PRS pickups

[itamar101]

As much as I love the holy diver, I might just agree with these guys. I don't think that the emerald will actually be too bright but the emerald night bit be very thick from what I've heard if it it seems to have a bump in the high mids and the low mids scooped out, as far as I can tell, which is what makes it seem bright.
Knowing that you already love the holy diver gives you solid ground to stand on if you don't like your first choice. You can always just swap it.
Whilst the emerald will certainly giv you that "Gibson" tone that you like I have a feeling that the VHII might fit you better... Just a gut feeling TBH. But the emerald certainly won't disappoint... And if you do get the calibrated set then you'll already have the Emerald neck, which is an original preference.

Sorry if this was difficult to understand... I'm very tired.

I wouldn't get the crawler in your position.
The abraxas does look attractive but it might be TOO soft in the leads. If I were to get it I'd get a mule neck though.

Ninja'd 3 times while tryin to post!!

[Philly Q]

Why not VHII bridge and Emerald neck? It seems like what you want, and as long as you don't use the bridge for cleans there won't be too much of a volume difference. Just make the gain channel slightly louder. Or ask for just a slightly hotter VHII, you're a returning customer maybe such a small adjustment will be made haha. Not that I can speak for the team.

Reasonable idea, but I don't think the VHII can be wound any hotter, it's about as hot as you can get using the vintage 42AWG plain enamel wire - the bobbins (or at least one of them) are literally full!  It is a true "vintage hot" pickup.  Everything higher up the output scale uses a thinner wire.

That's my understanding anyway.

[WeAreNotGentlemen]

Why not VHII bridge and Emerald neck? It seems like what you want, and as long as you don't use the bridge for cleans there won't be too much of a volume difference. Just make the gain channel slightly louder. Or ask for just a slightly hotter VHII, you're a returning customer maybe such a small adjustment will be made haha. Not that I can speak for the team.

Reasonable idea, but I don't think the VHII can be wound any hotter, it's about as hot as you can get using the vintage 42AWG plain enamel wire - the bobbins (or at least one of them) are literally full!  It is a true "vintage hot" pickup.  Everything higher up the output scale uses a thinner wire.

That's my understanding anyway.

Slightly lower Emerald? Who knows? Plus with the Emerald neck being AIV I doubt there will be as much of a difference as if it was AV

[Philly Q]

I think you could be right - as I understand it, there's not very much perceived difference in "output" between the VHII bridge at 9k and the Emerald bridge at 13k.

The VHII bridge might well be OK with the Emerald neck.  I'nm sure the chaps at BKP could advise one way or the other.

(I could find out myself, if I could be bothered to wire them up!  :lol: )

[Slartibartfarst42]

As usual, the advice and ideas here are extremely helpful and I am very grateful. I'm a pain when it comes to choosing pickups - it's so much easier giving advice, lol. Anyway, I do feel like I've moved on a bit. There doesn't appear to be much love for the Crawler/Emerald option, Abraxas set or Abraxas/Emerald option here so let's discount those. Although I am tempted by the 'safe' Holydiver/Emerald option, I suspect that if I went that route, I'd spend the next few years kicking myself for not taking a punt on something different. That leaves me with two of my original options and plus an additional one I'll need to investigate further.

VHII set - Phil's explanation of why it sounds 'big' was, as usual, very helpful and well informed. It sounds like it's a bit like having two individual single coils, each with their own character, stuck together in a humbucker and I can see that this might offer some very interesting and 'big' sounds. My experience of P90's is very limited indeed but the one I have played more than just in passing was pretty good. It was more 'dirty' and 'angry' than a traditional humbucker or single coil. It had a rawness about it that was quite appealing so that description does make the bridge sound attractive. If anyone's tried an Emerald neck and VHII neck I'd love to hear how they compare.

Emerald set - I do love the tone of both the bridge and neck versions and I can believe that it may not be as bright as the EQ chart suggests, given that all the BKP models I've tried have been more balanced than expected. The bridge sounds more modern and tighter than the VHII to me and I assume that's why itamar101 is thinking I may prefer the VHII. The Emerald bridge always seems a bit under-represented here so it's hard to get accurate information but again, if there's anyone tried both the Emerald and VHII bridge models, I'd love to learn more about how they compare.

VHII bridge/Emerald neck - Yes, this does seem like a very logical option so I'll ask BKP about it  :D

[Slartibartfarst42]

Bloody hell, does the man never rest!! Just got a reply from Tim:

'I can't make a VHII any hotter - it's maxed out already but as you can hear in the clips, it's a powerful and full(not single coil-like) sounding hot PAF tone.

No problem using a VHII bridge and Emerald neck together - although the DC readings make the neck appear hotter that's only because of the wire gauge used, in practice the bridge would be more powerful.

