New pickup

[bucketshred]

Morning.

As you all probably know, ive got a Gibson Explorer sitting at home. Now after getting my JCM800 back I was playing it and thinking 'y'know, it'd be great to have this sound with just a little more zing, bite and drive to the amp'. Now I mostly play rock and metal (www.myspace.com/burningwarship or www.myspace.com/vikingskull) is my style and I don't particularly like having to use a pedal just to drive the amp for rhythm sounds.

I believe the Explorer has a Gibson 500t in the bridge - any ideas as what to replace it with?

[ericsabbath]

you want a pickup that will push your amp MORE than a 500t without any pedal?
damn...
I was going to recommend the painkiller considering the tone only, but it won't push the amp as hard as the 500t
you better have the amp modded
at least take the input resistor out
it will thicken up it a bit and allow the raw to signal to push the first stage harder

[bucketshred]

maybe not more output, just a bit more push...

[FELINEGUITARS]

A Cold sweat is probably most similar to the 500T - albeit much better sounding
If you want to say with a ceramic magnet  because of the crisp crunchy edge that it has I would look at either the Miracle Man which will have more output - as would the Ceramic Warpig
Alternatively the Painkiller will have a lot more midrange push whilst still having that ceramic magnet crunch.

Moving over to Alnico - maybe a Holy Diver or  Crawler
I feel that a Nailbomb may be a bit dark if you have been used to a 500T

Just my initial thoughts

[bucketshred]

Cheers Feline, would you say that the CS has more saturation?