Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: HTH AMPS on March 23, 2007, 09:02:08 PM
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ok, I got instant GAS when I saw a Korina Epi Explorer today for £250 - it plays really nice too. the pickups are total shitee though, so now it's time to decide what BKPs to put in there.
I want to be able to cover most rock through to metal (more on the 'rock' side though). For comparison sake I have a Crawler in my Les Paul and am happy with that.
Suggestions? (I'm ruling out a Miracle Man as I thought it was a bit too sharp and midrange-light for my tastes). Warpig is out too as it's not really versatile (imo) and cleans are virtually impossible.
Holy Diver? Rebel Yell?
:twisted:
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I'd say a rebel yell over a holydiver, which i think would sound far too thick in such a big guitar. congrats BTW. Always great getting a new guitar.
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More on the rock side ... Cold Sweat or VHII, I should say.
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the Holy Diver description sounds like what I was TRYING to say...
"The Holydiver humbucker uses an Alnico V magnet for defined, powerful attack and classic hot rock tone. Individually scatterwound coils produce a fat midrange capable of grinding overdrive whilst retaining transparent highs and a punchy clean tone"
also, I should have said that I'm not a fan of ceramic pickups - all the pickups I've liked have been A5 so I think it's sensible to stay with alnico.
I'l most likely stay with the gold cover too so it matches everything on the guitar - I actually like the vintage Explorer look.
:twisted:
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I've been tempted by a Korina Epi Explorer or V in the past, so it's good to hear someone's taken a punt on one. Won't help my GAS though :lol:
With the korina being a bit lighter than mahogany, it depends how thick a tone you're after. I'd be tempted to go with a pair of VH2s for that bright and punchy sound. I think Rebel Yells will be too bright.
HDs might give it a slightly thicker sound, more traditional?
Pimped Epis (if you find a good one) make superb value for money guitars. I absolutely LOVE my upgraded SG and can't justify spending £1200+ on a '61 reissue Gibson that'll need fret tidying, new pickups etc and also I can't be bothered with the hassle of finding a 'good one' in the first place!
Cheap guitars rule :D
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Twinfan, I'm thinking HD's too for a traditional PAF tonality (that thick snarly midrange) but with a modern edge and more output that will handle lots of gain when called upon while souning good with a plexi.
Asking alot? - I always do (heh)
:twisted:
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ouch £250 for an epiphone, some dude on here in the ermm selling section afew days ago was selling a gibson v with gator hard case and a boss ds-1 for £400 now thats a deal....
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ouch £250 for an epiphone, some dude on here in the ermm selling section afew days ago was selling a gibson v with gator hard case and a boss ds-1 for £400 now thats a deal....
yep, £400 for a Gibbo Vee IS a good deal (unless it was one of those faded 'things', urgh)
to be honest, I judge guitars on a 'per unit' basis - this Epi just play nice and I like the way the Explorer shape hangs on a guitar strap. my Tele is a MIM one and probably not considered one of the more desireable models but it just 'rings'. fwiw, I've played some Gibsons that were total dogs - had to play quite a few before I bought my standard.
:twisted:
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+1 on TOs reco ... a VHII would give you all of that, plus if you add a coil tap you can do all the funk and spank you like ...
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<----
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I'd be tempted to go VHII, for that sliced and diced korina Ibanez Women and Children First type tone.
Just don't get the drill and saw out to cut it to pieces.
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at 9k I think the VHII is too much of a hot-PAF type tone and the Crawler already does that (but hotter I'd imagine). I'm looking for something slightly more progressive than the Crawler, still A5 and a good all rounder.
something that could be pushed into service for a good 70s rock tone with a plexi but not lose steam when it comes to playing some metal through a 2203.
I'm phoning Tim to see what he suggests and will order this afternoon.
:twisted:
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Why not a Nailbomb?
I imagine HD would sound VERY thick in that guitar. That's not necessarily a bad thing: HD in my Korina strat (Yeah, OK it's a bolt-on maple neck) is like molasses - I love it :twisted: HD in a Les Paul is almost too much - sounds massive but needs a little more treble dialling in when changing from other guitars.
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a Nailbomb might do the trick but I've heard they a bit light in the bass and quite trebley - not my kind of thing. I like alot of weight to my tone.
:twisted:
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You'd better start using Laney Klipps then mate :twisted:
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a Nailbomb might do the trick but I've heard they a bit light in the bass and quite trebley - not my kind of thing. I like alot of weight to my tone.
:twisted:
I would say Nailbomb, because it is a great all rounder. (HD is suppose to be a good one too, but I haven't played it.)
The nailbomb is not light in the bass. In my mahogany guitar it is pretty thick.
For me the treble knob changes the most, over 12oclock is a more metal sound, and below that is a more rock sound. And the clean is excellent.
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At the minute it sounds like a toss up between a Holy Diver and Nailbomb. I'll talk to Tim during the week (seems they were shut this afternoon) and see what he recommends. Decided I'll get a matched set too rather than just the bridge p/up.
