Pickups for Tech Death

[Trev420]

Hello, I'm in a fairly technical death metal band and am looking to replace the pickups on my B.C. Rich NJ V. The guitar has a neckthrough maple neck, ebony fretboard, and mahogany wings. I currently have an Invader in the bridge position and although it's decent for single note metal rythyms, it's far to saturated/muddy/harsh for the fast, complex, death metal stuff. I'm looking for a set of pickups that deliver an open, organic sound but that have plenty of midrangey grind to them. They should be able to acheive a smooth, liquid like lead tone and a grindy yet articulated rythym sound. The highs should be present but not to bright or ice pickey and the bass should be relatively tight but not uber compressed. The guitar will be run through an ENGL Savage 120 and due to the amp's inherent uber-tightness pickups like the Painkiller and C-Pig might just over compress the sound.

[Jonny]

Painkillers maybe.

[Trev420]

Would a C-Bomb bridge, A-Bomb neck setup work for what I want? Oh and the guitar is tuned to A#  standard.

[nfe]

I currently have an Invader in the bridge position and although it's decent for single note metal rythyms, it's far to saturated/muddy/harsh for the fast, complex, death metal stuff.

Karl and Dallas disagree.  :lol:



I think Painkillers might be the way to go, mate.

[discofudge]

I have heard tell that for really low tunings, you don't need quite so much punch, as the muddiness comes in spades. My instinct says miracle man, but that might be way too much. Holy diver, or even a Black Dog might be all you require if you wanna keep it tight like a tiger.

[dheim]

ask mdv and nolly... i'd say PK or C-pigs

[reguv760]

C-Pig + Engl = would definitely trigger a blip on a seismograph :)

Reg

[MDV]

Painkiller

Right

$%&#ing

Now!

Seriously...we have pretty close tastes by the sound of it, and the PK is my favourite pickup. It fixes exactly what you dont (saturated/muddy/harsh for the fast, complex, death metal stuff) like about the invader and does exactly what you asked for (open, organic sound but that have plenty of midrangey grind to them. They should be able to acheive a smooth, liquid like lead tone and a grindy yet articulated rythym sound. The highs should be present but not to bright or ice pickey and the bass should be relatively tight but not uber compressed).

Its remarkably uncompressed for the level of brutality it delivers, it ticks all the boxes and is generally awesome for tech deth.

Stands up to very low tunings the best too.

Not so much tech deth, but partly, and not even close to the sound these things can make through a good amp (I play a powerball) but heres one I made earlier

http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=13664.0

Thats double screw pole though, and I recommend you get that to compesate for the maple throughs *probable* lack of low end.

[MDV]

Oh, and I own/have owned the A-Pig, C-Pig, NB and MM of the high output humbuckers, and have played the CS. The PK is the best for the tech death and fits your bill perfectly.

I tune to drop A#, btw, 12-64.

[MDV]

I currently have an Invader in the bridge position and although it's decent for single note metal rythyms, it's far to saturated/muddy/harsh for the fast, complex, death metal stuff.

Karl and Dallas disagree.  :lol:



I think Painkillers might be the way to go, mate.

That frustrates me, y'know! I DESPISE the invader, for the reasons the OP stated, and $%&#ing wish karl and dallas would play some bloody PKs or C-Pigs and get the tone their playing really needs!

[Trev420]

I currently have an Invader in the bridge position and although it's decent for single note metal rythyms, it's far to saturated/muddy/harsh for the fast, complex, death metal stuff.

Karl and Dallas disagree.  :lol:



I think Painkillers might be the way to go, mate.

That frustrates me, y'know! I DESPISE the invader, for the reasons the OP stated, and $%&#ing wish karl and dallas would play some bloody PKs or C-Pigs and get the tone their playing really needs!

Yeah I totally agree. Although their tone is pretty cool for the doomy/slower stuff, certain parts on Ithyphallic just sound way to saturated and muddy for me. Their tone was much better on ITDS IMO. At any rate, looks like the pain killer it is although it'd be interesting to read what Nolly has to say. He has the C-bomb, N-bomb combo and sometimes drops his lower string to Gb for the Sikth stuff.

[MDV]

I currently have an Invader in the bridge position and although it's decent for single note metal rythyms, it's far to saturated/muddy/harsh for the fast, complex, death metal stuff.

Karl and Dallas disagree.  :lol:



I think Painkillers might be the way to go, mate.

That frustrates me, y'know! I DESPISE the invader, for the reasons the OP stated, and $%&#ing wish karl and dallas would play some bloody PKs or C-Pigs and get the tone their playing really needs!

Yeah I totally agree. Although their tone is pretty cool for the doomy/slower stuff, certain parts on Ithyphallic just sound way to saturated and muddy for me. Their tone was much better on ITDS IMO. At any rate, looks like the pain killer it is although it'd be interesting to read what Nolly has to say. He has the C-bomb, N-bomb combo and sometimes drops his lower string to Gb for the Sikth stuff.

ATOTW is my favourite of their tones. I dont like ithyphalics sound because its nasal as $%&#. But anywho...edit above to recommed double screw pole.

I cant see a C-Bomb being better for low stuff than a PK, based on the NB and difference between C8 and A5 but yeah, nolly has knowledge of some configs I dont, lets see what he says...

[nfe]

ATOTW is my favourite of their tones.

I just wish In Their Darkened Shrines sounded as good as Annihilation. Then what an album that'd be.

[MDV]

ATOTW is my favourite of their tones.

I just wish In Their Darkened Shrines sounded as good as Annihilation. Then what an album that'd be.

Tru dat, my friend, tru dat.

[Roobubba]

Everything written in the first post screams PAINKILLER!!!!!!

Do it and never look back!

Roo