mix and match

[AlexHookah]

Hi,

Ive had BKP's in my Les Paul Standard and Musicman JP6 for awhile. Ive got CS and PK in the Les Paul which i originally used to use for drop D stuff and the Riff raff and PK in my musicman in standard. The pups in my LP and chrome plated whereas in my musicman they are black. Im thinking about mixing things up a little and im not so fond of the PK's nowadays. Id like to ideally use my Les Paul back in standard for some more rock Joe Bonamassa/Justin Derrico tones. I was thinking i could perhaps use my riff raft in the neck and get something else for the bridge or move my CS (normally a neck pickup) into the bridge. How do you thing this would sound, would i need a CS bridge specifically?  and is it possible to get my current riff raff plated up?

Once i have this sorted i can worry about the musician

Cheers

Thanks

[Slartibartfarst42]

I think the Cold Sweat neck is a very different beast to the Cold Sweat bridge. There's a difference in magnet for a start and the neck isn't as bright sounding. That may be what you want of course. I loved the Cold Sweat bridge model but I wouldn't naturally associate it with the tones you're after. In a Les Paul, you're certainly looking at John Sykes territory with the bridge model.

[AlexHookah]

That could work ok. Im not aware of the guys playing but the CS bridge sounds pretty good on the BKP homepage. And would obviously balance with the CS neck thats already in (which sounds perfectly fine) What would you suggest for matching with the riff raff?? I dont mind something a little heavier than Bonamassa. Im not trying to cop his tone directly. I just want a sweet les paul sound that works nice for rock rhythms and fast lead playing. Ballad of John Henry style is something pretty close i guess

[Slartibartfarst42]

If you're not aware of his playing, just take a listen to the song 'Cold Sweat' by Thin Lizzy and it becomes obvious why Tim named this pickup the way he did.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-IMZ7gCAGE

I'm not so sure about the Riff Raff as I don't generally play pickups from the vintage area. What sort of music are you looking at playing with the Music Man?

[AlexHookah]

Thanks ill check it - thin lizzy have never caught my ear in general - i only know the hits.

Well when i got the riff raff and painkiller in the musicman i asked tim for bonamassa leads and lamb of god riffs. Nowadays im using another guitar for the heavy stuff so i want my musicman to be a typical shred machine. I might put the petrucci pickups back in - i cant remember what they sound like. The riff raff is ok - i just thought it would suit my LP better. The PK is just abit to grinding for me nowadays. I was thinking of the Holydiver in the bridge and either the VHII or CS in the neck.

I was just trying to see what i could use from my existing pickups if i switched them around. Unfortunately the LP ones are chrome plated and a little jazzy looking for my musician and my musicman ones a little dull for my LP hence why i wondered if its possible to add/remove the plates if i sent them in.  I will probably sell both PK's.

Edit:

The track sound cool. Through a heavier amp i think its more than capable for what i want it for. Basically a hard rocking LP. Think ill just get a CS bridge and sell the rest that i have and look into the VHII/Holydiver for my musicman

[Slartibartfarst42]

The Holydiver is an awesome pickup; my favourite bridge pickup in the range and should sit beautifully in your MusicMan. The neck VHII was one of the ones I looked at to go with my Holydiver but having listened to every clip there was in the Players section, it just didn't 'grab' me the way I wanted it to. The two that REALLY stood out for me were the Abraxas and Emerald. I eventually went with the Emerald and I love it but I've no doubt the Abraxas would also be  exceptional. What swung it for me was talking to Tim as he said that the Holydiver/Emerald combo was one of his favourites and features in quite a few of his own guitars. It provides a very versatile mix. If it were me, I'd be seriously looking at these options:

Cold Sweat combo in the Les Paul
Cold Sweat bridge and Emerald neck in the Les Paul
Holydiver bridge and Emerald neck in the Musicman
Holydiver bridge and Abraxas neck in the Musicman
Holydiver bridge and Cold Sweat neck in the Musicman

I think any of those combinations would be killer  :twisted:

[AlexHookah]

Yeah, they all sound good to me. When i first got my bkp's which was years ago i always liked the sound of the HD and abraxas on the website but they didnt seem to get so much love here on the forum and werent as popular with other players. Not because they were bad just because everyone seemed to have nailbombs or warpigs.

