LTD Alexi-600 w/SD Blackout

[Valisch]

Hello everyone,  this is my first of hopefully many posts to come. 

      Anyway So I've got an LTD Alexi-600 which came with a SD Blackout.  I was kind of excited to try out this supposed 'better than EMG' active. I was severely disappointed.   I've had the guitar awhile and could tolerate the Blackout for awhile but It has got to go.  The guitar plays and feels amazing and I need a pickup that can accentuate its playing even more. The guitar has an Alder body, maple neck, ebony finger board.  It is of course equipped with just a single humbucker.  Its currently set up to play tunings a full step down (open D) and Drop C.  With that guitar I play melodic death-metal like Arch Enemy, Children of Bodom(of course :lol: ),etc  So basically I have 2 questions:


1. What would be the best BKP to play those styles?

2. Since the guitar is already wired for actives(battery) maybe a Lower output Pickup boosted with like am EMG-ABQ? Anyone tried something like this?


Help me choose my first BKP!

[Attica!]

3 come to mind:

Painkiller
Aftermath
Miracle Man

I'd say the Miracle Man as its a great transition from the "Active". I find it very fluid, with a great bottom end. It also sounds a lot better for them Death Metal leads and solos.

Regarding the Aftermath & Painkiller, I really don't like these as they're very dry, and have a lot of mids.

A good way to describe them is (I think I read this on the forum), the Painkiller & Aftermath hit you in the face, but the Miracle Man you feel in the pit of your stomach which is great for them Children Of Bodom riffs/breakdowns. And provides that great cutting lead tone for them Arch Enemy/Bodom melodic leads. When I had an Aftermath, it felt more of a pickup suited to the style of Asking Alexandria, which I love to play, but wasn't worth the £200 spent just to play 1 style that I rarely play. So then came the Miracle Man :)

 Obviously people will have their own opinions, so it's just listening to them all and finding out what suits you.

[Attica!]

Oh and regarding lower output pickups. I wouldn't bother. You're best off with a ceramic magnet for them styles. you could still add the boost though. I'm interested about that as I'm thinking of doing that to my Miracle Man equipped guitar :)

[ericsabbath]

miracle man, c-bomb or a-bomb

what's the amp?

[Valisch]

       I've got an Ibanez TBX150H(was on a small budget when I bought it) which I haven't been able to play in awhile (been stationed/deployed between 4 different countries in less than a year and halfstacks aren't dorm friendly). Getting a good amp is next on my list. Probably going for a like a 5150 combo or similar. It's something I'll figure out when my living situation calms down and stabilizes, but something I'm sure I'll have to do to hear the full effect of any pickup.   

[ericsabbath]

if you're getting a tight and gainy amp like a peavey or engl, you'll be fine with the alnico nailbomb
sounds more organic than the ceramic models and it's still quite tight and edgy
not the "better than EMG" kind of tone, though (well it is, anyway  :lol:)
I like it for Arch Enemy, maybe Soilwork fatter tones
but, for CoB, the miracle man is hard to beat

[Alex]

if you're getting a tight and gainy amp like a peavey or engl, you'll be fine with the alnico nailbomb
sounds more organic than the ceramic models and it's still quite tight and edgy
not the "better than EMG" kind of tone, though (well it is, anyway  :lol:)
I like it for Arch Enemy, maybe Soilwork fatter tones
but, for CoB, the miracle man is hard to beat

Perfect recommendation, it would be between those two for me to. The Miracle Man does the Arch Enemy/COB lead sounds very nicely, the Nailbomb Alnico is more rounded and works better for In Flames lead sounds. But I would go less by the band sounds, but more what you like about guitar sounds, because frankly both should be an improvement over the Blackout.

[Valisch]

Edit: Got a new head  Lee Jackson Metaltronix M-1000. My first step into the tube world :D (I'm pretty sure the amp is older than myself)

I really like the A-bomb suggestion.  Thinking of going with an 'Nailbomb' etched chrome cover.  Wish there was a black nickel color option though to match the hardware of the guitar.

[OddFutureWolfGang]

I'd definitely go with the c-bomb, it does melodic death and metalcore in drop c really well through my peavey valveking mind you.

[Valisch]

Also when ordering would it be better to to got the 4 or 2 wiring when all it would be going through is one Vol control?
Also would i need 1/4 or 1/2 inch legs?

[OddFutureWolfGang]

The 4 or 2 conductor wiring only enables or disables you from having split coil wiring options and for your guitar you'd need 1/4 inch legs.

[Valisch]

That is what i figured. Thanks for confirming it.