Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: Chargrilled on January 05, 2016, 07:27:54 PM

Title: Warpigs too much in mahogany?
Post by: Chargrilled on January 05, 2016, 07:27:54 PM
I've decided to buy another guitar for gentler stuff, and turn my Ibanez RG3727-FZ into a pure downtuned heavy rock/ metal beast. My initial plan was to get either the Miracle Man or Juggernauts in the bridge but before I plump for those, do people think the bassiness of the Warpigs is too much for a mahogany guitar?
Title: Re: Warpigs too much in mahogany?
Post by: Dave Sloven on January 06, 2016, 01:01:42 AM
I have them in an SG and they are great there.  That's mahogany.  On the other hand put them in a different kind of mahogany guitar - e.g., an Explorer - and they are too bassy.  I would go by what your guitar sounds like unplugged.  If it's bright, you would be safe.  If it's dark, then avoid the WPs
Title: Re: Warpigs too much in mahogany?
Post by: Chargrilled on January 06, 2016, 09:39:31 AM
I have them in an SG and they are great there.  That's mahogany.  On the other hand put them in a different kind of mahogany guitar - e.g., an Explorer - and they are too bassy.  I would go by what your guitar sounds like unplugged.  If it's bright, you would be safe.  If it's dark, then avoid the WPs

Hey thanks Agent Orange, my guitar is darkish sounding unplugged to be honest. What would be the net result of putting Warpigs in too dark a guitar, bassyness or muddiness? Can this not be dialed out using EQ like reducing bass on an amp (or what I'm using the Kemper), so you can retain the aggressiveness?
Title: Re: Warpigs too much in mahogany?
Post by: Dave Sloven on January 06, 2016, 10:40:48 AM
No I couldn't dial it out.  The guitar just seemed to smother the mids or something.  Everything sounded like Masters of Reality sound.  It was just really dark, and too warm on the cleans.  I would look at getting a brighter guitar for those Warpigs if you are stuck with them.  That's why I bought my SG Special, I had a WP set sitting idle in the drawer (I replaced the WP set with a NB set)
Title: Re: Warpigs too much in mahogany?
Post by: Chargrilled on January 06, 2016, 11:27:26 AM
No I couldn't dial it out.  The guitar just seemed to smother the mids or something.  Everything sounded like Masters of Reality sound.  It was just really dark, and too warm on the cleans.  I would look at getting a brighter guitar for those Warpigs if you are stuck with them.  That's why I bought my SG Special, I had a WP set sitting idle in the drawer (I replaced the WP set with a NB set)

Cheers for the great advice, I haven't bought any pickups yet still mulling over the bridge choice - Juggs, MM or something else
Title: Re: Warpigs too much in mahogany?
Post by: Dave Sloven on January 06, 2016, 01:27:49 PM
No worries.  As it is a dark sounding guitar and you want to play downtuned metal, I would consider the Painkiller.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swoT0fCy3DI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Pu5JEx5Deo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byYIbIim_ck
Title: Re: Warpigs too much in mahogany?
Post by: Chargrilled on January 06, 2016, 02:28:53 PM
No worries.  As it is a dark sounding guitar and you want to play downtuned metal, I would consider the Painkiller.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swoT0fCy3DI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Pu5JEx5Deo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byYIbIim_ck

To be honest I had the Painkiller before and didn't like it - was very middy for my liking, I might head down the MM route
Title: Re: Warpigs too much in mahogany?
Post by: ericsabbath on January 06, 2016, 06:49:48 PM
I had the a-pig in a gibson faded flying V
it was fine
not overly bassy at all, unless I set it really high, almost touching the lower strings
Title: Re: Warpigs too much in mahogany?
Post by: Dave Sloven on January 07, 2016, 12:06:27 AM
The C-Bomb is another one you could consider.  Less middy than the A-Bomb and the Painkiller, but more mids than the MM.  Just depends on what you are looking for.
Title: Re: Warpigs too much in mahogany?
Post by: Chargrilled on January 07, 2016, 11:30:15 AM
I'm looking for that Deftones thickness/ heaviness really - but having directly compared EMGs to BKPs there's no comparison, through the Kemper at least.

