Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: Cider on March 15, 2016, 03:15:50 AM
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Hi everyone!
I'm a brand new member (and very new to guitars in general). I'm looking into getting a new pickup set for my LP, and I'm toying with the idea of a HB bridge and P90 neck.
So far I'm thinking of a Nailbomb/ Mississippi Queen set, but I love how the Nantucket sounds as well. And then there's the other option, which is go full P90 in both positions.
Would anyone be able to give me some pros and cons for the two options? I'd appreciate any input!
Thank you
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I just made a long reply and it didn't post so now you're going to have to get a shorter version!
Firstly, could you give us a bit more information:
1) Is this a Gibson Les Paul or an alternative?
2) What woods are involved and what is the construction?
3) What sort of music will you be playing?
4) Are there any tones you'd like to emulate?
5) What amp are you using.
In general terms, a humbucker bridge and P90 neck will give you a very versatile guitar and to my mind, is an excellent choice if you're fairly new to guitars.
P90
Kiichi will be of more help to you than me but from my perspective, the MQ is an excellent choice. I've tried one in the neck position and it was sublime. I also think the AIV magnet will give you a sweeter tone than the AV used in the neck of the Nantucket.
Humbucker
The Nailbomb can be quite versatile but is also very tight and very aggressive and very hairy. It's not for everyone. Depending on what you're trying to achieve I'd also look at the Mule, Black Dog, Abraxas, Cold Sweat, Rebel Yell and Holydiver.
First off though, answer the questions :smiley:
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What Slarti said is great, as usual. More info is the first thing needed.
MQ pairs well with the NB. IIRC it is one of the combos Matt Belamy from Muse uses. Versatile combo for sure with the NB being a great aggressive rock and metal pickup and the MQ doing anything from cleans and classic rock to proper metal sounds.
P90s are fantastic because they give the definition and clarity of a single coil with all the extended frequency spectrum plus the power and fullness of a humbucker AND add a lovely midrange growl. Their ability to go from screaming to singing with just changes in playing and the guitars controll make them especially excellent in the neck position. True best of both worlds.
In the bridge they are more raw in tone than a humbucker, which would seem more smoothed and compressed by comparison. Boxed in if you will.
However, there are many combos that are awesome. MQ set, NB/MQ, Supermassive or Stockholm / MQ, Abraxxas / MQ, etc.
Thus more info is really important.
And for what it is worth the Nantucket and MQ are pretty similar. I believe to recall that the Nantucket is supposed to be a tad more aggressive though.
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Thank you everyone for your replies! Sorry I didn't give more information about my guitar & music, I'll do it right now:
a) It is a Gibson Les Paul studio, and the body is made of mahogany, with a typical mahogany neck/ rosewood fretboard, 24.75" scale.
b) I will be playing mostly (alternative?) rock with the guitar. Think Muse/ Green Day, and 60s British invasion stuff. I have another guitar with an Aftermath/ Trilogy Suite set for more modern sounds.
c) Your descriptions make me really want a P90 in the neck. I wanted the Nailbomb in the bridge because I wanted something very versatile, yet can get aggressive. I have the stock Gibson '57 PUPs in the guitar right now, and to be honest I'm not a fan of how.. "smushed together" everything sounds. I want a more defined pickup - if that makes any sense.
Thank you again!
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Mine is a Gibson Les Paul Studio too :grin:
The difference with mine is that it uses a 498T and 490R and it's the first guitar I've been happy to leave stock. I'm not totally happy with the 490R but the 498T is just what I'm after so I've left the guitar alone. As for your guitar, I'm going to stick with my suggestion of a Mississippi Queen in the neck because it will do what you want and my experience is that it's superb. For the bridge, I think you have options galore:
Mule
The epitome of the PAF pickup so certainly at the vintage end of things but also versatile as it will do pretty much anything from Blues to early Ozzy Osbourne. Tim used to use these in an Ozzy tribute band. This would be a VERY popular choice for a Les Paul.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9Qyl4bEBVE
The problem is that on this clip most people seem to prefer the 57 rather than the Mule and you already dislike the 57! Use your own ears and come to your own decision.
