Mix n match or Calibrated?

[bamboofrog]

Hi All

I am very new to all this. I am thinking about getting some new pickups for my guitar, nothing especially wrong with the ones I have, but they tend to produce a lot of bass (can be a bit over powering).

So back to my question, are there any benefits between choosing two different pickup types in the neck and bridge positions e.g. stormy monday & Mule or a calibrated set?

Cheers

[noodleplugerine]

I'm pretty sure you can get a stormy monday and a mule callibrated if you wish.

But don't quote me on that.

[bamboofrog]

I suppose want I meant by calibrated set, is having two of the same type of pickup i.e. Riff Raff/Riff Raff as oppossed to Riff Raff/Stormy Monday. See I told you I was new at this :D

[Jonny]

There are some pickups are pure bliss together, and calibrated are just to say, that they are made to work with each other. Just different ones seem to do it too. Not all of them I don't think.

[Twinfan]

I've found that most of the time, a calibrated set is best.  I've only got one mix and match set in a guitar where I wanted to change a specific tonal quality of the neck pickup.

Unless you want a really specific mix of tones, I'd chose a calibrated pair.

[noodleplugerine]

I'm not so sure, I'm more into high output stuff, and its often that you want a raw loud humbucker for riffs, and a smoother, more mellow pickup for leads of the necks, often pairs of pickups are avoided, since some combinations are just alot more versatile.

[Philly Q]

It seems to me that most of the calibrated sets are quite "gently" calibrated, i.e. the variation in tones between neck and bridge is subtle, not a really dramatic contrast.  Which is, really, how they should be.

I'm more of an unsophisticated oaf and I like the neck and bridge pickups to sound very different - fat and warm neck, bright and crunchy bridge (usually).  So for me, mix & match can work really well (if I manage to choose a good combination).

The most important thing to remember is that each calibrated set is made up of two different pickups, one designed for the bridge position and one for the neck.  The Cold Sweat neck, for example, is NOT the same pickup as the Cold Sweat bridge.  So whatever models you choose, just make sure you pick a neck pickup for the neck position and a bridge pickup for the bridge.  Unless you deliberately want to do something different.

If in doubt, you can always check with Tim before ordering.

[Antag]

Calibrated sets are a "safe bet".  If you choose the "ideal" bridge model for your guitar & the sounds you want, then there's a fair chance you'll like the neck model too.  If nothing else, the bridge/neck will balance properly & offer you a useable range of tones that compliment each other.  IMO, most people (especially those new to BKPs) would be better off with a calibrated set than trying to find a different combination.

Of course, other combinations work really well.  For example, some people (including me) think that Miracle Man bridge/Cold Sweat neck is better than a MM set.

But you can also get it seriously wrong.  My first BKP purchase was an HSS set of Miracle Man bridge & Sultans' mid/neck.  It was a really lousy choice because there just too great a volume jump betweem the hum & the singles.  I like the sounds of all 3 pickups, but they just don't work together.

[Antag]

The most important thing to remember is that each calibrated set is made up of two different pickups, one designed for the bridge position and one for the neck.  The Cold Sweat neck, for example, is NOT the same pickup as the Cold Sweat bridge.  So whatever models you choose, just make sure you pick a neck pickup for the neck position and a bridge pickup for the bridge.

+1

The product pages don't explain this particularly well. It's important to understand that the neck model isn't just the bridge turned around, it has been wound specifically for the neck position.

[dave_mc]

i'd have thought it depends on what you want. the problem with getting an uncalibrated set (i.e. two different pickups) is that the sound with both pickups on might not sound amazing- if you don't use the both-pickups-on setting too much, and have very specific tones in mind for both bridge and neck pickup, then uncalibrated can work well (as long as you check with tim that they'll work together).

I think so, anyway.  :lol:

[PhilKing]

My first 2 BK sets were mix n match, I got an Emerald/AIV Mule for a Les paul and a Crawler/2xP91 set for a PRS EG4.  However I spent a lot of time talking to Tim about what I wanted before I got them, and I got them as sets.  I have more mismatched sets than full sets (I think!).

[remak]

OK, certain sets like the CS have different wire/magnets for neck and bridge, but aren't most of the vintage and v+  p/us simply wound with more coils on the bridge? Is there more to it than that?

Has anyone wired a bridge into the neck position (for more output in a mixed set) and liked the results? Anyone?

[Philly Q]

OK, certain sets like the CS have different wire/magnets for neck and bridge, but aren't most of the vintage and v+  p/us simply wound with more coils on the bridge? Is there more to it than that?

You'd have to check with Tim for specific details but apart from the most "vintage" sets there seem to be significant differences between the neck and bridge models.  It may "just" be the winding, but that's where the magic lies!  

Has anyone wired a bridge into the neck position (for more output in a mixed set) and liked the results? Anyone?

Someone mentioned the other day that they have a Stormy Monday bridge in the neck position, recommended by Tim to match a more powerful bridge pickup.

[Nolly]

It's a shortfall of the current website that there are no descriptions of the neck pickups, but I'm fairly sure Tim knows this, and is looking to rectify it when the new website is finally done.

Until then, the best thing to do is to ask Tim for a description of the matching neck pickup. I have intended to mix and match every set of BKs I've bought, and after talking it through, have ended up with calibrated sets in all cases.

[il˙ti]

I have intended to mix and match every set of BKs I've bought, and after talking it through, have ended up with calibrated sets in all cases.

Yep, same.

There are however cases when calibrated sets might not be the best choice. For example if I had an inhently bright guitar, I'd be most likely to put a Holy Diver in the bridge to tame it but the neck model, being very bright, would (probably...) not be right for the guitar. That's just me though, I like my neck pups warm.

Edit: post #777, woo! Gotta think of something to say about 7-string guitars, anything else would be a shame. Uhm, so Nolly, I hear you're getting a B7, have you decided on a BKP set for that?