Vintage BKPs for heavier styles?

[littlemurph7976]

I understand your worries since I'm pretty much from the same musical background. Unfortunately I don't have first hand experience with the Emerald, but I'm very interessted in this pickup for metal since Nolly has posted some amazing results using it for high gain applications. Just take a look and have a listen:

https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=25710.msg339785#msg339785

Then I opened a thread asking about which BKPs would come close to the pickups he has in his signature VIK 7 String and he told me the Emerald is:

https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=29142.msg379003#msg379003

As I said, I would love to try it out for metal.
Just remember the Emerald is bright as hell, so use it for a dark sounding guitar to get the best result. However a Baritone guitar should be dark enough. Review by Slart is here:

https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=28425.msg371313#msg371313

I hope that helps, cheers!

However a Baritone guitar should be dark enough.

This is a common misconception. Most baritones, I feel, have a lot of bass AND treble. I guess it might be the scale, which emphasizes the top end and lows more. I think Tim said as much as well in an interview once.

Especially at higher volume the top end can sound really ugly.

Thanks for the help guys, and apologies, I didn't mean to hijack the thread.

That's exactly the trouble I'm having with it at the moment, after putting a Ceramic Warpig in it that I had in an old RG I barely used. The top end is so harsh and nasty sounding, I'm having to EQ my amp so darkly, I can't even go anywhere near the presence knob. It's quite confusing as the EQ curve on the Warpig page is totally the other way around, loads of bass, moderate mids, and less highs. Playing with the height hasn't really seemed to help much either. I'm wondering if the really high output has anything to do with it, as well? I have heard higher output pickups don't sound good on baritones, is this why? That's what's putting me off getting an Emerald and trying a Black Dog, the EQ curve and the lower output. Other than that, I'm really interested in a Holy Diver, but worry it's too high output to pull off any sort of nice, organic tones.

[TheyCallMeVolume]

^^^Holy Diver is extremely organic and open, surprisingly so for a pickup in the contemporary range.

[Zaned]

That's exactly the trouble I'm having with it at the moment, after putting a Ceramic Warpig in it that I had in an old RG I barely used. The top end is so harsh and nasty sounding, I'm having to EQ my amp so darkly, I can't even go anywhere near the presence knob. It's quite confusing as the EQ curve on the Warpig page is totally the other way around, loads of bass, moderate mids, and less highs. Playing with the height hasn't really seemed to help much either. I'm wondering if the really high output has anything to do with it, as well? I have heard higher output pickups don't sound good on baritones, is this why? That's what's putting me off getting an Emerald and trying a Black Dog, the EQ curve and the lower output. Other than that, I'm really interested in a Holy Diver, but worry it's too high output to pull off any sort of nice, organic tones.

Teles tend to have this certain type of punch, twang and brightness(not sure how it translates on a baritone though) and that probably clashes with the sharp cut that a ceramic magnet introduces.

I would definitely go for the black dog. It’s not really that low output, and is output wise a safer choice that the HD. It really is a wonderful pickup, big sounding but dynamic and open. Big lows that extend down, big mids, clear highs that are not harsh nor dull.

-Zaned

[Keven]

Hi!

i'm sorry i haven't read the whole thing, but i just want to chime in about the lower output PU's for metal, i use a black dog bridge for both my 7 and 8 string guitars and it gave them a really distinctive but powerful midrange bark without any honk. i wouldn't be afraid to go for that particular pickup to tame down the brittleness.

[Alex]

^^^Holy Diver is extremely organic and open, surprisingly so for a pickup in the contemporary range.

It is, but I found it totally couldn't deal with the low end in my baritone. Great lead tone, though.

[TheyCallMeVolume]

^^^Holy Diver is extremely organic and open, surprisingly so for a pickup in the contemporary range.

It is, but I found it totally couldn't deal with the low end in my baritone. Great lead tone, though.

What do you mean by couldn't handle it?

[littlemurph7976]

^^^Holy Diver is extremely organic and open, surprisingly so for a pickup in the contemporary range.

It is, but I found it totally couldn't deal with the low end in my baritone. Great lead tone, though.

What do you mean by couldn't handle it?

I'm intrigued by this as well, too much output? Or tonally? Would it handle low tuned stuff on a regular scale guitar, or is it the scale length that's affecting it?

Also thankyou for the help everyone, I realise I've almost completely jacked the thread now, so apologies to the guy who started it.

[GuitarIv]

I'm not sure how much this helps, but getting back to the original topic of the thread, I just found some great examples of how heavy the Mule can get, this is a Thrash Metal Clip with a Mule loaded axe:

https://soundcloud.com/vicol-1/vicol-skervesen-raptor-bkp

And here's a video of a VIK Guitars Saviour 6 with a Mule in the Bridge (and Manhattan p90 in the neck):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-xQJOu9mN8

Cheers

[littlemurph7976]

Those clips sound awesome!

That Vik is rather lovely as well, the Mule really has a bite to it, and the Manhattan sounds so smooth, not like you would expect a P90 to sound at all.

Anymore examples?

[ericsabbath]

mules in a Gibson SG
no modern stuff, but some old school heavy tones
https://soundcloud.com/tom_the_beast/170812-2
https://soundcloud.com/tom_the_beast/sounds-like-clutch-2

pig 90 in lp copy
https://soundcloud.com/tom_the_beast/240812-1

[Alex]

^^^Holy Diver is extremely organic and open, surprisingly so for a pickup in the contemporary range.

It is, but I found it totally couldn't deal with the low end in my baritone. Great lead tone, though.

What do you mean by couldn't handle it?

Too warm, too full, too big, not enough presence on the low strings, not enough transparency on the low strings. I could just tell it was too much for the pickup.

[TheyCallMeVolume]

^^^Holy Diver is extremely organic and open, surprisingly so for a pickup in the contemporary range.

It is, but I found it totally couldn't deal with the low end in my baritone. Great lead tone, though.

What do you mean by couldn't handle it?

Too warm, too full, too big, not enough presence on the low strings, not enough transparency on the low strings. I could just tell it was too much for the pickup.

Hmm, I've not heard many people say too big is a bad thing!

[EffigyForgotten]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe9zcmmdz50

[GuitarIv]

Damned... the guys playing wasn't spectacular but he proved that I have to try Mules. Thanks PartyAnimal, I have to apologize to my wallet in advance because of you :P

[jorgercrosa]

What do you mean by couldn't handle it?

Too warm, too full, too big, not enough presence on the low price strings, not enough transparency on the low strings. I could just tell it was too much for the pickup.

Hi Alex!
Sorry to bring up such an old thread, but I am about to put a Holydiver on my Jackson DK27 (alder, maple, rosewood, 27" scale) and through all the threads I've searched, you were the only person advising against it.

Could you please tell me what were the specs, the tuning and which kind of tunes did you play on your baritone? I am not looking for extra tightness, I was wondering what did you mean by "too much".

Thank you!