Abraxas
Forget the Santana reference as that's misleading. Think of it more as a beefed up Mule because in essence, that's what it is. Another very versatile pickup that will go from Blues to early Metal and like the Mule, the AIV magnet gives it a sweet tone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfANqu0k3qw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e2cRu6um6I
A bit more mids and beef to the Abraxas.
Black Dog
It's a bit different this one but could well be right up your street. Some PAF vibe, very versatile and tight enough for endless gain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaqEET376-I
It always sounds very musical to me this one.
Cold Sweat
For a ceramic pickup, this is incredibly versatile. It has none of the sterility I usually find on ceramics and suits a Les Paul perfectly. It will cover anything from Classic Rock to Metal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl2QzOMMm6w
That clip is a 7 string but you get the idea.
Rebel Yell
This is the one I imagine Kiichi will suggest as he loves it and describes it as the perfect synergy of old and new so it has strong PAF characteristics but with a distinctly modern edge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65zOouArFDo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qum0jkf-bZc
Based on the Nailbombs but not quite as hairy and aggressive
Nailbomb
The most aggressive option you have here. I found it could do anything from Blues Rock to Metal but always had a 90s Metal feel to it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2kvQkpz5sM
All this gives you plenty options so it's down to your ears. If it was me, I'd be looking at Black Dog, Cold Sweat or Rebel Yell but that's just me.
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Alright, that helps a lot. Sticking with the MQ neck then. Imagine youŽd dig it a lot.
As for the bridge Slarti makes great points. However, I will not put the RY in front as much as I often do. Reason is that at least my conception of British invasion is not really befitting this pickup. It can do it in a way, but not optimal. The CS for example would be better, but I recon it could be optimized further.
Should the guitar be really dark maybe have a look at the Emerald bridge. Otherwise, if it is balanced consider the black dog. If balanced or bright the Abraxxas is something I would pick over the Mule here. Generally a tad more versatile for what you want than the Mule, and fitting the MQ neck better in terms of balance. If you were to wire up the middle with a parallel or split abraxxas that would really cover a ton of ground.
Finally an MQ set would be great too. Now, to be fair, a P90 bridge is a bigger departure from the norm than a neck, as neck SCs are more common, but it is more than valid. That certain raw sound that is essential to so much Muse stuff is the P90 sound and thus the MQ. Green Day with a touch extra original punk? MQ.
Essentially what I am saying is: Have a listen. IŽd recon either the MQ set or a MQ neck with Abraxxas bridge should be for you. If you really want that raw sound that you find in Muse and you like it after listeing to P90 samples go for that imho. If you are not sure you canŽt go wrong with the Abraxxas bridge either.
Also, if you were to go MQ set IŽd advise to install a push pull to have the middle position switch from series to parallel. It adds a lot of versatility imho. The possibility for a P90 "super humbucker" is lovely.
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If you play anything rock, and especially Green Day stuff I will really recommend a set of P90s! Especially because you have another guitar for more modern sounds. Your statement " I wanted the Nailbomb in the bridge because I wanted something very versatile, yet can get aggressive." sounds like how I would describe the Nantucket, but it is a lot more vintage sounding than the Nailbomb of course. No problems playing metal with it though. I was considering asking the BKP guys if they could make the Mississippi Queen set in regular P90 size, but I just got another set of Nantuckets because I like them so much. The MQs are more than likely super awesome as well! Worst case scenario, BKP has a stellar return policy (which I recently took advantage of). Every guitarist should experience the magic of P90s at least once; they are truly something special :smiley:
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The Cold Sweat bridge is very versatile and can do aggressive sounds like Pantera or Metallica when needed. Be aware though that the high end is a bit 'crispy' and if that's not your thing the little bit of crispiness there will niggle at you. I really don't think the Nailbomb is what you want. To be honest if you are going down that route I would suggest the Stockholm instead. It is an aggressive pickup with lots of bottom end but not quite as hairy as the Nailbomb.
In a LP Studio you might find that the Rebel Yell and Emerald lack bottom end.
