Nail Bomb cr@pping out?

[mindwarp]

Yea so after being dissatisfied with Aftermaths (especially the neck because it doesn't flatter my leads too much and the bridge because it sounds kinda harsh to my ears) I put in a pair of Nailbombs for my RGD2127 (Basswood body)

Now with the NB's, I find that if I do a tuning like ADGCFAD (top to bottom) it's fine, tone is workable, but if I tune the low B string anywhere below A, e.g. GDGCFAD, or a tuning I was trying as F#EADGBE, the low end just gets out of control and starts getting flubby, with a very slow attack response (with the bridge pup). Now I asked Nick at the Axe Palace about this, and he said it may be because the bridge pup is ceramic and not alnico, but I doubt that's the case, because on the top 6 strings i.e. excluding the low B, my palm mutes sound really tight and they have a bright character, just as you'd expect with a C-bomb. The problem is BKP forgot to write what the bridge pup is on the spec sheet so I can't say for sure whether it's alnico or ceramic (Any way to determine this?)

Now I'm caught between two ends because I like the attack response of the Aftermath in the bridge but it sounds a wee bit harsh, and the Nailbomb is fuller but the low end attack response is slower, and I'm not certain if it's the alnico or ceramic version. And I definitely like the Nailbomb neck wayyy better than the AM.

Suggestions?????? Any other pickup options that would make me smile?

Thanks in advance guys!

[Toe-Knee]

Yea so after being dissatisfied with Aftermaths (especially the neck because it doesn't flatter my leads too much and the bridge because it sounds kinda harsh to my ears) I put in a pair of Nailbombs for my RGD2127 (Basswood body)

Now with the NB's, I find that if I do a tuning like ADGCFAD (top to bottom) it's fine, tone is workable, but if I tune the low B string anywhere below A, e.g. GDGCFAD, or a tuning I was trying as F#EADGBE, the low end just gets out of control and starts getting flubby, with a very slow attack response (with the bridge pup). Now I asked Nick at the Axe Palace about this, and he said it may be because the bridge pup is ceramic and not alnico, but I doubt that's the case, because on the top 6 strings i.e. excluding the low B, my palm mutes sound really tight and they have a bright character, just as you'd expect with a C-bomb. The problem is BKP forgot to write what the bridge pup is on the spec sheet so I can't say for sure whether it's alnico or ceramic (Any way to determine this?)

Now I'm caught between two ends because I like the attack response of the Aftermath in the bridge but it sounds a wee bit harsh, and the Nailbomb is fuller but the low end attack response is slower, and I'm not certain if it's the alnico or ceramic version. And I definitely like the Nailbomb neck wayyy better than the AM.

Suggestions?????? Any other pickup options that would make me smile?

Thanks in advance guys!

The nailbomb bass response is slow and a bit naff. This is the reason why i dont like it. It sounds very Nu-Metal to me.
Also i think the only ways to check the magnet i to actually open up the pickup and look at it. I believe they look different. You could also try measuring the DC resistance and see whether its closer to the A/C bomb

I prefer tighter more precise pickups such as the aftermath and miracle man.

Could you not dial out the "harshness" on your amp? I too found the AM to be a bit harsh so i just compensated by dropping the treble & presence on my amp.

[mindwarp]

Hey man, thanks for the response! I'm glad someone has had the same experience as me with the nailbomb. I have a pair of Aftermaths which I took out from the guitar, they have nickel screws in them.
I guess what I mean by the "harshness" in technical terms is, the Q of the resonant peak of the Aftermath is a bit too narrow, not sure what the exact resonant frequency is though.
Do you reckon getting an Aftermath with bolts would compensate for this ? I really like the Aftermath in the bridge, especially for the stuff I play, but the neck not so much, I definitely love the Nailbomb neck though. Would the Painkiller be a better option for the neck?

[Slartibartfarst42]

You can take what I say with a pinch of salt as I prefer my pickups to be fat and smooth rather than tight and aggressive, which is probably why I didn't like the Nailbomb at all and wouldn't look at the Aftermath. However, it strikes me that if the Aftermath bridge is pretty much what you're looking for, just a bit less harsh, and the Nailbomb neck is ideal, why don't you just mix and match? If the Nailbomb neck is what you want, leave it there. For the Aftermath bridge, when I asked Ben at BKP about the screws/bolts issue for a Warpig I'm going to buy, he told me that screws tend to bring out the higher frequencies more so I guess that may contribute to the harshness so the first thing to do would be to change the screws for bolts. If the Aftermath is open poled, I'd also put a cover on it as that tends to smooth things out a touch. Other than that, I think I'd just experiment with pickup height and EQ settings. The only other pickup you could try that leaps to mind would be the Miracle Man.

