Pickup for my Jackson Randy Rhoads

[5150ed]

Hi pal
I need help to choose a pair of humbucker for my Jackson RR.

The previous owner equipped it with EMG 85/81 pickup and yep I really like it very much.
But I think it is time for change.

So can you recommend me a pair of hum that has dirty tone of EMG 85/81 with more body and
easy to live with clean tone? I aim for the tone of Metallica and Megadeath tone. 

Thanks

[FLgearnut]

i dont have any firsthand experience (YET) but from what ive heard, it seems like the painkiller has the most similar characteristics to an EMG-81 without sounding sterile or compressed like an 81 does.

[Nolly]

If you're enjoying the output level of the EMGs, I would recommend checking out the ceramic Warpigs. They're the hottest of the BKP range but should still be fuller, clearer and tighter than the EMGs, while also offering warmer, more characterful clean and mid-gain tones.

[5150ed]

Thank u both.

Which one should do the neck, which should do the bridge?

[Antag]

I have a Painkiller bridge & Cold Sweat neck in my KV2.
PK clip here & here
CS neck clip (amongst others) here & here

No experience of the C'Pig that Nolly suggests, though it's probably the only BKP that equals or exceeds the raw output of an 81.  If you went for a C'Pig bridge, the best neck choices are either Painkiller, Warpig (A'Pig) or Cold Sweat - depends what you want from the neck?

[Antag]

Which one should do the neck, which should do the bridge?

The recommendations made above are all for the bridge position.  BKP neck pickups are actually completely different pickups to the equivalent bridge model - they are wound specifically for the neck position - so if, for example, you ordered a Painkiller calibrated set, you'll get the PK bridge & a PK neck which aren't really interchangable (well, they'll work, but nto sound as they were meant to).

The Cold Sweat is probably the most popular neck pickup to match with any of the high gain bridge models, it's a great all rounder with a nice bright, clear warm clean tone but also a smooth articulate lead sound.

[5150ed]

Thanks so much Antag, ur information are very useful.

[ratspeak]

Nolly's spot-on here. The C-Pig is similar in output to the 81, but just a better pickup in general (more interesting/colorful, better mid-gain/clean sounds). I have a Warpig neck as well; it's smooth, round and bassy. It'll punch you in the gut hard. I'm not 100% sold on it (thinking about switching to a Cold Sweat), but it is a great neck pickup if you like the kind of weight it pulls.

[HairyChris]

Both A-Pig pickups (yeah, I know that for the bridge the C-Pig is recommended) are uber-hot PAF-like pickups, so if you wind the volume right down the neck Pig will give you pretty close to that sort of vibe. This is very different to the much cleaner Cold Sweat.

Personally I'm more of a fan of the warmer neck pickup as opposed to a cleaner one. But that's just me! 

Hope this helps.

[Ribboz]

If I remember right, the actual tonality of the EMG is drastically different the Cpig. People use to say the Miracle Man was a great replacement for the emg. I just dont want you to get the idea that the matched furiosity means it will sound similar. Even though I would have to say the Cpig is quite a bit more powerful XD

[Dr. Vic]

People use to say the Miracle Man was a great replacement for the emg.

I also read that. Nevertheless Tim and other some BKP users compare the EMG 81 to a PK more easily.  

And won't the C-Pig be too much for metallica or deth tone ? What about a C-NB ? or an Alnico  HD  ?

[Ribboz]

People use to say the Miracle Man was a great replacement for the emg.

I also read that. Nevertheless Tim and other some BKP users compare the EMG 81 to a PK more easily.  

And won't the C-Pig be too much for metallica or deth tone ? What about a C-NB ? or an Alnico  HD  ?

Yeah I could see the PK having a closer tone to the EMG mentioned. Definitely. Well it all depends on your setup, but if you wanted to actually have similar tone to metalica, I would not recommend the Pig. Some buddy will have a better idea about Metalica than I though. I dislike them XD

[Nolly]

The reason I recommended the C-'pig is in order to retain some of the more compressed feel the OP will be used from the EMGs. I know of people going from EMGs to the PK who find take a while to adjust to the dryness of the low end and the lack of compression.
If it's too much, you can always dial back the gain when using the C-'pig ;)

[Ribboz]

If it's too much, you can always dial back the gain when using the C-'pig ;)

But thats no fun! XD just kidding.