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Hi everyone,
Thank you so much for the time you've put into writing such detailed replies. You guys are wonderful :smiley:
Okay, so I'm really leaning towards a P90 set, since the other guitar with an Aftermath bridge can handle most things. What is the difference between the MQ and Nantucket bridge? The graphs for them are identical - although I do hear that the MQ has a tiny bit more twang, whereas the Nantucket is a bit tighter?
I read that the Nantucket is voiced after the LP P90's - does anyone have a comparison between the two? The thing is, my boyfriend just got me a used LP Special Double Cut with 2 P90's earlier today (it'll be here next week, yay!) and I'm debating whether to use the stock pickups or upgrade to BKP. I have no doubt about BKP's quality, but I haven't owned a P90 guitar before so I'm not sure what to expect.
Now back to the LP Studio. Since I have another guitar with P90 coming, it seems a bit... wasteful (?) to put a MQ set in this, don't you think? I want to badly (since Matt Bellamy does use it a lot), but if the Nantucket and MQ aren't *that* much different then perhaps Nantuckets in the Doublecut would do for now.
Maybe I should annoy/beg/harass Ben enough to get an MQ set in P90 size, hmmmmmm
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I would go MQ set.
About pairing with humbuckers: I have a MQ neck which overpowered a Black Dog but currently it pairs with an Abraxas which can hang with it.
So I think a Mule would struggle with it.
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I'm actually secretly pleased that Kiichi moved away from the RY more than I expected because of the three I suggested, it's the one I was least convinced by. My LP Studio is far from being dark and I don't see an Emerald working in it so if yours is the same, I'd steer clear. I think the MQ neck is nailed on but personally I'd stick with a humbucker in the bridge. Why? Because an Aftermath has a very distinct sound and while there will obviously be some crossover, something like a Cold Sweat, Black Dog or Abraxas will offer you a very different palette of tones as the Aftermath is very modern whereas these three have more vintage characteristics and believe it or not, will cover far more ground. Of these three, the Cold Sweat is closest to the Aftermath but that's only because it sounds that bit more modern than the other two. It's still a damn site more vintage sounding than the Aftermath. The Black Dog has a unique sound all of its own going on so that will certainly be different. The Abraxas is also AIV so probably has the sweetest and most vintage tone but with some balls but I'm left thinking that if you're considering a P90 set, you might find the Abraxas a bit too smooth. I'd go either Black Dog or Cold Sweat with a MQ in the neck before I'd go with a P90 set for these reasons but obviously it's not my guitar so it's your choice. A P90 set will be good but I don't see it being as versatile as a humbucker/P90 set.
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I'm actually secretly pleased that Kiichi moved away from the RY more than I expected because of the three I suggested, it's the one I was least convinced by. My LP Studio is far from being dark and I don't see an Emerald working in it so if yours is the same, I'd steer clear. I think the MQ neck is nailed on but personally I'd stick with a humbucker in the bridge. Why? Because an Aftermath has a very distinct sound and while there will obviously be some crossover, something like a Cold Sweat, Black Dog or Abraxas will offer you a very different palette of tones as the Aftermath is very modern whereas these three have more vintage characteristics and believe it or not, will cover far more ground. Of these three, the Cold Sweat is closest to the Aftermath but that's only because it sounds that bit more modern than the other two. It's still a damn site more vintage sounding than the Aftermath. The Black Dog has a unique sound all of its own going on so that will certainly be different. The Abraxas is also AIV so probably has the sweetest and most vintage tone but with some balls but I'm left thinking that if you're considering a P90 set, you might find the Abraxas a bit too smooth. I'd go either Black Dog or Cold Sweat with a MQ in the neck before I'd go with a P90 set for these reasons but obviously it's not my guitar so it's your choice. A P90 set will be good but I don't see it being as versatile as a humbucker/P90 set.
I do love the RY, true, but it has its place and this seemed not to be it. Though that might have changed. Let me elaborate.
Seeing as an additional full P90 guitar has come into play things are different now. IŽd say play the stocks on that for a bit to get a feel of the area. Then imagine what you are getting a couple of times better and with more character. For upgrade then either MQ or NT will do very nicely. Still not sure on the difference. Best to shoot BKP a mail on that.
