VHII vs. Black Dog

[GoDrex]

For those with experience... how would you describe the difference between these two? I'm thinking of maybe pickup up one or the other but I can't decide.

[FernandoDuarte]

Never played with any of them, but from what I remember reading the reports they've quite the opposite, VHII being on treble and bright side and Black Dog being more "Dark", but I can be wrong on my memory

[Twinfan]

In my experience, the VHII is quite single-coil like - bright, open.

The BD is thicker and hotter with more midrange.

[JMP2203]

is the Black Dog made of 42 gauge vintage plain enamel like the VHII?

[IntenseJim]

I played both VHII and BD in a Les Paul albeit only the VHII for a short time.

The BD is a bit hotter and more compressed especially with overdriven power chords and the low strings. The upper end still sings like the VHII for solos but to reiterate,  the BD is more compressed and powerful for low notes and chugging 5ths; it's a bit darker.


VHII sounds more open and a bit rawer. I like to think of the tone of Van Halen's  "Little Guitars" as a good example. The VHII pickup sound a bit brighter and less compressed than the VHII album but you know that had compression and EQ in the final mix.

My opinion of course.....

[LP_LOVER]

I own a LP Studio with Black Dogs. They're thick, meaty, bluesy; with bite.