I've tried EMG 81 and 85, decent but sterile souding. I've put in a Gison 500T, better than EMG, but still not "WOW",
I put in a Duncan SH6, about the same as the 500T.
I play hard Rock/Metal, can you recommend a BKP that will make this guitar really growl and bite?
I've been through this same path, but on mahogany
and I agree about the SH6 being very similar to the 500t (a bit more muddy, imo)
the closest voicing to these two is definitel the painkiller
but it's way tighter and clearer
the miracle man has a close output, but a different voicing, with a monster low end punch, less midrange and laser beam highs
the painkiller was too tight and "clean" for my tastes
the miracle man had tight bass too (way tighter than the sh6 too) and beautiful grind in the low mids, but the highs can be spikey sometimes, and my amp is already very dry sounding (Framus Cobra)
I'd keep it for a Mesa Boogie or something
so I ended my ceramic pursuit with a cold sweat
it's voiced right between the PK and MM, with more mid crunch (more crunch, but less mids than the PK), balanced bass (not extremely tight like the painkiller, neither boosted like the MM) and sweet highs like the PK
warmer, crunchier and more balanced
I'd say it has a bit less output than SH6, but it's hotter than the SH5
but... I'm a mahogany lover (that sounded gay :lol:)
for alder I'd probably pick a Holy Diver, maybe with alnico 8 for a bit more tightness (I have an A8 HD in a Gibson SG)
funny thing is that I ended with a ceramic pickup that sounds a bit more alnico and an alnico pickup that sounds a bit more ceramic :lol: