I installed my first BKP set in my Washburn Idol US, Nailbomb bridge (as replacement for a SD Custom) and Cold Sweat neck (as replacement for a SD '59). The Washburn came stock with the single coil split on both pickups, but I forgot to mention that when I placed my order. But since I split only the neck pickup here and there, I decided to install the pickups anyway. And I'm glad I did!!
The NB sounds EXACTLY as I expected, and I think it's the first time it happens to me gear-wise! I can get the Death Magnetic kind of sound I wanted, but with more bite (sorry Eric Hellstyle!
) I can get the ultra tight LOG midrangey kinda rythm sound, the NWOAHM amazingly punchy palmutes, the Zakk Wylde-style screaming pinch harmonics. The NB delivers on every promise, I'm more than happy. The bass are ultra-percussive (through my VHT 2x12 it's awesome) the midrange have that punch-in-the-guts attack and nicely sits in the mix, and the treble are very cutting. Harmonics spread out everywhere on the fretboard. The cleans are not bad, but I never use the bridge pickup for that purpose.
That's what the Cold Sweat is made for. I can't understand the "cold", it's the hottest neck pickup I've played! I will never think of splitting it, really! I always had a dilemna about my lead sound: I always find the bridge pickups too aggressive, but on another hand, I always had troubles to make screaming pinch harmonics using the neck pickups, and I often prefer how the bridge units interact with the Wah pedals.
Well, now I still have a dilemna : the NB can produce really smooth lead sounds rolling back the tone pot a bit, and pinch harmonics literally jump out of the CS neck, so I'm still hesiting between the neck/bridge, but for totally different reasons!
I don't know if Tim is a genius or not, but he understood perfectly my needs, and with the help of only a few e-mails, he read in my thoughts!
I'm really happy with my BKP, I can't wait to load my LP Custom copy with a Cold Sweat/Painkiller set!!! 8)
