Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: March on August 04, 2005, 12:42:06 PM

Title: Nailbomb or Crawlers?
Post by: March on August 04, 2005, 12:42:06 PM

Right, I think I am going to BKP the Les Paul and the PRS Custom 22 in one fell swoop. The Gibbo is decided - I am going for the Abraxas IV for that one.

But the PRS will be a little more interesting - after reading up on both these pickups I am certain one or the other is in the running. What I am after is a pickup that sounds great clean and overdriven, that will work with the PRS 5 way rotary and the settings it provides. What I like about the Dragon II is the top end response, but the bass response under heavy gain is next to non existent! I like the way that the Dragon II's allow for a lot of variation via the tone control, so I would like to retain this.

I am not a metal player but play a wide range of styles, mainly blues, classic rock and modern instrumental ala Satch/Vai/Lane/Timmons so would like a pickup that can give me the saturated lead tone that these guys favour.

Here is a link to the pic of the guitar in question...

http://community.webshots.com/photo/332830655/371854563qgktav

I guess what I am asking is - which of these two sounds like a fuller, more musical version of the Dragon II?

Title: Nailbomb or Crawlers?
Post by: HJM on August 04, 2005, 12:56:33 PM

I'd go with the Crawlers, they've got some of the Dragon mid going on

Title: Nailbomb or Crawlers?
Post by: steve on August 04, 2005, 01:09:33 PM

I would agree with HJM,i think the crawlers are the most natural sounding high gain pickups of the two.The Nailbomb is not as smooth(to my ears) and is more over the top.

Title: Nailbomb or Crawlers?
Post by: Bird on August 04, 2005, 03:09:40 PM

+1 for Crawlers  :D

Title: Nailbomb or Crawlers?
Post by: Ratrod on August 04, 2005, 06:40:39 PM

March, you just described the sound of my Yamaha SG. Go for the Crawlers.

Title: Nailbomb or Crawlers?
Post by: PhilKing on August 04, 2005, 07:14:37 PM

The Dragon's are ceramic in the bridge and alnico in the neck, just like the Miracle Man set!  I am putting the calibrated MM set into a Warmoth PRS clone.  I would think about these too (sorry  :? )

Also, even though you don't mention these either, I would say that the VHII's give a great split sound on the PRS, as well as being no slouches in the tone stakes anyway.

The Crawlers are also great and split well (though I am using P-90's with a Crawler).  The Nailbomb is brighter and punchier but I think the crawler cleans up better.

I have finally worked out how to get some sounds up.  I forgot that I had a Johnson J-Station.  It doesn't really give the true valve amp sound, but I can do some clean stuff through the Twin setting, and use the Marshall setting for some crunchy and lead stuff.  I will record some things tomorrow with this and let you hear the VHII's on the PRS.  The MM set is in a container somewhere in the Atlantic ocean  :evil:

Title: Nailbomb or Crawlers?
Post by: Tim on August 04, 2005, 07:17:40 PM

I'm for the Crawlers on this one, we can easliy do the magnet reversal so the 5 way rotary works too.Also I suggest a 52mm bridge .For some reason PRS always supply a 50mm bridge pickup when the spacing of their trem dictates a 52mm.

Well worth considering is a Mule set.I've personally fitted several to PRS and always loved the results.Very full, mature tone, more than enough power IMHO and extremely balanced too.It'll take you in other directions with your playing too :wink:

Title: Nailbomb or Crawlers?
Post by: March on August 05, 2005, 03:21:56 PM

Thanks folks, I've gone with the Crawlers as recommended.

Oh... and the Abraxas for the LP.