Nailbomb or Miracleman?

[fznn]

After listening to an insane amount of sound clips, i have decided that i need bareknuckle pickups in my life.

The guitar i'm planning to put the pickups in is an esp/ltd mh-1000. As for an amp, right now i'm using a 6505. I play mostly high-gain metal and i'm looking for a very tight low end and articulate highs. I've narrowed it down to either a nailbomb or miracleman for the bridge and in the neck im going with a cold sweat.

I was wondering which one is more versatile and better for a modern metal sound.

If i'm not being specific enough, ask me for more info.


Thanks

[waves]

In a nutshell:

More versatile - Nailbomb
Tighter - Miracle Man

They can both do a modern metal sounds very, very well.  Just depends whether you want a more versatile pickup or an all out metal pickup. The nailbomb's cleans are much sweeter, but then again you could just switch to the cold sweat for cleans (which are amazing).

[Raysus]

If you want a versatile sound, I would recommend a Nailbomb with 4 conductor, so you can split the coils and switch to single coil for cleans.(I have one in my Schecter and it's really amazing)

On the other hand, I have heard that the Miracle Man is tighter in the low end and is smooth and more modern than the Nailbomb, so it's pretty much a tradeoff between both.  Still, I find my Nailbomb to be very good for modern metal.

[ericsabbath]

if you're boosting, go nailbomb
alnico sounds better through peavey, imo
and the leads sound thicker and fluid
but, if you're into true "djent" picking tone, go miracle man

[HairyChris]

Unless you've got an amp with a stunning clean channel the MM bridge will sound bad because it's so tight. For high gain razor sharp riffing you can't go wrong with it. Just be careful because it shouts out any flaws in your picking! I've got the MM in a pretty stiff guitar, but the Ltd you've got should be a little more forgiving.

NBs are more organic, 'looser' I suppose, but 'loose' in the context of BKPs isn't really that loose at all.

There are a few people on this site who're ceramic Nailbomb users. I haven't used one of these but they sound a very interesting proposition..!

[Antag]

Isn't "more versatile and better for a modern metal sound" kinda contradictory? ;)  The NB is undoubtedly more versatile than the MM (far better clean tone, can do big rock chords better etc) but that doesn't necessarily mean better for modern metal riffage.

In true BKP-forum style I'm going to suggest something else: PAINKILLER!!

You get the tightness & all the power of the MM but with a more useable clean sound, & tons of mids (more than the NB).

[Transcend]

I tried both the nailbomb & the miracle man in my superstrat.

My findings were

Nailbomb
Was quite dark and not quite tight enough for some serious metal riffage (this is just my finding i know people who have gotten much better sounds) the cleans were really nice and quite open sounding as were the lead sounds but overall this pickup wasnt for me.

Miracle man
This pickup was in the guitar first before the nailbomb and i wasnt 100% sure on it so i replaced it only to change it back. Its a lot tighter and a hell of a lot meaner sounding. The cleans werent as good but were still very useable (i mainly use neck pickups for cleans anyway) the lead sounds were very fluid and legato stuff was a lot easier to pull off.

So i say go with the Miracle Man

[BigK]

Isn't "more versatile and better for a modern metal sound" kinda contradictory? ;)  The NB is undoubtedly more versatile than the MM (far better clean tone, can do big rock chords better etc) but that doesn't necessarily mean better for modern metal riffage.

In true BKP-forum style I'm going to suggest something else: PAINKILLER!!

You get the tightness & all the power of the MM but with a more useable clean sound, & tons of mids (more than the NB).

+1

I think the painkiller is your best bet tight with suprisingly good cleans that can do the modern metal thing perfectly.

[hhcave]

The MMs are great for tight metal riffing but i admit the bridge clean sounds are pretty horrendous... But its fine for me as i never use the bridge for clean sounds... who does? I don't like the 'nasal' and harsh (middy, trebly) sounds you get from it...

[ericsabbath]

The MMs are great for tight metal riffing but i admit the bridge clean sounds are pretty horrendous... But its fine for me as i never use the bridge for clean sounds... who does? I don't like the 'nasal' and harsh (middy, trebly) sounds you get from it...

not middy at all
actually the clean sounds scooped and bassy on the lower strings, scooped and bright as hell on the higher strings
kinda ear piercing on the first strings
but in fact, it doesn't distort
i wouldn't call it "horrendous", just "ceramic"  :lol:
it' a full metal pickup and works better in big bodied mahogany guitars

[kmanick]

I've got a Nailbomb in the bridge of my Carvin 7 and absolutely love it,
but it's a much better lead pickup than rhythm pickup IMO anyway).
I just picked up an Ibanez 7620 7 string yesterday and I've got a Miracle Man on order but I'm thinking "what about the Holydiver" in a 7.

[ibznorange]

ive got a nailbomb 7 as well in the bridge of my RG, and its super versatile. does great hard rock rythms and is really solid for metal as well. No experience with the miracle man though