Calibrated HDs going into an ESP NT-7

[ventura]

NEVER had any experience with the HolyDivers...  But under "strong" recommendation, due to the "brightness" of the respective geetar, I'm going in blind, er, deaf.  Ebony 'board, alder wings, maple neck - going with the EMG direct replacement style covers.

Anyone out there wanna share experience with these pups in a similarly 'wooded' guitar??

Thanks!
V.

[ventura]

No one has any intel on this??

I'm speechless.

[Kiichi]

Well depending on what you go for this can certainly work. I remember the HD as being perfect for basswood guitars and for people who are looking for something proggressive and versatile in a axe that is on the bright side.
The HDs slightly rounded topend (not in the dull but the musical way) helps a lot with that. Tighness is also there and most other things you would want. THe neck is fabulous too.

So depending on what you want out of it yeah, it could very well work.

[Slartibartfarst42]

I've never tried the neck model buy the bridge Holydiver is my favourite bridge pickup so far.

[darkbluemurder]

The wood combinations I used the HD bridge in are/were

- mahogany body/maple top, set mahogany neck/rosewood board
- alder body, bolt on maple neck/rosewood board
- ash body, bolt on maple neck/maple board

All worked well, best was the ash bodied guitar followed by the mahogany set neck guitar. The guitar with the alder body is particularly dark sounding.

I think the HD should work very well with Ebony since Ebony tends to impart a very clear tone which should balance well with the inherently warm tone of the HD.

Cheers Stephan

[EffigyForgotten]

If you play really progressive music, with mostly open chords and whatnot, the Holy Diver set is for you. It is a tight pickup in tuning's higher than C but after C# it starts sounding too low middy and you either love that or hate it. Using EMG 81's in alder guitars seems to work very well, why are you wanting to change them if I don't mind asking? I didn't like EMG's because I didn't like the clean tone and I only have one guitar ATM so I needed the most versatile set out there, I would of gone with a JB/Jazz but the hype on BKP's won me over I guess. I would imagine the Aftermath set would work well in your guitar, they are balanced pickups that are suppose to be tighter than a nuns ass, so if you play heavier styles of metal and HAVE to go with BKP's I would go for that.

Seymour Duncan is suppose to be offering their passives in active housing now so you should keep them as an option as well. I still really want a guitar with a Disortion in the bridge, seems to have an amazing recorded tone.

[ventura]

If you play really progressive music, with mostly open chords and whatnot, the Holy Diver set is for you.

Thanks for the input.  I'm not keen on EMGs - period.  I don't like battery operated pups, and I prefer the tone both gainy and clean to be more "open" sounding than actives typically render.  I find EMGs to be lifeless, and that's okay if I want a sterile, pronounced thud to my tone.  I also find them compressed.  But I prefer string definition, and I'm one of them guys who plays aggressive music with "less gain" in order to offer more colour, depth and in-yer-faceness to my sound.  Maybe it's me, but I just don't get on with actives.

I think the HD should work very well with Ebony since Ebony tends to impart a very clear tone which should balance well with the inherently warm tone of the HD.

Cheers Stephan

Thanks Stephan - nice to know.  Yes, the ebony 'board and the rest of the woods are apparently rather bright.  The HDs were recommended to bring this 'glare' down a bit whilst still maintaining a nice rich organic tone.  I certainly don't want a "dark" tone, but it seems to be these could be a good match to the ESP NT7, as well, I'm a huge fan of the BlackDogs in my Lesters and these are similar in their design, no?

Thanks Folks!
V.

[ventura]

Oh, and for the record, musical directions this particular guitar will be taking with its respective equipment:
-  Axe-II
-  CLR Active Wedges
-  Diezel Hagen
-  Diezel VH4
-  TwinJet (Purple Mod)

- Deftones, Tool'esque (as nothing is actually "Tool" except for "Tool"), Rob Zombie, ISIS, Meshuggah, etc.

[Kiichi]

I'm a huge fan of the BlackDogs in my Lesters and these are similar in their design, no?

I do believe they are. If I recall correctly someone very broadly described the BD as the vintage version of the HD once. Now of course this is a big simplification as both are their own pickup, but they do strike in somewhat the same niche.

I continue to think that these will be great for you.
Also would be cool to hear another comparison between HD and BD ;)

[darkbluemurder]

Thanks Stephan - nice to know.  Yes, the ebony 'board and the rest of the woods are apparently rather bright.  The HDs were recommended to bring this 'glare' down a bit whilst still maintaining a nice rich organic tone.  I certainly don't want a "dark" tone, but it seems to be these could be a good match to the ESP NT7, as well, I'm a huge fan of the BlackDogs in my Lesters and these are similar in their design, no?

The HD and BD neck pickups are quite similar in output. Tonally they are both very clear. If you like the BD neck you will like the HD neck, too.

 The bridge pickups are quite different to me. While they may be related in the midrange color the BD has less output (think slightly overwound PAF) but is quite a bit brighter than the HD bridge. Still I think the HD bridge is the way to go for this guitar.

Cheers Stephan

[EffigyForgotten]

Oh, and for the record, musical directions this particular guitar will be taking with its respective equipment:
-  Axe-II
-  CLR Active Wedges
-  Diezel Hagen
-  Diezel VH4
-  TwinJet (Purple Mod)

- Deftones, Tool'esque (as nothing is actually "Tool" except for "Tool"), Rob Zombie, ISIS, Meshuggah, etc.

I'm a fan of all of these bands as well, (except Rob Zombie) I would say the Holy Diver set is literally perfect for what your looking for, with an Axe Fx I seriously doubt you will have any problems with having a tight tone.

[ventura]

Oh, and for the record, musical directions this particular guitar will be taking with its respective equipment:
-  Axe-II
-  CLR Active Wedges
-  Diezel Hagen
-  Diezel VH4
-  TwinJet (Purple Mod)

- Deftones, Tool'esque (as nothing is actually "Tool" except for "Tool"), Rob Zombie, ISIS, Meshuggah, etc.

I'm a fan of all of these bands as well, (except Rob Zombie) I would say the Holy Diver set is literally perfect for what your looking for, with an Axe Fx I seriously doubt you will have any problems with having a tight tone.

Music to my ears.  Thanks!!  Stoked  PDT_002

[danger5oh]

Sorry OP... I don't mean to slightly thread jack... but I'm looking to replace the p'ups in my STEF-T7 as well.  I've never played or heard HD's in person, but what pickups would you guys think would be just a tad bit "heavier"?  I've always wanted to try HD's, but I am a little hesitant to do so because I guess I just assumed the Alnico magnets wouldn't be tight or heavy enough for that 7th string.  I was more or less leaning in the way of a C-Pig bridge since this has so far been my favorite 6 string BKP, but have been dumbfounded as to what I should put in the middle pickup position.  Ben at BKP suggested I should try either an Aftermath bridge if I plan on playing on both buckers simultaneously or an Aftermath neck for a warmer tone.  I'm thinking the latter sounds like the best option, as I don't think having 2 bridge pickups will get as clean as I need it during the times that I actually need a clean tone.