Basswood/Maple/Maple...Suggestions pleez?

[bengalstar]

Howdy !

I have a mongrel.  Schecter strat (basswood), put a Warmoth maple/maple neck on it.  Had a Duncan Dimebucker in it, loved the output, and bass response, just a bit too sizzly.  Looking for a little less gain, really wanting to darken it up a bit, especially with the bright neck.  Have an Evolution in it right now, and it's REALLY not working.
I also have a modded mexi Strat with the same wood combo (I believe?  Maybe the body is alder, but prolly basswood).  If it matters, the trem on the mongrel is a Wilkinson, and the Strat trem is a Schaller Floyd.

Searched a bit in here, seems that the C-Pig (forgive a newbie, I guess that's a Ceramic Warpig?) would be a good choice.  Like I said, looking for a similar output to the Dimebucker, maybe just a hair less, and an overall darker (less top endy) sound.    It's an H/H config with a 5 way switch, so a complimentary neck suggestion would be awesome as well.

Trying to get closer to a couple of Ibanez's I have,   I have an S series prestige and a 540S,  the mahogany body with the maple/rosewood neck and the Dimebuckers are what works for me currently.  I know it's apples and oranges with the wood, but just looking for anybody's thumbs up.

Any suggestions or help are greatly appreciated! 

[Roobubba]

I think you may be a little overwhelmed with a C-Pig in that guitar... the C-Pig is a brutal, massive, thundering beast, spawned to slay mere mortals in the blink of its unholy eye.

What sort of music do you play? What ball-park tone-wise? Similar bands/styles would be useful to be able to suggest pickups to suit.

Roo

[bengalstar]

Hey Roo...

thx for checking in. 
Hey Roo...thx a lot for checking in at least.  So the Pig would be overwhelming, huh?  I may have to try one anyway (at least in another guitar)!

Some tone deets:

I use line 6 stuff, I have an original Vetta HD with the 2.5 software, my favored model is the Powerball (heavily tweaked out).  I run it thru a Marshall 1960 B with avatar hellatone 30's and warehouse 30 clones in an x pattern.
I also have a Pod XT pro (funny how the models are nowhere near the same, but that's my own gripe).  I've tweaked the Vetta to where it's as "organic" sounding (to me, at least) as a model can be, I actually surprised myself, but, you know, ears are like assholes, everybody's got 'em.

As stated previously, I have the Dimebuckers in 2 Ibanez Sabers (one Prestige and one Korean), and the mahogany body with the maple/rosewood combo is working for me presently.  I do mostly covers, and I go from tapped coil clean to Whitesnake/Night Ranger et/al crunch stuff, basically 80's tones.   I've weened myself off EMG's finally (after 15 years), and have grown up a bit in that I don't look for that scooped mid thing as much anymore.
I still like a high gain pickup with a tight bass response and some presence in the mids, just enough high end.
The mongrel and the strat previously described are light wood with maple/maple necks, I'm just trying to get closer to how the Sabers sound (to me). 

Go!

[Roobubba]

My first thought was Miracle Man, but in that guitar with lots of maple it may be too bright, which is kind of what you're trying to get away from.
With that in mind, the pickup that keeps shouting out at me based on your description is the Holy Diver. It is a lower output pickup than the full-on contemporaries like the C-Pig, MM, PK and so on, but don't be fooled, it's not vintage (besides, even vintage pickups can be made to get utterly filthy ;)).

Others may have more informed and/or better suggestions, though!

Roo

[bengalstar]

thanks again, Roo...

yeah, I looked at a thread endorsing the diver over the nailbomb, albeit, the poster said that his brother had an alder/all maple combo that the nailbomb sounded great in...  I do like the diver's description, "classic tone with contemporary power" etc., just afraid that there won't be enough output.  I did hear some great clips on the netmusic.org page, but those were the diver in a les paul with a marshall... definitely not a light strat/maple neck/line 6.      Guess I'm leaning towards the nailbomb and the diver at this point.     What the hell, I'll probably get both of them, if the nailbomb is too much, I'll stick it in my BC Rich Jr V.  That needs a beefier pickup, anyway.  Have the Dimebucker in that, gain is good, but it's too thin sounding for me.  Maybe a C-Pig in there?  I am going for teh BrOOtalz on that one,  tuned drop C with some cables on it  (.65 bass string....tight!)

