Guthrie Govan

[Doadman]

Not sure what you mean by "cutting" bass, but going DSP will give a looser bass response (though how much will depend on the rest of the pickup design). I wouldn't recommend doing it without the express recommendation of the BKP lads.

Ah, for some reason I had thought that going DSP would tighten up the bass rather than making it looser. I had thought that was the rationale behind the original Alnico V Warpig; so it stayed tight and didn't get muddy. Clearly I was wrong so again, I've learned something  :D

[Nolly]

Ah, for some reason I had thought that going DSP would tighten up the bass rather than making it looser. I had thought that was the rationale behind the original Alnico V Warpig; so it stayed tight and didn't get muddy. Clearly I was wrong so again, I've learned something  :D

Yeah, the Warpig is DSP in order to give it as fat a sound as possible without having to wind it up to a crazy DC resistance. Likewise the Aftermath has DSP so it can be voiced very lean on low end for tightness without thinning out on the unwound strings.

[Doadman]

Yeah, the Warpig is DSP in order to give it as fat a sound as possible without having to wind it up to a crazy DC resistance. Likewise the Aftermath has DSP so it can be voiced very lean on low end for tightness without thinning out on the unwound strings.

I'm a little confused now. I thought you indicated earlier that a pickup with DSP would 'give a looser bass response', which isn't what I want yet you seem to also be saying here that the Aftermath uses them for low end tightness (something I do want) and I thought the Aftermath was supposed to be the tightest and most articulate of all Bare Knuckle pickups. Clearly I've misunderstood something because I don't see how DSP can make the low end both looser and tighter at the same time. Will DSP make an Alnico V pickup tighter and more articulate, like a Miracle Man, or not? I know I probably seem a bit thick here but I'm just trying to work out the pickup that is the best of both worlds. The Emerald seems tight and has a beautiful tone but it's too bright for my guitar apparently. Clips of the Holy Diver sound too loose, fat and flubby on the bass to me but that may just be down to the recording. That leaves the Nailbomb and Crawler, both of which have great tone so it's a question of which one is closest to the Miracle Man in terms of its tightness and articulation and if there's a way of making it more so. I keep mentioning the Miracle Man because when I think of tight, smooth distortion, that's the pickup I think of but all the threads I've read also suggest it's too focused for the range of music I play. I know I'll end up asking Tim anyway but it's not just about which pickup to buy; I genuinely want to learn and understand.

BTW, I haven't mentioned pickups for the neck and middle yet because I think that may largely be decided by the choice of bridge pickup. The Slowhands sound awesome but if I get something like a Nailbomb I think it would need to be Trilogy Suites so they balance OK.

[ShredHeadJHJ]

I had kinda written the Nailbombs off as "jack of all trades, masters of none"

See, I'm looking for more of a straight metal pick up. I play a Splawn Quick Rod, which is notorious for being an 80's Metal amp. I love 80's Metal tone, but at the same time I want a more snarley slightly Modern sound. In other words, I want to keep the Quick Rod as the core of my sound, but work around other components to get a more Modern sound, closer to that of "Countdown/Youthanasia" era Megadeth.

[Nolly]

Doadman, I should probably have been a little clearer - the Aftermath would in fact be even tighter in single-screw format, but would be in danger of sounding thin or harsh in brighter guitars.

See, I'm looking for more of a straight metal pick up. I play a Splawn Quick Rod, which is notorious for being an 80's Metal amp. I love 80's Metal tone, but at the same time I want a more snarley slightly Modern sound. In other words, I want to keep the Quick Rod as the core of my sound, but work around other components to get a more Modern sound, closer to that of "Countdown/Youthanasia" era Megadeth.

I think you'll find the Miracle Man does the job for you just fine.

[Doadman]

Sorry, I just thought of another question relating to magnets etc.

If the defining pickup of 80's Metal was arguably the DiMarzio Super Distortion, which is ceramic, why is the Holy Diver Alnico 5? I've always assumed that the Holy Diver was an improved Super Distortion but surely, if it's after the sound of that era, it would surely be ceramic, which I believe it was originally. Why the change? And if that means the Holy Diver has changed position a little, which BKP is now most like the Super Distortion - Cold Sweat? Miracle Man? I'd have thought the former was too bright and the latter was too modern in its voicing.

[ericsabbath]

Sorry, I just thought of another question relating to magnets etc.

