i had a riff raff in my 8 string, was great, although too bright for that particular guitar, this one had a cold sweat, which was too scooped/fizzed, then a riff raff, which was bright (and in my head i still treated this particular plank of mahogany as dark, when it really sounded hollow) and then i went for the black dog 8 and never looked back.
it really depends on how you want the guitar. will you use your 7 string for extended chords or is it mostly a novelty and you'll go a bit crunchy on the low B without going in metal territory, although that's hard to imagine unless you're a jazz freak, which i respect entirely! if you're planning to use it as a standard rock guitar, i'd say the mule/riff raff depending on how bright you want it. vintage output pickups are bright in their own right compared to their overwound counterparts so you also have to account for that. But then, that's the reason they're so popular in Extended Range Guitars... low ouput is nothing a boost can't fix.
as far as vintage gain goes, the riff raff really does the trick, i asked tim about mules, here's part of the conversation
hey tim
i've been spending alot of time with my riff raff loaded 8 string. and maybe you can help me on the final dillemma i have on its tone,
my reference so far is definitely my black dog loaded 7 string. ash body, maple neck and fretboard. 26.5 scale.
i like both guitars individually. but when i play them in a set. the 8 string seems to have alot more midrange than the 7 string. of course the woods are different. mahogany body, set mahogany neck and ebony fretboard. the output and all of the riff raff is perfect, i just think a pickup with less honky mids would be quite perfect for the bridge. am i right in thinking a mule would be a bit cleared, and... dare i say it, more scooped than the riff raff?
thanks for your time! this guitar is proving rather difficult. i think i struck a plank of dead wood so the right pickup is a critical choice. my 7 string's body is lively and resonant. my 8 string sounds bright and hollow... for mahogany.
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Hi Keven
Yes The Mule has a flatter response in the mids while being similar in output.
As you describe the 8 as bright and scooped in theory a mid emphasised pickup like the Riff Raff should balance out that mid so I'm wondering what value pots and cap you're using?
Kindest regards
Tim
