So yes, after a long thread about swapping out the PK's I have in my basswood 7, I've rethought the whole thing! Well, actually, my wallet helped - a new guitar, even at a good price, just isn't in the cards, and I've actually dialed in a tone for my current setup that I think is going to work very well for the projects I have coming up.
So that being the case, I still need to get new pickups for my 8-string, and BK's are the only way to go for me!
Here's the specs: Agile Septor 828, ash body, bolt-on maple neck, rosewood fretboard, 28.6blahblah" scale; currently running stock Cepheus pickups, tuned standard. Acoustically, it's on the bright side, definitely more snap than mahogany, more lows and less mids than basswood, or even alder. I'll be primarily running through a Fender Mustang II or Mustang Floor, recording (won't be doing anything live, mainly writing and recording).
Don't get me wrong, the Cepheus are actually pretty good for a guitar this price, better than the stock Ibanez and ESP pickups I run across at work, but next to the PK 7's, they sound pretty lifeless. So, I start saving now, and after a couple paychecks should have enough for a pair... but which ones?
I've looked into it a bit already, and asked around a little, and I find I keep coming back to the same usual suspects: Riff Raff, Black Dog, Holy Diver, and Cold Sweat. I'm open to other suggestions, but I'll say up front, the Miracle Man doesn't do much for me, and I'm not interested in anything hotter or more aggressive than the HD or CS; I've got aggression galore in the PK's, and I want this guitar to be somewhat different.
The sound I'm after: versatile is good, a less modern neck clean is a plus, clarity on the low F# a must but PK level clarity is not required; maybe something that warms the highs of the guitar a little, balances overall, and stays clear on the lows. I'll be playing anything from garage-y Pixies/Breeders to Soundgarden to Sevendust to Deftone-y type stuff, with a little modern metal style thrown in. I don't need ultra-djent, not really doing Meshuggah, but Prog-ability (thinking more Scale the Summit than Dream Theater) would be good. Oh, while I love Animals As Leaders, Tosin's sound is pretty much the antithesis of what I'm after! ;)
So, suggestions? The Riff Raff clips sound nice, though it does seem trebly... the Black Dog seems to be a go-to suggestion, but I haven't heard a clip of it in ash... love the Holy Diver tones but dunno if it'll stay clear on the low strings... the Cold Sweat is another go-to (and would match well with my '84 Flying V with original Dirty Fingers), but again, the treble concerns me.
Oh wise ones, give me your thoughts! :D
