pickups for 1981 gibson e2 explorer

[Marc]

Hello people!

i just bought a 1981 gibson e2 explorer (just like the top one in this picture http://media.photobucket.com/image/gibson%20e2%20explorer/DeanML79/pair3.jpg but with the fine-tuning-tailpiece ) and the whole guitar is just awesome. i like the dirty finger pickups, that came stock with it, but i feel that they are missing something in high-gain territories. i like the high end, but the overall output is too low, and when i play palmmuted droptuned chords, the low end is just too loose and im not able to get that  in-your-face-"chuggchugg", if you know what i mean   :lol:

so im going to replace the bridge pickup and as i heard great things about bareknuckle pickups, i now seek your advice.

i intend to play some low tuned "djent" metal with it on the one hand (like www.myspace.com/periphery), but the pickup should still be able to produce an organic rock sound like guns n roses and similar stuff in standart-tuning, without sounding too harsh.

speaking of too harsh: the whole guitar is made of maple ,NOT mahogany like the current explorer models, so i guess it sounds a bit brighter than other explorers.  

thanks for your input  

[FernandoDuarte]

Welcome to the forum! :D

Perhaps you should try a Warpig, as it's all maple, but I think if you email Tim he'll give the best advice, specially because this guitar isn't very tradicional...

[syr2012]

The general rule for all-maple guitars that I've heard of is to either use ceramics or moderate-output alnico pickups, but since you want the djent, I'd suggest the former, maybe a C-Bomb or a Cold Sweat since you don't want to stray from a nice organic sound.

[Zaned]

I second the Cold Sweat or ceramic nailbomb (which is basically an overwound cold sweat) suggestion. Being overwound, the C-bomb has a bit more output, more mids and is darker.

Of course, forum members with more experience on the djent area might want to chime in  8)

-Zaned

[MDV]

I'd normally say painkiller, but I'm afraid that the combined highs and high mids of the PK with an all-maple guitar might cut the fabric of reality in half.

I havent had very good experience with NBs in really bright guitars either, but the c-bomb is an option.

The cs is not. It will turn the guitar into a lightsaber.

All told I have to say c-bomb or c-pig.

[Zaned]

Damn, I missed the part "GNR in standard tuning". All-maple guitars are not usually as bright as many people tend to think of them (lots of midrange, though hard sounding), but they are still bright. For a heavily dropped tuning, I think CS would work, but standard tuning..hmm.

I've seen Miracle man recommended for all-maple guitars, but it has less mids than the CS..

Time to give Tim an e-mail or a phone call :)

-Zaned

[MDV]

Hmmm, so did I....djent when detuned, gnr when standard tuned...good luck with that.

All things being equal I'd also say a CS is your best bet, in that case, but dont say I didnt warn you about putting it in all maple!

[blue]

i'd say persevere with the Dirty Fingers for a while first.  try adjusting some of the polepieces.  on the other hand, if you do change them, i might be interested in taking them off your hands!  :D

[Zaned]

Ah, the Dirty fingers! I forgot to mention it, but that was one the reasons for the CS suggestion.

Many of you know this, but the CS was created in the pursuit of John Sykes tone from the eiqhties. Which (guitar-wise), was a Gibson LP + the Dirty fingers. But with the CS, the low end won't get loose, and the top will be very articulate.

Still, contact Tim.

-Zaned

[Marc]

Yeah i'm pretty demanding, when i say i want djent AND an organic rock sound... its just that i love metal, but my current band plays more hard rock stuff, and some high-output pickups (like a bill lawrence l500xl that i have in an all mahogany dean ml) tend to sound shrill and lifeless in lower gain settings.

so the "djent" part is more important to me than the rocksound.

thanks to everyone so far, theres really a lot of knowledge around here.  :)

i will definitely contact tim too and wait for his suggestion.

i'd say persevere with the Dirty Fingers for a while first.  try adjusting some of the polepieces.  on the other hand, if you do change them, i might be interested in taking them off your hands!  :D

i already did a lot of polepiece-finetuning, but i still feel that theres a lack of output and tightness in the low end.
if i decide to sell them i'll definitely let you know!


EDIT: tim recommended the painkillers. i'll let you guys know when they've arrived and post some soundclips as well.