I've heard the MM's are like superior EMGs and are a mix between the Cold Sweat and Warpigs, although I have no idea if this is true.

I've also been looking at the Nailbombs actually good shout
Title: Re: Warpigs too much in mahogany?
Post by: _tom_ on January 07, 2016, 05:25:17 PM
No I couldn't dial it out.  The guitar just seemed to smother the mids or something.  Everything sounded like Masters of Reality sound.  It was just really dark, and too warm on the cleans.  I would look at getting a brighter guitar for those Warpigs if you are stuck with them.  That's why I bought my SG Special, I had a WP set sitting idle in the drawer (I replaced the WP set with a NB set)

Sorry to kinda hijack but what are the differences between the NB and WP in an SG? I'm considering trying something higher output and thicker than the current Black Dog I have in there. Love the alnico 5 bark and aggression but would prefer a little more saturation and low end! Think the WP might be a bit much but it is a bright guitar.. that said I don't want to completely lose the natural "brashness" of an SG!
Title: Re: Warpigs too much in mahogany?
Post by: Chargrilled on January 07, 2016, 11:13:19 PM
Hey Agent Orange was the guitar you didn't like the Warpigs in a bolt on neck, as I've been onto BKP and they said bolt ons shouldn't be an issue
Title: Re: Warpigs too much in mahogany?
Post by: Dave Sloven on January 07, 2016, 11:28:24 PM
No it was an Explorer, a set neck.  That now has an A-Bomb set.

With regard to the other question, I've had both A-Bomb and A-Pig in SGs (different SGs).  Both of the guitars are bright, resonant, and middy.  The A-Bomb was somewhat obnoxious.  Of the various pickup/guitar combinations I've had, I'd say that was the least versatile and had the raspiest, hairiest sound.  If you are going to use a Nailbomb in an SG I would definitely suggest playing it safe and ordering the ceramic magnet option.  In general SGs respond well to ceramic magnet BKPs that have a bit of a mid scoop.

That said the A-Pig is glorious in my SG Special.  The mids in a lot smoother than the mids in the A-Bomb and because SGs lack a bit of bass the bassiness of the WP is not an issue.  It's a high gain pickup so if you want feedback, harmonics etc that's easy

The A-Bomb replaced the A-Pig in my Explorer and it is happy there

Title: Re: Warpigs too much in mahogany?
Post by: _tom_ on January 08, 2016, 03:42:33 PM
Funnily enough the pickups I've preferred in my guitar have all been A5! The Black Dog is almost what I'm after tbh, just wish it had a bit more low end girth and push. Gonna try my pig 90 in there again though (afaik its ceramic) as I probably didn't experiment with the height and poles as much as I could have!
Title: Re: Warpigs too much in mahogany?
Post by: Chargrilled on January 12, 2016, 05:43:44 PM
In the end I took a punt on the C-Pigs - if it ends up too dark sounding I'll shift them into a brighter guitar and stick a HD or MM set in.

Thanks for all the advice and clips shall be forthcoming  :evil: :evil: :evil:
Title: Re: Warpigs too much in mahogany?
Post by: Dave Sloven on January 12, 2016, 11:59:27 PM
In the end I took a punt on the C-Pigs - if it ends up too dark sounding I'll shift them into a brighter guitar and stick a HD or MM set in.

Thanks for all the advice and clips shall be forthcoming  :evil: :evil: :evil:


I personally think that a C-Pig would be fine in an SG.  Either a C-Pig or a MM would probably be the optimum metal pickup for an SG.  A-Pigs are great in SGs too (especially for doom) but if you want something tight and thrashy ceramic would be better.