For the current one then I am inclined to put the RY into consideration again. That is if I consider the AM guitar the metal one and imagine the P90 one will go the way of a rock machine. If we were then to go for a middle ground one, which does rock and metal and has a different flavor, then the RY is valid again. It would deliver a clear rock voice made for LPs that is faithfully bringing a classic tone to the modern era. Amazing upper mid spike that just screams rock. It however is rivaled by the Coldsweat (which is more scooped in a natural way), a strong contender here, which will deliver amazing rock tones too and does not sound very ceramic. Both of these also have exellent metal qualities in different ways and both are separate from the AM character. If we also throw in an MQ the CS will get you the most different tone.
The Black Dog also stands as valid, as does the Abraxxas, but if we look at the three guitar picture I recon either CS or RY will fare better. That is all bridge talk btw, the set necks are great, but there are options there.
And I must disagree that the CS would be closest to the AM btw, as the AM is extreeeeemely center mid heavy and the CS has a scooped tendency. In handling they might not be worlds apart, but in terms of tone there is daylight there. A good bit of it.
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This is the Cold Sweat bridge pickup.
Out of all of the ceramic pickups in the range it has the best clean tones but can get aggressive when it needs to.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cneTNpVmAos
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And I must disagree that the CS would be closest to the AM btw, as the AM is extreeeeemely center mid heavy and the CS has a scooped tendency. In handling they might not be worlds apart, but in terms of tone there is daylight there. A good bit of it.
Yes, and I agree in that regard, I was only saying that between the CS, RY, BD and AB, the CS is the most modern in character and as such is closer to the AM. I'm certainly not suggesting they're bedfellows in any way because they're certainly different but pickups like the AB, BD and the RY, all have more PAF DNA in them and thus, in my mind at least, are further away from the AM.
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Hi everyone! Thank you all again for your answers. I'm sorry for the delay between mine - I have a literature review due in about 12 hours so it's been tough for me to gather my thoughts about anything not related to economics xP
Also, if you were to go MQ set IŽd advise to install a push pull to have the middle position switch from series to parallel. It adds a lot of versatility imho. The possibility for a P90 "super humbucker" is lovely.
I totally missed this. Could you elaborate on the push pull stuff a bit (or show me a diagram)? I have no experience with series/ parallel, but since I'm getting the other guitar with P90 (which I'll hopefully upgrade soon) I might as well get the most fun out of it!
I would go MQ set.
I really should ask Ben about the possibility of an MQ set in normal soapbar size (for the new P90 guitar). I know that the neck's have different magnets, but the graphs are identical and both bridges have the same Alnico V magnet. Hmm
I'm actually secretly pleased that Kiichi moved away from the RY more than I expected because of the three I suggested, it's the one I was least convinced by. My LP Studio is far from being dark and I don't see an Emerald working in it so if yours is the same, I'd steer clear. I think the MQ neck is nailed on but personally I'd stick with a humbucker in the bridge. Why? Because an Aftermath has a very distinct sound and while there will obviously be some crossover, something like a Cold Sweat, Black Dog or Abraxas will offer you a very different palette of tones as the Aftermath is very modern whereas these three have more vintage characteristics and believe it or not, will cover far more ground. Of these three, the Cold Sweat is closest to the Aftermath but that's only because it sounds that bit more modern than the other two. It's still a damn site more vintage sounding than the Aftermath. The Black Dog has a unique sound all of its own going on so that will certainly be different. The Abraxas is also AIV so probably has the sweetest and most vintage tone but with some balls but I'm left thinking that if you're considering a P90 set, you might find the Abraxas a bit too smooth. I'd go either Black Dog or Cold Sweat with a MQ in the neck before I'd go with a P90 set for these reasons but obviously it's not my guitar so it's your choice. A P90 set will be good but I don't see it being as versatile as a humbucker/P90 set.
I do love the RY, true, but it has its place and this seemed not to be it. Though that might have changed. Let me elaborate.
