Yet another BKP virgin...

[RTRchugalug]

:EDIT: My good buddy NoodlePlugerine advised me that I be more specific with some details, so yeah:
Guitar I'm currently playing is an Ltd MH-400NT (brand new, thanks to endorsement), soon to be upgraded to an ESP Horizon-II FM. Both are mahogany body, the former having a quilted maple top & rosewood fretboard, the latter with a flame maple top (obv) and ebony fretboard.

Tone I'm after for dirty is something similar to the bands I mentioned, maybe with the mid knob turned up a widdle bit more. Clean, sparkly clean. I know thats probably quite vague but I'm terrible with really specific descriptions, sorry :(

If any of that helps, then your help would be IMMENSELY appreciated. I'll delete some of what I did write as well, I was rambling on a bit :P
:/EDIT:


Hi all, I'm rhythm guitarist for a band, and need help choosing which BKPs are right for me.

So yeah, down to business:
I've played on BKP's before, thanks to a good mate & BKP forum poster (I forget his screen name on here though), namely a Ceramic Warpig and some Nailbombs, and I've become near adamant that I would do well with getting a set of either of these, but I am open to suggestion, hoping for some experienced advice without having to ask Tim (seeing as I'm not buying any right away, being poor & all, haha).
Style of music I mainly play live/on record can be compared to... I dunno really. I guess material similar to most of these new 'thrash' acts (All That Remains, Shadows Fall, etc.), some Lamb of God influence... basically chuggy stuff.
But yeah, while I play that chuggy hi-gain stuff that'd typically be sorted out with a lovely & sterile EMG [insert number], I'd prefer a pickup that can bust balls but, if I ever get around to finding out what that "clean" channel does on my amp (lol), I'd like it to sound all nice & sparkly without too much breakup, if any.

I know its probably a lot to ask for, but yeah, if anyone could leave some suggestions as to which pickup they reckon might be able to sort me out, would be a great help.

And 'scuse the obvious plug, but if my primary music genre description didn't help, heres the band that I'll be abusing the pickups with:
myspace.com/risetoremain

Thanks for reading!

[noodleplugerine]

Sup dude.

There are alot of BKPs that can do the whole chug chug, but are you looking for more clarity, or more balls?

Darker sound, or brighter sound?

[ericsabbath]

most bkps on the contemporary line will do those bands very well
a holy diver or nailbomb will be great for lamb of god and shadows fall
definitely a miracle man for all that remains
the painkiller is definitely a killer metal pickup

you just need to find if you prefer alnico or ceramic, more or less mids, extremely tight or defined but more bouncy bass, bright or dark

[BigK]

I would say miracle man or Painkiller more towards painkillers for cleans from your bridge pickup.

What amp are you using by the way?

[RTRchugalug]

At the moment I don't actually have an amp, I just borrow other band's gear when I'm at the venue. But I'm saving up for either a JSX or a 6505+, most probably the 6505+ knowing me. And I'll be getting a Bodenhamer Bloody Murder pedal as soon as either amp gets delivered. Thats a definite.

I'd prefer tighter bass because of all the 'gallops' that seem to get included into my band's songs nowadays [do I hear Maiden on the horizon? lol], and I'd like it to be a brighter tone so chirds shine through better [think I understood that correctly]. With mids, I like them turned up, else I end up setting my tone to sound like Dimebag or Dino, which is weak considering that I'm not them.

Judging from the small magnet description I got from a mate of mine on msn, I'd much prefer an alnico magnet.

So I guess it puts me down to either Nailbomb or Painkiller. I hate decisions, just makes life a little bit more complicated :P

[RTRchugalug]

Forgot to say before - thanks for leaving suggestions guys!

[Roobubba]

I have a 5150-II, which I'm sure you already know is the same as the 6505+. I use (currently...) an ibanez RG470F loaded with a miracle man bridge pickup. From what you've described, it doesn't sound as though you'd really prefer an alnico pickup over a ceramic pickup, so it might be worth your while trying to find some pickups to try them out, or listening to tracks on these forums, for example. My miracle man is super tight, does the chug chug stuff REALLY well, big fat bottom end. The mids are less pronounced, and I've recently changed my philosophy on mids, so I'm beginning to think that a painkiller might be more up my street. All this leads me to suggest that the PK might be what you're after, but it's definitely worth trying to check out as much as possible about the miracle man, painkiller and nailbomb, as I think your ideal pickup probably lies in that list.
Hope this helps,

Roo