Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: Donatello on May 15, 2006, 01:03:24 PM
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Hi everyone,
1 year ago I ordered a Crawler-set to my Les Paul and they sound super!
Now it´s time to upgrade my Ibanez JEM 555 (DiMarzio Evolution) and since Im so satisfied with my Crawlers in my LesPaul my first thought went to those, but when I search on the forum many recomend Nailbomb in Ibanez guitars.
1. Is Nailbomb a better combination to the Jem compared to the Crawlers (right pickup in the right guitar, right?)
2. Can somebody describe the tonal differences between the two?
3. Any other suggestions? (Im into TonyMcAlpine, George Lynch stuff, still want a good clean tone)
Cheers
/ Daniel
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I guess my question for you is: what DON'T you like about the Evolution?
If you want something with similar output and response, but just better sound, I would recommend the Miracle Man.
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The Evolutions are Ok picups but I found them a little bit to "cold" and "hard/ice-peaky" I want a warmer and fatter tone but still be able to bite and scream.
With my LesPaul I swiched from Gibson 500T and 496R to the Crawlers on similar resons and got more than satisfied.
I´m not shure but I´m a little sceptical to cheramic magnets, little bit to sterile and cold?
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I think the Rebel Yell might be just what you're looking for!
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Or the Holydiver, or the Nailbomb. The Nailbomb, would suit almost any genre. And still it has a decent/good clean (depends on what you compare it with).
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TwilightOdyssey:
Thats exactly what Tim suggested yesterday!
He sent me some clips that sounded good.
Can you compare it to the others, there are no info on the website about the rebell yell.
I also like the Nailbomb demo very much so I think I´m choosing between those two.
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ceramic cold sterile? Never understood that to me they sound smoother, i think nb or ry wud be fine
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TwilightOdyssey:
Thats exactly what Tim suggested yesterday!
He sent me some clips that sounded good.
Can you compare it to the others, there are no info on the website about the rebell yell.
I also like the Nailbomb demo very much so I think I´m choosing between those two.
Good deal, Donatello!
The Rebel Yell and the Nailbomb share similar high frequency detail and articulation, but the Rebel Yell has way more midrange slam and more harmonic overones. The Rebel Yell simply sounds B I I I G!!
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(I also have a mailconversation with Tim, so I post his comments here as well, if there are other who are intrerested)
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Nailbomb DC 15.9K alnico V
Crawler DC15.4K Alnico V
Rebel Yell DC14.5K Alnico V
The Nailbomb has the most gain and strongest mid, the Crawler sounds the
fatest with plenty of bass and low mid, the Rebel Yell is bright and
aggressive with great cut.
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Arrgh..! This is just getting more and more difficult... (there should be just one PU to choose ;-)
Here are my thoughts...
My LesPaul/Crawlers sounds great, maby I want a little more "bite" in this guitar (I think I will play more "shred"-style on the Jem and well.. "Rock/hardrock" on my LesPaul?) advantage=Nailbomb...
The Rebell Yell might not be strong enought though it is weaker than the Crawlers?
Bright and with great cut? that sounds like a description of my DiMarzio Evolution? disadvantage=Rebel Yell
But the soundclips are great and Tim´s (Is he ever wrong?) recomendation (and yours of course) advantge=Rebel Yell
The Nailbomb are supposed to have the strongest mid, but listening to the clips I found them othervise then the other two? =disadvantage Nailbomb (just recording differences, or?) The Crawler clip sound pretty much what I´ve got.
Come on guy´s... Help me out here :?
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Do you want help, or do you want someone to make up your mind for you?
Based off of what you've said, get the Rebel Yell!
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Sorry about that, I was trying to make a joke... :oops:
I´ve spent hours by listening to clips (lately the Nailbomb) and no one really hits the spot like when I lissened to the Crawler clip the first time, so I guess Im not going for the Nailbomb.
The Rebel Yell is definitive interesting.
Maby I could get Tim to make it a little bit more powerful?
Thanks for all input.
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Don't worry about the RY power. I owned a NB and now a RY and did not see so much change in output (a bit less than NB, it's true, but not so much). The RY's tone is big.
