Introducing myself and have questions...

[JacksonRR]

Hey guys. So I'm starting a new build and me thinks Bare Knuckles is the way to go. Here's a rundown of what I'll be attaching the pickups to:

6 string Neck-through Randy Rhoads
Wenge neck
Wenge body
Ziricote Fingerboard

I'm wanting a very heavy, but nimble humbucker in the bridge. I play in drop C. Melodic Death, folk metal, neo-classical wankage.... Must haves: Great palm mutes, staccato runs and pinch harmonics.

Aftermath gonna work for that? It sure looks beastly!! Haven't heard a clip within my own style though.

Also about the covered pickups with the hex or whatever screws.... I don't like pickup rings OR seeing the legs. I was wondering if the screws come out of the bottom of the pickup. I'm thinking of cutting the legs off, using extra long screws and threaded inserts under the pickup to attach with. I could use washers or a nut between the pickup and the bottom of the route for height adjustment. Sure a bit of a pain to get everything running tip top, but looks are important to me.

How do you guys feel the Bare Knuckles do for noise? I would like to record with this guitar.
Are any of you guys using a boost pedal or onboard boost with great effect?

Oh, thanks for your input and if you want I can post pics of the build in progress.

[MDV]

I'd be tempted to go for a miracle man.

Your mounting plan is a little insane. Yes, the screws come out of the bottom of the pickup, but I dont see how you could get the heads flush with the top of the pickup and screw them into the body with the screw poles (if I understand you correctly) without wrecking the thread/generally making a pigs ear of it.

They are fine noise-wise. I record with them often, as many people do.

[JacksonRR]

Here's my game plan unless someone knows I will ruin it forever somehow. I find the same thread/head type but longer for say, two or four of them. So I take out the selected screws, put the PU in the route and use either an awl or a bit of a coathangar to get my marks, poking through the screw hole. I could also make a small template out of cardboard. Drill the marks for shallow threaded inserts. Put a piece of foam under the PU for a little back pressure and screw the new screws in some. Whatever height I press the PU to at the point the screw catches the insert will be it. The screw will exit the pickup and enter the insert at the same rate. In theory.

I think I did hear your clip of the Aftermath and then another model on the other side. It was close to what I hope for it.

[ratspeak]

Regardless of your unorthodox mounting approach, I would have to say that while reading your post the first pickup I thought of was the Miracle Man. The Aftermath could cut it as well, but you might not like the percussive nature of the pickup and the pronounced mids, since Wenge already has a good dose of both attack and mids. You don't want to overdo it. The MM is the safer choice here.