Neck Pickup...

[llJasonll]

Hello everyone!

I'm going to be thinking out loud (on a keyboard) here, and I suppose I want to see if anyone else agrees with my logic...so here goes!

I have a Warmoth soloist build that is pretty bright (alder/maple body; maple neck; bolt-on), and I am trying to decide what neck pickup I want to go with.   For the bridge I am still trying to decide between a holydiver (only contemporary bridge model I haven't tried) and a nailbomb.

I am leaning towards a coldsweat neck, but I am worried that it may sound a bit too bright; so I am considering the matching HD or NB neck (depending on which bridge model I go with).  I don't use my neck pickup for cleans.  I mainly use it for shredding.  My cleans come from the middle position of the guitar, which I have coils split from both the neck and bridge.  Think John Petrucci (where I got the idea from).

I guess I would like to hear some comparisons between the coldsweat and the other two neck models mentioned, if anyone cares to indulge me!

Thanks!

[darrenw5094]

Can't comment on them, but recently i went for a Black Dog bridge and a Riff Raff neck. The bridge will be dark and the neck will be brighter than normal, so the difference between them is not as much as usual. That was my thinking for more variety than my all Mule Les Paul. Your idea might be similar to mine and one you might like.

[Mr. Air]

I think the Holydiver neck will suit you. There's quite a few forum members that really loves it for lead tones. Hopefully one them will chip in.

[ericsabbath]

the neck nailbomb is bright as $%&#
I believe the neck diver is a bit brighter than the cold sweat

[Slartibartfarst42]

Can't comment on the Holydiver neck as I haven't tried it myself but the Holydiver bridge is awesome and should work well in your guitar. It's very versatile; more so than the Nailbomb in my experience and seems to work in a range of guitars. I've tried it in a Strat style guitar, my Jackson Soloist and I'll soon be putting one in my PRS Custom 24.

[itamar101]

The Holy Diver neck will be a great match and will suit your needs very nicely. The Cold Sweat neck is also very nice and will get close to petruccis tone.
From what I've heard the nailbomb neck in very nice though :/

[darkbluemurder]

the neck nailbomb is bright as $%&#
I believe the neck diver is a bit brighter than the cold sweat

The Holydiver neck is definitely brighter than the Cold Sweat neck and lower output, too.

Cheers Stephan

[Philly Q]

the neck nailbomb is bright as $%&#
I believe the neck diver is a bit brighter than the cold sweat

The Holydiver neck is definitely brighter than the Cold Sweat neck and lower output, too.

The neck HD isn't far off a vintage-spec pickup, as I understand it, although I don't know what type of wire it uses.

I'm always surprised when people say the Cold Sweat neck is bright.  I don't find that at all, although I've only tried it in mahogany, set-neck guitars.  It will sound brighter in a guitar with a bolt-on maple neck, but not very bright.

So..... I haven't answered your question, I don't know the HD or NB neck models, all I'm saying is I wouldn't worry about the CS being too bright.

[Slartibartfarst42]

I used to have a Cold Sweat in the neck of a maple neck-thru guitar and it wasn't too bright at all. Awesome pickup.

[ericsabbath]

the neck nailbomb is bright as $%&#
I believe the neck diver is a bit brighter than the cold sweat

The Holydiver neck is definitely brighter than the Cold Sweat neck and lower output, too.

The neck HD isn't far off a vintage-spec pickup, as I understand it, although I don't know what type of wire it uses.

I'm always surprised when people say the Cold Sweat neck is bright.  I don't find that at all, although I've only tried it in mahogany, set-neck guitars.  It will sound brighter in a guitar with a bolt-on maple neck, but not very bright.

So..... I haven't answered your question, I don't know the HD or NB neck models, all I'm saying is I wouldn't worry about the CS being too bright.

I think the neck diver is pretty close to an underwound cold sweat, 42.5 awg poly wire and symmetrical coils, if I my memory serves me well
the neck cold sweat has served me well in most guitars I had it, but they all were mahogany bodied gibsons and gibson copies
it is brightish, but not in a thin/trebly way by any means, and definitely not TOO bright
in the bridge, the neck sweat is almost as bright as a riff raff, but middier and more articulate, so yes, I'd say it is a bright pickup
neck nailbomb was the brightest neck humbucker I've ever played
quite scooped as well

[braintheory]

Between the holy diver neck and cold sweat neck, which one sounds sweeter and more fluid?
I currently have a cold sweat neck in my les paul 68 reissue custom and I'm looking for a similar type of sound to Jason and the cs doesn't do it for me. 

[TheyCallMeVolume]

I think HD definitely

[darkbluemurder]

which one sounds sweeter and more fluid?
I currently have a cold sweat neck in my les paul 68 reissue custom and I'm looking for a similar type of sound to Jason and the cs doesn't do it for me. 

"Sweet" and "fluid" are two very difficult terms to deal with when describing a sound because the interpretation/perception of both is very much subjective. As regards HD neck vs. CS neck I would say HD has less output, less mids and more highs so it will most likely have "sweeter" cleans than the CS neck. CS neck has more output and mids and less highs and may have the "sweeter" leads. Bass response is strong with both pickups.

For shredding I would take the CS neck over the HD neck but I did not like the CS neck in all guitars I had it in - in fact I disliked it in two guitars because I found the bass strings too muddy. I preferred the Abraxas neck in one of my guitars with the CS bridge rather than the set so this may be a good option, too.

Cheers Stephan

[Slartibartfarst42]

How about the Emerald neck?

[llJasonll]

Thx for all of the input!

I wasn't really looking at the Emerald; only because I had a VHII neck in the same guitar and while I liked it, it didn't have the kind of flavor and aggressiveness that I was looking for.  Of course, I'm assuming that the Emerald is around the same level of aggressiveness as the VHII.  If I'm mistaken, I'll give the Emerald a proper glance.

I currently have a set of Aftermaths in the guitar.  I LOVE those pickups in my mahogany Warmoth build, but in the bright guitar I need something with more of a focus on lower mids and bass while retaining the current center mid focus of the aftermath - which is why the Nailbomb and HD are my main choices for the bridge.

As far as the neck, I am still pretty undecided but I am leaning toward the CS.  The Aftermath neck is still a viable option, though.  I do like the fat-ness of the AM neck, but I'm looking for more of a "wet" sound in the neck position of this guitar.  If that makes any sense?