Painkillers for my 1980 Les Paul!

[orchid]

Hi!

I'm new on this forum...I discovered the BK recently and i'm very impressed. I want to change the pickups of my 1980 Gibson LP Custom to get more powerfull, agressive but beautiful and sweet tone, with great clean sound too (it's very important!!). My tunning is DROP C

The reference bands may be:
http://www.myspace.com/cultofluna
http://www.myspace.com/explosionsinthesky
http://www.myspace.com/mastodon

Tim has said that the Painkillers are the best for me. I trust him, but i want a BK's user opinion. That's why i'm writing this post.

So...what do you think?? What about the Cold Sweat or the VHII?

Thanks!

[ericsabbath]

well, I have a 1970-1972 custom with a nailbomb set
sounds aggressive enough me
I also have a 1990 japanese LP copy with a cold sweat set, and it sounds somewhat similar, but the bridge pup is a bit brighter and crunchier, and the neck pup is smoother and middier
but the painkiller will work pretty well too, just like all the contemporary other models and some of the low output models
those bands play a lot of clean parts, so I'd stay alnico

[99_not_out]

I have a PK bridge in a PRS Singlecut, and its certainly (oh yes) powerful, agressive with (when played that way) a beautiful and sweet tone ... under gain. The clean sound is good, but not "great" IMHO, but then I do have wired straight to the Jack :shock:

Do you play your cleans off the neck mainly? The PK bridge is definitely what you want for those under-gain tight aggressive drop tunings, and you could consider another, Alnico, neck pickup to go with it? A Cold sweat neck maybe.
The PK neck is ceramic I think (I don't have one) so perhaps is a little less sweet on the clean channel than some of the other choices out there, but like I say I don't actually have one :(

[orchid]

well, I have a 1970-1972 custom with a nailbomb set
sounds aggressive enough me
I also have a 1990 japanese LP copy with a cold sweat set, and it sounds somewhat similar, but the bridge pup is a bit brighter and crunchier, and the neck pup is smoother and middier
but the painkiller will work pretty well too, just like all the contemporary other models and some of the low output models
those bands play a lot of clean parts, so I'd stay alnico

Ok, so you recommend Nailbomb, am i right??

Tim said that Painkillers have a good clean tone too...but i think the Painkiller could be a very "metal" pickup for me. I don't play things like Megadeath or Lamb Of God...

But my tunning is DROP C (C-G-C-F-A-D) and people say that the PK works perfectly with the DROP tunings!

Nailbomb or Painkiller??


P.D.: if BareKnuckle had only one pickup it would be easier hehehehe

[orchid]

I have a PK bridge in a PRS Singlecut, and its certainly (oh yes) powerful, agressive with (when played that way) a beautiful and sweet tone ... under gain. The clean sound is good, but not "great" IMHO, but then I do have wired straight to the Jack :shock:

Do you play your cleans off the neck mainly? The PK bridge is definitely what you want for those under-gain tight aggressive drop tunings, and you could consider another, Alnico, neck pickup to go with it? A Cold sweat neck maybe.
The PK neck is ceramic I think (I don't have one) so perhaps is a little less sweet on the clean channel than some of the other choices out there, but like I say I don't actually have one :(

I play a lot of cleans, a lot, so i need a good and bright clean tone. But the Hi-Gain Sound and Palm Mutes are very important to me too... I play with a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier and i'm considering to buy a VHT Pittbull

Another reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_W3G7KmPkw   (listen at 2:00 for full clean)

About the position...well, i play cleans in both positions (neck and bridge). Maybe i play more in the bridge because i love the bridge's bright (the neck pickup sounds deeper)

[99_not_out]

If you want tight downtuned palm mutes with a Dual Rec, listen to Tim - definitely the PK!
The PK bridge would give cleans close to that track (like it BTW) too - don't get me wrong, it cleans up well - just not as sweet as a lower output humbucker. But that is the age old condundrum when playing metal-with-clean-bits :)
I can try and do you a clip if you like? Might have to wait till Wednesday though.