Seeing as an additional full P90 guitar has come into play things are different now. IŽd say play the stocks on that for a bit to get a feel of the area. Then imagine what you are getting a couple of times better and with more character. For upgrade then either MQ or NT will do very nicely. Still not sure on the difference. Best to shoot BKP a mail on that.
For the current one then I am inclined to put the RY into consideration again. That is if I consider the AM guitar the metal one and imagine the P90 one will go the way of a rock machine. If we were then to go for a middle ground one, which does rock and metal and has a different flavor, then the RY is valid again. It would deliver a clear rock voice made for LPs that is faithfully bringing a classic tone to the modern era. Amazing upper mid spike that just screams rock. It however is rivaled by the Coldsweat (which is more scooped in a natural way), a strong contender here, which will deliver amazing rock tones too and does not sound very ceramic. Both of these also have exellent metal qualities in different ways and both are separate from the AM character. If we also throw in an MQ the CS will get you the most different tone.
The Black Dog also stands as valid, as does the Abraxxas, but if we look at the three guitar picture I recon either CS or RY will fare better. That is all bridge talk btw, the set necks are great, but there are options there.
And I must disagree that the CS would be closest to the AM btw, as the AM is extreeeeemely center mid heavy and the CS has a scooped tendency. In handling they might not be worlds apart, but in terms of tone there is daylight there. A good bit of it.
Thank you to both of you!
I don't want to waste the 2 humbuckers just for the MQ set - if the NT is so close (or if I can get Ben to make me soapbar MQ's :P) - and so "classic humbuckers" would be nice (if they even exist). I'm sure the new guitar with the P90 will be a nice rockmachine - you're right Kiichi. I'm so divided on the humbucker sets though - there are so many and everyone seems to recommend all of them (!) Since the guitar with the AM/TS set does dark tones really well, I might be looking for a brighter sound in this - one where higher notes don't squeal/ hurt. Does something like that exist?
Also, since I broke the split shaft of a Les Paul with some set screws (don't ask - long story, short story is I'm not very bright) I'll need to rewire the guitar. Would you recommend 50s wiring? That looks like it's the easiest, but I haven't seen diagrams where I could split the coils. I didn't care for coil splitting, but I had the AM split anyway (just because). To my surprise, the split AM + TS combination sounds really, really good. I had not expected this at all, since the LP's 57 PUPs are just mehhhhhh at best when split. Starting to think that I might get some really great combinations splitting BKP PUPs here. Perhaps an MQ in the neck and something that'll mix well with it split so I get another amazing hum-cancelling sound? :P
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If you are looking for vintage tones from both of these guitars, I would probably not go with P90 in both guitars, but if you figure that you really like the P90 sound you can always run NT or MQ in one guitar and hotter P90s like the Supermassive or Stockholm in the other one. Congratulations on the Double Cut Les Paul Special by the way! How old is it and what are the stock pickups? If it is a 90's kid (like mine) it came with P100s stock, which supposedly sounds really far from real P90s. I honestly cannot comment on that because some guy put a pair of Stewmac P90s in it before I bought it, but I have experience with a H-90 in a Junior that sounded really bad...
And I almost forgot: two guitars will never sound the same, so the slight differences between the MQ and NT might be enough to make them two different beasts. Just a thought :smiley:
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Hi everyone!
I'm a brand new member (and very new to guitars in general). I'm looking into getting a new pickup set for my LP, and I'm toying with the idea of a HB bridge and P90 neck.
So far I'm thinking of a Nailbomb/ Mississippi Queen set, but I love how the Nantucket sounds as well. And then there's the other option, which is go full P90 in both positions.
Would anyone be able to give me some pros and cons for the two options? I'd appreciate any input!
Thank you
What sort of LP are we talking about here? How would you describe the tonal character of it?
For a warmer, darker LP - something with more bass - the Rebel Yell is pretty sick. I love how well it co-operates with high gain heads. It is very consonant, open, and clear, with high mids. It pairs great with dark, thick, and aggressive amplifiers. Nice harmonic sheen. Works well for lead / solos / rhythm.
