Pickups for old 80s Maple Kramer Baretta II

[metalmaniac93]

While I really like the overall vibe of the Rebel Yell for this guitar, I think I need something that is not so tinny/thin on the treble strings especialy when playing leads.  I do not mind bright, I just do not want bright thin and tinny.   I want more of the old George Lynch tone to Randy Rhoads to some 80s thrash like the obvious big bands and Testament.  I have read that the MM will comes close to George's old tone as far as pickups go especially in an all maple guitar like the Kramer (well I think it is maple or could it be a heavier Poplar and this is basically an ESP since they made some of the Kramer bodies and necks and the Kramer Baretta II body is similar to George's Kamikaze guitar)?    Other recommendations on this forum have been the C-bomb and the CS?  So, it appear ceramics are the way to go.  I do like the Duncan Distortion and thought about putting it in the Kramer to save some money, but I would hate to do that when I can get much better pickups from BKP.   I asked Tim and a few others, what would be an alternative A5 pickup other than the HD and I was recommended the A-bomb since it is supposed ot be close to the RY in overall vibe (hotter  RY).  Well I do not know if that would be the right pickup for this guitar.  Playing right know through an Engl Savage 120, but eventually will have a Cameron CCV-100 in a month or so with a different cab.    This is not my main guitar but I want to use it now and then since it plays great!!!

[Alex]

First of all, a tinny/thin sound on the treble things is the fault of the guitar, not the pickup. I'm speaking from experience here. That means that many pickups will sound the same as the Rebel Yell, and I can tell you for sure that the Miracle Man will also sound "thin" on the treble strings, because that is the guitars natural voice. There is nothing that would make me believe the Cold Sweat would fare any better.

All is not lost though, in my search I found that the Alnicos Nailbomb's "rich, throaty mid range and warm highs", to quote the BKP homepage, help with this problem and fatten up the treble end nicely.

In my years as guitar player I found that quite a lot of guitars suffer from this problem - thin-sounding treble strings - but many players don't notice, because they downtune and put heavier strings on. That might be the most simple solution yet: put heavier treble strings on the guitar or tune down a half-step.

[metalmaniac93]

Yes, I do agree that it is the guitar, but I had a couple of pickups in this guitar over the years and found some pickups did sound like this and some did not, but I did recently have a MCP Detroiter in there and it was very bright, but was thicker on the treble strings and before that a Fralin PAF (ALNICO IV) wound to around 9.5K ,which tamed the brightness, but you lose the bass tightness.  I might try the A-bomb.  I heard it was a great pickup.   I do not down tune for this guitar.   A 1/2 step at times.

[richard]

I found the RYs a bit thin on the top strings when I first got them but, after a lot of adjusting, they now sound FAT FAT FAT. Get your screwdriver out.

[metalmaniac93]

I found the RYs a bit thin on the top strings when I first got them but, after a lot of adjusting, they now sound FAT FAT FAT. Get your screwdriver out.

Yeah, I tried that and I could not get rid of the thinness on the E and B strings unless I significantly lower the treble side, which messes with the tone of the in between strings.  I will just change it out with something else like a A-bomb or search for something else. 

[Zaned]

Actually, I might still go for a Miracle man in this case. I haven't heard your guitar nor clips from it, but I suspect that it is the aggressive upper mids of the RY combined with the often very forward sounding mids of maple that make your treble strings sound the way they do. RY is not a very bottom heavy pickup either.

Miracle man has a thick bottom and low mids. Maple bodys brightness is often more about aggressive mids and upper mids.

Jonathan of Feline guitars is a big fan and Miracle man + maple body, if I remember correctly. He might chime in :) Actually, I think there have been clips of MM + Maple somewhere on this forum.

-Zaned

[FELINEGUITARS]

Go Miracle Man for Dokken era Lynch
I swapped from Duncan Distortions to Miracle Man as it sounded better - especially for Under Lock and Key era stuff
One thing to try is also getting a change of sustain block on the floyd= big improvement

I went for a cold rolled steel block and it beefed up the tone a lot - 'almost' sounded like a non floyd guitar

Dont know where you are - but Floyd upgrades are good if you are stateside

[metalmaniac93]

Go Miracle Man for Dokken era Lynch
I swapped from Duncan Distortions to Miracle Man as it sounded better - especially for Under Lock and Key era stuff
One thing to try is also getting a change of sustain block on the floyd= big improvement

I went for a cold rolled steel block and it beefed up the tone a lot - 'almost' sounded like a non floyd guitar

Dont know where you are - but Floyd upgrades are good if you are stateside

Thanks!!! I was hoping you were going to comment.  I am stateside and I thought about changing out the sustain block.   Where did you get your sustain block and what brand?  Yeah, I am very interested in the MM.

[gwEm]

Miracle Man will be good.

Regarding the Holy Diver, if you fitted that you'll probably find it will do something very similar to the Rebel Yell, but with the lower frequencies filled out - less tinny.

[FELINEGUITARS]

I had mine made by an engineering company I occasionally get stuff done by.