Changing my 500T in my Flying V - Advice needed!

[TheyCallMeVolume]

Yes

[FELINEGUITARS]

it's just a huge improvement in clarity and depth that I couldn't get with the high output models (had emgs, duncans, gibson 500t, and almost all of bkp contemporary models)
on a somewhat similar band context, there's Godsized, which a BKP endorsed band
they use black dogs and VHII's

I don't disagree with your pickup choices Eric - but I must point out that Glen from Godsized has Miracle Man pickups in a couple of his Les Pauls  ...........I know cos I fitted them (Godsized are a local band to me here in Croydon and I have helped them out lots over the years - even in the pre-Godsized days)

I'm also liking this Broken Hand Charity stuff - catchy!

[theodorthiele]

So Feline

Do i understand correctly that you think that VHIIs would give me the sound i'm looking for, which is rather close to Godsized, i especially like the sound on Walking Away, - do you know which pups they used for that?
I saw on another post regarding the Floyd Rose V, that you both recommended high output pups, even though he wanted rather versatile pups. ?

Also i'd like to know more about the effect of changing pots, and if recommendable, which ones to pick.
Oh and Feline, do you have experience with Black Hawks? They sound nice from the description, at least for my bridge, and Tim recommended them for me.

Eric - did you get the music through dropbox?

[ericsabbath]

it's just a huge improvement in clarity and depth that I couldn't get with the high output models (had emgs, duncans, gibson 500t, and almost all of bkp contemporary models)
on a somewhat similar band context, there's Godsized, which a BKP endorsed band
they use black dogs and VHII's

I don't disagree with your pickup choices Eric - but I must point out that Glen from Godsized has Miracle Man pickups in a couple of his Les Pauls  ...........I know cos I fitted them (Godsized are a local band to me here in Croydon and I have helped them out lots over the years - even in the pre-Godsized days)

I'm also liking this Broken Hand Charity stuff - catchy!

I did remember he had miracle man sets, but I thought they were replaced later  :?

anyway, it's awesome how versatile bkp are and how well can completely different pickups do the same job
my bandmate has a miracle man in a prs mccarty and he gets pretty awesome clean tones from high gain channels
I prefer my lower outputs, though, as I hate messing with the volume knob and I love the extra openness

[ericsabbath]

So Feline

Do i understand correctly that you think that VHIIs would give me the sound i'm looking for, which is rather close to Godsized, i especially like the sound on Walking Away, - do you know which pups they used for that?
I saw on another post regarding the Floyd Rose V, that you both recommended high output pups, even though he wanted rather versatile pups. ?

Also i'd like to know more about the effect of changing pots, and if recommendable, which ones to pick.
Oh and Feline, do you have experience with Black Hawks? They sound nice from the description, at least for my bridge, and Tim recommended them for me.

Eric - did you get the music through dropbox?

not sure they already had BKPs when they recorded, but maybe feline can answer that one
the floyd rose v guy wanted some specific classic hard rock tones that were mostly made with high output pickups
he ended up with a holy diver, which is a pretty versatile pickup anyway
also, he had a splawn, which is a pretty gainy amp, but not as saturated and focused as an ENGL

I think most alnico 5 or ceramic humbucker models should work which proper use, but you gotta find out which kind of feel, texture and output you prefer

I personally didn't enjoy much the texture of the aftermath and painkiller, for example
they were too sensitive to picking and had that buzz when moving the fingers over the fretboard
I love the compressed midrangy tone of the black dog, but I prefer the sparkly but organic attack of the riff raff

an alnico nailbomb would sound great through your amp, but a VHII could do the same (with your amp), but being more versatile and open sounding
if you had a jcm 2203 or something, I'd defiitely pick something hot, but these aren't rules at all
I still haven't tried the blackhawks, but you'll find some recent detailed reviews on the forum

yeah, downloaded the albums! think I'll make a mp3 cd (arrr!) so I can enjoy them while driving  :D :D :D

[FELINEGUITARS]

Listening to your own album I would say that if you using something like an old Marshall I would go for Miracle Man - but as Eric points out the ENGL has so much more saturation going on so you'd find that a less gainy pickup will work well.

The reason that BKP and other companies still put out high gain pickups is that there are still players using amps with a lower gain structure like an old plexi or JCM800 where the higher output pickups are needed just as they were in the 70s and 80s to get the metal tones.

However there has been so much change in recent years in amp gain - pretty much ever since Soldano, Mesa, Peavey 5150 started putting out their signature products. Many players find that they can get the saturation and grind all too easily but getting a clean tone is the hard thing.

This is why so many players are wising up and going down the more classic PAF type route.
In fact I have fallen in love with the Stormy Monday of late - although I still use Cold Sweat and Miracle Man through Marshalls for my favoured (Lynch, MSG, Queensryche) tones.

I think that VH2 or Black Dog will work well
I would happily also suggest the Blackhawk - it has a LOT of clarity whilst being quite pushy, and if the amp supplies a lot of mid saturation then you might love it.

[theodorthiele]

After having tried my new V on my amp, i've decided on the Black Dog open coil set, - as i understood they have less "squishy" mids with more low mids coming through, and less treble compared to the VHII, also good bass response as i understood, basicly all i feel i needed in the standard Pups.
Besides i'm getting a 550K pot, to be installed as master-volume, and getting rid af the second volume-knob as well as the tone-knob.

Eric when i told the singer that you liked our band, he felt it would be a great idea to send you a pile of EPs if you'd like it and wanna share it with your friends, so if you're up for it, just give me your adress in Brazil, and you'll get some.

Feline if you'd want it i'm sure we can send some to you aswell.

edit: Oh and thanks alot for all the help! Can't wait to hear my new toy fitted with those beasts!

[darrenw5094]

After having tried my new V on my amp, i've decided on the Black Dog open coil set, - as i understood they have less "squishy" mids with more low mids coming through, and less treble compared to the VHII, also good bass response as i understood, basicly all i feel i needed in the standard Pups.

The Black Dog has plenty of high mids, more than the VHII. Also, th e BD is not dark either, fair amount of treble too.
Not sure it you have the feel of the BD in your description.

[Telerocker]

Good choice. You gonna like the PAF-growl fo the BD's.

[josep_cla]

500T + ENGL = Epic win!!!

I do it with my Strat and my Powerball.
I love it!