Im defo going to keep my CS and sell the PK's and RR. I think the HD/CS would be perfect in my musicman and perhaps the CS/emerald in my Les Paul. I think the riff raff could sound pretty good in the Les Paul too. I will speak to Tim abouty the cover scenario

Thanks for your help and turning me onto a killer song!

[Slartibartfarst42]

I know what you mean about so many people apparently using Warpigs and Nailbombs etc. and to a degree I'm guilty of that too. I think it says as much about the type of people who engage in forums than anything else. With that in mind, I think the Abraxas pickup loses out in two ways: firstly is the Santana association and secondly its use of an AIV magnet. I used to feel the same until I tried an Emerald in the neck of my PRS. I never thought any neck pickup could be better than a Cold Sweat but I actually prefer the Emerald now. I'd certainly use an Abraxas set now and HTH Amps has done some very impressive sounding clips using them. The only reason I don't have them is a lack of guitars. I only have two guitars as that's all I really need but if I ever get a third, it will be another PRS that's loaded with an Abraxas set  :D

Glad you liked the song. Thin Lizzy moved much more in the direction of 'Metal' after John Sykes joined and Cold Sweat remains my favourite Thin Lizzy song. Coincidentally, I liked Whitesnake a lot more when John Sykes was playing for them too.

EDIT: The Holydiver/Cold Sweat and Cold Sweat/Emerald combinations sound absolutely perfect. I'd love to hear your thoughts on them once they're installed.

[FELINEGUITARS]

I remember seeing a clip of Cold Sweat on TV when it came out- may have been on a kids programme like Tiswas back in 1981-ish
Managed to find that clip.
It was the clip that made me think that black LP customs were the greatest thing.

Just found it on Youtube
Thin Lizzy - Cold Sweat GOOD AUDIO

[richard]

Never heard that Lizzy song before. Wish I still hadn't heard it. Just awful. I really hate the way that Phil Lynott went from being a very talented song writer (first three albums) to producing generic metal type stuff like this. Sykes seems to be from the school of thought that says why play one note when you can play twenty instead ? Don't wish to upset anyone but I was shocked at how bad that song is.

[Slartibartfarst42]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder I guess  :D

It's certainly more obviously 'Metal' and it's a departure from their older stuff. Personally, I like both eras for different reasons but John Sykes, while being a bit of a shredder I admit, was capable of other styles. His contribution to Whitesnake's '1987' album isn't as extreme to me and you could also look at his early work with Tygers of Pan Tang. Certainly his tone is one that is often referenced and admired on guitar forums and this song is the closest to the sound of a Cold Sweat pickup in my opinion.

[FELINEGUITARS]

His contribution to Whitesnake's '1984' album isn't as extreme to me and you could also look at his early work with Tygers of Pan Tang. Certainly his tone is one that is often referenced and admired on guitar forums and this song is the closest to the sound of a Cold Sweat pickup in my opinion.

1987?

I like Sykes contribution to both Lizzy and Whitesnake, although I am a fan of both the Robbo and Moore eras as well as Moody/Marsden too

The cold sweat was nearly called the "87 Bad Boy"

[Slartibartfarst42]

1987?

Yes, I did correct the mistake as soon as I realised. I work as an English teacher and had been reading an essay on George Orwell so I think I typed in his novel rather than the Whitesnake album without thinking about it.

[FELINEGUITARS]

Ah - wonder what orwell would make of the times we live in.....

[ericsabbath]

the cs neck model in the bridge position sounds pretty good and has a lot in common with the riff raff
the spec difference between the cs neck and the riff raff bridge is basically the wire gauge and type, but they have a similar winding, same dc and same short a5 magnet
it's a little less punchy and more upper mid heavy
also a little more articulate and not as open

I higly recommend it for stuff like Paul Gilbert, but not for Bonamassa

how about a black dog? or the abraxas