Choosing a pickup for a baritone explorer

[fr33man1]

Decided to change a bit my needs in term of sounds.

I am impressed by nailbombs warmth and retaining a certain clarity but I'm not so sure if they will stay tight at C flat tuning or Drop Bb.

I'm looking for that Machine head low chugging and mid grinding ol' sound they have on Burn My Eyes record. Can't decide between Pk, MM, or Nbomb.

Tim adviced me going for an holy diver neck which I will follow. But I'm not so sure about PK bridge recommandation.

On some clips it seems ultra open sounding then on some others seems very tight with a fast picking response and having hammering palm mute sound.

I just don't want my axe to end in a treble factory since it will be very bright sounding.

I seeked on boards about MM but it seems it is very chuggy on low strings and more crispy on higher ones. Read it got 'laser beam ' highs and I'm not looking for a trebly spike sound.

Hard choice, but I know I can't go wrong (still impressed by my nailbomb neck in my sg). Forgot to mention that I don't care if the bridge pickup does not retain nice clean tones.

[Axe Palace]

I'd recommend the Miracle Man set for your baritone. The bridge has a lot of low-mid chunk/grind, awesome attack, and tight attack. The neck model is fluid, smooth, powerful, articulate and great clean as well.

[ericsabbath]

I'd recommend the Miracle Man set for your baritone. The bridge has a lot of low-mid chunk/grind, awesome attack, and tight attack. The neck model is fluid, smooth, powerful, articulate and great clean as well.

+1  :D

[dheim]

Hey people, its me again. After scratching my head for my sg i decided to keep the stock c57 at moment.

Now I have to choose some pickups for my baritone guitar. Its a custom one with a bubinga body, set maple neck and ebony fretboard.

I really don't know what kind of pickups could fit this wood. I'd like this low grind in flames rythm sound but with a bit more precision and thickness. In neck I'd be more interested in a nice mid sounding pickup, with smooth highs and still capable to keep up on distorded riffs.

 Im hesitating between a nailbomb set or a warpig bridge (the neck pig seems overpowerful for my needs). Cold sweat seems nice aswell, very balanced and open sounding.

Thanks for helping me ;).

the stock c57s sounded nice in my lespaul but were obscenely weak in my SG. changing them with cold sweats has been one of my best moves ever... do it!

[fr33man1]

I'll first go with a set for my baritone, if it pleases me (which I dont doubt it will) I'll buy one for my SG.

Back to the miracle man I really like the low mid grind it produces but I don't think I'll like the high end peak it delivers. They appear really sparkling and ear piercing on several samples.

Really hesitating with nailbombs or pigs aswell. I don't doubt that any BKP set will sound bad but I don't have enough money to order each set to make my mind  :). 

[Roobubba]

I have a black dog bridge in my custom baritone (maple-bubinga-wenge-bubinga-maple-neck-through, bubinga-winged, wenge-topped, ebony-fretted string-through 6-string tuned to A-E-A-D-F#-B with 14-68 strings).
I play nasty, agressive, articulate (hopefully), grindy hardcore/metal stuff. The lower output pickup gives superb clarity on the low strings, and I find, in my personal opinion based on the guitar I have (whose woods are similar to your own), that this works really well.

Roo

[fr33man1]

Thanks for replies ;). As for the black dog I am really addicted to high output pickups so I won't be able to buy this one  :P.

Listened to a lot of samples, really liked nailbombs, but painkillers samples from nolly on his blackmachines were really impressing aswell.

Is it possible to get this organic and chunky nailbomb tone but a bit brighter ? On every clips this pickups seems a bit dark sounding with massive bass response.

[WezV]

As for the black dog I am really addicted to high output pickups so I won't be able to buy this one  :P.

So was Roo till Tim convinced him and me that a blackdog would be a better choice for his baritone.  i find it funny that some people automatically dismiss the idea - almost like its going to be too soft or pansyish because it doesnt have the highest output pickup possible :?

my advice would be to try it - you might quite like it! ;)

bubinga can be a bright wood, it will add a lot of clarity on a baritone so try and remember that when making your choice

[fr33man1]

Well for having eared tom's sample on killswitch engage with a mule i admit this low output pickup were tight and expressive.  Black dog seems a good biting pickup but maybe a bit dark on low tunings no ? I listened to to your sample WezV and it was really good sounding but not enough modern for me.

