Help me choose a bridge pickup

[stephen78]

Hi there. I'm new to Bare Knuckle pickups. I'm looking for a bridge pickup to give me this type of tone (doesn't have to be exact...I just want to get in the arena of it):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTDWAMUcNDc

My only criteria is that I want an Alinco 5 pickup...I don't really like ceramic magnets. It will be going in a Gibson Explorer tuned to C#. I just want the pickup to stay tight in that tuning. Thanks!

[HairyChris]

Down. Marvellous.

Warpig should work. Thick as fark. IMO.

Although I suppose I should ask what rig you're using!

[stephen78]

Oops, forgot to mention that. Orange Dual Terror, boosted wth an overdrive to tighten up the bass.

Just one question...is the war pig a one trick pony or can I get other tones besides metal from it?

Thanks for the recommendation!

[DimeZakk]

An alnico Warpig in a big, full mahagony guitar like an Explorer will be way to dark imho - even with a bright amp like your Orange...

I hate to tell you but Kirk and Pepper use EMGs most of the time and the best Pickup for Down is the Miracle Man! I have one in my Gibson Gothic Explorer and it fits the tone perfectly! Growly low mids and a lot of punch and clarity.

[stephen78]

An alnico Warpig in a big, full mahagony guitar like an Explorer will be way to dark imho - even with a bright amp like your Orange...

I hate to tell you but Kirk and Pepper use EMGs most of the time and the best Pickup for Down is the Miracle Man! I have one in my Gibson Gothic Explorer and it fits the tone perfectly! Growly low mids and a lot of punch and clarity.

Thanks for the advice!

Actually, only Kirk uses EMG's. I'm not sure if you have seen Down recently, but Pepper's main axe is now a Gibson ES-335...and I'm not sure what pickups he's using in that one. Before that it was an ESP Viper with an Invader, and before that an Anderson H3. But regardless of all that, I have no idea what was used on the actual Down NOLA record.

I'm not looking to copy the tone exactly, but that's just an idea of what I'd like to accomplish in a pickup. How would a Nailbomb or Holy Diver do? I'd really like to stick to an Alnico 5.

[Antag]

Abraxas :) (OK probably not, but read the description under the video...)

[stephen78]

Abraxas :) (OK probably not, but read the description under the video...)

I just read about that pickup...14k is good enough for me, and if it will stay tight and have some cut in an lower tuned Explorer, I'm sold. I wouldn't mind the extra versatility (being able to play heavier music and getting vintage tones if I want it).

I understand that ultimately the majority of tone comes from the amp...I just want a pickup that will fit the equation for my standards.  :)

[stephen78]

Wow, speak of the devil, look what I found! Somebody playing the Down song above with Abraxas pickups (it says it in the full description)!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e-vNNMyWMU

Sounds pretty good to me!

[ericsabbath]

Down guys have used strictly ceramics for years (tom anderson h3, invader, emg 81, gibson 500t)

the miracle man works really well for Down stuff, imo, but I'd pick a ceramic warpig instead

did you e-mail Tim?

[gepetto33]

lolocaust. good job finding the same video - video is the same!

Just a suggestion - who cares what those guys actually play on... ceramic, active, gibson or whatever.  You've heard an example of Abraxis pickups doing a good tone, damn close to what you're after.  They're Alnico 5, like you're looking for. 

I'd say it's within the character you're looking for, and definitely a good place to start.  There's a good chance you might go through a couple before you find what's "just right", but hey, at least you're narrowing them DOWN.  Maybe just figure out the differences between that clip and how you'd like to sound (taking into consideration the differences between amps and guitar woods).  Bottom line - go with your own sound, at least you know what's already in the ballpark.  +1 for trying the Alnico V Abraxis.

[DimeZakk]

I have a Nailbomb in a Les Paul Standard and tried to play some ''bury me in smoke'' on a jam session and it is not the first pickup I would choose for down (it's a great humbucker though, just not for sludge/stoner imho).

Also wasn't there a rule not to use high output Alnico 5 Magnet in big mahagony guitars because they would drown?

[ericsabbath]

explorers and vees tend to sound a lot darker than les pauls with medium/high output alnico pups

and as much as I like heavier than hell's video, it still sounds different from down
mids are more PAFy and not as aggressive

I'll insist in the miracle man
it's a lot clearer than the stock 500t

http://netmusicians.org/?section=id&value=2653
http://netmusicians.org/?section=id&value=2473

[stephen78]

I haven't emailed Tim yet...I was just trying to gather some info first from everyone on the forum. Thanks for all the advice, I really appreciate it. I definitely want to find a tone that works for me...I was just using the Down NOLA record tone as a starting point. The only thing I don't like about ceramics is when playing lead...I don't mind the rhythm so much. We will see!

[dheim]

warpig! warpig!

[HairyChris]

Warpigs clean up really well.

Admittedly the thought 'Abraxas' has swum through my mind to replace my Warpig 7s, for a bit more clarity.