[mindwarp]

^ AHA!  :D
That explains a lot. Yes, then I think I'm pretty much set on getting an AM with bolts for the bridge, just need to get rid of the old AM set I've got. The dilemma I have is, the AM set I've got has Nickel covers and the NB set has Tyger covers!!

Now for the neck, the NB is AWESOME for distorted leads, sweeps and such (I like to do a lot of Yngwie/Michael Romeo type w**kery) BUT (#shootmenow) I think I'd like a more versatile neck pickup for cleans, if it's got a more or less similar voicing to the Nailbomb for overdriven tones, I would sleep happy tonight, knowing there's that pickup out there, just waiting to be soldered in.   8)

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions guys!!! \m/

[Slartibartfarst42]

The Rebel Yell was supposedly originally based on the Nailbomb so I imagine there'd be some similarity there so that would be my first port of call. Other than that, both the Holydiver and Emerald neck versions should give you plenty versatility and a great lead tone.

[Alex]

Now with the NB's, I find that if I do a tuning like ADGCFAD (top to bottom) it's fine, tone is workable, but if I tune the low B string anywhere below A, e.g. GDGCFAD, or a tuning I was trying as F#EADGBE, the low end just gets out of control and starts getting flubby

This is really pushing the limit of what even a 26.5" scale guitar can do. How do you even manage to get a thick enough string in the Floyd or locking nut?

[mindwarp]

Now with the NB's, I find that if I do a tuning like ADGCFAD (top to bottom) it's fine, tone is workable, but if I tune the low B string anywhere below A, e.g. GDGCFAD, or a tuning I was trying as F#EADGBE, the low end just gets out of control and starts getting flubby

This is really pushing the limit of what even a 26.5" scale guitar can do. How do you even manage to get a thick enough string in the Floyd or locking nut?

There's a simple solution I found for that, use 8 string Slinkys minus the 8th (0.074) gauge, which gives a nice 10-64 skinny top heavy bottom. You're right, the low F# to e tuning IS kinda pushing it, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it! The Edge Zero trem on my RGD handles the 0.064 beautifully though, gotta love Ibanez for that one.

[Roobubba]

A 64 seems very thin for a low F# on that scale length, to my naive world view...

It may be that you would fare better with some lower output pickups - someone's already mentioned the Rebel Yell. These can keep the very very tight bass response you seek, but clean up somewhat more musically when required. I've only used (bridge) black dog, miracle man and aftermath. I love the aftermath in my custom baritone (actually, all three were awesome in their own ways). Can't help you on the neck, I'm afraid.

[braintheory]

I really like the Aftermath in the bridge, especially for the stuff I play, but the neck not so much, I definitely love the Nailbomb neck though. Would the Painkiller be a better option for the neck?

How would the nailbomb neck compare with the aftermath bridge?  Why do you prefer the nailbomb neck?  
Also, I have the painkiller neck, and it's by far my favorite neck pickup i've tried by bk.  The pk neck is very articulate, punchy, tight (more than many bridge pickups), fluid, and cleans up beautifully, especially split.

[Toe-Knee]

I really like the Aftermath in the bridge, especially for the stuff I play, but the neck not so much, I definitely love the Nailbomb neck though. Would the Painkiller be a better option for the neck?

How would the nailbomb neck compare with the aftermath bridge?  Why do you prefer the nailbomb neck?  
Also, I have the painkiller neck, and it's by far my favorite neck pickup i've tried by bk.  The pk neck is very articulate, punchy, tight (more than many bridge pickups), fluid, and cleans up beautifully, especially split.

This is how i find the Aftermath neck but i do have an early prototype thats ceramic and most likely different in other ways to the standard neck version

[Toe-Knee]

As for your neck pickups i imagine the miracle man neck will  gel very well with the aftermath due to the output and the cleans are really good.

The cold sweat would be another good choice if you are wanting even more pristine cleans and fluid shreddery leads (the MM is more fluid, great for legato stuff)

[mongey]

Man F# and G are super low .

I'd be going actives  that low really . thats why most bass players use em

[ericsabbath]

get a neck cold sweat for the bridge and a neck holy diver for the neck
I wouldn't go any hotter than that for such a low tuning

[Alex]

A different pickup won't change the fact that the tuning is too low, the string gauge too small and the scale too short. For such extreme tunings you are looking at a bass guitar (30.5" scale). Look at what Meshuggah are using, their guitars have a massive 29"+ scale.
26,5" is just too short. How can you even intonate the thing?