A-Bomb, by comparison, is more compressed, thicker, and more gnarly sounding. It's also an awesome pickup but it depends what you want / need. Expect more of a focus in the treble and a flatter response with more bass.
I love the A-Bomb in my 2002 LP Standard. The Rebel Yell is more of a traditional rock tone with a bit of extra edge. It doesn't have the same lows, aggression, thickness, and punch of the A-Bomb.
I can't really comment on any other bridge pickups because I have not tried them in a LP but you need to consider what you want from the guitar.
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If you are looking for vintage tones from both of these guitars, I would probably not go with P90 in both guitars, but if you figure that you really like the P90 sound you can always run NT or MQ in one guitar and hotter P90s like the Supermassive or Stockholm in the other one. Congratulations on the Double Cut Les Paul Special by the way! How old is it and what are the stock pickups? If it is a 90's kid (like mine) it came with P100s stock, which supposedly sounds really far from real P90s. I honestly cannot comment on that because some guy put a pair of Stewmac P90s in it before I bought it, but I have experience with a H-90 in a Junior that sounded really bad...
And I almost forgot: two guitars will never sound the same, so the slight differences between the MQ and NT might be enough to make them two different beasts. Just a thought :smiley:
Thank you so much! It's a 2003 Special DC, so it *should* have Gibson's P-90's. I'll play around with it first, but I do want to eventually upgrade to the NT or MQ set though.
My other LP is just... muddy, so I really want to through the MQ set in there, haha.
Hi everyone!
I'm a brand new member (and very new to guitars in general). I'm looking into getting a new pickup set for my LP, and I'm toying with the idea of a HB bridge and P90 neck.
So far I'm thinking of a Nailbomb/ Mississippi Queen set, but I love how the Nantucket sounds as well. And then there's the other option, which is go full P90 in both positions.
Would anyone be able to give me some pros and cons for the two options? I'd appreciate any input!
Thank you
What sort of LP are we talking about here? How would you describe the tonal character of it?
For a warmer, darker LP - something with more bass - the Rebel Yell is pretty sick. I love how well it co-operates with high gain heads. It is very consonant, open, and clear, with high mids. It pairs great with dark, thick, and aggressive amplifiers. Nice harmonic sheen. Works well for lead / solos / rhythm.
A-Bomb, by comparison, is more compressed, thicker, and more gnarly sounding. It's also an awesome pickup but it depends what you want / need. Expect more of a focus in the treble and a flatter response with more bass.
I love the A-Bomb in my 2002 LP Standard. The Rebel Yell is more of a traditional rock tone with a bit of extra edge. It doesn't have the same lows, aggression, thickness, and punch of the A-Bomb.
I can't really comment on any other bridge pickups because I have not tried them in a LP but you need to consider what you want from the guitar.
You know, I listened to some more RY clips, and I actually really like what I hear. I have another guitar with the Aftermath in the bridge position, so ultimately I think I would want something the Aftermath absolutely cannot do
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The series / parallel wiring follows this idea. https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/downloads/schematics/profiles/humbuckers/1hum__4_con_pushpull_pot-series_or_parallel.pdf (https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/downloads/schematics/profiles/humbuckers/1hum__4_con_pushpull_pot-series_or_parallel.pdf)
Instead of a humbucker you have 2 P90s. All about the hot wires.
50s wiring is a nice idea. Changes the taper of the volume pot, retains high end at lower volumes, opens the top up a touch in general, and changes the interaction between vol and tone to make playing with them much more rewarding.
If you for the LP seek high end and find it currently muddy the RY can remedy that as Yellowjacket notes. That pickup livens up just about any chunk of wood. Punchy low end, screaming high mids, and a high end that is very musical as it seems to be comprised of harmonic overtones. In that LP it should sound a load more organic and juicy (as opposed to dry) than the AM. Also has a wide range of rocking tones on tap, from Billy Idol, of course, and nailing 80s hair metal tones like Ratt (Round and Round is essential RY tone) to modern metal like Red Seas Fire, who used the RY and VHII for the first album IIRC.
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Rebel Yell bridge cleans up wonderfully well with the volume pot and it gets absolutely ferocious when boosted.
