Aftermath neck model?

[King IzzO)))]

What can you guys tell me about the AM neck? I've been planning on an aftermath bridge, but I may splurge for the set. Jackson Kelly XLR (alder/rosewood board/OFR) playing spazzy blackened crust metal into a boogie mark III. I'm not really into "pretty" cleans, but decent warm cleaner stuff and thick lead sounds from the neck pickup would be what I want.

Also, dumb question time, 53mm sets have both pickups spaced at 53? Or is the neck pickup standard 50mm? 53mm on the neck seems a bit wide.

[FRockStar]

Yeah, the neck will be 50mm.. Can't really comment on the aftermath neck, not having owned one, but BKP's own description of it sounds like it'll do the job! You might also want to check the Cold Sweat neck.

[JimmyMoorby]

What can you guys tell me about the AM neck? I've been planning on an aftermath bridge, but I may splurge for the set. Jackson Kelly XLR (alder/rosewood board/OFR) playing spazzy blackened crust metal into a boogie mark III. I'm not really into "pretty" cleans, but decent warm cleaner stuff and thick lead sounds from the neck pickup would be what I want.

Also, dumb question time, 53mm sets have both pickups spaced at 53? Or is the neck pickup standard 50mm? 53mm on the neck seems a bit wide.

I dont own one but Misha Monsoor says its like a cross between a les paul and a petrucci tone.  Got to say I dont 'get' Periphery but when I saw them supporting Dream theater and he was soloing I really loved the tone he head and he is a good lead player I just dont get that style of riffing!  I'm assuming it was a Aftermat neck he was using any way.

I nearly got an aftermath neck but opted for the cold sweat instead as I thought the Aftermath might be too compressed for my liking.

[Kiichi]

I personally love the AM neck. It is generally a great modern neck PU giving you a modern fluid tone, often overlooked on this forum still.
With all the setups I play it nails (or at least gets me very close to) the early Petrucci lead sound (think Metropolis part 1 and the liking). Of course that has a lot to do with his influence on my playing, but it gives you a ballpark.
But that does not mean  that it is limited to that tone by any means.

The clean sound is also very decent to say the least, especially when split.

[King IzzO)))]

Thanks dudes. I'm totally unfamiliar with dream theatre stuff, but I do know the air norton and Liquifire really well. Both have some qualities that I'm not sure I'd dig for this guitar (AN too dark/LF too gritty). Anyone wanna compare those to the AM for me? The Petrucci talk has me a little gunshy.

[King IzzO)))]

Well, I've kinda talked myself out of the AM neck.

What I'm looking at now is the VHII, more specifically, using the VHII bridge as a neck pickup. I tend to use bridge PAF types from other makers as neck pickups, I like more girth and grind than "neck" pickups usually have.  I have tried a Duncan 78 as a neck pickup, which was really cool, thick and grindy with lots of attack, but I think it could be better with the slug being the overwound coil, and with an A5 magnet. Less bassy/muddy, and naturally I would expect a BK to have more clarity and play better with high gain.

I doubt anyone here can answer, but does anyone know which is the overwound coil on the VHII? It's the screw coil on the 78, which I suspect the VHII is at least semi modeled after.

I know it's probably easier if I just do a CS neck, just that VHII neck review thread, and my experience with the 78, OCD is getting out of control.

Also, this guitar is poplar, I don't know wtf I was thinking when I said alder.

[Djentleman!]

I just got a set of AMs in my PRS Custom 24, and I think the neck model absolutely rocks the bridge model. It's SO smooth and articulate. While the AMs are inherently compressed and significantly less dynamic than say the PRS stock neck, which is extremely dynamic, the tone is absolutely stellar. Every note is crystal clear with no muddiness at all; its very warm yet clear

[King IzzO)))]

I asked BK about the VHII in a double screw so I could reverse it with the hot coil toward the bridge, no go. Actually, Ben said he doesn't think it's what I want and recommended the Nailbomb neck. I don't know, maybe I'm bad at describing the sound I'm looking for, but I haven't found a clip of the Nailbomb that sounds right to me.

I don't shred or play clean much, I guess I'd be going for a sabbathy/cursed/the secret type sludge sound with thick lead sounds with strong attack. Something that resembles an alnico warpig bridge, but in a neck pickup, would be perfect, if that makes sense, lolz.

Anyone know what that is?