PS: is ther any topic for the "correspondance" wood/pickup in this forum ?
There have been many started, but none finished. If you have any questions about specific pickups, I'd suggest asking around on the forum or emailing Tim. But the general rules are:
Mahogany: thick sound, works best with ceramic and moderate output alnico pickups. Hot AV pickups generally cause a muddy situation, unless maple is added to balance things out.
Alder: balanced sound, brighter and thinner than mahogany, works best with alnico pickups. Moderate to slightly hot ceramics may work well, but anything hotter in terms of ceramic will give you that lovely "nails on a chalkboard" sound.
Maple: Quite bright sound, quite heavy, generally found only on necks, body tops, and fretboards. All-maple bodies actually work well with ceramics, despite both being rather bright. They also work well with low to moderate alnico pickups.
Ceramic: Bright, quick response, extremely clear. Great for extreme distortion, but not too great for cleans, which can sound cold and sterile. Great for cutting through the mix when there are other instruments to consider.
Alnico: Slightly warmer, organic, sweet. Cleans are great, as well as crunch and distortion. I found that some of the BKP alnico pickups can actually distort rather far before losing clarity, but will still be slightly less clear than ceramic.
THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE: Listen to your instrument when shopping for pickups. No two slabs of mahogany (or alder or basswood or maple) are the exact same, and don't expect them to be. If you have an alder guitar that's rather dark, hotter ceramics may be for you, just like hotter alnicos may work well in certain mahogany guitars.
ALWAYS REMEMBER: When in doubt, ask Tim. He makes the pickups, so he knows what works best in what.
