Which new pickups for the Bernie Rico Jr & Strat?

[Lukas]

Hey everyone!

This is actually my first post as I just discovered the forum! haha. I'm trying to get more into the technical side of things and school myself in tone.  So I wanted to ask for some advice on replacing my old pickups!

7-string Bernie Rico: I bought this guitar 2nd hand a few months back (love it to death).  It came loaded with a Dimarzio Liquifire in the neck and a Painkiller in the bridge, but I'm not totally in love with the pickups and want to try something new. In the bridge,  I play/write a lot of tech/prog metal that also consist of thick, layered, distorted chords.  So tightness and clarity is a major concern for me there.  For the neck, I'd like to have the versatility of a fat jazz clean tone but also creamy, smooth soaring leads.  The stuff I'm writing has a load of post-rock sensibilities, so I'd like to consider that too.

Strat: This one's more straight forward.  I'm aiming for a Hendrix/SRV/Mayer trio style tone.  I love that blues finesse for fooling around and going back to my roots.  So I want that rich Strat sound to really soar and sing.

Oh, and here's my BR JR if anyone's interested:
http://s1109.photobucket.com/albums/h433/Onfireee/7%20String%20Bernie%20Rico%20Jr/

I'm also unsure as to which covers to get, so I'd love to read opinions on that too haha.  Cheers guys!!


 

[Lukas]

I just realized I forgot to post which woods are in the BR JR, which might help.  Maple neck, ebony fretboard, mahogany body w/ a top layer of quilted maple. Thanks again!

[ericsabbath]

that's one nice looking guitar
did you try messing with the bridge pickups height?
what you didn't like about the painkiller?

[Lukas]

It's actually more the Liquifire I'm unhappy with.  I definitely did have that problem at first with pickup height, but a friend was kind enough to help set it up and the painkiller turned out to be pretty, well... killer.  It might be a bit too high output and a tad shrill for my liking though.  I just wanted to throw it out there and get some other opinions before I purchase two new pickups with covers.

[darkbluemurder]

and the painkiller turned out to be pretty, well... killer.  It might be a bit too high output and a tad shrill for my liking though. 

From that description it sounds like the Aftermath set could be right for you.

Cheers Stephan

[kmanick]

Love that BRJ  :D
I hated the Aftermath bridge in my Rico, was way too bright and still had that "ceramic shrill" to it
that I hate.
I'm waiting on a Holydiver for my rico right now.
What kind of tone are you looking for ? more uppr mids? lower mids?
I've got a Rebel Yell in my CT that I love but it definitely has it's own sound to it.
Nailbomb would work too.
I haven't tried a MiracleMan in mahogany yet but I really like it in Basswood 7's.

[Mr. Air]

As goes for the strat I'll say Mothers Milk or Irish Tours. The milks being closest to Mayer and Hendrix - the tours closest to SRV.

[Lukas]

Thanks for everyone's input so far! I'm leaning towards an Aftermath in the bridge and either a Cold Sweat or Holy Diver (camo or aged nickel covers haha).  I still gotta do some research on the strat pickups though.  I'll look into Mother's Milk & Irish tour's!

[ericsabbath]

the painkiller turned out to be pretty, well... killer.  It might be a bit too high output and a tad shrill for my liking though.

well, the aftermath is as high output as the painkiller
if you like the strong midrange but you want less output and a less abrasive texture, I guess you would enjoy the holy diver or maybe the rebel yell as well