Neck pickup for EBMM LIII HH

[rbg]

Hi all,

I know you are probably so tired of these type of questions, but I tried to figure out myself and a little bit stuck, so maybe you can help. I have a MM LIII BFR guitar with Okoume body and solid rosewood neck with ebony fretboard. The guitar is very resonant acoustically and when plugged, only thing is that it ha s a lot of harmonics that are more pronounced than the main tones, especially in the low end. It is ver percussive, but lacks tight bell-like bottom end and sparkle in the highs. It is also less mid-forward compare to all-mahogany guitars.  So, it can benefit from some tone shaping with pickups.

For the beginning I did not like the neck pick up. It is EBMM custom ~13k Ceramic magnet pickup. It was too chewy, thick sounding pickup that I just can't EQ at the same time with the A5, thick m6 screw, 13.5k pickup. I like the Bridge, it sounds open and crisp. So I went ahead and installed a set of Suhr TB, TB+ in the guitar. The tone was matching between the neck and the bridge, and I like the tone. Only thing I did not like is that those pickup were not good to play. No matter what gain I was throwing on then they would not sing, they always felt like you are playing crunchy, staccato notes with the volume knob roles down. I went ahead and got VHII neck and put back the stock EBMM bridge. I like the VHII a lot better than TB. It sings, handles gain sounds great in 2, 4 positions, but... 1. I think it is too warm and low-end rich. It is much better than the stock neck pickup, but I still having some difficulties EQ it with the bridge being easily switchable: either too bring/no body in the bridge or too boomy in the neck. 2. I think it is a little bit too much as the output goes for the EBMM, it feels like you get a significant volume boost when switching bridge to neck. (I can not lower the neck, but I raised the bridge as much as I can). VHII also, highlighting that richness of harmonics over the main tone of the instrument. Not a big problem, but still...

So here are my two option (correct me if I ma wrong): swamp the bridge with the VHII and hope that it will bee warmer that the EBMM bridge and I can EQ bottom end down so two VHII (N and B) will be more acceptable. Second try something different in the neck. Something brighter: Riff Raff, Emerald? I like the clips of the Emeralds (actually all of them), but I am afraid that it will over power the bridge even more. (I may be ok with that, will be just bugging you for another matching BK). As far as Riff Raff goes I am afraid it will be, similar to TB to play, without notes singing for the solos.
So, that's where I stand and hoping I can pick your brain up on this. Any recommendations are very welcome. 

[ericsabbath]

I'd try rebel yells

[rbg]

Thank you!
I also found this:
AV necks (under 8.5k) by brightness (brightest to darkest):
Riff Raff
Holydiver
Cold Sweat
VHII
Rebel Yell
Black Dog

AV necks (under 8.5k) by bass response (most to least):
Cold Sweat
Black Dog
Rebel Yell
VHII
Holydiver
Riff Raff

So for the brightest neck I should look at Riff Raff and Holy Diver. Only problem that it is difficult to find them used in US. I was planing to buy many mix and match to choose a set and then order new in the finish I want, but it is difficult. There is no neck RR on reverb new. or used at the moment...

[ericsabbath]

Thank you!
I also found this:
AV necks (under 8.5k) by brightness (brightest to darkest):
Riff Raff
Holydiver
Cold Sweat
VHII
Rebel Yell
Black Dog

AV necks (under 8.5k) by bass response (most to least):
Cold Sweat
Black Dog
Rebel Yell
VHII
Holydiver
Riff Raff

So for the brightest neck I should look at Riff Raff and Holy Diver. Only problem that it is difficult to find them used in US. I was planing to buy many mix and match to choose a set and then order new in the finish I want, but it is difficult. There is no neck RR on reverb new. or used at the moment...

the neck VHII is definitely bassier than the cold sweat and rebel yell in my experience

the neck rebel yell isn't dark, but relatively middy
I think it pairs really well with the brighter bridge pickup

my favorite bkp is the bridge riff raff, but I haven't tried the neck model

[rbg]

Riff Raffs are on my list, but I am very afraid that they will be similar to Thornbuckers very crunchy, but not singing enough with gaining up.

[rbg]

Looks like polymath can be something to consider….?