[Zaned]

thanks again, Roo...

yeah, I looked at a thread endorsing the diver over the nailbomb, albeit, the poster said that his brother had an alder/all maple combo that the nailbomb sounded great in...  I do like the diver's description, "classic tone with contemporary power" etc., just afraid that there won't be enough output.  I did hear some great clips on the netmusic.org page, but those were the diver in a les paul with a marshall... definitely not a light strat/maple neck/line 6.      Guess I'm leaning towards the nailbomb and the diver at this point.     What the hell, I'll probably get both of them, if the nailbomb is too much, I'll stick it in my BC Rich Jr V.  That needs a beefier pickup, anyway.  Have the Dimebucker in that, gain is good, but it's too thin sounding for me.  Maybe a C-Pig in there?  I am going for teh BrOOtalz on that one,  tuned drop C with some cables on it  (.65 bass string....tight!)

That would be me. It depends on what you want from the guitar and how it sounds acoustically. My guitar that has a Diver now, has a chimey top. It clashed (for my tastes) with the treble edge that's on the Nailbomb. On my brother's guitar, it just gives it a hard rocking edge, while being very raunchy.

Have a listen to the Nailbomb clip that Tim has supplied. I'm pretty confident that it would work on your guitar :) Btw, I don't have to dial up the gain with the Diver, as compared to the Nailbomb.

-Zaned

[bengalstar]

ok, after a bit of youtubing, I think I'm leaning towards a nailbomb, but will probably try both the diver and the bomb.

Looked at the DC resistance on the dimebucker and the diver, it's virtually the same, but the dimebucker is ceramic as the diver is alnico.  Am I confused, or can I get ceramic mags instead of alnico on any of the models? 

anyway, I watched a demo of a dime vs a nailbomb thru a marshall, and the bomb had all the same gain, but a WAAAAY more organic tone, the sizzly highs were not there and it definitely sounded better, at least to these ears.

nailbomb for the strat, diver in the mongrel, full report once they're installed and checked out.  Thanks to all.

[Roobubba]

Sounds good, looking forward to it :)

Roo

[bengalstar]

They're here !  THEY'RE HERE!  Joy.

Bomb and Diver arrived yesterday.  (with complimentary 10-46 rotos in each pack, nice stickers and nifty heavy BKP picks...thanks for the goodies, gents!).

Out for install today, hopefully back next week, initial report and musings asap.  I'm giddy.

Have a good day, all.

[Roobubba]

pics and clips, or it didn't happen! :)

[ericsabbath]

anyway, I watched a demo of a dime vs a nailbomb thru a marshall, and the bomb had all the same gain, but a WAAAAY more organic tone, the sizzly highs were not there and it definitely sounded better, at least to these ears.

that was my ex-nailbomb that I sold to a friend 

only sold it cause I wanted more mids
both nailbomb and diver are wonderful pickups
hope you enjoy them

[Ribboz]

Ugh..... Stop using basswood.
Detest basswood. XD

[bengalstar]

Installs complete.

WOW...WOW...WOW.....

Just futzing around for about 30 mins, had to come post.

THREE WORDS:  CLARITY, ARTICULATION AND PUNCH.

#1:  Strat with floyd:  NAILBOMB FOR THE $%&#IN' WIN.  It did exactly what I hoped, it made this guitar sound similar (and probably better upon further review) to my mahogany/maple/rosewood ibanez's with dimebuckers. 
Bomb has all the output of the Dime, but cleaner, tighter, more focused.  Just amazing upon initial impression.
again, a reminder, i'm using Line 6 stuff, I can't even imagine how they'd sound thru a real tube rig. 
Totally got me wondering if I should swap ALL my Dimebuckers (and shite, that'll be xpensive!)
nonetheless, ecstatic right now.  Very, very very pleased.

#2: Strat with wilkinson: Diver is also very good.  Not as saturated as the Nailbomb (with all my main settings, does sound different, but a couple of other patches it was working very nicely).  May take a bit more time to get used to, but now I have a functional guitar as opposed to the Evolution that was in the bridge previously.
Again, the clarity and definition of these pickups is just something to be marveled at.

BKP CONVERT.    Will definitely be ordering another Nailbomb almost immediately, and most likely, a Warpig for my V.

Just superb.  Excellent job, Tim and crew, just $%&#ing stellar.  There aren't enough superlatives right now.

[Davey]

Put a C-Pig in the V .. and get a tube rig. you'll thank yourself. the difference is night and day when you got everything dialed in