Nailbomb?

[syr2012]

I'm sure there have been several trillion other topics like this one. I'm getting a new guitar soon and want to put some BKs in it. It's most likely going to be a warmoth build, with an Ash or Alder body, Maple neck, and Rosewood board. I'm contemplating a Nailbomb, but I'm not sure. I'm looking for something that crunches nicely, cleans up well, and has rich lows, as well as good highs. Harmonics should practically jump out and the sustain needs to be substantial as well. I play a lot of Muse stuff, so I'm all over the place, and while I like Matt Bellamy's sound, I want something that's more my own. I also need it to split nicely at the bridge, since the neck will most likely be a MQ wound to work with whatever goes at the bridge. Is the Nailbomb a good idea?

[Fikealox]

I think a Nailbomb would fit your needs nicely (though so might a number of other options). I have a set in an SG that I'm probably going to do a magnet swap on (to ceramics), but in a brighter guitar I think the stock Alnico 5 will work fine. I can't comment on how well they split, having never done it with the NBs, though. Nailbombs, to my ear, have a fairly balanced EQ: full bass, no lack of mids, and a fairly smooth treble; awesome harmonics (I mean, wow - probably the best harmonics I've had in an Alnico bucker); and they crunch really nicely for powerchords, but it's more a fat, round crunch than a gritty, harsh crunch.

[Zaned]

You should decide on the woods first..ash is different from alder! My brother has a nailbomb set in an alder bodied strat, with an all-maple neck. It sounds awesome. Aggressive, very detailed, but still warm. Cleans up very well, and they're very versatile.

I have an upcoming strat with rosewood+maple neck, alder body with 4mm maple top. Nailbomb in the bridge, irish tours in the middle and neck. The maple cap does push the alder tone to the direction of ash. However, I have never owned a guitar with an ash body so I can't give a detailed opinion.

They do split very well. Note however that the coils sound different from each other!

-Zaned

[roland_rat]

Hi,

Im not sure on Nailbombs for Muse.   I have found them a little bit too smooth sounding  to get that tone.  I was thinking Painkillers might get you closer.  It may be I have not quite got the right pedal amp combination to go with the guitar but thats my finding anyway.

[Copperhead]

Maple neck, pau ferro board, swamp ash body. Love the Nail Bomb.

[MDV]

yeah, it fits that bill (just got off playing one and you basically described what I heard)

[Dr. Vic]

It's most likely going to be a warmoth build, with an Ash or Alder body,

Don't really know but I have the feeling that alder would suit the Nailbomb better, maybe...


And

Harmonics should practically jump out and the sustain needs to be substantial as well.

The sustain will more depends on the design of the guitar, rather than the pickup.

[MDV]

It's most likely going to be a warmoth build, with an Ash or Alder body,

Don't really know but I have the feeling that alder would suit the Nailbomb better, maybe...


And

Harmonics should practically jump out and the sustain needs to be substantial as well.

The sustain will more depends on the design of the guitar, rather than the pickup.

Very true - in last part (on sustain). But I've given up correcting everyone on it.

Sustain - here are the facts
Powerfull pickups can transmit a lesser vibration more stongly
High gain amps can amplify said lesser vibration more strongly
The two together can fool you into thinking you have more sustain.
You dont.
Neither factor makes a string vibrate longer, and sustain is ultimately a property of the guitar and guitar alone.

[syr2012]

It's most likely going to be a warmoth build, with an Ash or Alder body,

Don't really know but I have the feeling that alder would suit the Nailbomb better, maybe...


And

Harmonics should practically jump out and the sustain needs to be substantial as well.

The sustain will more depends on the design of the guitar, rather than the pickup.

Very true - in last part (on sustain). But I've given up correcting everyone on it.

Sustain - here are the facts
Powerfull pickups can transmit a lesser vibration more stongly
High gain amps can amplify said lesser vibration more strongly
The two together can fool you into thinking you have more sustain.
You dont.
Neither factor makes a string vibrate longer, and sustain is ultimately a property of the guitar and guitar alone.

I know, I know. Since I'd rather harm myself than install a sustainer, I'm just gonna have to settle for the fake kind :D I really want to try ash, though, since I already have a guitar with an alder body, but we'll see...

[dheim]

Hi,

Im not sure on Nailbombs for Muse.   I have found them a little bit too smooth sounding  to get that tone.  I was thinking Painkillers might get you closer.  It may be I have not quite got the right pedal amp combination to go with the guitar but thats my finding anyway.

doesn't bellamy actually use nailbombs?

[Dr. Vic]

I really want to try ash, though, since I already have a guitar with an alder body, but we'll see...

What I said about that was just my feeling, as I said, so nothing reliable.. As far as I know, each time I had the opportunity to compare an alder strat to an ash strat (esp the heavy ones from the 70's), the alder always has seemed to be more warm and rounded whereas the ash was rather percussive, and maybe also middier. 

I guess you could ask Tim what he thinks. Of course the choice of pickups don't have to command the choice of the wood to use for your custom guitar project (at least because once you have it you'll be tempted to try other pickups in the future, while you couldn't change the wood once you have the guitar  :roll:)
..... But the alchemy between wood and BKP is so strong..... so maybe it is worth to hear from him few words about the-story-of-wood-and-pickups-matches, if you hesitate between those very differents woods. .

 

[syr2012]

I really want to try ash, though, since I already have a guitar with an alder body, but we'll see...

What I said about that was just my feeling, as I said, so nothing reliable.. As far as I know, each time I had the opportunity to compare an alder strat to an ash strat (esp the heavy ones from the 70's), the alder always has seemed to be more warm and rounded whereas the ash was rather percussive, and maybe also middier. 

I guess you could ask Tim what he thinks. Of course the choice of pickups don't have to command the choice of the wood to use for your custom guitar project (at least because once you have it you'll be tempted to try other pickups in the future, while you couldn't change the wood once you have the guitar  :roll:)
..... But the alchemy between wood and BKP is so strong..... so maybe it is worth to hear from him few words about the-story-of-wood-and-pickups-matches, if you hesitate between those very differents woods. .

 

You do have a point there. Do you think we could somehow convince Tim to post in this forum (I kinda don't want to email until before I buy, and I'm not there financially yet)?

[dheim]

no problem if you just ask info... i asked many times about pickups i bought some month after...

[Dr. Vic]

I don't think there would be ANY problem if you explain him the situation. He will then easily understand that you need the guitar to be built before buying some BKP's.

You can drop him an email or phone him, or send him a PM here, as you like. 

We could try to call him here for you if you want but not sure it will work..

No, The Man doesn't show often, but be sure he is somewhere hidden.......watching you ! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: 

[roland_rat]

Looks like you are right  about the nailbomb. Heres a bit from wikipedia.

For the 2006 album, Black Holes and Revelations, he bought a new guitar, the "Black Kaoss Manson". The guitar features two P-90s, a Fernandes Sustainer System on the neck and a touch pad which connects to a Korg Kaoss Pad. He also bought the M1D1, which is similar to the Black Kaoss Manson but has a Bare Knuckle Nail Bomb humbucker in the bridge position and a Fernandes Sustainer System (FSK-101 model, which is the humbucker version of the latter one) on the neck. He is also known to use an Ibanez Destroyer on stage (Hullabaloo). Bellamy uses Diezel amp heads, along with Marshall Mode Four cabinets, Soldano Cabinets and Line 6 digital effects. Most of Bellamy's rack effects are made with Line 6 modules. On April 14 2009, Manson Guitars


Sorry if I gave some bad infomation,  guess it means I need to look at my amp and pedal combination to get it closer sounding.