[timmy_pix]

If you want a singing neck pickup, I'd really recommend the Holydiver. Both the HD neck and bridge have a really "singing" quality to the neck, as opposed to some mid-heavy pickups that can be honky or scream; it's really addictive to play. It's not too hot so it's unlikely to overpower the bridge pickup you've got.

I'd say it's either that or get a VHII bridge as that'll definitely pair with the VHII neck, but if you're a fan of the bridge pickup as-is then I'd call that plan B. Though perhaps it'll come down to whatever pops up used first!

[rbg]

thank you! It's been a development. I got a nice deal on a set of True Grit I could not resist. Just installed them and can not stop playing for 5 hours. I know it is a honey moon period, but I love them! I don't know if the neck pickup being brighter than VHII, but it feels that way. The low end is so much tighter so it feels right, no uneven resonating low notes. Feels warmer than the bridge, but very nicely balanced. Inbetween positions are nice as well. Th bridge has a very aggressive bark and very pleasantly tight low end. String separations is impeccable on both neck and bridge, much higher that the stock pickups. If being picky I'd say that I may prefer a little bit more polite midrange and airy top end on the bridge, but that would be a different type of sound... closer to the stock EBMM bridge. Still maybe interested to try polymath set, but only because how good BK team advertise/describe/sells it :-).

[rbg]

Ok, the story goes on.

In my search for the bright neck pickup I bough a HD set. I like the neck, it is maybe a little bit too tight in the midrange, but I like the brightness and tightness on the low end. The only problem is that now my TG bridge feels a little bit lightweight in comparison. It is a little bit low on the output side compare to the HD neck, but mostly not beefy enough. So I installed the matching HD bridge. Great pickup, thick sounding attack is right there on the center, but not my tone. I realized that I like a wider and more airy midrange rich of harmonics and aggressive bark on strong attack.

My next move was the RY and that pickup gave me anything I wanted, I was shocked how much I like the midrange and the bottom end of the pickup. Unfortunately, after playing for some time I realized that the high-mid push of the pickup is a little bit too much for me in the guitar. My ears are getting a little bit fatigued after long playing. So my new question is, is there a BK pickup that is like RY, retaining that low-mid and mid spaciousness, dynamic and aggression, but without that high-mid resonance? That would be it for me I think ... I hope :-)

[timmy_pix]

I'm very surprised that you found the True Grit bridge overpowered by the Holydiver neck, as the HD neck is not a hot pickup by any means. I reckon you'd be fine with the True Grit bridge back in (it ticks all the boxes now you're finding the RY tiring) and balancing the pickup heights for the output levels.

[rbg]

Thank you.
Overpowering maybe not the right word, it is not about the output. More of a tonal characteristic.  Also I am coming from HSS guitars, so I like the neck PU to be much lower in output when switching.  Also, I tried adjusting the True Grid highs and even bringing it to the 1.5-1mm is still not fixing my problem (it brings another as it starts interfering with the string vibrations when that close).

[skolphy]

Have you considered the Mule neck?

I have CS neck, Emerald neck, and a Jugg neck...Bridges are all Abombs.

The Emerald neck is probably my favorite..as the split tones with it are are just awesome..it has a rich janglyness the others don't.
The Jugg neck may also be a choice as it seems to cover a lot of ground between the vintage and modern tones without overtly leaning either way.

[rbg]

I am strongly considering Abomb set at the moment. Nailbomb neck supposed to be a bright pickup.
The only thing is stopping me is how much I liked the RY bridge … if only it was not that high-mid resonant. E-G are perfect, but B and e are a bit too “hot” with it.

[skolphy]

You can always try adjusting the screws/bolts on the RY to tame the B&E strings

[rbg]

Can somebody comment on Silo neck vs HD neck, NB neck and VHII neck in term of brightness. I really like overall tone of the VHII, but it is a touch to bottom heave. HD is nice in terms of “EQ”, but there is something missing in the sound for me in it. NB neck is very interesting, it’s like the NB bridge, but less of everything :) so now I am looking at the Silo neck and maybe RY neck as suggested above. I’ve seen in the forum that Nolly was saying that Silo neck is one of the brightest necks in the range.