As for Laney Klipp amps Twinfan, I'm already a Laney Supergroup user (I'm in the club, heh)
:twisted:
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Not that you want a Warpig, but in my Explorer I have a Warpig/Mississippi Queen set. With a series/parallel push/pull pot for the warpig, I can get clean tones out of it and with the MQ it creates some outrageous sounds.
If you are really going for 70's with metal too, what about the Cold Sweat set? It is based on the John Sykes Thin Lizzy tones but TO gets some great Iron Maiden sounds from it.
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Not that you want a Warpig, but in my Explorer I have a Warpig/Mississippi Queen set. With a series/parallel push/pull pot for the warpig, I can get clean tones out of it and with the MQ it creates some outrageous sounds.
If you are really going for 70's with metal too, what about the Cold Sweat set? It is based on the John Sykes Thin Lizzy tones but TO gets some great Iron Maiden sounds from it.
I love Maiden's tone on Live After Death - thats all Super Distortions right? I'm not convinced by the Cold Sweat, I'm sure it works for some but ceramic magnet 'buckers always sound empty in the mids to my ears. All the pickups I've liked the most have been have been A5 so I'm limiting myself to BKPs with that magnet unless Tim gives me good reasons to change my mind.
I'm off to get a fret dress on the Explorer today - a bit sharp on the hand on the low side of the board (ouch).
:twisted:
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Would a lower out put set like Stormy Mondays, or Riff Raff sound good on a Gibson Explorer?. Does anybody has a vintage set on their X? Would the shape of the guitar and full mahogany body require a higher output set of pickups?, say HD, like it is being discussed here. Thanks HTH for your post.
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Would a lower out put set like Stormy Mondays, or Riff Raff sound good on a Gibson Explorer?. Does anybody has a vintage set on their X? Would the shape of the guitar and full mahogany body require a higher output set of pickups?, say HD, like it is being discussed here. Thanks HTH for your post.
I don't see why a lower output pickup wouldn't sound good since Gibson originally fitted PAFs in the Explorer.
I actually found a gold covered Duncan '59 neck pickup for next to nowt (£25) so that's going in the neck.
I wouldn't use anything but a BKP in the bridge though - HD is what I'll most likely go with.
:twisted:
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spoke to one of the lads at BKP today (not sure who), they reckoned the HD would be too bassy in the Explorer.
the two pickups they suggested were the VHII and Nailbomb. Being that I want a hotter pickup I've gone for a Nailbomb with gold covers.
apparently the NB has more chunk in the bass end and has slightly less treble than the Crawler. I have a Crawler in my LP and like it alot.
looking forward to cranking this axe at rehearsals on Sunday. picking the guitar up from a local luthier who's dressed the frets for a whopping £20 :D
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Sounds good mate :D
I'm taking my Pearl Les Paul to rehearsal tonight to see how it sounds when cranked :twisted:
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Would a lower out put set like Stormy Mondays, or Riff Raff sound good on a Gibson Explorer?. Does anybody has a vintage set on their X? Would the shape of the guitar and full mahogany body require a higher output set of pickups?, say HD, like it is being discussed here.
I'm wondering about this too. I still have GAS for an Explorer. If I get one, I don't want it to be a bonafide metal axe. I want it to have some serious vintage/classic vibe. But I don't want it to be a pussy either. I have been able to get a good heavy tone out of low output pickups.
Tim used to have Mules in his Feline Explorer but from what I've read/heard this wasn't a mariage made in heaven. I think this is because of the EQ signature.
So wich classic PAF-style pickup would work best with an explorer?
And what if it's made of alder like a Hamer Standard?
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So which classic PAF-style pickup would work best with an explorer?
one of BKP's suggestions to me was a VHII - thats hot-PAF territory at 9k. I wanted something with more poke so I went with the NB.
btw, got my guitar back from the local luthier - it plays 100% better now. fret ends are nice and smooth, plays like buttah!!! :lol:
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I've been thinking a while over this.
Would something like a Riff Raff + Stormy Monday set work?
Or maybe an AV + AIV Stormy Monday set?
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I've been thinking a while over this.
Would something like a Riff Raff + Stormy Monday set work?
Or maybe an AV + AIV Stormy Monday set?
both the Riff Raff and Stormy Monday have been reported as sounding great in SGs. Can't see any reason why they wouldn't work in an Explorer - it's all mahogany too.
:twisted:
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a Nailbomb might do the trick but I've heard they a bit light in the bass and quite trebley - not my kind of thing. I like alot of weight to my tone.
:twisted:
Hails Man,Mine doens“t Soudn That way AT ALL
the bass is kinda Pumping the amp hard,in a bad way.. i “m even thinking i have a nailbomb neck,instead of the bridge version
:/
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Hails Man,Mine doens“t Soudn That way AT ALL
the bass is kinda Pumping the amp hard,in a bad way..
Do you use heavy strings? If you do, that could be the reason why the NB sounds that way.
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Yah
I“m using 0.12 standard in the D standard tuning