Tokai Love Rock #2....Which Set This Time?

[Skybone]

BKP Set #1 - Tokai Love Rock #1 - Set of Black Dog's (more like the dog's b******s! Awesome pups!)

BKP Set #2 - Ibanez Iceman - Set of covered Emerald's

BKP Set #3 - Tokai Love Rock #2 - Which BKP's this time?

Love Rock #1 or Bluey sounds awesome with the uncovered Black Dog's that are in there. Now I have an earlier Love Rock and I'm not sure which pickups to go for. Bluey sings with the Black Dog's through my JCM800 when it's cranked, and the Iceman's Emerald's sound fantastic as well, but should I get another set I've tried before, or risk getting a set I've not tried yet?

Now #2 is actually lighter than Bluey, even though they share exactly the same build, the grain of the back isn't as dense as that of Bluey. It's even lighter than my Iceman, which is a mahogany body and maple neck. Can't figure it out. I've tapped the top to see if there's a difference in the sound, which would indicate any voids under the cap, but it sounds exactly the same all over. This doesn't seem to affect the tone though. Or does it?

Front runners so far:

Set of Crawler's
Set of Black Dog's
Set of Nailbomb's
Set of VH II's maybe?

Come on guys, recommend some pickups for #2!

[Ratrod]

How about Mules? They sound great in Les Pauls. Kinda depends on what you want.

[chris o'donnell]

I have an Abraxas bridge which sutains for ever. Don't know about the neck pup, but I love the bridge. If you give it a bit of a dig it responds with a kick.

Chris.

[big steve]

i would go with a mule, or abraxas (which is basically a more powerful mule). riff raffs could be good too? depends what you're going for...

[Tol]

What do you want to do with this guitar?  What styles?   I've got Abraxas and the way and then I'll be able to tell you more about them!  

Sean

[38thBeatle]

I'd say Mules- ok ok I am a single coil player but I have got the gist of the hb's from reading other posts- maybe crawlers but I 'd go with Ratrod on this.

[PhilKing]

I would say either Abraxas (my LP with them is very light), or a combination set.  I like the Riff-Raff (alnico V)/Stormy Monday (alnico IV) set that I have in on of my other LP's.

[Skybone]

Is there any info available on the Abraxas? They sound interesting (if you pardon the pun).

I was thinking that, with the guitar being lighter, it may need that extra "push", hence looking at the higher output pickups. I need something that is at least a similar output to Bluey's BD set (8 & 10k respectively). The soundclips of the Crawler sounded good, so they were the front runners so far. Decisions, decisions.

Tone wise, I'm looking for a versatile pickup, that has plenty of definition, especially in the mids, and plenty of punch (but not too much). I'm trying to get a good hard rock/metal tone through a jcm800 combo and a variety of pedals, and the Black Dog's meet that spec perfectly for me.

[HJM]

I think Tim's launching the Abraxas at Music Live in a few weeks time, I'd expect you could try them there!

[Skybone]

Looks like I might be ordering a set before then! ;)

[Skybone]

Dead keen me y'know.

Right, I spoke to Tim today for about 20 mins (while Steve held the baby! ;) ), and basically, I've bought a set of Crawlers to go in to the Iceman, the Emerald's are coming out of it and going into the Love Rock.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. Before I rang, I was dead set on a set of Abraxas, but after talking it through with Tim, I reckon we've got it sorted! Thanks Tim.

Look forward to doing some swapping and changing soon! ;)

[Tol]

Dead keen me y'know.

Right, I spoke to Tim today for about 20 mins (while Steve held the baby! ;) ), and basically, I've bought a set of Crawlers to go in to the Iceman, the Emerald's are coming out of it and going into the Love Rock.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. Before I rang, I was dead set on a set of Abraxas, but after talking it through with Tim, I reckon we've got it sorted! Thanks Tim.

Look forward to doing some swapping and changing soon! ;)

Tim recommended the Crawlers or Abraxas to me.   I picked the Abraxas.  Let me know how the Crawlers sound!  I'll practice up and post an Abraxas clip when they are installed.

[carlaz]

Damn, I was hoping someone would buy more Abraxases so they would post more clips so I could hear 'em! ;)

Still, before the Abraxas came along to tempt me (at least in the neck position), I was thinking about Crawlers (also at least for the neck position, since I can't stop loving the idea of a Warpig in the Bridge :twisted: ). So hear ye all axe-bashers: bring forth more Abraxas, Crawler, and even Warpig clips!

(I'm thinking I might be saved up for my BKPs by the end of the year, to be strategically acquired and installed whilst the wife is off visiting her relatives ;) so I've got to narrow down the options in the next few months!)

[Skybone]

This morning, I've removed the stock Gotoh PAF's from the Tokai, and the Emerald's from the Iceman, and then fitted the Emerald's to the Love Rock (the Iceman's back in it's case awaiting the set of Crawler's). Taking the Gotoh "Patent Applied For" pickups out was, erm, interesting, as was fitting the Emerald's. Had a slight "Oh bugger" moment when the neck pickup wouldn't work, checked the joints and sorted out my sloppy soldering.

Plugging the guitar in to try it out, and the Emerald's sound so much better in the Love Rock than they did in the Iceman. They just sound so much fuller (if you know what I mean) now than before. I just hope that the Crawler's will do the same for the Iceman!

\m/ \m/

[5F6-A]

This morning, I've removed the stock Gotoh PAF's from the Tokai, and the Emerald's from the Iceman, and then fitted the Emerald's to the Love Rock (the Iceman's back in it's case awaiting the set of Crawler's). Taking the Gotoh "Patent Applied For" pickups out was, erm, interesting,

\m/ \m/

I think you did the right thing!