Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: demonofthefall on October 17, 2007, 02:39:47 AM
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Hello there !
I'm looking for new buckers (neck and bridge) and I just discovered the BKPs.
My amp is a Mesa Mark IV (which is already tight and articulate) and my axe is a mahogany Jackson soloist with stock Seymour-Duncan JB/59' combo.
I'm looking for pups with a bit more gain and sustain, perhaps with easier pinch harmonics as well.
I play metal ... think Opeth, Dream Theater, Symphony X, CoB ...
I'm more of a lead player and I prefer Petrucci and Akerfeldt's lead tones but would still like to get something very aggressive for rhythm. I like mids and would shy away from a bucker with too much bass if it's not tight enough. I want to keep the Mark IV's articulate tone and I certainly don't want to lose the cleans !
So ... which BKP should I order ?
Thx
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To me Opeth have vastly different tones from CoB and Symphony X...
So I'd say you'd get a nice mix of that with a Miracle Man bridge. Tightness as harmonics, that's an MM right? Opeth have more vintage-y lead tones, so I'd say a Cold Sweat or Abraxas neck. Everyone loves the CS neck and it does seem to be great for leads. As for the Abraxas neck, I just can't recommend that enough.
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To me Opeth have vastly different tones from CoB and Symphony X...
So I'd say you'd get a nice mix of that with a Miracle Man bridge. Tightness as harmonics, that's an MM right? Opeth have more vintage-y lead tones, so I'd say a Cold Sweat or Abraxas neck. Everyone loves the CS neck and it does seem to be great for leads. As for the Abraxas neck, I just can't recommend that enough.
I think you got me right. I'm looking for a Opetish neck tone and something that would get me close to CoB aggressiveness in the bridge.
Come to think of it, I also do some tapping work à la Michael Romeo on the neck pickup (I don't seek his tone but I want the bucker to be sensible enough to handle the tapping well).
But why a Miracle man over a warpig or painkiller in the bridge ?
I've been through the product descriptions a few times and even though I made some preliminary readings on ceramic vs alnico magnets, I must admit I don't have a clear idea yet ... and there are so many people that seem to dislike ceramic magnets, it's a bit scary ...
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Well, you described the sound you wanted as tight and not scooped. The warpig isn't very tight, but more dark and smooth and certainly with big balls of bass. PK or MM would be more what you're after I think. I wouldn't rule out the Cold Sweat either, but it seems you're going for something more modern.
Oh, and the Abraxas neck is incredible for fast/tapping licks, as well as cleans.
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well... lets see:
cob = miracle man
symphony x = painkiller
dream theater = holy diver
opeth = nailbomb
tight through mesa = miracle man
pinch harmonics = miracle man
aggressive rhythm = painkiller
mids = painkiller
tight = painkiller, miracle man
cleans = holy diver
miracle man 4
painkiller 4
holy diver 2
nailbomb 1
so... miracle man x painkiller :?
miracle man:
focused, tight bass, natural and tasty low mid growl, hot treble end, screaming harmonics
painkiller:
mids, tight bass, more mids, lot of crunch and power, midssss
for a mahogany jackson (i suppose it has a thin body) i'd probably put a painkiller
but i love the miracle man in a les paul
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no-one's suggested the ceramic warpig, yet. I have a miracle man for heavey, downtuned, fast/articulate riffing. I'm almost certain that I'd equally love a ceramic warpig, too. Both will do cleans just fine, and both will bring a giant smile to your face!
Roo
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but i love the miracle man in a les paul
me too i use one myself
and i play bodom and it works perfectly
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Hello there !
I'm looking for new buckers (neck and bridge) and I just discovered the BKPs.
My amp is a Mesa Mark IV (which is already tight and articulate) and my axe is a mahogany Jackson soloist with stock Seymour-Duncan JB/59' combo.
I'm looking for pups with a bit more gain and sustain, perhaps with easier pinch harmonics as well.
I play metal ... think Opeth, Dream Theater, Symphony X, CoB ...
I'm more of a lead player and I prefer Petrucci and Akerfeldt's lead tones but would still like to get something very aggressive for rhythm. I like mids and would shy away from a bucker with too much bass if it's not tight enough. I want to keep the Mark IV's articulate tone and I certainly don't want to lose the cleans !
So ... which BKP should I order ?
Thx
As an owner of a warpig, C-pig, painkiller set and miracle man and previous owner of nailbombs and crawlers, given experience of those bridge pickups I think you should go for.
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The
PAAIIIIIIIINKEEEEEELAAAAAAH!!!!
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^ ^ scratch my advice, MDV knows his stuff! :)
Roo
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Okaaaaay Painkiller then. I still think he'd better suited with a CS or Abraxas neck than a PK set though. It's my impression that we do need more Painkiller clips on this board. :P
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Woahh ... I didn't expect that much love !
Thanks everyone for the advices ...
Looks like it's gonna be Painkellah (b) / Abraxas (n) !
... but it's a close call between the PK and the MM.
Some additional info ... just in case ...
- I usually use D standard tuning (and won't go any lower)
- The Mark IV is already full of mids and isn't as loose as a rectifier
Thanks again.
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Woahh ... I didn't expect that much love !
Thanks everyone for the advices ...
Looks like it's gonna be Painkellah (b) / Abraxas (n) !
... but it's a close call between the PK and the MM.
Some additional info ... just in case ...
- I usually use D standard tuning (and won't go any lower)
- The Mark IV is already full of mids and isn't as loose as a rectifier
Thanks again.
I havent tried the painkiller but i use my miracle man exclusively in D standard if you like i can make some clips when i get home
request a song by bodom - nothing too hard though lol
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I havent tried the painkiller but i use my miracle man exclusively in D standard if you like i can make some clips when i get home
request a song by bodom - nothing too hard though lol
That's very kind !
but no thanks ... I don't think I'll be able to tell from a soundclip ... I mean I'd need 2 clips with same amp and guitar but with different pickups to have a fair comparison ...
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Woahh ... I didn't expect that much love !
Thanks everyone for the advices ...
Looks like it's gonna be Painkellah (b) / Abraxas (n) !
... but it's a close call between the PK and the MM.
Some additional info ... just in case ...
- I usually use D standard tuning (and won't go any lower)
- The Mark IV is already full of mids and isn't as loose as a rectifier
Thanks again.
A few more things.
OK I like mids ... but it doesn't mean I want to drown in them. I'm wondering if PK + MKIV will be too much ... I want some bass to remain in there too. I'm not after an old school tone ...
What about leads ? I won't use the neck bucker for all of them ... Is the MM more suited for them ? Does it have more sustain than the BK ?
Covered or open. Does it affect tone ?
I heard Jon Schaffer now uses BKP. Anyone knows which ? He has a helluva live tone ...
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Woahh ... I didn't expect that much love !
Thanks everyone for the advices ...
Looks like it's gonna be Painkellah (b) / Abraxas (n) !
... but it's a close call between the PK and the MM.
Some additional info ... just in case ...
- I usually use D standard tuning (and won't go any lower)
- The Mark IV is already full of mids and isn't as loose as a rectifier
Thanks again.
A few more things.
OK I like mids ... but it doesn't mean I want to drown in them. I'm wondering if PK + MKIV will be too much ... I want some bass to remain in there too. I'm not after an old school tone ...
What about leads ? I won't use the neck bucker for all of them ... Is the MM more suited for them ? Does it have more sustain than the BK ?
Covered or open. Does it affect tone ?
I heard Jon Schaffer now uses BKP. Anyone knows which ? He has a helluva live tone ...
I don't have any experience with BKPs but MKIV's I've put quite a few hours in. As adjustable they are, especially with the graphic EQ controls, no matter what pickups you select, I believe you should be able to work up the most desired tone in your eyes with a MKIV.
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So I exchanged a few mails with Tim.
He mentionned the ceramic WP as an interesting alternative to the PK (over the MM which is too smooth on mids).
Now how would I know I want a ceramic WP ?
Right now, I'm scared that the PK will be too much mids and that the WP will be too much bass ... but I tend to worry too much :P
So here are a few questions to help me choose ...
- Which one has easier pinch / natural harmonics ?
- gain : does more power for the WP means it will push my MKIV harder and give it a bit more gain ? Is it significantly noisier ?
- sustain : which one has more ?
- lead : which one sounds "fuller" and perhaps less compressed ?
- tightness : I guess the PK is tighter so it starts with an advantage here ... but how far behind is the c-pig ?
... and BTW, I know there is an EQ on the MKIV ... it's just that I prefer to use it as a solo boost ...
Thanks again !
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I'd have thought the ceramic warpig was at least as tight as the painkiller...
I mean, that thing is a beast, is it not?!!
Roo
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OK let's put it simply.
My Mark IV is tight and full of mids. I want a humbucker that will push it hard to add some aggressiveness to my tone. I'm not after "teh brewtuhlz death metal" tone which is often too bassy and compressed for my taste. But I want significantly more bite than what the JB can pull, and I want it tight.
PK or c-Pig ?
And now the neck : warm, build for shred and with a hint of vintage tone. Again, not too bassy. I want nice cleans too.
Abraxas, Cold Sweat or Nailbomb ?
I'm tired of not being able to make up my mind.
I want to order some soon ...
Thx
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And Painkiller/Abraxas WILL get what you're after. Plus it seems like a pretty unique combo. That's something to boast about. :)
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And Painkiller/Abraxas WILL get what you're after. Plus it seems like a pretty unique combo. That's something to boast about. :)
How can you be so confident about the PK ?
And there's something about "never before seen combos" that does not comfort me very much. People seem to prefer the neck CS for shred, right ? There must be some reason for it. I don't want the neck and bridge to be worlds apart ...
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Alright, get the CS neck then. We only give suggestions here, not rules and guidelines. Email Tim.
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Alright, get the CS neck then. We only give suggestions here, not rules and guidelines. Email Tim.
I'm here for your suggestions. I sincerely did not meant to be rude. Apologies if I did ... blame it on English not being my first language.
I emailed Tim a few times. The guy is obviously busy and I don't want to take advantage of his kindness to answer every questions.
AB is probably awesome. But I'd like to know what peoples think of the CS and the NB based on the criteria I listed.
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Alright mate. I didn't think you sounded rude, btw.
Tim will answer, there's just a bunch he needs to answer first. You can expect there to be a few days.
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Alright mate. I didn't think you sounded rude, btw.
Tim will answer, there's just a bunch he needs to answer first. You can expect there to be a few days.
He answered all the questions I asked him. I just thought I had used enough of his time and came back here for additional infos.