Brighter Black Dog?

[Caleb]

Hi!

I replaced my alder body, rosewood neck, hard-tail stratocaster's bridge pickup with BKP Black Dog and I love the punchy sounds I'm getting out of it! There's only one thing I'm a bit confused: I have to put my Marshall Jubilees's presence on 8-10 to have enough bite or "cut" in my band. With the Mule I had before, the presence knob was about 5-6. We play modern hard-rock and my other settings in the Jubilee are T:5, M:7, B:4, gain 5-6 and output 7-8. I play through closed 2x12 cab with V30's. Is it normal that Black Dog lacks presence and cut that way? Is there any other bridge pickup that's similar sounding to Black Dog but with a bit more bite and presence?

I'm also looking for a neck humbucker pickup that would match with the Black Dog. I really like the sound clips of the Emerald neck pickup. Would it be too bright with BD in the bridge? Currently I have Fralin Blues special in the neck and with those amp settings it's too bright and weak sounding for my style. I also think that BD neck pickup would be too dark sounding with my amp/guitar. Any advice would help me to choose the right pickups! Thanks :)

['Ash' J. Williams]

The BD neck is actually very clear and relatively low output, I would not say dark. It is more subtle than the bridge BD.

The Emerald neck is quite impressive : more middy than a P.A.F, more powerful than the BD neck but manage to stay always clear even with lot of gain. With the VHII neck, it's one of two excellent choice for a vintage-modern/do-it-all combo in the neck position imo.

[Caleb]

The BD neck is actually very clear and relatively low output, I would not say dark. It is more subtle than the bridge BD.

The Emerald neck is quite impressive : more middy than a P.A.F, more powerful than the BD neck but manage to stay always clear even with lot of gain. With the VHII neck, it's one of two excellent choice for a vintage-modern/do-it-all combo in the neck position imo.

Would the Emerald neck be too hot with BD bridge? It`s almost the same output as BD bridge (around 10k)

[Telerocker]

Your musicstyle asks for Rebel Yells, unless you want to keep the output low. If your strat is not very bright, the RY's could be the answer. If it has to be vintage: Mules (you tried). I doubt talking about Emeralds, since they can be bright in a LP. In a strat the topend could be too much.

Anyhow, I'm wondering if you can solve the lack of presence with another capacitor or pot.

['Ash' J. Williams]

Would the Emerald neck be too hot with BD bridge? It`s almost the same output as BD bridge (around 10k)

I don't think so. I own those pickups but I didn't try the BD bridge with the EM neck together but i would not be surprised that they pair well.
In doubt, ask the BKP staff about this.

I doubt talking about Emeralds, since they can be bright in a LP. In a strat the topend could be too much.

The Emerald NECK is a different animal than the bridge, works VERY well in strat/superstrats.
The emerald bridge is bright indeed and would work better in a LP or any dark mahogany body.

[gwEm]

A VH2 will keep a PAF vibe, and has good bite and output. I wonder if it will be 'enough' for you though since you swapped out the Mule.. the VH2 has more 'air' to it than a Black Dog, but can handle just as much gain.

[Telerocker]

Would the Emerald neck be too hot with BD bridge? It`s almost the same output as BD bridge (around 10k)

I don't think so. I own those pickups but I didn't try the BD bridge with the EM neck together but i would not be surprised that they pair well.
In doubt, ask the BKP staff about this.

I doubt talking about Emeralds, since they can be bright in a LP. In a strat the topend could be too much.

The Emerald NECK is a different animal than the bridge, works VERY well in strat/superstrats.
The emerald bridge is bright indeed and would work better in a LP or any dark mahogany body.

I was talking about the bridge-Emerald. Most neckpickups will do in strats.

[Fixxxer_1988]

I may be completely wrong so please someone correct me of I am, but... try swapping the pots in the guitar for a higher value ie. 1meg pot?

Strats have 250k generally because they are brighter guitars and have brighter pickups so it tames the highs a bit, les paul style guitars have 500k pots to brighten them a little to compensate for the darker woods/pickups. so 1meg would brighten it up further?

Anyway as for the neck I like the VHII in darker instruments as they have that gorgeous hollow tone with a lot of cut and not too much output (just what you need in a neck pickup) also the split sounds are really very nice! I currently have the BD calibrated set and prefer the BD neck in my guitar as it is naturally bright so the VHII was a little too much for me.

