Howdy folks. I registered ages ago and have been keenly reading this forum for some time, but I'm only delurking now to ask the traditional question - "Which BKP do people think will suit my needs?"
I'm in the final stages of finishing off a Warmoth parts guitar that I've been building. It's going to be my main guitar for live playing. It's a Charvel Star replica with a light swamp ash body and a maple neck, Strat-style tremolo and one pickup. My initial intention was to go for a VHII, but recently I've been wondering whether there might not be a better alternative. The band I currently play guitar in is an indie/New Wave band, somewhere in the ballpark of the Cure, Radiohead, New Order, My Bloody Valentine or Cocteau Twins. I play through a Marshall Silver Jubilee 50w head with a 2x12" cabinet and a Roland Bluescube, and I tend to use lashings of delay and reverb with the occasional touch of chorus for clean sounds. So, two questions:
1. Might I be better off going with a more "vintage" pickup like the Mule or maybe even the Stormy Monday, since I need a bridge pickup that can also do a good clean sound some of the time, or does the VHII bridge clean up nicely? I'm not looking for a full, rich jazz sound, obviously; just a clear, bright clean sound that will work with effects.
2. Does anybody think I would be right to try something like a Mississippi Queen in the bridge instead of a HB? There is quite an attraction to the idea of having a P90 sound available, and I already have two other guitars with bridge humbuckers if that kind of sound is necessary.
Incidentally, I know the idea of a shoegazing indie rock guitarist with a pointy, single-humbucker rock axe (reverse Explorer headstock and all) is a little incongruous. But "a little incongruous" is my middle name. :)
