Aftermath for the bridge... what for the neck?

[ratspeak]

I think this is the third thread I've made about getting BKPs for my Blackjack in the past year. I've been on and off about getting BKPs for it, but I'm finally certain that a pair will be going in. I've settled on a Painkiller for the bridge position, but I want some opinions for what to put in the neck. The two frontrunners are the PK neck model and the Cold Sweat. I want it to be articulate and colorful with good cleans. I like a sort of "woody/bitey" vibe reminiscent of single coils. I really don't use the neck pickup in my 7 all that much, but for cleans and some lead stuff I will. An example of the tone I'm trying to go for is the "build-up" lead before the Loomis solo in Periphery's Racecar, but I can't figure out if that's neck or bridge. Just to clarify, NOT the tone of the actual solo.  :lol:

Bonus question: Which covers would you go for in an all-black guitar? I'll probably go with camo, but let's make a game of it shall we?

EDIT: Now the bridge pickup is an Aftermath. The choice for a neck PU is between the Painkiller and a ceramic Aftermath neck.

[FLgearnut]

the cold sweat may be a good choice...ive got a PK/CS combo in one of my PRS's and really like it.  However, if you want a neck pickup thats got a more creamy bluesy lead tone to it, with just a hint of single-coil soul but can still scream with plenty of output, id recommend the Rebel Yell in the neck.  I havent tried every single BKP there is, so im just giving my advice with what i currently own. 

As for the cover, with an all black guitar why dont you get a distressed black cover :P

[Nolly]

The tone of the part you're referring to is the Painkiller in the neck position of Misha's Blackmachine B2. It's a great sound - bright attack, woody midrange and extremely tight/percussive low end, like a single coil except with 14kΩ of ceramic humbucker power behind it to make it feel fluid to the point of effortlessness to play.

[ratspeak]

Thanks Nolly. I've been wondering that for a while. Of course, now after I thought I was certain the Painkiller was the bridge pickup for me, I've gone and changed my mind to an Aftermath in the bridge (I was skeptical at first, but now I've learned more about it :lol: ). Do you think the Painkiller neck would work well with the Aftermath bridge? Also, is it possible to get bolts instead of screws in a covered Painkiller?

[Nolly]

Yes you could certainly pair the PK neck with the Aftermath bridge. Additionally, the early prototypes of the AM neck pickup were ceramic - I have one and it's got even more attack and definition than the PK neck, with a bit more midrange warmth... might be worth asking about if that sounds interesting to you.

Yep, bolts instead of screws is fine I'm sure you will find :)

[ratspeak]

Thanks, I might ask Tim about that prototype, although I'm sure I'd be content with a Painkiller in the neck as well. The AM prototype does sound interesting, and I suppose there's some allure a prototype of a new pickup :lol:. Would you say it has a similar character to the neck Painkiller?

[ratspeak]

Yes you could certainly pair the PK neck with the Aftermath bridge. Additionally, the early prototypes of the AM neck pickup were ceramic - I have one and it's got even more attack and definition than the PK neck, with a bit more midrange warmth... might be worth asking about if that sounds interesting to you.

Yep, bolts instead of screws is fine I'm sure you will find :)

I talked to Tim and he told me it's the exact same as the standard A5 neck model but with a ceramic magnet, I guess I'll have to make my decision between it and the PK when I'm ordering (probably in the next 24 hours). With that information in mind I want to rephrase my question in my previous post to be more specific to what I'm wondering. Tim says the A5 version is "fat", and something in my head is making it seem like "fat" and "woody" conflict with each-other (though my intuition is ready and willing to stand corrected). I've read some comments by you praising the Painkiller for such characteristics as you described earlier in the thread, but assuming the ceramic Aftermath is a completely different beast than the standard one (like C-Bomb vs A-Bomb), how much like the Painkiller is it? Would you say it's simply the "same" but with sharper attack and warmer mids? Keeping in mind that it's going in a mahogany set-neck 7 string would it balance the warmth of the instrument better than a Painkiller, or not as well, or without noticeable difference?

Sorry for bombarding you with questions, :lol: this is a tough decision. Regardless, we'll see what I decide tomorrow, and I'll start counting the days until NPD.  :D

[Nolly]

Having not played the AV version it's difficult for me to comment, but if Tim is describing it as warm and fat then it's probably got quite a different voicing. The ceramic version definitely has that woody, hollow midrange similar to the painkiller, with the brighter top end character.
The AM would arguably be a better choice for the tone you want given the guitar you have.

[asianaxeman]

calibrated aftermath set, nuff said! trust the master (Tim!) !

[ratspeak]

I sent in the order for a calibrated Aftermath set with the ceramic version Nolly mentioned in the neck position. Thanks for the input everyone, especially Nolly for first answering my questions about the bridge model, then giving me the idea of the ceramic neck, then answering all my questions about that. I predict a NPD thread with soundclips in the future.  :lol: