Pickup choice so overwhelming :/ Help me please????

[Eyes Wide Shut]

A snowy morning to those in Britain (and whatever is relevent to the rest of the world lol)

I'm completely at a loss for words at the sheer choice of pickups available from a handmade supplier. Normally there's only ever about 6 lol. Anyways to the point... After spending the last few hours ransacking the forum for advice, I just decided to join and explain specifically what I'm after, as I'm probably more confused now than I was before searching the forum Anyways...

My guitars a pretty basics tbh: Both Strats; one Mahogany, the other Alder; both have maple necks and ebony fretboards; both trem equipped; both HH config (although I can fit a singlecoil for the middle position in the Alder one, so that's something to consider).

I'll be using each guitar for certain things, so I'd like to try and get each guitar to have it's own unique tone, rather that them being similar. I apologise if what I write below becomes an essay lol.

The Mahogany guitar, I play Progressive Metal, so looking for something in the bridge that has that Petrucci style sound. Tight enough for heavyish riffs, but smooth enough to play leads, whilst regaining clarity when playing complex chords under distortion. For the neck, I'm after something in the zone of being a great shred pickup like the Dimarzio Liquifire.

The Alder guitar is a bit more complex for me to find a pickup set, as this will be doing a lot of styles. I'm writing a solo album at the moment (no singing), so I'd really like a very versatile set, but I'd also like to shy away from it sounding too "metal" as I have my other guitar for that should the occasion all for it. Regarding the bridge, I'd like something that has a very nice lead tone, handles distortion well, but cleans up when backing off the volume. For the neck, this is where it gets hard for me. I spend a lot of time on this pickup so something mega versatile would be really advantageous. I mostly use this pickup when I'm playing mildly overdriven leads, but i also use it when I'm just going all out shred. I also use it to play clean strummed/arpeggiated chords. I'm really not looking for something mega contemporary as I'll have my other guitar if I really need a metal shred orientated sound. I just really want something that's very musical and gives you that "welling up in the pit of your stomach" or "shivers" feeling when you play a really beautiful phrase. Also what would people think about adding a SC for the middle position?

Thanks very much for taking the time to read (and reply if you do)

[Kiichi]

Hi and welcome to the forum!
To try and help you with your problem (one that most people have):

The mahagony looks like it could use a ceramic Nailbomb bridge and Cold Sweat neck. This is regarded as the Petrucci combo around here. The nailbomb will do prog nicely and the ceramic version is tigher and is smoother (just what you need). The CS neck is generally conciered one of the best necks from BK and very fluid, a total shred thing.

For the alder I am a bit more lost I have to admit.
My guess for the neck would be the VHII. Also one of the most highly regarded neck PUs. Has that old school singing lead vibe and you can shred too. Should be a nice balance with the CS neck.
Also it can be split nicely as far a I know, which would be interresting in general when you want versatility, but even more if you add a middle SC.

For the bridge I really only could guess Mule, Abraxas or Holydiver. (Do not underestimate the vintage range for the bridge). Probably the mule as a guess even^^
I personally would go for the SC, because you get many, many extra options. If you for example were to put an Irish tour in there (if you want it vintage) you can have a nice strat clean and overdrive sound and use interresting split combos.
I e.g. have (in a HSH setup, RY bridge, IT mid, Mule neck) position 2 and 4 of a 5way to do middle + outer coil (the one closer to the neck or bridge), which is the slug coil in my setup. This gives me 2 posis of tele esque sounds, though I only like them clean, they are my favorite there!
This is just one option you can do, there are extra switches and push pull pots too.

[Eyes Wide Shut]

Thanks very much for the fast response. I got an email back from BKP a few moments ago recommended the same pickups as well. But having the VHII calibrated set. I do have a few queries though.

Regarding the Ceramic version of the Nailbomb, I'm a tad bit worried about the scooped EQ. From my experiene with the Crunch Lab, it had plenty of mids and gave it that fat lead sound. I'm just worried the Nailbomb will be too scooped.

Regarding the VHII set, after having a really good luck through the forum, I saw a few threads where people had recommended the Holy Diver/Emerald combo for very similar styles. Although that was usually in Basswood guitars. The thing that worries me about the VHII (after listening to clips) is having a Van halen style sound, which for my music, I don't really want to have that brown sound all the time. I guess I'm looking for some reassurance.

Thanks again for your help, it's just since I'm parting with about Ģ500 for pickups, It's just that I want to make sure i can get the pickup down to exact voicing and response in as few attempts as possible, and I'm guessing bringing up questions I had may be quicker in the long run.

[Kiichi]

Ask all the questions you like, it is very understandable and nececary.
I did the same....I think I was a lot worse when I started here^^

I canīt really answer all the questions (not an expert ;)), but about the sound of the VHII neck...have a listen to Red Seas Fire, the band of our forums own Nolly. He uses a RY bridge and VHII neck on the album.

[Eyes Wide Shut]

Ask all the questions you like, it is very understandable and nececary.
I did the same....I think I was a lot worse when I started here^^

I canīt really answer all the questions (not an expert ;)), but about the sound of the VHII neck...have a listen to Red Seas Fire, the band of our forums own Nolly. He uses a RY bridge and VHII neck on the album.

