Author Topic: Final choice of pickups. Help me please! (Read 4638 times)

Perandor · « **on:** March 13, 2008, 11:06:24 PM »

Hi all. Now that I have enough money for a set of pickup, I'm still unsure of what to get. My guitar is in production phase now, but it has a koa body, a redwood top, and a mahogany neck. I like all the clips with the black dogs, emeralds (Thanks Machinehead!), and the rebel yells. Does anyone think it would be a good idea to mix/match these? I'm looking for a set that no one has, or at least posted clips of. I admire Jimmy Page's and Gary Moore's tones. My neighbor has a 40 watt old peavey amp I'll mainly be using, or my brothers 10 w fender practice amp.

Dave_the_rave · « **Reply #1 on:** March 18, 2008, 09:35:59 PM »

black dog would certainly be a step in the right direction methinks. maybe a cold sweat, thoughts anyone?

PhilKing · « **Reply #2 on:** March 19, 2008, 09:53:01 PM »

It is hard to know what to advise on this as the woods you are using are an unusual combination. Is it a bolt-on neck or a set neck? Hardtail or trem? What is the body style (how much wood is in it)? What is the fingerboard wood?

All of these things make a major difference to the tone and hence to the pickups you will need. As a general rule of thumb, both Jimmy Page and Garry Moore are known for their Les Paul tones, even though Page also uses a Tele and Moore a Strat. In a Les Paul, the Black Dog set nails the Jimmy Page tone (I have a set in a 1953 Les Paul conversion to 58). The PG Blues set will get you the Gary Moore tones (I have this set in an 86 Darkback Goldtop). However both of my guitars are Les Pauls, mahogany back and neck, Maple top, rosewood fingerboard. Since these are the specs for Jimmy Page and Garry Moore's guitars, it is only sense that they work.

The best advice I can give you is to either email or speak to Tim. He will set you up with the sound you want.

WezV · « **Reply #3 on:** March 19, 2008, 10:59:58 PM »

well i have a mahogany through neck with mahogany and redwood wings, thats quite a similar wood combo to yours but without knowing the construction of yours its hard to be sure. i put a mule/manhattan pair in it

the manhattan does a great job of bringing out the acoustic like qualities of the redwood and the mule does pretty much what it says on the tin - so pretty great for everything else

indysmith · « **Reply #4 on:** March 20, 2008, 10:09:31 AM »

Said it before - and I'll say it again a thousand times.
Get a decent valve amp before upgrading pickups. Through a 10W fender practice amp every pickup is very likely to sound the exact same - you just won't be able to appreciate the scatterwound magnificence of BKP through it.
It's like having a £5000 turntable, with 78rpm vinyls, and then playing it through mini active speakers you got for a tenner in Tesco.

ilÿti · « **Reply #5 on:** March 20, 2008, 01:16:39 PM »

Quote from: indysmith

Through a 10W fender practice amp every pickup is very likely to sound the exact same - you just won't be able to appreciate the scatterwound magnificence of BKP through it.

Not true. Before getting to the BKP boards, I've hated everything I heard played through PODs and Toneports, Cubes, Guitarrig, V-amps and the likes, but with BKPs even that can sound organic. See the Satch clip that Muzzz posted. I play through an AVT and the bareknuckles made a massive difference in tone.

indysmith · « **Reply #6 on:** March 20, 2008, 01:47:13 PM »

Quote from: ilyti

Quote from: indysmith

Through a 10W fender practice amp every pickup is very likely to sound the exact same - you just won't be able to appreciate the scatterwound magnificence of BKP through it.

Not true. Before getting to the BKP boards, I've hated everything I heard played through PODs and Toneports, Cubes, Guitarrig, V-amps and the likes, but with BKPs even that can sound organic. See the Satch clip that Muzzz posted. I play through an AVT and the bareknuckles made a massive difference in tone.

I sort of don't disagree - although an AVT is still quite a step up from a fender practice amp (I'm assuming it's a frontman).
I still think that the money could be far better spent put towards an amp that reveals more subtleties. An amp has far more of an impact on your tone than a pickup, BKP or not IMO.

Perandor · « **Reply #7 on:** March 20, 2008, 11:25:52 PM »

More about my guitar. It'll have a steinberger bridge, but a body similar to a modern eagle by prs. :shock:

Scotty477 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 21, 2008, 12:38:38 AM »

Ok I used my martial skills in Search Fu and came to this conclusion.

Koa is a tonewood that has pronounced midrange and is brighter than mahogany, with less low end and slightly dampened top end due to the oils in the wood.

Your putting a redwood cap on which has properties like maple (bright, strong high end) but slightly warmer.

Given this it certainly a good idea to speak to Tim ... :D but if I had to suggest something for the Page/Moore etc tone, I would go for a combination of Alinco IV Mule bridge and Alinco II Stormy Monday neck.

From experience the Emerald bridge pup is bright and wouldn't suit a Koa/redwood combination.

The fretboard wood will make a difference, depending on what you use as well.

Seriously ... PM Tim, if you haven't already.

Perandor · « **Reply #9 on:** March 21, 2008, 02:40:55 AM »

The fingerboard/neck will be figured mahogany, in a way to match the koa; both the koa and the mahogany will be figured the same way. Supposedly that'll help me for better vibrations=better sound?

FernandoDuarte · « **Reply #10 on:** March 21, 2008, 03:56:53 AM »

Mahogany fingerboard? Sorry I've never heard it before in my entire life!
Perhaps rosewood or ziricote would be a better option!

Scotty477 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 21, 2008, 04:04:44 AM »

I can't say I've ever heard of a fingerboard made of mahogany and I can only think that it would produce a rather dull sound?

Normally it's rosewood, ebony or maple that's used on an electric guitar.

Given what your guitar is made of, I'm surprised that you haven't used rosewood in order to inject some warmth into the guitar but It'll be interesting to hear what a mahogany fingerboard sounds like.

Good luck.

noodleplugerine · « **Reply #12 on:** March 21, 2008, 12:39:45 PM »

Quote from: Perandor

The fingerboard/neck will be figured mahogany, in a way to match the koa; both the koa and the mahogany will be figured the same way. Supposedly that'll help me for better vibrations=better sound?

Having two woods figured in the same way?

Explain?

I have no idea how that would affect the sound at all :o

Perandor · « **Reply #13 on:** March 21, 2008, 05:15:21 PM »

This guy I talked to said something about finding a figured piece of mahogany for my neck to match the guitar body. I don't remember the exact way he put it though. Maybe it's nothing, but he is a pro. He works for the Gilmer Wood Co. in Oregon, USA in the instrument dep.

ilÿti · « **Reply #14 on:** March 21, 2008, 05:40:07 PM »

Quote from: Perandor

This guy I talked to said something about finding a figured piece of mahogany for my neck to match the guitar body. I don't remember the exact way he put it though. Maybe it's nothing, but he is a pro. He works for the Gilmer Wood Co. in Oregon, USA in the instrument dep.

Neck =/= fretboard.