If the defining pickup of 80's Metal was arguably the DiMarzio Super Distortion, which is ceramic, why is the Holy Diver Alnico 5? I've always assumed that the Holy Diver was an improved Super Distortion but surely, if it's after the sound of that era, it would surely be ceramic, which I believe it was originally. Why the change? And if that means the Holy Diver has changed position a little, which BKP is now most like the Super Distortion - Cold Sweat? Miracle Man? I'd have thought the former was too bright and the latter was too modern in its voicing.

the first version had similar specs to a dimarzio super distortion
second prototype version became the rebel yell
the 16k A5 is actually the third version, and duncan based (JB, of course)

the latest version doesn't sound like Vivian Campbell on first Dio album at all
more like Doug Aldrich on the Holy Diver DVD

but a reissue of the oldest version would be interesting
I don't think it was the same as the cold sweat as someone mentioned these days
similar specs, but I GUESS it had a different wire coating (polysol instead of enamel)

[Nolly]

Sorry, I just thought of another question relating to magnets etc.

If the defining pickup of 80's Metal was arguably the DiMarzio Super Distortion, which is ceramic, why is the Holy Diver Alnico 5? I've always assumed that the Holy Diver was an improved Super Distortion but surely, if it's after the sound of that era, it would surely be ceramic, which I believe it was originally. Why the change? And if that means the Holy Diver has changed position a little, which BKP is now most like the Super Distortion - Cold Sweat? Miracle Man? I'd have thought the former was too bright and the latter was too modern in its voicing.

the first version had similar specs to a dimarzio super distortion
second prototype version became the rebel yell
the 16k A5 is actually the third version, and duncan based (JB, of course)

the latest version doesn't sound like Vivian Campbell on first Dio album at all
more like Doug Aldrich on the Holy Diver DVD

but a reissue of the oldest version would be interesting
I don't think it was the same as the cold sweat as someone mentioned these days
similar specs, but I GUESS it had a different wire coating (polysol instead of enamel)

The old version was a Cold Sweat, I assure you.
Also, worth noting that the JB that it was based on (sonically - Tim didn't copy the spec) was one of the original handwound models, which is a very different pickup to the current ones.
The Rebel Yell was it's own thing entirely. Steve Stevens was using the Nailbomb but asked Tim if he could tighten it up a bit and open the voicing even more. Tim dropped the wind to achieve the tightness and openness, but reduced the coil offset to preserve the midrange.

Don't worry about which pickups are most like another manufacturer's, Just take each on it's own qualities. Tim can achieve similar clarity and tightness with Alnico mags as other winders get with their ceramics, due to the scatter-winding, asymmetrical coils and very high quality components.

[Doadman]

That will be why I liked the Cold Sweats in my last guitar, because I do like that Super Distortion type sound. I'd have considered it again for my curent guitar but my impression was that it might be too bright in an SL3 and most people on the forum seemed to agree with that.

I take your point about viewing BKP in their own right and I agree that Bare Knuckles are a cut above the competition but comparing them to pickups that I know gives me a better starting point in selecting my own. I hadn't even thought about a Rebel Yell before, largely because Billy Idol isn't a sound I associate with my playing, yet your description of it makes it sound quite interesting.

[Nolly]

The Rebel Yells are fantastic pickups. I use them in my two main metal axes. They're very tight, though leaner on the low end than a Cold Sweat is. They're as clear as the CSs, but more midrange emphasis (especially upper mids), and have a characteristically smooth alnico V top end.

[Doadman]

Jesus Christ!! I just listened to the demo done by Steve Stevens and it is exactly what I am looking for. It has the tightness I associate with a ceramic but with a far more organic tone to it. My only concern is that the clip was done on a Les Paul. I liked the Emerald clips too in a Les Paul but was told that in an SL3 they'd be too bright. Please tell me that a Rebel Yell will work well in a Jackson SL3 (Maple thru-neck, Alder winged body and OFR. Standard tuning and going through a Marshall JVM410H as soon as I can afford to buy it next year).

[Nolly]

It could work, yes. It'll be an overall bright sound, but shouldn't be harsh or thin.
Honestly though, I still think the Nailbomb is the optimal choice for you - in a bright guitar it should be rather close in sound to a RY in a dark one.

[Pale Rider]

There are always the Brass Big Blocks for FRs to swap if you think your sound is bright. The change in sound they make is like a pickups change.

check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sZ3w_Qwq2Q

[Doadman]

It certainly makes a hell of a difference. Are they readily available in this country?

[Pale Rider]

I only know of www.killerguitarcomponents.com and http://www.floydupgrades.com and they're both in the US. I'll see if I can find anything in Europe as I'm interested in those too. But if I won't find I'll order it from the US. I think the ones from killer guitar components are a bit better. They provide screws and metal plates to secure the springs in place.