RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ULTIMATE HEAVY METAL HUMBUCKER FOR FENDER STRAT

[Rabid Gerry]

Ok guys I've settled for trilogy single coils in the neck and middle of my Fender Fat Strat, this is not a problem!!

I am really stuck deciding which pickup for the bridge though!!!

I was initially going for a Nail bomb till I read this review 

http://www.thestompbox.net/forum/content.php?133-Bare-Knuckle-Alnico-Nailbomb-Review

I was so convinced about a getting a Nail bomb for my strat until this review and I'm afraid I'm totally clueless again as to what to choose

My main concern with this review is basically it contradicts everything I have read about the Nail Bomb on this very web site.

What I am after is something that can indeed play everything!!

Sounds I am after basically I want a range from early Mercyful fate (they were using super distortions back then)

to

Accept

to early Venom thrash sound to general early european thrash sound

and also including Judas Priest, Motorhead sorta sound capabilities

and of course I'd like to clean it up then for more melodic moments if I should so choose

I did consider a Holydiver at one point but I'm not sure it would have the agression.

My fears are that I get something too brittle, or bright.

I'd like something that can be crunchy and middy but can also scoop out and thrash it up and give the ultimate searing strat lead tones and give a loada nice harmonics and sustain great and have punchy bottom end too!!

I want it all hahahahahaha  :lol:


If anyone has any ideas or suggestions please put them down here  :D

Even better if anyone has a Nail Bomd in a Fender Strat let me know what it sounds like


(oh I intend to split this and also have a parallel option or wiring too)

[Madsakre]

Miracle Man for you :)

[Rabid Gerry]

Hey man, thanks for the suggestion.

Can I just ask why you suggest this?

Initially I'd have not picked this pickup as it is has lots of trebel, but then I dunno hence asking.  Ok I'll consider the miracle man.

I forgot to mention, currently I have
 Rock Money Guitar hand wound pups installed.  The humbucker I have in my bridge is a Dirtytwangbanger.  This is a nice pup but not doing what I want, little to middy in a bad way.

[gwEm]

I'd have thought something ceramic - like indeed the Miracle Man.

(Cold Sweat may also work)

[Rabid Gerry]

Both these suggestions are heavy on the trebel side on the frequency chart

would this not be too much trebel for a strat?

I am not disputing the suggestions, just looking form confirmation so I don't rule these out.  Indeed the Miracle man demo on this forum I have check out so far but this is done on a Les Paul so I'm not gonna get that Zakk Wyld thing (not that I mind that).

The cold sweat demo on bkp home is also great sounding, it's really hard to judge though.

It was Ben from bkp who recommened Nail Bomb for me initially to me.

[Madsakre]

Because my miracle man sounds exactly like what you want.

[Rabid Gerry]

hahaha

Because my miracle man sounds exactly like what you want.

can the Miracle man be dialled down should I need to?  (not very often mind)

The out put of the Miracle man 17 something k  seems really appetising.

Is there any danger of too much trebel?  Ben from bkp suggested for the Nail bomb having a 550k pot, would I require similar pot with this Miracle Man you think?

Currently I've a no load installed however rolling back to 9 brings me into a 1 meg pot.  May be too much.

[gwEm]

a CTS 500k, or the BKP 550k will be fine

[Rabid Gerry]

I wonder how Miracle Man will go along with the Trilogy singles.

[Madsakre]

can the Miracle man be dialled down should I need to?  (not very often mind)

Yep use the EQ on your amp. Its effective

The out put of the Miracle man 17 something k  seems really appetising.

You dont measure output like that.

Is there any danger of too much trebel?  Ben from bkp suggested for the Nail bomb having a 550k pot, would I require similar pot with this Miracle Man you think?

Again use your Amps EQ. The overall Character of The Miracle man in Std/Eb tuning is dead on for the music you like.
And 550k pots will also open up your sound more. Making it much, much more Alive.

[Rabid Gerry]

can the Miracle man be dialled down should I need to?  (not very often mind)

Yep use the EQ on your amp. Its effective

The out put of the Miracle man 17 something k  seems really appetising.

You dont measure output like that.

Is there any danger of too much trebel?  Ben from bkp suggested for the Nail bomb having a 550k pot, would I require similar pot with this Miracle Man you think?

Again use your Amps EQ. The overall Character of The Miracle man in Std/Eb tuning is dead on for the music you like.
And 550k pots will also open up your sound more. Making it much, much more Alive.

I like the sound of that, I play standard tuning.

I use the music I have suggested as a guide roughly, I'd never wanna sound like anyone else really, but in terms of sonic ball park I'd like to roam in that traditonal metal area including thrash of course.

I'm a big fan of bands who worked using flying Vs and Strats so pimping my strat is essential.

The zakk wylde thing definately wouldn't be my bag but I don't play anything like him so wouldn't be a danger of that.


Question:  How do I measure output then?  I always thought it was the dc resistance and the higher it was the more it drives the output of the guitar signal?

Can a low resistance pup have a loud signal?

sorry probably silly questions

[Sancho]

The review in your original post is totally opposite to my experience with the pickup. It sure was punchy and full in my Les Paul Traditional. But a bit too tight for my tastes. Not really trebly either...

Most of the bands you're referencing are in my ballpark as well, and for me the Nailbomb wasn't ideal for those tones.

[ericsabbath]

I agree with a lot of doadman's review, except that it's definitely not an overly bright pickup
some even claim it's too dark
I'd say it's definitely a metal oriented pickup, not as versatile as some say, but still more versatile than most metal pickups, and quite balanced in voicing
low end is quite punchy and deep, but not overbearing, mids are controlled and the top end is quite edgy for an alnico 5 pickup, but not harsh or trebly at all
the ceramic models are definitely brighter and treblier, except maybe for the c-pig, but I wouldn't be sure

I think you would enjoy the nailbomb

[darkbluemurder]

It depends a lot on the guitar. Not every strat or superstrat is bright. In fact mine with the Miracle Man is a rather dark sounding guitar. But the Miracle Man does not have too much treble - it has strong treble, strong bass and good midrange, and that was consistent in all of the guitars I tried it.

The Nailbomb is a good pickup no doubt. It may not be for everybody or for every guitar but that applies to all pickups. For your styles I would choose the ceramic bridge version.

Cheers Stephan

[Rabid Gerry]

Most of the bands you're referencing are in my ballpark as well, and for me the Nailbomb wasn't ideal for those tones.

Thats a good ball park  :D

I think you would enjoy the nailbomb

Hell I'm torn now!!!  I've got the Miracle Man as my top rank contender against the Nail Bomb, I gotta decide.

My Strat is I'd say bright, may be too bright due to the pots I've installed.  It can give that nice scratchy strat sound but not as much as others or as easily (when I say scratchy strat I mean steel sorta tone).  This could be the saddles on my floyd rose though which I'll be replacing with Graph tech replacements for better tone.

It depends a lot on the guitar. Not every strat or superstrat is bright. In fact mine with the Miracle Man is a rather dark sounding guitar. But the Miracle Man does not have too much treble - it has strong treble, strong bass and good midrange, and that was consistent in all of the guitars I tried it.

The Nailbomb is a good pickup no doubt. It may not be for everybody or for every guitar but that applies to all pickups. For your styles I would choose the ceramic bridge version.

Cheers Stephan

It's hard to know if my strat is too bright.  I'd say intermediate as its quite heavy, again largely to do with the floyd, so this may make it a little darker than most.  I'm pretty sure my pots are way to open but I can replace them to what has already been recommended on here for BKPs  550k and 280k for single coils such as the trilogy.