And it did sound like an Evolution AT ALL! (I owned one too a few years ago)
PS: what Crawler clip did you talk about?
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I think the Rebel Yell might be just what you're looking for!
I'm putting that in my Les Paul, but I wouldn't put it in a Jem. Normally I tell people with Jems who don't like the Evolutions to get a Tone Zone and PAF Pro and they're usually happy with that. Evos are a black and white pickup in the sense that either you absolutely love them (like me) or you absolutely hate them. The Evolutions are the only ceramics that I actually like. The rest of them are a lot of mud... sounds like you have an army of people who eat way to many beans in the room whenever you play!
I'd think possibly a Cold Sweat but more likely Nailbomb for the bridge and a Riff Raf or Black Dog or something quieter for the neck.... or a set of Crawlers.
And I would be more concerned with balancing the pickups with each other than the amount of output power. Between todays amps that do not require power, and various input boosts, it's not really an issue anymore as long as whatever you have sounds good!
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Ced777:
Thank´s for the input!
The Crawler clip I am talking about did Tim send me but I think its the same on the Crawler product page (Geoff Whitehorn). When I first heard it, it was like "yeah, thats what Im lookin for" And when I got the PU they actually sounded like the clip (the caracter) so I was very pleased.
So... thats why I´m so interested in the Rebel Yell, the clips sounds very good and I hope its a hint just like the Crawler clip.
Can you do compare the Evolution vs Rebel Yell, and also the Rebel Yell vs Crawler (listen to the clip)? I would apreciate it.
I like the Crawlers and could go the easyway and order them again, but why not try someting different? (but not too different) don´t wanna change the eq everytime I´m switching the guitar. I´m looking for a Crawler kind of tone, but maby a little more agressive and bite.
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fps_dean:
Before I thought of BKP I was heading for a set of DiMarzio Breed which I think is almost the same as ToneZone (TZ doesn´t have a neck version but Breed does) your suggestion TZ+PF Pro sounds like a good advise if you are heading for DiMarzios.
I don´t hate Evolutions and I don´t love them neither, they are a little bit too special sounding and little bit too "sterile"? I could stay with them etc but I want the guitar to have the best sound I could get from it, like my LesPaul who really came alive with the Crawlers.
Question: Why shouldn´t you put a Rebel Yell in a JEM? Can you develop that statement?
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In my (personal) opinion, DM Evo are have a very modern, ice-pick trebly and cold tone. I owned them a long time ago, in a different setup... The only thing I was loving about them was the incredible pinch harmonics I can get with them. Anyway, a direct comparison with RY would be difficult.
I would say the RY are more organic, less modern, cutting tone without being harsh. Less "extreme", more versatile.
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fps_dean:
Before I thought of BKP I was heading for a set of DiMarzio Breed which I think is almost the same as ToneZone (TZ doesn´t have a neck version but Breed does) your suggestion TZ+PF Pro sounds like a good advise if you are heading for DiMarzios.
I don´t hate Evolutions and I don´t love them neither, they are a little bit too special sounding and little bit too "sterile"? I could stay with them etc but I want the guitar to have the best sound I could get from it, like my LesPaul who really came alive with the Crawlers.
Question: Why shouldn´t you put a Rebel Yell in a JEM? Can you develop that statement?
The reason I would not recommend the Revel Yell in a jem is because the wood is alder in a 7vwh and basswood in the rest of them. I imagine they would be a bit too bright for the guitar.
You have the same dislikes about the Evolutions as many people do. They don't sound mean enough typically. They want a precise tone curve which seems to be best with JCM 800-900 or older hotrodded Marshalls and they'll sound great but if I didn't use Marshalls, I'd get rid of them too. For me I can get a great, sort of Vai-ish lead tone if I really work but I usually get more of an Iron Maiden-like sound.
You are 100% correct that Breeds are similiar sounding to TZ-PAF Pro as well. I just mentioned the TZ-PAF Pro bit because I'm not sure what BKPs to suggest. Most people who don't like the Evolutions get a TZ-PAF Pro or Breeds and that's exactly what they're looking for (and on the flip side, the people with Breeds or TZ-PP who arent too happy with them get Evolutions and are happy).
