PRS custom 22 and the nailbomb, time for a change

[dd6094]

Hi,
I currently have a nailbomb bridge in my custom 22 but I'm finding it a little too unruly, a bit too much fizz.
Before the nailbomb faithful tell me that I'm mad I must confess to already being one of the converted as i have always loved the nailbomb in my SC245. That said I do find that the darker nature of the hardtail short scale SC compensates for the slightly raw top end coming from the pickup, beef and cut all in one unit.
Unfortunately the custom 22 (trem) isn't replicating with my rig so I'm thinking of changing out the bridge for either a blackdog or a holydiver.
I'm using a hughes and kettner triamp and play a mixed covers set from Sheryl Crow to evanescence, after checking out the sound clips I'm caught between driving the amp harder with the HD (like the nailbomb but less harsh to my ears) or having the clarity of the blackdog and boosting the signal with the koko drive for single note sections.
I loved the blackdog rhythm sound on the metal clip but thought it lacked cut in the solo section especially on the hair metal clip where as the holydiver cut right through, hoping it's just a mix issue and not a consequence of running the lower output pickup.
I plan to order one at the weekend..........but which one?

Thanks

[Telerocker]

I'd pick a Diver or an Abraxas.

[darkbluemurder]

I'd pick a Diver or an Abraxas.

Agreed. Abraxas has a bit less power than the Holydiver and sounds a bit more open. Both have enough midrange to suit single note lead guitar work.

I don't have experience with the Black Dog yet, only with a Cold Sweat neck in the bridge position which uses the same magnet and wire gauge. That pickup has considerably less output than the Abraxas. Powerwise the Black Dog may sit between the Cold Sweat neck and the Abraxas but closer to the CS neck. Coming from the Nailbomb the power drop may be too much for you, especially if you are not set on using a boost pedal.

Just to illustrate my point I would rank the pickups' output as follows (1 = low wind PAF type, 10 = Ultra Distortion type):

Alnico Nailbomb 8
Holydiver 7-8
Abraxas 6-7
Cold Sweat neck as bridge 3
Black Dog 4 (that is just by taking into account the slightly stronger DC resistance compared to the CS neck). 

Cheers Stephan

[dd6094]

I hadn't considered alnico iv, I probably wrongly assumed that high gain chords wouldn't hold together and would break up too quickly. I had a crawler in a strat and just didn't get on with it for that reason, replacing it with a black dog smoothed the chord work out nicely, but that was a very different band / musical style / guitar / amp so I can't gauge the black dogs suitability for the custom 22 even though I have form with the pickup itself.
I have ordered an aged BD for the SC245, will see how that goes.
As for the 22, I will have to consider the abraxas as it has been recommended, not many full on sound files available, do chords hold together or are they a bit loose?
I do have a boost, just more than a little OTT with the nailbombs and its just another pedal to hit so a 12-14k pickup that has sizzle of it's own sounds good, a 12k black dog would definitely float my boat.
James

[Telerocker]

I think you want the Diver.

[ericsabbath]

I think you want the Diver.

+1

[Slartibartfarst42]

+2 for the Holydiver. I'm putting a set of them into my Custom 24