LTD EC-1000 pickup suggestions

[schantist]

Hi guys,

I'm looking for a new set of pickups for my Eclipse. I've already been through a set of BKPs (HD bridge and CS neck) which didn't cut it for me at all;
HD was too tame and loose for rhythm stuff and the CS was great for fast solo stuff still sometimes too "cold" to get the singing leads I want (Music style: Melodic Death metal on a Engl Powerball rig)
Since then I've used double EMG85s with the 18v mod, which nailed the tight yet warm rhythm sound I like, but sounded a little too synthie-like when playing on the higher frets.

I'm thinking about a set of calibrated Nailbombs, but I'd like to hear what you guys think.

[Dmoney]

i use the same guitar with a calibrated miracle man set.
awesome.
better then the emgs that were originally in it. mine also has 500K pots and a 22uf sprague orange drop cap replacing the old pots for the active electronics.
sounds tight, modern. the body of the ltd tames the bass of the MM a bit find.

[sebby123]

From what you described i could see a nailbomb working out well.

[schantist]

i use the same guitar with a calibrated miracle man set.
awesome.
better then the emgs that were originally in it. mine also has 500K pots and a 22uf sprague orange drop cap replacing the old pots for the active electronics.
sounds tight, modern. the body of the ltd tames the bass of the MM a bit find.

I forgot to mention that I'm pretty partial to Alnico-pickups, never really digged the attacky sound of ceramics.

[Dmoney]

same here.
i went from a gibson 498T in a gordon smith to BKP emeralds and then rebel yells in a les paul.
I like the miracle man though, I was put of using it for ages because it was ceramic. I wouldnt use a ceramic pickup like a miracle man in my les paul though

although, this thread is making we want to try out nailbombs

[dheim]

how could you possibly find cold the CS neck???
anyway i'd say that nailbombs could do the trick. in bridge, at least... if you want something warmer than CS you could try the neck warpig... neck nailbomb is bright and very clear, much more than cold sweat.

[schantist]

how could you possibly find cold the CS neck???
anyway i'd say that nailbombs could do the trick. in bridge, at least... if you want something warmer than CS you could try the neck warpig... neck nailbomb is bright and very clear, much more than cold sweat.

Maybe it's really just me and my half-deaf pair of heavy metal ears  ...
Let's say the CS didn't deliver the warm and singing tone I like in a neck P-up like e.g. a Duncan '59.
I already considered a NB bridge + a Riff-Raff or Crawler neck, but as I said,
I tried to mix'n'match before and it was a complete failure, so I thought I can't go too wrong with a calibrated set.

[dheim]

duncan 59... so you basically want a muddy pickup! ;)
to stay in the contemporary range you could like the warpig neck, i'd say, very warm.
but maybe an hot vintage or vintage could suit best your taste... the 59 is a vintage voiced, mild pickup... BKP substitute could be a mule, for example, or a wax potted stormy monday... alnico II pickups are the warmest and smoothest around!

[ericsabbath]

Maybe it's really just me and my half-deaf pair of heavy metal ears  ...
Let's say the CS didn't deliver the warm and singing tone I like in a neck P-up like e.g. a Duncan '59.

yes, you're deaf!  :? :lol:

I had both in the same guitar on neck position 
the '59 is the most dead, cold, sterile sounding neck pickup I ever had (including stock pups!)  :x
no volume, no mids, dead treble, no sustain, muffled and hollow sounding
even the clean tone was cr@p
my mij les paul sounded like a $50 acoustic guitar on both cleans and leads
I played another one in another mij les paul (an edwards) and it was a bit better/brighter, but still scooped and the highs sounded almost "ceramic"
I never cared for neck pickups too much before, but the fact that it sounded worse than stock pickups really annoyed me
even the gibson 496r (ceramic) neck pickup I have now, which is and kinda hard still sounds way more organic

[MDV]

Metal, am we?

Then get a c-pig bridge and a miracle man neck

The highest outputters in those positions in the range.

If they arent metal enough for you, you then you must be a T-1000.

[discofudge]

As someone who owns and loves his Nailbomb bridge pup, looking at your description of the HD as too loose for rhythm, I'm not sure it's a nailbomb you want here. Have you considered a Cold Sweat bridge?

I know it's ceramic, but it's voiced to give a progressive take on a vintage tone. The tightness will be there, with the depth of tone to be able to really scream when pushed into more prog areas.

Something to consider at least...

[schantist]

Metal, am we?

Then get a c-pig bridge and a miracle man neck

The highest outputters in those positions in the range.

If they arent metal enough for you, you then you must be a T-1000.

Must be really really metal but the C-Pig seems a little too much outputwise,  guess I'll go with the NB in the bridge.
What'd be a proper neck pickup to match it ? I'm looking for rather vintage tone, some kind of P.A.F. with an edge to it.

[dheim]

Metal, am we?

Then get a c-pig bridge and a miracle man neck

The highest outputters in those positions in the range.

If they arent metal enough for you, you then you must be a T-1000.

Must be really really metal but the C-Pig seems a little too much outputwise,  guess I'll go with the NB in the bridge.
What'd be a proper neck pickup to match it ? I'm looking for rather vintage tone, some kind of P.A.F. with an edge to it.

i've got no experience in hot vintage BKPs, the only thing i can tell you is to avoid NB neck, it's the opposite of the tone you described...

[the prince of shred]

i thought the nb was supposed to sound quite modern..... and a coldsweat like a vintage vibe but plus's of a ceramic with a tight bottom end etc...?? sounds like the nb might not be quite right.... for u...

[schantist]

Feels like this thread is going into a wrong direction, let's see...
I'm not looking for an all-out vintage set of pickups, here's what I have in mind.

Bridge: modern tone, preferably Alnico (although the idea of a MM set is growing on me more and more),
tight bottom, good deal of mids (esp. lower mids), smooth highs and not too bright.
Not too compressed (my Powerball compresses my sounds more than enough)

Neck: a more vintage tone still matching to a contemporary bridge Pup outputwise,
not a bright über-articulate shredder tone but warm and open

Style : Melodic Death Metal
General direction of sound : the typical Göteborg-style tone (e.g. In Flames, Soilwork)