Looking for suggestions (mahogany guitar, metal/punk genre)

[wyattriot]

For the past week I've been browsing the main site, these forums, and watching videos on YouTube, and I'm just as lost as ever. So here's where I de-lurk and ask for some advice.

I'm building a custom Warmoth 6-string: mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard and a mahogany SG body. Apparently, Warmoth builds their SGs a little beefier than Gibson, but they're routing cavities for active pickup batteries ("just in case", I'm thinking) and a Wilkinson tremolo, so it'll be slightly less massive (and resonant). Nothing fancy like neck-through-body construction, just a regular bolt-on neck.

I'd like something versatile enough for crunchy syncopated riffs, clean arpeggios, and power chords; I don't solo much, but I do play a lot of melody lines. I mostly play a variety of metal (from thrash to blackened death, influences include And Justice for All-era Metallica, Calculating Infinity-era Dillinger Escape Plan, Opeth, Woe, Tool, Pelican, Russian Circles) and hardcore/punk/thrash/metalcore (Propagandhi, Converge, MK-ULTRA, Refused). I'm interested in bands like Periphery, the Mars Volta, and Secret Chiefs 3, and random stuff like surf, jazz, and middle eastern music; while I don't currently incorporate those styles into my songwriting, I may want to in the future, but I completely get the fact that not every pickup will sound good playing every genre of music, so I don't need something tailored for djent or surf rock.

I know that's a tall order, but I'm interested in any and all advice/suggestions. If there's a magical BKP that fits my needs, I'll gladly sing its praises from the mountains (of Minnesota...) until the end of my days.

TL;DR version: I need pickups for a mahogany guitar, and I play metal and punk. Any suggestions?

[EffigyForgotten]

Nailbomb!

[Kiichi]

Welcome to the forum!

My first thought for you was an Aftermath, but when I read through your post I would have to agree on the Nailbomb.
I think you need itīs versatility with all the stuff you wanne do, and the NB is probably the most versatile HB (well the vintage range is very versatile too, but you play too many rather extreme things).
The sounds you can get should fit your requirements rather nicely.

[wyattriot]

So Nailbomb for both pickup and bridge? Would you folks suggest Alnico or Ceramic in the bridge?

[Mr. Air]

I say Nailbomb as well. I would go for an alnico bridge. For the neck either a matching nailbomb or the classic choice of a Cold Sweat or maybe a VHII.

[BigB]

can't tell for the neck, but from your whishlist I can only give another vote for an Alnico Nailbomb bridge with a PIO cap and gibson 50s wiring. Full cranked you get a very abrasive, throaty roar that can get very chunky on power chords / palm mutes stuff, roll of the volume and you go to a very clear, harmonically rich jangle that works wonder for arpeggio, open up the volume and roll down the tone pot a bit and it fattens just fine for melodic lines / lead parts.

Note that it's not an "all-out mega-powah" pickup - output level is enough to drive your amp's front but not OTTP -, and that it manages to stay very well defined whatever (well, almost) amount of gain you're using so it can be a bit surprising at first and make it rather unforgiving - for the better or worse, you do hear what you play xD. But once you get used to it and find the "sweet spot" (pickup height adjustement and amp settings), this thing is a real tone monster.

For the record, mine is on a (rather dark) '80 standard SG, been using it for one year now so honeymoon period is over and yet the more I play it the more I love it.

[wyattriot]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I'll definitely do some more research on the Nailbomb, but I like what I hear so far.

I'll also see about getting some recordings when the build is done, which will probably be 3-4 months from now.

[DoomBuggi]

Alnico Nailbomb set all the way! :lol:

[wyattriot]

Thanks for the advice, everyone! I just ordered a calibrated set of Nailbombs. I still have to wait 3-4 months for the guitar itself to be finished, but this should be glorious!

[Kiichi]

Ahh so now for the wait...it is excrutiating at times, but there is something about it that makes it so glorious.

Especially if this is your first BKP it will be very special when you get it started up.

Donīt forget to report back when you got it in hand!