It may just be that you have a naturally dark sounding guitar and need to put in some brighter pickups to bring it alive, in which case the VHII set would be my first port of call.

[Telerocker]

In strats the bridgehumbucker needs to be 500-550k. A 250k pot will make it sound muffled.
I have my strats wired according to the Suhr-wiring diagram. 500k for the bridge, and 250k for the single coils. This delivers a good split and therefore nice quackie tones on the fourth position

[Caleb]

Thanks for your answers!

I have 500k pots, maybe I should try 1m pots for more presence?
I really like the middy sound and vintage hot (10k) output of the BD. And the sound I'm getting right now is what I really like. I'm just worried if the presence setting at almost 10 will wear out my tubes much faster? I also think if there's something wrong with my pickup because I have to use such a extreme settings with the presence knob. I have tried to adjust the pickup height but it does only subtle changes to the sound.

Sadly the other BKP Vintage hot pickups at the same output range are very different from BD tonewise. Maybe I just keep the BD, keep presence up and change my tubes more often. :)

[Telerocker]

Thanks for your answers!

I have 500k pots, maybe I should try 1m pots for more presence?
I really like the middy sound and vintage hot (10k) output of the BD. And the sound I'm getting right now is what I really like. I'm just worried if the presence setting at almost 10 will wear out my tubes much faster? I also think if there's something wrong with my pickup because I have to use such a extreme settings with the presence knob. I have tried to adjust the pickup height but it does only subtle changes to the sound.

Sadly the other BKP Vintage hot pickups at the same output range are very different from BD tonewise. Maybe I just keep the BD, keep presence up and change my tubes more often. :)

Tubes don't wear out progressively when you use some extra presence. A hot bias will eat your tubes way faster.
I don't really understand why the BD in an alder strat sounds so muffled with a 500k pot, since the Jubilee doesn't lack highs when I remember well. Maybe a different capacitor can solve the problem. There are some techs here on the forum that might chime in on that.

[Caleb]

Thanks for your answers!

I have 500k pots, maybe I should try 1m pots for more presence?
I really like the middy sound and vintage hot (10k) output of the BD. And the sound I'm getting right now is what I really like. I'm just worried if the presence setting at almost 10 will wear out my tubes much faster? I also think if there's something wrong with my pickup because I have to use such a extreme settings with the presence knob. I have tried to adjust the pickup height but it does only subtle changes to the sound.

Sadly the other BKP Vintage hot pickups at the same output range are very different from BD tonewise. Maybe I just keep the BD, keep presence up and change my tubes more often. :)

Tubes don't wear out progressively when you use some extra presence. A hot bias will eat your tubes way faster.
I don't really understand why the BD in an alder strat sounds so muffled with a 500k pot, since the Jubilee doesn't lack highs when I remember well. Maybe a different capacitor can solve the problem. There are some techs here on the forum that might chime in on that.

Actually Jubilee is the darkest, smoothest and roundest sounding Marshall compared to JCM800's and Plexi's I've tried. Maybe both the pickup and amp are so round and smooth sounding that I can get enough cut with only presence almost full. I've heard that tubes will wear out faster if presence is always near ten. If that's not true, then everything is fine I guess :)

[Fixxxer_1988]

Having the presence up shouldn't mean changing valves more often, only if they are cooking with a hot bias will the life be noticeably shorter.

Try the 1meg pot, it may be just what you need to give it a little more bite. I have noticed how different the BDs act with different amps so it may be that the combo is inherently dark.

[darkbluemurder]

Actually Jubilee is the darkest, smoothest and roundest sounding Marshall compared to JCM800's and Plexi's I've tried. Maybe both the pickup and amp are so round and smooth sounding that I can get enough cut with only presence almost full. I've heard that tubes will wear out faster if presence is always near ten. If that's not true, then everything is fine I guess :)

The Jubilee is indeed a dark sounding amp. As long as you like the Black Dog's tone with the presence control increased it's fine. That's what the presence control is here for.

Cheers Stephan

[ericsabbath]

the neck cold sweat in the bridge sounds a bit similar to the black dog in terms of midrange density, but it's brighter, more articulate and less thick sounding
it's kinda like a rebel yell, voicing-wise, but with the mid texture of the black dog and lower output than both