i left the last word to specialists but it's my same idea...
PAINKILLEEEEEAAAAAH! :lol:
Yes that should be right, (listen to the other tech metal fans !) nevertheless, you show some signs of maybe an alternative to the PK :
'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]
Any ceramic BKP and also most of the A5 ones may cure that issue
'a set of pickups that deliver an open, organic sound :' That is the pure definition of the NB !
'but that have plenty of midrangey grind to them :'no one beats the PK on that point BUT don't know if the NB would be so bad here...
'to acheive a smooth, liquid like lead tone :'NB ! NB ! NB !!! that's exactely the NB which is at his best on that field. Look at the clip from Lepermesa called "september solo" in the player section, and of course the one from Tim, those ones must convice you !
'and a grindy yet articulated rythym sound' :no one beats the PK here, which is also very very clear so much so that it exposes your playing a lot. The NB is also very articulated (it is one of his main features) but maybe little less (don't know...). The PK is expected to be better for detuning because it is soooo articulated and sooooo clear !
'The highs should be present but not to bright or ice pickey :' ANY BKP should fit the bill here, I suppose, no ?
'and the bass should be relatively tight but not uber compressed' : NB ! The PK is the most tight BKP, some say it is surgically precise ! The NB is little less tight, a little....
'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.': If the tech death specialists of this board say this would not be a problem for the PK, then trust'em !
When I asked Tim for a
'less-tight-less-bright-more-warm PK' he said : NB (but to put it in the context, it was for heavy metal stuff, not for tech death !)
PDT_003