Pain Killer or War Pig

[jacodeyellow]

Hello All,
This is my first post to this forum.
I would like to hear your opinion on choosing a set of new pickups (Pain Killer or War Pig) for my EVH.
I bought the fender made EVH because of its comfortable neck which I could play some big chords easily on it (I got small hands). But, when I compare my LP classic (with 500T & 496R Ceramic) with it, it just sounds like a kid, no matter dry or clean with the gear I have now. 
I mainly play rock & metal and would need both dry & clean tone. Could you guys shoot me some light on this?? I am more toward to the War Pig but afraid its bass might be too heavy and out play tone clarity. Many thanks for your help in advance. :D

Jaco

[Afghan Dave]

The warpig is a very clear pickup but packs a massive punch.

I love it and really would tell you not to worry about bass vs articulation. It just sounds BIGGER and that seems to be just what you're looking for.

BTW - the clean tone (alnico) is top notch too.

[itamar101]

I find it very hard to believe that you'll need such high output and saturated for rock and metal. It wont even sound good for rock really. Well, it'll sound good but you can certainly do much better for rock.

What sort of metal do you play?

For a fatter, thicker and overall more powerful you might want the Holy Diver. It does all sorts of extremely metal very well and will be much more at home with rock than a painkiller or warpig.

[TheyCallMeVolume]

I think everyone forgets most of their favorite heavy albums were made with low powered pickups. There's that certain tone you get when a low output pickp pushes a gainy amp. I love it! Maybe check out some lower output stuff?

[itamar101]

I think everyone forgets most of their favorite heavy albums were made with low powered pickups. There's that certain tone you get when a low output pickp pushes a gainy amp. I love it! Maybe check out some lower output stuff?

This. You don't need such high output for this music. Ever. You should only get such high output if you actually WANT it over a lower output style pickup for a proper reason regarding different tone. Not because you want to play metal.
Those pickups will probably be overkill for rock too.
The higher output, the less versatile. That is usually the case.

A calibrated Holy Diver set will be very thick and fat sounding and will suit your needs very well and will also be more versatile.

[ericsabbath]

the alnico pig isn't much hotter than a holy diver as the DC resistance might imply
it feels hotter cause it pushes more low end and it's a little more compressed
lot of other brands 14k-16k pickups (including the gibson 500t) feel higher output than a warpig
I don't think a warpig would be overkill (perhaps the ceramic version), unless he mainly wants to play ac/dc, foo fighters or something cleaner

[jacodeyellow]

Hi Guys, Thank you very much for your inputs.

My main goal for changing the pickup is to make
my EVH sound thicker with better bass & hamonic on playing
heavy palm-muting riffs.

Low power pickups are good;but,I need to plug into a high power Amp
and turn to a quite loud sweetspot to get the tone I want. I can only
do that at my friend's studio.  :( With my LP's high output ceramic pickup,
I am able to get the tone I want with my small Amp.

Totally agreed that higher the output, the less versatile
and for sure will check out the Holydiver.

Anyone could comment on Holydiver, Painkiller & Warpig VS Gibson 500T? :D

[TheyCallMeVolume]

I would go HD on this one.

[ericsabbath]

Anyone could comment on Holydiver, Painkiller & Warpig VS Gibson 500T? :D

HD: fluid leads, smooth top, strong but balanced midrange (very centered), no bass bump, great cleans, easy and fat pinch harmonics, great dynamics
PK; even middier, dry, loud, aggressive and peaky upper mids, lots of center and low mids, narrow low end, strong picking attack
warpig: fluid leads, bassy, middy, grindy, bit compressed, still cleans up pretty well with pots
500t: bassy, middy, trebly, fizzy, oversaturated, overcompressed, overly noisy, overly aggressive, poor dynamics

[TheyCallMeVolume]

Well, I know who's getting 500t's soon!