Best BK pickups (playing from classic rock to alternative metal)

[Toe-Knee]

here we go

he changes part way through

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKkMxJiCjTU

[shaman]

+1 on following Tim's advice...and don't forget to check those pots out,esp. the volume pots....if they are 300k instead of 500k(like the ones I have owned), that is going to make a difference when changing pups

[wfe06]

+1 on following Tim's advice...and don't forget to check those pots out,esp. the volume pots....if they are 300k instead of 500k(like the ones I have owned), that is going to make a difference when changing pups

What kind of difference do you mean? What pots are usually present in LP Classics?


On another note, I'm really digging the Holydiver bridge pickup! No, I lied... IT BLEW ME AWAY! I watched a few demos, and it's f***ing awesome! I think I'll go with the Emerald neck, as most of you have suggested!

Btw Toe-Knee (LMAOOOO), thanks for digging up that video for me man, it really changed how I look at the A-bombs.

[Slartibartfarst42]

I kind of agree and disagree with some of these comments. Firstly, about Tim. The guy is a pickup god and certainly knows his stuff but that doesn't mean he's always going to be right. It does mean he can have an extremely well educated guess. I find that Tim suggests Nailbombs a lot of the time yet when I took that advice it was clearly wrong and I ended up sending them back in exchange for a Holydiver. 99% of the time I'd say Tim will be right but it does no harm to seek other opinions. I loved that clip of the Nailbombs too and it's one of the reasons I tried them but it ended up quite deceptive. Conversely, here's a clip of Holydivers in a Les Paul:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T26RqvH3YBA

[shaman]

+1 on following Tim's advice...and don't forget to check those pots out,esp. the volume pots....if they are 300k instead of 500k(like the ones I have owned), that is going to make a difference when changing pups

What kind of difference do you mean? What pots are usually present in LP Classics?

as noted above in my post, they usually have 300k volume pots-this will make tone warmer and rounder feeling with humbucking pups(which is why they use with the high output ceramic pups that come stock)-only way to know for sure is check with a multimeter(lots of info on web on "how to" )
-if you put in a set of nb's, for instance, with the 300k pots, you may be underwhelmed by the highs ...it will sound different from what you are expecting because the soundclips,vids,advice, are  all based on the 'buckers being used with 500k volume /tone pots
I do use 300k in one of my hbucker equipped guitars to take away brightness and I use that axe for a lot of older rock, and it really helps round the highs in a Tim Sult/Clutch sort of way
-this is a variable that can send one on a "wild goose chase" in terms of tone chasin'...happened to me way back in the day with LP's...

[itamar101]

You'll Definately want 500k or 550k pots with holy diver... Or anything else really. And chances are that it currently has 300k volume pots. Otherwise you will not have enough top end presence or clarity. It really makes a difference.

EDIT: yes, it does have a 300k volume pot.

[wfe06]

You'll Definately want 500k or 550k pots with holy diver... Or anything else really. And chances are that it currently has 300k volume pots. Otherwise you will not have enough top end presence or clarity. It really makes a difference
EDIT: yes, it does have a 300k volume pot.

Alright man, thanks for the tip. I'll install the pickups and then check whether I'm gonna need the pots or not, because I already think that my Gibby is somewhat bright for a Les Paul.... and that's probably because of its thick carved maple top and because it has a slimmer 60's neck (less mahogany).
Here's a picture of my beautiful bride:

[itamar101]

Wow. That is an absolute beauty! The way the binding matches with the top in amazing!

[wfe06]

Wow. That is an absolute beauty! The way the binding matches with the top in amazing!

Thank you itamar101!

[ericsabbath]

I think these are good representations of what a nailbomb set sounds like in a les paul without going metal
quite hot and bright but retaining the paf-like clear midrange instead of the 80's bumpy mids of the holy diver
pretty much like heavily juiced riff raffs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzg89KB-vgw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKkMxJiCjTU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6AsHu3Q5zM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BN0fPXgMyI

[wfe06]

You'll Definately want 500k or 550k pots with holy diver... Or anything else really. And chances are that it currently has 300k volume pots. Otherwise you will not have enough top end presence or clarity. It really makes a difference.

EDIT: yes, it does have a 300k volume pot.

So, let me get this straight. I need to get a 550k pot for each volume and tone knob? (total of 4 pots)

[itamar101]

You'll Definately want 500k or 550k pots with holy diver... Or anything else really. And chances are that it currently has 300k volume pots. Otherwise you will not have enough top end presence or clarity. It really makes a difference.

EDIT: yes, it does have a 300k volume pot.

So, let me get this straight. I need to get a 550k pot for each volume and tone knob? (total of 4 pots)

Well, I personally have 2 550k volume pots and 2 push-pull 500k tone pots for coil splitting (which sounds very good and I use often). That gives me enough top end presence and sounds great but if you don't want coil splitting I'm sure that a set of 550k pots would be great.

[wfe06]

You'll Definately want 500k or 550k pots with holy diver... Or anything else really. And chances are that it currently has 300k volume pots. Otherwise you will not have enough top end presence or clarity. It really makes a difference.

EDIT: yes, it does have a 300k volume pot.

So, let me get this straight. I need to get a 550k pot for each volume and tone knob? (total of 4 pots)

Well, I personally have 2 550k volume pots and 2 push-pull 500k tone pots for coil splitting (which sounds very good and I use often). That gives me enough top end presence and sounds great but if you don't want coil splitting I'm sure that a set of 550k pots would be great.

Thanks, mate. So you're saying that I don't really need to get new pots for my tone control if I don't care about coil splitting, and that a pair of 550k's for the volume controls would be enough in this case?

[itamar101]

You'll Definately want 500k or 550k pots with holy diver... Or anything else really. And chances are that it currently has 300k volume pots. Otherwise you will not have enough top end presence or clarity. It really makes a difference.

EDIT: yes, it does have a 300k volume pot.

So, let me get this straight. I need to get a 550k pot for each volume and tone knob? (total of 4 pots)

Well, I personally have 2 550k volume pots and 2 push-pull 500k tone pots for coil splitting (which sounds very good and I use often). That gives me enough top end presence and sounds great but if you don't want coil splitting I'm sure that a set of 550k pots would be great.

Thanks, mate. So you're saying that I don't really need to get new pots for my tone control if I don't care about coil splitting, and that a pair of 550k's for the volume controls would be enough in this case?

Absolutely. It'll be perfectly fine.

[wfe06]

Anddddd the decision has been made, Holy diver bridge and Emerald neck. Thank you all for helping me out in making my choices.