Talk to me about Warpigs

[Fikealox]

Hey guys,

Sorry for asking this again, but I'm getting more and more into metal, and my current pickups aren't cutting it. I recently got a Nailbomb set for my SG (chickening out of getting a Warpig set), and while they do sound alright for the blues/rock I had been playing, they're lacking the "cut" and articulation that I need for metal leads, and the rhythm tones are too round and lacking grind - in short, they're "rock" not "metal".

My ultimate rhythm tones are those on Evergrey's album Torn (especially the intro to "These Scars") or those in Nevermore's "The River Dragon Has Come", and my ultimate lead tones are basically any of the leads on Dream Evil's Dragonslayer. I realise it may be a big call to get those tones from one set of pickups, but the more important part of the equation is the rhythm - as my Viper has a Blackout set that can cover the leads.

Naturally, I got thinking about Warpigs, but I'm not 100% certain they fit the bill, and I'm not sure whether I need A-Pigs or C-Pigs. What do you think? How would you describe the difference between the two? Are there other BKPs that I should be looking at?

Thanks in advance.
-Liam

[Simon D]

Hi

Had a listen to couple of the Evergrey tracks on Youtube, including the one you mentioned, and I'm very familar with the Nevermore stuff. This is pretty much where the Warpig lives in my view. I've had a set of A-Pigs for a good few years now, now to be found in the guitar in this thread http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=16420.0 .  They will give you that Evergrey grind brilliantly, although for the Loomis stuff you might be better off with the ceramics - hopefully a C-Pig user can advise.

As for those leads, I'm not sure the pigs are quite what you're looking for - the sound on those was not quite as bassy as the pigs can be - I believe the lead player from Dream Evil is using EMGs of some sort.

Hope this helps.

[DimeZakk]

I just ordered a set of Warpigs (Alnico) for my ESP Viper and I think they will work great for evergrey but I am not sure about the Nevermore stuff but I guess it'll do that too.

My closest call for Nevermore rythm and Dream Evil lead would be the miracle man set though!(which I also ordered for my Flying V^^)

[Fikealox]

Awesome, thanks guys :D I've decided this guitar'll be primarily a rhythm guitar, so I'm not super worried about getting the lead tones from it. I'm still tossing up between A-Pigs and C-Pigs, but leaning toward the latter. I'm worried that the A-Pigs would sound a bit muddy in the mahogany (especially since the guitar is a bit light-on in treble as it is).

Do C-Pigs have a lot more treble and cut than Nailbombs? My friend is trying to convince me to get a Dimebucker or Distortions... save me! Haha  :lol:

[Twaddlefish]

On Dragonslayer Gus G uses an ESP loaded with EMG 60/81. That's all I know.

[reguv760]

Do C-Pigs have a lot more treble and cut than Nailbombs? My friend is trying to convince me to get a Dimebucker or Distortions... save me! Haha  :lol:

Do yourself a favor and get a C-pig... it'll make a believer out of your friend...
My C-pig on my Ibanez S540 has convinced a couple of my "metalhead" guitar friends who are EMG fans... i'm pushing one of my friend's to get a C-pig or a Painkiller to upgrade from his Invaders haha...
I don't have a nailbomb but I can assure you that the C-pig definitely has "cut" but it's also much growlier/meaner sounding while harmonics jump.

Reg

[ericsabbath]

I'm getting more and more into metal, and my current pickups aren't cutting it. I recently got a Nailbomb set for my SG (chickening out of getting a Warpig set), and while they do sound alright for the blues/rock I had been playing, they're lacking the "cut" and articulation that I need for metal leads, and the rhythm tones are too round and lacking grind - in short, they're "rock" not "metal".

that's exactly how I felt about the Holy Diver in my Gibson SG Faded
not the pickups fault, they just don't match SGs, like Tim adverted
it cutted really really well in my two les paul copies (one had exactly the same mahogany species/grain/texture/tone/resonance of the Gibson SG but with a brazilian imbuya top, which is a very dark/smooth sounding wood, while the japanese made one probably has indian, maybe african mahogany and maple top)
I always thought that it would be the perfect match to make an SG sound thick like a Les Paul, but it sounded weak, too dark and clean, not loud enough and a bit dead for metal rhytms
an alnico 8 magnet solved those problems (sounds tighter, brighter, louder and more powerful now), but took part of the Holy Diver depth and smoothness
I'm thinking of trying a Warpig or a Cold Sweat