Bridge Pickup To Replace Miracle Man? HSS Strat

[WhiteRam]

Gentleman...my guitar is an alder body maple/maple HSS Strat, which on a brightness scale of 1 to 10 is a strong 8 (bright top end). I have Trilogy Suites in the mid/neck and they are the best sounding thing I've ever heard in this guitar top to bottom.

I've a Miracle Man in the bridge for a year now, I do like it, but I grow very tired of the lead playing's top end on the high E & B strings. I was just about to pull the trigger on a Trilogy Suite bridge, being I drop dead love these pickups in mid/neck, but I'm asking for opinions here first.

You see my Strat has a big bottom end too, fat bass and bright treble. :? I had a Black Dog in the bridge once and the bottom was so thick there was no clarity...so hence my fear of the Holydiver, I know and believe how all say it works in my guitar and is great for rich leads on the high strings, but am afraid of it's bottom/low-mids doing the BD thing on me.

Nailbomb is out, there's an upper mid when it's in my guitar that is very irritating. I've thought about the Warpig (alnico/ceramic?) I have more than enough gain with the MM but not ruling the WP out.  I don't use pedals or effects of any kind, plug straight in and work all from the guitar (I know, old school) so I need a bridge that's a good match for my TS' EQ-wise.

Here is a song by Edenbridge in the ballpark of the tone I seek...can it be achieved with a TS bridge or? My guitar loves these TS', but am I way out of line here thinking I can get these tones with a TS bridge?...pickups and opinions appreciated. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdz6BY7_EOQ&list=WL7CD3CE00E7E9DDE4&index=1&feature=plpp_video

[Alex]

I'd recommend the NB based on the tighter low end. It warms up the treble end nicely too. BTW the HD, NB, Black dog and MM are the BKP I'm familiar with, too.

[Telerocker]

Did you think about a Sinner-bridge?

[WhiteRam]

I'd recommend the NB based on the tighter low end. It warms up the treble end nicely too. BTW the HD, NB, Black dog and MM are the BKP I'm familiar with, too.

Thanks Alex, the Nailbomb I had in the bridge a year ago was Alnico and covered coils, it had an upper mid spike on lead that wouldn't go away no matter what I did (on this particular guitar), on chords it was very beautiful like all BKP.  :)

[WhiteRam]

Did you think about a Sinner-bridge?

Thank you TR, yes I have, afraid of losing too much of that 'vocal tone', I want too much! :lol:  I called BKP a couple of weeks ago and told Ben "I want a pickup with the MM bottom and a HD top" he gestured a friendly laugh and I said "I know I want too much"!

Tele I know you are very familiar with my guitar/woods, my amp is a Bogner Shiva 20th it has gain like the Ecstasy's red channel about half way up, so plenty there. My question is...I know the above Edenbridge song is double tracked on the rhythm guitar tone, but could the Triology bridge get in that zone or do I surely need to be looking at the Sinner or a Humbucker?

Edit Addition: Basically I'm looking to get a smooth harmonically rich symphonic metal tone, not too organic and not too dry. :?

[Telerocker]

Did you ask BKP about Sinners? I think a Sinner can provide these tones, but I have no experience with it. Considering the dc-resistance it will push the amp. Take a baseplate for more lowend. The Trilogy-bridge might be lacking a bit for what you want. On strat- and telebridges I use the tonecontrol a lot to sculpt the sound. I like the tone just a tad back to smooth things out.

You can always consider a good boost to push the amp a tad more. Btw, that's a jewel of an amp you got.

[WhiteRam]

Did you ask BKP about Sinners? I think a Sinner can provide these tones, but I have no experience with it. Considering the dc-resistance it will push the amp. Take a baseplate for more lowend. The Trilogy-bridge might be lacking a bit for what you want. On strat- and telebridges I use the tonecontrol a lot to sculpt the sound. I like the tone just a tad back to smooth things out.

You can always consider a good boost to push the amp a tad more. Btw, that's a jewel of an amp you got.

Yes, good advice for thought and reason. I've never found a humbucker to call home in this guitar, almost every single coil of Tim's is heavenly though. I have yet to try the WP both AV/Ceramic and the Holydiver, also think the Crawler might be a gem in this guitar if I ever lean towards pop/rock.

Since the guitar was designed for and loves BKP single coils, it might be best to quit fighting it and get back to playing. I so long to just change strings, maintain the guitar and have it sorted. I'll try the Trilogy first as it would be my choice for other music too...she should fire up under gain. :D

The Shiva 20th sure is, and kind of you to say. It swaps between KT88 & EL34 easily, has a mid scoop, modern & vintage preamp voices...and the best part for me is it can be Marshall raw or dial in a bit of organic XTC, so it's an excellent amp for diversity and likely my final amp purchase.

