PK too aggressive, not quite warm enough...suggest me?

[Dr. Vic]

I always liked the spalted maple looking, it's very beautiful imo...I knew its effect on the sound was more 'neutral' than a regular (bright) maple top, but I didn't know it tends to kill the vibrations so much so that I'm not sure I'll buy a mushroomy-guitar one day !

 :lol:

[MDV]

Spalt can be gorgeous.

Has to be said, though, a 5mm or less (which that will be) top of anything wont make much/any difference to the sound.

But spalt is most certainly not used for its tone. Its pretty, but it sounds cr@p. Full thickness tops of it will kill a guitar.

Disclaimer - this information is, stricktly, anecdotal; I havent played a spalt guitar, but the anecdotes are from Tim (whos played an 18mm topped Organic and said it was accoustically dead), several tonewood suppliers, Bob and Jonathon when I was thinking of using it for a top, so pretty reliable sources!

[Zaned]

Yeah, that was a little surprise for me too when I was discussing about my custom strat, with the luthier. I brought up the possibility of using that spalted maple, but he put a piece of it in my hand saying that it's basically rotten (don't know if that the exact translation for the word he used) wood.

And that's what it felt like too. It does look gorgeous, but I would definitely go for a thin top if I'll ever gonna use it..

-Zaned

[bareknucklehead]

spalted maple. what about quilted maple?

[Bradock PI]

What about Maple Syrup or is that a little too sweet ?

[LP_LOVER]

Miracle Man.

[HTH AMPS]

I really wouldn't rule out the Cold Sweat - it's the most fat and organic sounding ceramic pickup I've ever heard.  It has nice cut, but wouldn't call it thin or bright at all (or anything like the Dimebucker/L500XL). 

I had one (cold sweat) in my Les Paul before changing over to Abraxas' for a while - just for something different (I still own the CS).  It will do anything you want in terms of rock and metal, plus it's not crazy-hot meaning the cleans are still nice.

[FernandoDuarte]

spalted maple, but he put a piece of it in my hand saying that it's basically rotten wood.

That's what Spalted Maple is, maple attacked by evil fungus who kills it (but leave some awesome figures on wood)

[MDV]

spalted maple, but he put a piece of it in my hand saying that it's basically rotten wood.

That's what Spalted Maple is, maple attacked by evil fungus who kills it (but leave some awesome figures on wood)

Yup. Its a fungal infection.

[FernandoDuarte]

I just LOVE spalted maple...

Show us a pic of your ML or I'll curse you :P

[MDV]

Likewise. And, yes, pics or it doesnt exist!

[Dr. Vic]

Likewise. And, yes, pics or it doesnt exist!

^+1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dr. Vic]

I really wouldn't rule out the Cold Sweat - it's the most fat and organic sounding ceramic pickup I've ever heard.  It has nice cut, but wouldn't call it thin or bright at all (or anything like the Dimebucker/L500XL).

What you say here is quite unexpected to me... Tim didn't recommend me the CS for my guitar, because of it's brightness over the other I was considering, like the PK... I think it will be helpfull to compare it with other pickups (relativity might help). So, if you are considering the contemporary line, can you list them from the brightest to the darkest (including the C-Pig and C-NB options) ?

And according to you which one would be the closest to the L-500 XL (if it's possible to say there is one in the BKP range). I remember a topic in which you were explaining that the PK would ressemble an EMG81, because of it's mids (whereas most people think the MM is the closest to the 81). It was very interesting to read that and you seem to be good at those comparisons !  8)

[dheim]

PK has got nothing in common with the 81, except ceramic magnet...
not just in the sense that's way better sounding and not sterile etc... i mean they have a completely different tone. the 81 is bright, very scooped and has a tight and bottom end. PK has got megatons of mid and hi-mids. it's what the 81 misses in the spectrum!

[gwEm]

I can see what HTH meant with the EMG81 / Painkiller comment.

For me the Miracle Man is a more hard rock sound, not really similar to the 81 at all.