I would think maybe a Nailbomb in the bridge and a VHII in the neck would be a good bet?
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I would say the RY are more organic, less modern, cutting tone without being harsh. Less "extreme", more versatile.
I'd think they might be a tad bright in a Jem, no?
If anyone does this, post sound clips for me ;)
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They are less bright than Evo, and Evo come stock in JEM. So I think they could do the job, it's a matter of taste.
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fps_dean:
Interesting comments...
I´ve got an Evolution in another Ibanez (540S) aswell, and I must say that they sounds much better in the JEM.
About the amp: I´ve got a modified Laney VH100, and they (JEM+Layney) go along pretty well just like you said evo´s can do.
About the TZ and PafPro: I think you understand my "problem" quite well, and I think they would be a great kombination in the JEM (for my taste). So I think I´m gonna look for a BKP-combo with similar sound.
I´m gonna check out the players forum for the VHII in the neck. (isn´t the VHII almost the same as the crawler neck?)
Other suggestions?
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fps_dean:
Interesting comments...
I´ve got an Evolution in another Ibanez (540S) aswell, and I must say that they sounds much better in the JEM.
About the amp: I´ve got a modified Laney VH100, and they (JEM+Layney) go along pretty well just like you said evo´s can do.
About the TZ and PafPro: I think you understand my "problem" quite well, and I think they would be a great kombination in the JEM (for my taste). So I think I´m gonna look for a BKP-combo with similar sound.
I´m gonna check out the players forum for the VHII in the neck. (isn´t the VHII almost the same as the crawler neck?)
Other suggestions?
Sorry for the delayed response... For BKP I would guess perhaps an Crawler (or possibly Holy Diver if you want even hotter) with a VHII or Riff Raff in the neck would be good. From what I've been hearing they all sound really good so even if you don't get the right pair, it's not that big of a deal. You could try Rebel Yells too but they may end up being brighter than you want.
Being a vintage amp owner, output is important to me. With todays high gain modern amps, output is not all that important anymore but the tone curve of the pickup is (where usually louder pickups will have a tone curve suited towards heavier music).
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They are less bright than Evo, and Evo come stock in JEM. So I think they could do the job, it's a matter of taste.
No way. Evos are cold in comparison, but brightness is what he's trying to get away from here.
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Oh you know what I just realised... this is a Jem 555 (basswood) and not a 7vwh. I've never heard Evolutions in basswood but I do know a lot of people who love Evolutions in Les Pauls and alder dislike Evos in basswood, which is something I want to try now.
What is also an option is you could try a set of Rebel Yells and if you don't like them in the Jem, put the Crawlers in the Jem and the Rebel Yells into the Les Paul (their brightness does complement a Les Paul nicely!).
I'm waiting for a set of RYs for my Les Paul...
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I think I´ve made up my mind...
I think I´m going for a Nailbomb-set! (hope they are "fat" enough)
Why? I think they are a little bit more agressiv than my Crawlers (which I still love) The JEM with its tremelo lacks sustain compared to the Les Paul so I might want a little more power?
Now I want your opinion on the layout :D
My Ibanez JEM 555 is white with white PU´s
Should I go for open WHITE PU´s or covered GOLD, or covered NICKEL?
Graved or not graved?
(I´ll give you an hint what it might would look like with this picture)
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Nickel
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Sorry for the late post in this thread.
I have a Jem 7vwh (alder) with Evolutions and like the tone but find it slightly lacking midrange and bass (only slightly though!).
I bought an Evo for my basswood Charvel which was pretty dark and dead sounding, and it didn't improve much.
I then got a Nailbomb, and I got all the treble I was lacking from the 'dead' guitar, fat midrange and good sustain (though I still think the 24 3/4 scale and schaller FR limit the sustain and high end to some extent)
A Nailbomb would certainly be good in your guitar (I'd go for white coils with black slugs/screws though, gold in a 7vwh).