Gibson 500T replacement for a 76 Gibson Explorer Reisue made in 1995

[woodaki]

Hi there fellow tone freaks!!!  :D I am new to this forum!!!!
I decided its time to change my 500T bridge pickup again!!!! I mention ''again'' cause 2-3 years ago i replaced it with a Miracle Man. I have to admit that it wasnt the right pickup for me!!! As if my Explorer didnt want it all if u know what i mean!!!  :P Those 2 couldnt get along, period!!! It wasnt as lively and screaming like the 500T and it lacked focused mid-range!!! However the squeals of the MM where coming out of it everywhere on the fretboard, think of Z.Wylde kinda thing!!! I wasnt happy with that and i decided to borrow a friends identical Explorer to compare them side by side just in case my ears were making fun of me!!! I was right!!! The explorer with the 500t on it sounded heavier and darker with lots of clarity and presence. Overall the sound was cutting through!!! My explorer sounded muddy, undefined, ''not singing''. Something was missing so i decided to put the 500T back!!! (Sold the MM to friend who was building a Warmoth super-strat project and was very happy with it) Is there anything you would recommend close to the tonal characteristics of the 500T but ''better'' in overall???? If i dont go with Bareknuckle this time i am thinking of ordering a MuscleBucker from Borris Domenget (a guitar luthier who makes guitars somewhere in Germany, he makes guitars for R.Schenker and M. Jabs for the Scorpions as well)

[Alex]

Ah Domenget, just be careful he doesn't sell you "special snake oil" too. The level of "Voodoo bullshitee" is extremely high among German tone freaks/experts/luthiers. I follow the discussions in Gitarre&Bass (with Udo Piper) and some forums and seriously.... sometimes I gotta shake my head.

That said, let's be more constructive and stop the bashing.  :D
I did replace my 500T with a Miracle Man, I felt the MM was clearer. I do understand your points about the midrange though.
If the main problem was muddiness, the Rebel Yell could clear that. Check the new BKP website. If you want more grind and power for metal, the new Aftermath might be what you want.

[ericsabbath]

the painkiller is the closest replacement to the 500t, but it's no near as grinding and bass heavy
maybe a c-pig would deliver that amount of compression

[woodaki]

Thanx for your answers fellas!!! I have to admit that i am in some kind of dillema!!! I think that by having this guitar for about 16 years my ear is very used to the the tone of 500T and thats why everything else seems that is missing something!!! I think that many of you felt exactly like me in similar circumstances!!! Besides the MM i have tried the Sd Full Shred, Jb and Duncan Distortion, a 500xl, a Dimarzio Tonezone even EMGs during the past years. Every time the 500T was back in its place!!! My guitar tech adviced me that i should probably leave the guitar as is!!!  What do u think about that? Have you ever been in a similar situation ??

[gwEm]

Ah Domenget, just be careful he doesn't sell you "special snake oil" too. The level of "Voodoo bullshiteeee" is extremely high among German tone freaks/experts/luthiers. I follow the discussions in Gitarre&Bass (with Udo Piper) and some forums and seriously.... sometimes I gotta shake my head.

yes, i tend to agree. he charges alot of money for his pickups too

[woodaki]

As far as i remember he asked me about 200+ Euros for a Musclebucker!!! Anyway...

[shobet]

If you keep changing the pickup only to go back to the 500T then I suspect the pickup for your guitar is the 500T.

However it is fun experimenting, albeit expensive.

[Alex]

If you keep changing the pickup only to go back to the 500T then I suspect the pickup for your guitar is the 500T.

However it is fun experimenting, albeit expensive.

+1

Sometimes there really isn't a "better" solution, just a different one.

[enuenu]

Close to getting a MM set for my '76 Explorer (2007) too. I find it flubs out a bit through my Dual Recto/412Recto cab. Wanting evil downtuned power chord tones (think Morgoth's Cursed album, I'm old!) that can hold that black tone through sustain. Also want some tightness for fast palm muting.

However opinion on the MM is divided it seems. The amp & guitar obviously have a big impact.

BKP returned my email questions fast and suggested MMs for what I want to achieve.

In some clips of the MM I have listened to I'm not sure if they are evil enough. I want a truly dark sound but I want cut and clarity too. Originally was going to throw good old 81/85 set in as my tech knowledge is fairly limited, but I knew these EMGs can cut through flub.  Mostly a metal rhythm player but also like to shred a little (if you could call it that). I mostly prefer to act as the war hammer  :twisted:

Should i get the MM set?

[Transcend]

I would personally or the aftermath if you want something that cuts more than both the MM & EMGS.

However Dual rectifiers are very flubby amps by nature you could potentially be better off initially getting an overdrive pedal to tighten it up and keep the lows in check.

My vote pickupwise goes to the MM its by far my favourite BKP

[Madsakre]

get a painkiller, never look back!

[darkbluemurder]

The level of "Voodoo bullshiteeee" is extremely high among German tone freaks/experts/luthiers. I follow the discussions in Gitarre&Bass (with Udo Piper) and some forums and seriously.... sometimes I gotta shake my head.

Indeed but this is in no way limited to German tone freaks.

Back to topic: After all I have read I believe you should stay with the 500T.

Cheers Stephan

[enuenu]

I would personally or the aftermath if you want something that cuts more than both the MM & EMGS.

While they may not cut like an Aftermath, do the MMs have more bottom end doom?

However Dual rectifiers are very flubby amps by nature you could potentially be better off initially getting an overdrive pedal to tighten it up and keep the lows in check.
My vote pickupwise goes to the MM its by far my favourite BKP

Convincing vote for the MM. Backs up what Ben from BKP told me.

get a painkiller, never look back!

Why would you go for the Painkiller over the MM for what I want to do? Just curious

Back to topic: After all I have read I believe you should stay with the 500T.
Cheers Stephan

Sorry for the hijack, but do you think that the MM (or other BKP of similar taste) would out perform the 500T? No point in spending all that $ if they won't do better than the 500T.

[enuenu]

The C-pigs have that awesome doom tone I'm after in the clip on the BKP site. I just wonder if they would lack the bottom end cut I want.

[Loomer]

The C-pigs have that awesome doom tone I'm after in the clip on the BKP site. I just wonder if they would lack the bottom end cut I want.

As a longtime C-pig user and enthusiast I can safely say it has PLENTY of Low-end Cut! :p