Yeah seen the clips by Nolly & the songs from Red Seas Fire. Thing is that's more the metal spectrum, I'm edging more towards the virtuoso spectrum of the sound if you get what I mean? So I'm trying to find more clips them being used in that fashion to make a more educated decision.

[Eyes Wide Shut]

After doing some discussing with Tim, he actually changed his mind to a A-Nailbomb Bridge. We're still disussing Neck ideas atm.

Anybody here like the A-Bomb?

[darkbluemurder]

Anybody here like the A-Bomb?

Me.

A-Bomb and Cold Sweat neck would be a good match for your mahogany guitar. Definitely metal and shred suited.

For your alder guitar I would consider the Abraxas set.

Cheers Stephan

[Eyes Wide Shut]

Anybody here like the A-Bomb?

Me.

A-Bomb and Cold Sweat neck would be a good match for your mahogany guitar. Definitely metal and shred suited.

For your alder guitar I would consider the Abraxas set.

Cheers Stephan

I actually recommended that to Tim, but he recommended the A-Bomb finally for the Alder Guitar. I'm still very on the edge though, as some invisible force of the Universe keeps pulling me back to the Abraxas haha.

Have you ever had an Abraxas set? And if so, how would you, yourself, describe it?

[BigB]

After doing some discussing with Tim, he actually changed his mind to a A-Nailbomb Bridge. We're still disussing Neck ideas atm.

Anybody here like the A-Bomb?

I don't like it, I just LOVE it :mrgreen: (and before you ask, mine's on a SG Standard - bridge position -, and I'm NOT into metal).

Very punchy, throaty and roaring (and a bit abrasive - in agood way) when full cranked but still more open-sounding than you would expect from a "modern" pickup (while obviously not as much as more vintagey one), and cleans up very beautifully (and opens even more) when you roll down you guitar's volume pot. Can obviously do some "metal" stuff (possibly not the most extrem "djent" or whatever thang, don't know), but works surprisingly well for more classic rock / hard rock and even blues-rock stuff if you plug it into the appropriate gear.

Now we're obviously not playing the same kind of music and just can't tell if it would match your ears / guitar / rig / playing style :oops:
 

[OddFutureWolfGang]

I would go Holy Diver/Cold Sweat in the mahogany one.

[Eyes Wide Shut]

I would go Holy Diver/Cold Sweat in the mahogany one.

Why would you go with the Holy Diver in Mahogany for Progressive/Power Metal. Wouldn't it be a too rounded at the top, as to the Nailbomb which has a better upper cut?

[OddFutureWolfGang]

Well, generally the Holy Diver does the prog metal/John Petrucci sound very well but if you're looking for more cut I'd go with the C-Bomb. I have one in a really cheap agathis body guitar going into a Peavey Valveking and it has a really warm lively singing lead tone with great definition. It has a great low mid punch and a damn tight bottom end and low register chords sound separated. It should have more than enough high end cut for you as well as it has enough to do the djent sound if you EQ it for that so there should be plenty for prog metal.

[Eyes Wide Shut]

Well, generally the Holy Diver does the prog metal/John Petrucci sound very well but if you're looking for more cut I'd go with the C-Bomb. I have one in a really cheap agathis body guitar going into a Peavey Valveking and it has a really warm lively singing lead tone with great definition. It has a great low mid punch and a damn tight bottom end and low register chords sound separated. It should have more than enough high end cut for you as well as it has enough to do the djent sound if you EQ it for that so there should be plenty for prog metal.

I actually thought by the EQ that the Holy Diver had more of a Crunch Lab EQ, as to the scooped C-Bomb which everyone recommends. It's a hard decision haha. I was originally thinking the A-Bomb for the more organic tone, but the tighter lower end of the C-Bomb seems more appealing. I'm just worried about sacrificing the mids, and losing that fat tone. Any advice on this?

Again thanks for the reply

[Alex]

Holy Diver-Alnico Nailbomb: there's not a lot of difference between them.

Nailbomb: tighter, Holy Diver: fatter

[OddFutureWolfGang]

Well, generally the Holy Diver does the prog metal/John Petrucci sound very well but if you're looking for more cut I'd go with the C-Bomb. I have one in a really cheap agathis body guitar going into a Peavey Valveking and it has a really warm lively singing lead tone with great definition. It has a great low mid punch and a damn tight bottom end and low register chords sound separated. It should have more than enough high end cut for you as well as it has enough to do the djent sound if you EQ it for that so there should be plenty for prog metal.

I actually thought by the EQ that the Holy Diver had more of a Crunch Lab EQ, as to the scooped C-Bomb which everyone recommends. It's a hard decision haha. I was originally thinking the A-Bomb for the more organic tone, but the tighter lower end of the C-Bomb seems more appealing. I'm just worried about sacrificing the mids, and losing that fat tone. Any advice on this?

Again thanks for the reply

That's just the thing, I wouldn't even describe the C-Bomb as scooped. Through my rig it actually sounds pretty rich in the mids believe it or not and the lead tone is pretty damn fat. But again this is through my mid-heavy peavey valve king.