackhawk bridge and a Manhattan bridge in the neck. That combo in that guitar is absolutely perfect for what it is intended for, Sludge, some Metal and Jazz Fusion.

But I am thinking about moving the Manhattan to a hollow body with a MCP Detroiter in the bridge, so I was wondering what would be a better option to match the Blackhawk on my tele, the Stockholm neck or the Mississippi Queen neck?

I am leaning towards the SH, but I am worried it would be too bass heavy with the guitar and the low tuning... What do you say?

I use the neck for clean passages most of the time but I like the idea of adding as much gain as a P90 can handle so I can clean up with the volume pot.

I should add that my guitar has no switches, just one volume pot for each pickup, and I like to blend the sound of both pickups. I do that a lot actually.

Thanks, guys!

Title: Re: Neck HSP90 to match Blackhawk bridge
Post by: PhilKing on October 04, 2015, 01:04:09 PM

If you go for the Supermassive, then I think that will be perfect.  Tim told me one time that it is a great higher gain P-90, without losing the essential tone.

Title: Re: Neck HSP90 to match Blackhawk bridge
Post by: Dave Sloven on October 04, 2015, 01:18:18 PM

Quote from: PhilKing on October 04, 2015, 01:04:09 PM

If you go for the Supermassive, then I think that will be perfect.  Tim told me one time that it is a great higher gain P-90, without losing the essential tone.

I agree with this recommendation.  The Stockholm might be too hot.  It has a lot of the characteristics of the Stockholm.

Title: Re: Neck HSP90 to match Blackhawk bridge
Post by: jorgercrosa on October 04, 2015, 02:18:18 PM

Thanks for the input, guys!

I was REALLY hoping the Stockholm would be what I was looking for, I loved the clips and videos I found...

Agent, when you say it is too hot, do you mean hot to the point it would be muddy or flabby with the low tuning?

Title: Re: Neck HSP90 to match Blackhawk bridge
Post by: Dave Sloven on October 04, 2015, 02:29:12 PM

I mean the output might just be more than you need.  The Stockholm set is basically a hotter version of the Supermassive set, tonally they are very close, so the Supermassive neck would be the safer option.  The Stockholm might work fine, but I tend to be on the conservative side when suggesting neck pickups that aren't part of a matched set.  Some people would suggest a Supermassive neck and Stockholm bridge instead of a Stockholm set, and I would tend to go with that in any guitar that tends to suffer from a weak bridge relative to the neck, such as a Gibson SG.  I don't have any experience with baritones (I play an Explorer tuned to C standard, but that's with a normal Gibson scale) and little with Telecasters.

I voted for the Stockholm in your poll because I think it is better matched tonally than a MQ

Title: Re: Neck HSP90 to match Blackhawk bridge
Post by: jorgercrosa on October 04, 2015, 02:45:01 PM

Got it!

Well, I will look at the SM then. But I am still leaning towards the SH, based on your input. :grin:

Title: Re: Neck HSP90 to match Blackhawk bridge
Post by: Tim on October 04, 2015, 03:41:37 PM

I'm with Phil on this, Supermassive especially as it's a baritone - it'll have the right output to balance with the Black Hawk whilst retaining control of the bottom end.

Title: Re: Neck HSP90 to match Blackhawk bridge
Post by: jorgercrosa on October 04, 2015, 03:48:50 PM

Can't argue with the man himself! :cheesy:

Supermassive it is!