I particularly love it in my solid lump of mahogany guitar which is warm and bassy sounding. The pickup adds clarity to the bottom and brings life to the top end. The result is really quite wonderful!
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And assuming the P90 guitar will go classic with NT or MQ and the AM axe being what it is it should sit comfortably in the middle. Plus as it is very sensitive to height adjustments it can be nicely finetuned on terms of things like bass response, which I find very pleasing.
The other option is the Coldsweat, which has less mids, more bottom, and more high end in a conventional way. It may be ceramic, but you might never guess as it is very organic. It is also very versatile in a LP as it can do the Thin Lizzy rock, but is perhaps also the best choice for Dimebag Darrel sounds. My main concern here is the agressive top end. Depending on perception it could border on shrill, though with a dark LP that should not happen.
All in all it is also a great in between option.
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Do not know if you have ordered anything yet, but I contacted BKP and they can indeed make the Mississippi Queen in regular P90 shape! So your options are wide open :smiley:
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Just an update: I did get Ben to make me an MQ set in P90 size. Will be getting it sometime this week, hopefully ^^
I'm gonna wait a while to update the LP, so the RY and CS aren't out of the equation completely - I do need a bit more research on them :D
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Just keep the updates coming please.
Based on your reaction to the MQ we can also possibly narrow down the recommendation for the LP.
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I will. I have a couple of tech-related questions for the P90 too, but I probably ask those in the right board :D
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Update:
So I got my MQ in the Doublecut, and I love them. They are noticeably different than the AM, which is a good thing.
Made a video of me noodling around with the 2 pickups (mainly to show my bf that my guitars don't sound the same so he would shush) https://youtu.be/DcapdArTlpE
I honestly love both PUPs. The AM (which is supposedly more dark) benefits greatly from the longer scale & basswood body of my black guitar. The MQ (supposed to be a brighter pickup) sounded "tamer" yet still sweet in the doublecut thanks to the short scale & mahogany body. I personally love how the different guitars slightly enhance the pickups.
Now that I have 2 VERY good sets of pickups, the Classic 57's in my LP sound like absolute cr@p. Thin, harsh high end and muddy low end.
Now that you know how I really feel about the 57, perhaps you'll have a better idea of what to suggest. I'm leaning more towards the CS than the RY actually, but if it's between the CS and the NB I would probably pick the A-bomb since the AM is already a ceramic pickup.
How does A-bomb bridge & Nantucket neck sound? Or perhaps Supermassive neck?
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Welcome to the BKP effect I guess. =) Good to hear things working out.
Handful of things: RY vs NB. The RY is somewhat of an underwound NB. This makes the RY a less hot, with a rocking screaming high mid spike, high end of overtones, and a lighter but very tight and punchy low end. Full on early 80s flavor (think RattŽs Round and Round) but able to handle modern metal no problem. Perfect in darker guitar to lighten them up. I always like to say a classic tone faithfully brought to modern times. The NB by comparison is more nasty, agressive. Full on 90s metal. If you listen the inspiring album you know what it was set out to do. More bottom end and hotter, yet can be dialed down too. Great choice for 90s and 00s metal and hard rock styles. Biggest complaint is the highend often being described as hairy. I recon this is often a clash with the amp.
Just as a curveball, if you are considering the NB, maybe look at the Stockholm. Not unsimilar, but the SH is more open, roaring, and plain raw in everything it does.
Either NB or SH pair well with the supermassive neck (tuned down Stockholm, touch brighter, less hot, and a noticable reduction in bass). Nantucket should be able to keep up no issue too, but will obviously have a more classic voicing.
Pairing a NB with a CS neck is also common. If using the Cbomb this is the modern Petrucci combo (classic Petrucci, ca. Awake era, would be HD bridge and AM neck).
The CS and AM have not remotely the same ceramic character. The CS is way more organic to the extend that people said that blind they would probably think alnico. The ceramic here is more used to create the light scoop that sits so well in LPs I recon, which is exact opposite from the middy AM.
Ok, that are my current thoughts. =)