Yes the Emerald bridge does reproduce a full Gibson tone - it's the same spec as Gibson humbuckers referred to as 'rocker's used in LP Customs in the late '70s.If you're worried the bridge is a bit bright(tone chart is bang on actually based on the LP I used for the soundclips)move up the scale to a Rebel Yell - same wire and magnets but a hotter wind for more punch in the mids.'

The Emerald sounds good for the Gibson tone but I think I have to be mindful of the fact that my PRS SE isn't as dark as a Les Paul. His comments about the Rebel Yell are interesting as it sounds a lot more like an Emerald than I thought. I was under the impression it was based on a Nailbomb and given my experience with that pickup, I'd assumed the Rebel Yell would be too aggressive, tight and not like a PAF. I'll try to find out more about it as it's really not a pickup I've spent much time considering. At the moment I'm inclined to go VHII/Emerald but also thinking about Rebel Yell/Emerald.

[itamar101]

VERY interesting! It's amazing how much this man is capable of teaching you without going into detail.
Happy to know that I was right about the whole "emerald is very close to the Gibson rock tone" thing!

I think you'll find that most Lep Pauls nowadays are actually reasonably bright so the emerald should be a nice match.

I would still go for the VHII/Emerald combo but I definately wouldn't rule out the emerald or rebel yell bridge.

Ah, also happy to know that I was right about the emerald bridge not having as much mids and therefore not being as thick sounding/seeming brighter.

[Slartibartfarst42]

Listening to a load of clips now. The only thing I've decided so far is that the Rebel Yell is out. It's got a fantastic tone but for what I want I think it's too hot and aggressive. Some of the Emerald clips I've found in the players section are amazing. It doesn't sound as bright as I thought it would. Some clips by Machinehead have really got me thinking again about an Emerald set.

https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=11661.0

[Philly Q]

Yes the Emerald bridge does reproduce a full Gibson tone - it's the same spec as Gibson humbuckers referred to as 'rocker's used in LP Customs in the late '70s.If you're worried the bridge is a bit bright(tone chart is bang on actually based on the LP I used for the soundclips)move up the scale to a Rebel Yell - same wire and magnets but a hotter wind for more punch in the mids.'

I hope the Emerald doesn't sound too much like the Rebel Yell, or my Emerald bridge may be for sale soon if I ever actually get round to fitting it!

Hopefully I'll like it better with less punch in the mids.

[Philly Q]

Don't know if you've heard this Emerald clip - it's 7 years old but one of my favourites, especially for the solo on the neck pickup:

https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=343.0

[itamar101]

Listening to a load of clips now. The only thing I've decided so far is that the Rebel Yell is out. It's got a fantastic tone but for what I want I think it's too hot and aggressive. Some of the Emerald clips I've found in the players section are amazing. It doesn't sound as bright as I thought it would. Some clips by Machinehead have really got me thinking again about an Emerald set.

https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=11661.0

Wow! That's sounds awesome!

[Slartibartfarst42]

Wow! That's sounds awesome!

Yes, that's EXACTLY my reaction. Now you can see why an Emerald set is now very firmly back in consideration! I know those clips are using a Les Paul but it doesn't sound as bright as I'd feared. I had heard that clip you mentioned Phil and you're right; like all of the Emerald clips, the tone is just incredible.

Philly - Based on the two pages of clips I've just listened to of the Emerald, it's a lot creamier, smoother and more PAF-like than the Rebel Yell. The Rebel Yell doesn't seem to be as aggressive and edgy as the Nailbomb but it reminds me more of that than the Emerald so I wouldn't worry. This is of course assuming you ever get it from under the bed and fit it  8)

[itamar101]

Don't know if you've heard this Emerald clip - it's 7 years old but one of my favourites, especially for the solo on the neck pickup:

https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=343.0

I feel a bit arrogant saying this but... In reference to Alex's thread about getting that GnR rock tone... This shows my reasoning. This is slash to the last coil spin and I am certain that no other pickup in the range will do GnR better.

[richard]

From what I've read it would seem that that the Rebel Yell was a variation of the original Holy Diver, not the Nailbomb. So if you like the HD.............. The RY can be aggressive but it doesn't have to be that way depending on your amp settings. Good luck with whatever you decide on.

[Philly Q]

Philly - Based on the two pages of clips I've just listened to of the Emerald, it's a lot creamier, smoother and more PAF-like than the Rebel Yell. The Rebel Yell doesn't seem to be as aggressive and edgy as the Nailbomb but it reminds me more of that than the Emerald so I wouldn't worry. This is of course assuming you ever get it from under the bed and fit it  8)

That sounds more to my taste than the RY was!  :D

I should say.... I'm often a bit negative about the RY, it was my least favourite of the BKPs I've owned but when I first got it there was a huge difference from the 498T it replaced.  Ultimately, though, I guess it was a bit too "modern" for me.

(Incidentally, the Emeralds aren't under the bed, in fact I can see the box from where I'm sitting here in the living room.  I know where they're going now, just need to get round to fitting them.... which is a big "just", I know....  :lol: )