Have a fun Holiday Telerocker, will let the forum know in a couple of weeks how all ends. :)

[Telerocker]

Same to you! Have a nice time. (btw the Crawler performs very well in strats, as long as you don't want do it modern metal/prog-stuff. It has still some PAF-character, only hotter. It's a sort of warmer, bigger Mule).

[ericsabbath]

the holy diver is tighter and brighter than the black dog, in my experience
and much more 'vocal'

[WhiteRam]

the holy diver is tighter and brighter than the black dog, in my experience
and much more 'vocal'

Thank you Eric, now that has me liking it, in your experience and all things being equal...would you say the 2 bottom strings (ie - E & A) are tighter and brighter with the HD than with the BD?

Not asking if it's a vast difference, but if you answer 'yes' then I'm getting somewhere. :)

[Telerocker]

What I read is that the HD is pretty tight, though not as supertight like the Aftermath etc. I don't know much about the BD.

[gwEm]

Its tempting to suggest the Painkiller here. It has a pokey mid-range, but its an upper-mid spike, which can sound slightly artificial, and you may not like it considering what you say with the nailbomb. Obviously the spike is in a different place, and would work differently with the resonance of the guitar.

I like the sinner /alot/. It has a tight bass I think (due to the single coil nature) and I find the mids full rather than spikey - kind of Scorpions-alike with a JCM800. I've paired it with 2 trilogies, but I've not tried the trilogy bridge model itself. I would say the trilogies sound more stratty than the sinner in the bridge, which is a good thing.

[WhiteRam]

Its tempting to suggest the Painkiller here. It has a pokey mid-range, but its an upper-mid spike, which can sound slightly artificial, and you may not like it considering what you say with the nailbomb. Obviously the spike is in a different place, and would work differently with the resonance of the guitar.

I like the sinner /alot/. It has a tight bass I think (due to the single coil nature) and I find the mids full rather than spikey - kind of Scorpions-alike with a JCM800. I've paired it with 2 trilogies, but I've not tried the trilogy bridge model itself. I would say the trilogies sound more stratty than the sinner in the bridge, which is a good thing.

I've been tempted quite some time for the PK too, spec wise it fits the bill for a ceramic that would be a bit thicker on the top...however almost every sound clip I've heard I do not like its characteristics.

I think I'm wanting too much out of this one guitar and don't wanna lose the feel of the TS', I like the sinner all right, but the guitar loaded with all TS' and put back to a true Strat in all aspects would be perfect for me...and look for a new mahogany or other dark wood guitar and load it with an MM bridge / CS neck. :)

That would sort it all for me and I need to quit fighting it.  Kind of you to chime in gwEm, always have respect for and appreciate your opinions.

Thanks to all who helped me and tolerating my long winded posts, which I'll work on keeping them brief in the future. I'm sorted Gentlemen. :D

[ericsabbath]

the holy diver is tighter and brighter than the black dog, in my experience
and much more 'vocal'

Thank you Eric, now that has me liking it, in your experience and all things being equal...would you say the 2 bottom strings (ie - E & A) are tighter and brighter with the HD than with the BD?

Not asking if it's a vast difference, but if you answer 'yes' then I'm getting somewhere. :)

at least in my les paul, it definitely was
black dog was darker and had a much smoother attack on the bottom strings
I usually compare the HD x BD tonal differences to Alice in Chains x Soundgarden tones (although they use different guitars and amps, anyway)
the BD sounds more "friendly"
but with a tube screamer or an EQ in the front, they both can sound just as tight as the tightest models

[WhiteRam]

the holy diver is tighter and brighter than the black dog, in my experience
and much more 'vocal'

Thank you Eric, now that has me liking it, in your experience and all things being equal...would you say the 2 bottom strings (ie - E & A) are tighter and brighter with the HD than with the BD?

Not asking if it's a vast difference, but if you answer 'yes' then I'm getting somewhere. :)

at least in my les paul, it definitely was
black dog was darker and had a much smoother attack on the bottom strings
I usually compare the HD x BD tonal differences to Alice in Chains x Soundgarden tones (although they use different guitars and amps, anyway)
the BD sounds more "friendly"
but with a tube screamer or an EQ in the front, they both can sound just as tight as the tightest models

I understand and relate totally from my experience with the BD...you compared and worded that perfect for me. Thanks again Eric. :)