I really don't know if I must go for a lil dark and fat sounding pickup to balance the brightness of bubinga or if I shall buy a pickup with lot of clarity and covering a large frequencies range.

To compare to high output pickups I had, the gibson 500t had enough power for my tastes and had this organic and lil chug sound type. But it was really compressed and a bit loose on low tunings. Had a duncan sh6 aswell, bit opposite. Not so organic,tighter, really middy. Missed a bit the low end grinds on this pickup.

I bet the painkiller could make me happy since its clear, full of mids but with a grinding low end and super tight. The miracle man seems being a cool beast aswell but with a huge low end towards painkiller. My real doubts are related to bubinga's reaction, I dunno why but I stick to the idea of getting a bit dark and fat pickup to balance brightness is a good choice. Really scared that a painkiller will be very harsh and bright sounding in my axe.

[Roobubba]

Let's be clear about this, I'm not saying that some (or indeed most) of the higher output pickups wouldn't suit you, or wouldn't do the job well. It's quite true that many of the pickups *may* be just as good as each other (although each subtly different).
BUT as Wez said, I was dead set on a ceramic warpig or overwound painkiller until I took Tim's advice and went for a Black Dog. Have a listen to some of the clips I put up (they're pretty shoddy, but you get an idea of the tone!). You just might be surprised at what you can get out of something that's not "OMGZOR OUTPUTZZ". I certainly was, and very pleasantly so!

Either way, a BKP is a fantastic choice for your guitar, and I want to see pics and hear clips when you have it done!!

(some clips on myspace, link below, and also on the forum, link here: click meh!).

Roo

[Keven]

I can only second the Black dog choice. Roo and Tim advised me on it for my Swamp Ash Body 7 string and it's godly. very dynamic and REALLY  clear on the low tunings. even with searing high gain it sings. and kills. all at once.

[fr33man1]

Listened to your sample Roo and though riffing is nice i'm not really fond of tone. Looking for something more compressed and tight.

[Roobubba]

That's fair, I have my amp set quite open (a LOT lower pre-gain than I used to have, higher post gain). To get a much more compressed sound, I can just boost up the preamp gain. I just prefer the slightly more open sound with lots of mids (because it gets really in your face and aggressive).

Your case may well be quite different from mine, have you asked Tim's advice? He's a *very* knowledgable and helpful chap!

If you didn't like my tone because it's too open, I'd advise against the Painkiller, as this will likely be too open for you, too. Something more along the lines of Miracle Man (which can handle the low stuff phenomenally well as well), or all-out madness with a ceramic warpig. Those are the two high gain pickups that I think would best match your requirements, although I'd still favour going for a lower output pickup (maybe even crawlers for a bit more output than the BD, though I haven't heard these in the flesh).

Cold Sweat might be a good call, too.

There are plenty of options, but I'm going to change my initial advice of 'Black Dog' to: 'Ask Tim (and probably Black Dog)'!

Hope the hunt ends soon in a perfect choice, whatever it turns out to be!!

PS Clips and pics or it didn't happen :)

Roo

[fr33man1]

Tim just replied me and adviced me to go for a painkiller bridge/holy diver neck set.   Ill just follow his knowledge. If the painkiller is too open for me I bet I can get a rewind to a miracle man or a warpig no ?  If so its not too risky to bet on the painkiller first.

Thanks for helping out, and sure pics and clips will be done when that beast will be finished. (summer end or something like that).

[fr33man1]

http://users.tpg.com.au/scallen/forcedaffection.mp3

Gotta change my mind on those nailbombs...That clip is freaking awesome. Plus I bought a nailbomb neck for my sg. Its freaking clear and articulate , and also warm at same time. A bit dark on mahogany to play rythm but for leads or clean parts its killer.

Just not sure about how it handles downtuning with the A5 magnet.