Trouble finding the right pickup for my Flying V

[DimeZakk]

Hey guys!

I have some problems with my Gibson Flying V silverburst 84 (reissue from 2007). It has an Ebony Fretboard and no Pickguard - I just love the look and the feeling of this guitar but I wasn't really satisfied with the sound from the Gibson standard pickups (500t).

I asked Tim which pickup to choose for Thrash Metal and metal in general and told him the specs and he suggested eiter a Painkiller or a Miracle Man. I went for the miracle man set, installed it and found the overall sound of the guitar to thin now.  Somehow it sounded like a guitar with an  almost closed volume knob; the low end was great and tight, the highs were screaming but the overall sound was thin and flat...

I thought it might be the Ceramic magnets and I switched the miracle man set from my Flying V with the Nailbomb set from my Les Paul standard. The Miracle man sounds INCREDIBLE in my Les Paul and it will definitely stay there!
-The nailbomb didn't really help in the Flying V... The sound is now much fatter and the leads are singing but it sounds too dark now when playing riffs, the sound doesn't cut anymore. It's kinda the opposite of the way it was before with the miracle man - I am confused.


What pickups should I get?

[the prince of shred]

try some painkillers in there ?  :P

[DimeZakk]

Painkillers seems to be a logical choice but I don't want to order another BKP and find out it's the wrong pickup afterwards...

With the Nailbomb sounding so dark in it, I know a Holydiver would be way to dark sounding... And I don't want another Warpig set (I have on in My SG, they are cool but I can't really handle their output so no need for a second set).

The most balanced tone I had with this guitar was with the standard Gibson Pu (although it was muddy as hell)...

[Will]

Miracle Man thin? How much time did you spend adjusting height? Mine are close to the strings and are quite balanced, with the expected scoop.

I thought PK would be thinner than MM. Do you know if the values of your pots are 500k?

[DimeZakk]

I adjusted it all day long trying to find the perfect spot but I couldn't get it right. I suspect it sounds thin because of the thin body and the weird body shape...

I guess my pots are 500k, I didn't replace them and my Guitar came stock with the Gibson 500t/498r pickups...

[the prince of shred]

im pretty sure they will be 500k pots... i was gunna suggest fiddeling with height aswell but it seems uve done that.... how about selling the nailbombs keeping the MM set in ur LP and buying painkillers with the cash from the NBs + a small amount out your own pocket??

[syr2012]

The nailbomb didn't really help in the Flying V... The sound is now much fatter and the leads are singing but it sounds too dark now when playing riffs, the sound doesn't cut anymore. It's kinda the opposite of the way it was before with the miracle man - I am confused.

Since your pots are 500k (I'm positive Gibson won't put 250s in a humbucker-equipped guitar), you might want to also consider changing to 1 meg pots. They're supposed to open and brighten things up, and if the nailbomb is too dark, then that might fix things for you. I'm considering doing the same thing if my HD is too dark, as well, since my guitar seems to eat highs a bit.

[FELINEGUITARS]

I would check the value of the pots as they could well be 300k pots

The closest BKP to the 500T is the Cold Sweat Set - although it will have a lot more definition

I would have initially chosen the MM set for Thrash , although the Ceramic Warpig might have been a keen choice
But thinking about it the Painkiller may work well
It has a lot of midrange but the ceramic magnet keeps an edge to the sound

I would stay clear of the Nailbomb in an all mahogany guitar as it woul be too dark for my liking
BUT if you changed the magnets in them to Ceramic it could be a different matter
In my opinion , a V needs a LOW power alnico or a High power ceramic
High power alnico can fail to cut through in some  all-mahogany guitars

Why not ask Tim to do that for you before spending out on new pickups-you may love the result

[DimeZakk]

Yes it's true that high output alnico doesn't cut through all mahagony, it's like my Nailbomb can't breathe freely in my V, it was better in my les Paul with a maple cap...I don't thin a 1k pot will solve this fact.

I guess I'll ask Tim wether to go for a Cold Sweat or Painkiller, and I will experiment a little with some of the Ceramic pickups I have lying arround (Sh-6, Evolution). If everything fails me and I can't get tone I expect from it, then it's not the guitars fault and  I will sell this beauty...

[syr2012]

I was mistaken, it's also quite possible that your guitar was equipped with 300k pots instead of 500, which will definitely darken things up. However, I've heard of people with warpigs (far darker than the nailbomb) using 1 meg pots with lower level caps (even in big slabs of mahogany) and saying it's like a blanket's been taken off of their guitars. You could also try disconnecting the tone pots if you don't use them, as leaving them connected will take a little brightness off as well. Pickups take a lot of time and money, I'm merely mentioning things I'd do before taking one out. Regardless, best of luck in getting the blanket off of yours!

[ericsabbath]

why not trying a ceramic magnet in your nailbomb?

[Ivan]

Are you eligible for BKP's return policy?
That way you could return the MMs and try the PKs (and if you like them you can keep the PKs and buy the MMs again.... if the PKs aren't for you, maybe if you ask nicely Tim will allow you to swap back for the MMs).

[DimeZakk]

Ceramic Nailbomb sounds like a good idea, actually like a great idea!
Is it possible to replace the magnets myself or do I have to bother Tim for that task? (I hope It's doable for me because if I don't like it, I can change right back to the alnico magnets)

[syr2012]

Ceramic Nailbomb sounds like a good idea, actually like a great idea!
Is it possible to replace the magnets myself or do I have to bother Tim for that task? (I hope It's doable for me because if I don't like it, I can change right back to the alnico magnets)

Modifying your pickups in any way (removing the covers, changing magnets, rewinds, changing covers) will invalidate your warranty. You'd have to send it back to Tim so he can change the magnet and repot without losing your warranty. You should email him first, and explain your situation fully before you do anything. Since he designed all of the pickups, I'm sure he won't be wrong.

[gwEm]

typically fussy V :)

nothing worse than trying a loaf of pickups to get the right one. maybe i would try something with double screw poles to get some tweakability.