Versatile Bridge Pickup?

[willingwell]

I'm looking for a bridge pickup to put in my PRS SE Dave Navarro and I want something that will be super dynamic and responsive, but powerful enough to get a good heavy rock/metal tone. I'd like an extremely tight bass response and a clear, open high end that will cut nicely when I really dig in. One thing I definitely need is a VERY balanced midrange. My amp has a really prominent midrange character and the cheap GFS hot PAF type pickup I have in it now has the output I'm looking for but also has a big mid hump that makes everything waaaay too honky. It's also not as responsive as I'd like. I've spent some time checking out sound clips and I like the way the midrange of the Emerald sounds, but I think I'd like something a little more aggressive sounding for the heavier stuff. Any recommendations?

[dingleberry]

Sounds to me like Holydiver, but if mids aren't you thing perhaps an abomb or Coldsweat

[itamar101]

Sounds to me like Holydiver, but if mids aren't you thing perhaps an abomb or Coldsweat

+1
Most of it describes the holy diver but it does have a rather prominent midrange. The Cold Sweat will certainly suffice very well. Not sure about the nailbomb though.

[willingwell]

I listened to some clips of the Cold Sweat and it's pretty close to the type of thing i'm looking for, but I think i'd like something a little less scooped because I can always dial back the mids a bit. I've previously tried a Dimarzio Steve's Special which has a scooped midrange and it just sounded thin, even though it had more bottom end. I'd definitely like some muscle in the midrange, I just don't want it to be so middy that it honks like a pissed of goose. I like the clips I've heard of the Nailbomb. How is it in terms of dynamic response?

[willingwell]

I compared some more sound clips and I think I'm actually gonna go with the Rebel Yell. They seem to have pretty much everything I'm looking for. Tight lows, enough midrange to keep things meaty without getting honky, a detailed and open top end, and plenty of dynamics. And it seems like it might be slightly more versatile than a Nailbomb.

[Slartibartfarst42]

The Rebel Yell is based on the A-Bomb so it will be very tight and aggressive. My impression is that it's a brighter and slightly tamed A-Bomb but I've only played the A-Bomb myself.

[darkbluemurder]

Rebel Yell.

Cheers Stephan

[TheyCallMeVolume]

Way to go! Great choice, you won't be disappointed at all.

[ericsabbath]

I always had the impression that the rebel yell has a ton of upper mids (unlike the nailbomb)

[Telerocker]

I always had the impression that the rebel yell has a ton of upper mids (unlike the nailbomb)

+1

[Philly Q]

I always had the impression that the rebel yell has a ton of upper mids (unlike the nailbomb)

I don't know about the Nailbomb, but the RY certainly has a lot of upper mids.

That apart, it certainly meets the criteria of tight bass response and plenty of high end.  I just wonder if it might be a bit too bright in the Dave Navarro SE, since it has a maple top and a maple neck.

If the guitar was all-mahogany, I wouldn't hesitate to say Cold Sweat, but with the maple content I'm not so sure.

[Slartibartfarst42]

I just wonder if it might be a bit too bright in the Dave Navarro SE, since it has a maple top and a maple neck.

If the guitar was all-mahogany, I wouldn't hesitate to say Cold Sweat, but with the maple content I'm not so sure.

+1

The trouble is that all the clips are played on a Les Paul and the PRS just won't be anything like as dark sounding in my opinion and this needs to be factored in to the equation. I do think that the Cold Sweat and Rebel Yell will be a bit too bright. In that respect the A-Bomb would be a better fit but I think in a PRS SE it will be VERY aggressive sounding. I'm basing that on my experience of the A-Bomb in my Jackson where it really didn't work at all. Looking at the OP again I think the Miracle Man would actually be an excellent choice.

[ericsabbath]

I had an US made PRS CE-22, which is also trem + maple neck, but bolt-on, and with both dragon II (too trebly) and a custom shop seymour duncan el diablo pickup (too bassy and compressed), I couldn't of anything other than an alnico nailbomb for that guitar
I had the same thought about a korean SE Custom 22 I bought on this forum

[HTH AMPS]

The Blackhawks sounds quite balanced from the clips I've heard.