Holy Diver - suited to maple body?

[pankot]

Hi All,

After a very satisfactory experience with my first BKP pickup upgrade I'm now planning the second.  :)

I have an 80's MIJ Westone as the target. Very nicely made and the stock pickups are not bad at all, but they aren't calibrated (have to screw the neck pickup right down to match the bridge) and I'm confident some BKPs will turn the guitar from good to great!

From sound clips, reviews and overall information I'm very much drawn to the Holy Diver - that strong lower midrange voicing is just what I'm looking for. The Westone has a solid maple body, though - quite naturally bright. Would the HD match ok with this or should I be thinking of alternatives?

All comments welcome!

[Antag]

I don't have any maple bodied guitars (only maple tops, e.g. Les Pauls) but if the guitar is bright then I'd say HD would compliment it very well.  My trusty RR1T is a very bright guitar, sounded thin with the stock JB, but the HD transformed it into a fearsome fiery metal monster :twisted:

[MDV]

Thats my impression too. Probably one of the best bks to put in all maple (I say impression, cos I've just heard clips and cmparative descritptions to ones I have played)

[gwEm]

it sounds counter-intuitive, but Tim and Twilight encouraged me to put ceramic pickups in my maple guitars. I found ir really brings out those lower mids. I have two maple/ceramic guitars now, and hopefully a third soon.

[ericsabbath]

the miracle man neck works really well in the bridge
sounds like a darker holy diver
less treble, more low mids

[TwilightOdyssey]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Tzk3VygT0y8

[purist]

Tim recommened me the MM set for my maple guitar. This is wat he said:

"Maple has this rep for being super bright but in my experience a solid maple guitar is very stiff and can sound quite hard in the mids which is what would happen with a Holydiver-the mids would get over emphasised.The MM is smoother in the mids and their is a cut in the highs but I don't find it overly aggressive."

Tim also told me that maple has a hard mid and lowend that only reacts well with ceramics.

[il˙ti]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Tzk3VygT0y8

Is this a maple body guitar? If so, screw the theory, that tone is superb.

[TwilightOdyssey]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Tzk3VygT0y8

Is this a maple body guitar? If so, screw the theory, that tone is superb.

Maple, maple, and more maple!!!

[il˙ti]

Case closed. 8)
I can see what he means that the mids are very pronounced, but I like that.

[pankot]

Thanks for all the feedback guys.  :)

Listening to the YouTube clip I can see Tim's point - but at the same time it's a great sound.

It seems the MM might be better for an "all-rounder", but if the HD's mids end up OTT it's in a good way.

Perhaps the answer will be a mixed set of MM and HD? Decisions, decisions...