[ericsabbath]

If you want tight downtuned palm mutes with a Dual Rec, listen to Tim - definitely the PK!
The PK bridge would give cleans close to that track (like it BTW) too - don't get me wrong, it cleans up well - just not as sweet as a lower output humbucker. But that is the age old condundrum when playing metal-with-clean-bits :)
I can try and do you a clip if you like? Might have to wait till Wednesday though.

well, the Nailbomb is much tighter than I expected too (just as tight as the Cold Sweat)
at least in my les paul

but now I gotta add that the Rectos work better with ceramics, so now I'll agree with the Painkiller advice, or maybe a ceramic bomb

[orchid]

If you want tight downtuned palm mutes with a Dual Rec, listen to Tim - definitely the PK!
The PK bridge would give cleans close to that track (like it BTW) too - don't get me wrong, it cleans up well - just not as sweet as a lower output humbucker. But that is the age old condundrum when playing metal-with-clean-bits :)
I can try and do you a clip if you like? Might have to wait till Wednesday though.

well, the Nailbomb is much tighter than I expected too (just as tight as the Cold Sweat)
at least in my les paul

but now I gotta add that the Rectos work better with ceramics, so now I'll agree with the Painkiller advice, or maybe a ceramic bomb

People say that Nailbomb is more versatile than Painkiller, and that's very important to me. I like tight palm mutes but i play palm mutes the 10-20% of the time. The most important part are the cleans, playing some solos, arpegios and tappings, and the distorted chords (with 3, 4 and FIVE notes simultaneously!!) that's why i need clarity too. In addition, we play a lot of parts with distorsion + effects like reverb, delay on the first strings...

So...NB or PK??   :o

[99_not_out]

In a U-turn, based on your last post I'm going with the Cold Sweat now.
Lower output that the PK, the CS is versatile and very good for the cleans, playing some solos, arpegios and tappings part, whilst still being tight for those palm mutes. Nearly bought one instead of my Painkiller, but I was after aggressive as my no.1 factor and not cleans.

Let the amp do the heavy lifting for the aggression, your amps are more than capable I believe :)

The CS will also give you the brighter clean tone you are after, and the neck pickup is superb for smooth leads and clarity while shredding (and is Alnico V to the bridge's Ceramic).

[orchid]

In a U-turn, based on your last post I'm going with the Cold Sweat now.
Lower output that the PK, the CS is versatile and very good for the cleans, playing some solos, arpegios and tappings part, whilst still being tight for those palm mutes. Nearly bought one instead of my Painkiller, but I was after aggressive as my no.1 factor and not cleans.

Let the amp do the heavy lifting for the aggression, your amps are more than capable I believe :)

The CS will also give you the brighter clean tone you are after, and the neck pickup is superb for smooth leads and clarity while shredding (and is Alnico V to the bridge's Ceramic).

Thanks! I'll consider your CS recomendation...

But...why not a Nailbomb?? This pickup seems to be used for a lot of styles like rock, heavy, metal, progressive...and for a lot of guitars. My guitar's last owner say that i've to buy a NB...

My last talk with Tim:
"I need a versatile pickup, with agressive (like the other link - isis) and sweet sound (like explosionsinthesky), friendly with the drop tunning. I am thinking in Nailbomb or Cold Sweat, because the people says that the Painkiller are very "metal" and not versatile. "

And Tim say:
"From an '80 LPC Painkiller is definitely the right choice and cleans are really good too."


Very difficult decission!! Do i have to trust the user or the manufacturer?? hehehehe

[lulusg]

It's a Win.. Win situation! It won't be your first set I predict!

[99_not_out]

Go with what Tim said, its rule No.1 round here anyway!
Tim is probably the No.1 user as well as the manufacturer, he plays all his products - which is why they are so good :)

[sebby123]

If you want tight downtuned palm mutes with a Dual Rec, listen to Tim - definitely the PK!
The PK bridge would give cleans close to that track (like it BTW) too - don't get me wrong, it cleans up well - just not as sweet as a lower output humbucker. But that is the age old condundrum when playing metal-with-clean-bits :)
I can try and do you a clip if you like? Might have to wait till Wednesday though.

well, the Nailbomb is much tighter than I expected too (just as tight as the Cold Sweat)
at least in my les paul

but now I gotta add that the Rectos work better with ceramics, so now I'll agree with the Painkiller advice, or maybe a ceramic bomb

Does your Other LP have a rosewood fertboard the comparison between ebony and rosewood will tighten up the low end some more then rosewood and have a slight more compressed feel then rosewood as it has a more "open sound" That might have helped also the Super thick maple cap. Not that i dont believe the nailbomb is as tight in the low end! Just saying that might have a huge part :D

[orchid]

Well, i've asked in other forums...and the 80% people say "NAILBOMB"...so due to popular demand i'll buy NB!

Maybe the PK would be ok too, but i think Tim is not considering my "versatile" requisites

[MrPring]

If Tim says Painkiller then get a Painkiller.
He knows the pickups inside out (funnily enough).

I still dont understand why people write threads like this.

Email Tim, then buy what he recommends. Simple.