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Author Topic: New to Forum and opinions please!  (Read 1983 times)

LukeWinship

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New to Forum and opinions please!
« on: June 24, 2013, 08:02:25 PM »
Hi guys, great forum.

I'm looking for a bit of intel before i pull the plug on 2 sets of pickups.

I play hard rock/metal and own 2 guitars. No.1 is a Les Paul 2002 Std with stock PUs in (burstbuckers) and No.2 is an Ibanez RG870 premium with whatever korean PUs in. I run them through a few effects then into a Marshall DSL50 (old one not far east models they do now). We have started tuning down a full step and dropping the low D down to C (effectively a drop D tuning but all strings down a full tone). I'm using Ernie Ball Beefy's 11 - 54.

My issues have been that the Les Paul sounds a little flubby and the Ibanez Struggles with body and can be a little shrill.

I've been looking at Warpigs for the Ibanez and maybe Nailbombs for the Les Paul. Can anyone steer me in the right direction or maybe give me a bit of advice. Don't wanna blow money on something that doesn't suit.

Cheers!

Luke

Kiichi

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Re: New to Forum and opinions please!
« Reply #1 on: June 24, 2013, 09:46:12 PM »
Hi and welcome!

First off, we can always use more detailed info on what styles you play and what you want out of your sound, as hard rock / metal is a rather bright field that can be played with Iīd say about 16 of the BKP Humbuckers in various ways....so you see why details can really help here^^

But on what I know and my hunch lets say this:

Ok, lets tackle the Ibby first. Warpigs are rather extreme. I am not saying that they canīt work for you, but you must realise that they really have a big low end. Really big. Now there are enough examples of them sounding killer out there, no doubt (dat growl oO), but I always advice to be careful with them. Is your Ibby really bright acousticly? If so, maybe the WP can really add the body you need and tame the hights, but maybe something like Miracle Man might be a saver choice here.
That one also has a big bottom, though not as big as the WP, has a lot of low mids giving lotta chunk, the regular mids are there, but not very prominently and the highs lend a nice cut, ability to scream when you want without every loosing a certain general smoothness in a musical way.
Really listen to the guitar acoustily and then continue. Both should add body and provide great sounds.

On the Paula side of things there are a lot of options. The Nailbomb certainly should take out some flub as it is rather tight. Might wanne take a different neck though if you go that path. The NB neck is great in its way, but you should be aware that it probably is the only scooped BKP, so just bear that in mind. The Cold Sweat neck is a great alternative.
For the general style you quote there are plenty of options really, Coldsweat set for classic Gibson sounds, Emerald set for tight versatile riffing and singing leads, Rebell Yell set for a more hard rock take on the Nailbomb, etc....
BKPs in use: 10th set / RY set / Holy Diver b, Emerald n / Crawler bridge, Slowhand mid MQ neck/ Manhattan n
On the sidelines: Stockholm b / Suppermassive n, Mule n, AM set, IT mid

darkbluemurder

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Re: New to Forum and opinions please!
« Reply #2 on: June 25, 2013, 01:56:06 PM »
The Miracle Man set is a popular choice for Ibanez guitars. Never played a Warpig so I am not of much help here.

For the Les Paul I think Rebel Yells would work great. It is a fantastic set - love mine in my LP Custom. Can do the Sykes/Ozzy stuff just as well as the Foreigner/Humble Pie stuff if that's your thing. The Nailbomb set would be a step up in power output.

Cheers Stephan

LukeWinship

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Re: New to Forum and opinions please!
« Reply #3 on: June 25, 2013, 04:03:42 PM »
Thanks for the reply gents, cheers!

In terms of the style of music i play i'm going for a modern sounds. I love John Norums Les Paul sounds (love his big sound on the newer records) and for the Ibanez i was thinking of a more Killswitch (modern metal) sound. Not really keen on EMG/Blackout Actives as i'm a little worried they sound souless and sterile. Looking to have a good bass response for both esp now i'm tuning down a full step to Drop C although i think the Les Paul will cope better than the Ibanez once the right PU's are purchased, need some nice mid range grind in both guitars but maybe some more sophisticated highs in the Ibanez, it can be a bit lightweight compared with the LP.

Hope this description helps nail down the choices.

 

Kiichi

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Re: New to Forum and opinions please!
« Reply #4 on: June 25, 2013, 04:38:58 PM »
Well I am not familiar with this John Norums bloke, so I canīt really comment on the Paula I am afraid.

For the Ibby however I can now really say Miracle Man, as darkbluemurder also said. Sometimes said to be like a allround better passive version of EMG type sounds, although that can be missleading. They are organic, tight, big, etc. Also they should really nail the KSE sound. The Holydiver is said to do KSE very well too, but the MM is more modern, so I would absolutly go with that, no doubt in my mind.
BKPs in use: 10th set / RY set / Holy Diver b, Emerald n / Crawler bridge, Slowhand mid MQ neck/ Manhattan n
On the sidelines: Stockholm b / Suppermassive n, Mule n, AM set, IT mid

LukeWinship

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Re: New to Forum and opinions please!
« Reply #5 on: June 26, 2013, 08:08:19 AM »
Cool i'll check out the MM for the Ibanez.

John Norum is the lead guitar player for Europe. Check him out on youtube! Influenced by Gary Moore. Love Gary too esp his high gain leads!!!!!

Cheers gents!

Slartibartfarst42

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Re: New to Forum and opinions please!
« Reply #6 on: June 26, 2013, 03:06:46 PM »
For the Ibanez I'd agree completely that the Miracle Man is right up your street. I think for what you do, the Warpig would be too much and you may tire of sounding like Iommi but the Miracle Man is a killer pup.

For the Les Paul, I'm a bit in two minds. Initially I'd say A-Bomb in the bridge. Very tight, very aggressive and modern, with a nice thick tone that has enough woodiness to give you a nod towards classic PAF Gibson tones. Conversely, while i don't know John Norums at all and my only knowledge of Europe is in the dim and distant past, I can't say I would immediately associate their tone with Nailbombs. I certainly wouldn't associate Nailbombs with Gary Moore at all. For both of them I'd have thought you need something a bit less modern but I'm not sure what. Cold Sweat is always a good choice in a Les Paul and the Emerald set may also work well as both give a classic Gibson voicing with their relative openness. Rebel Yells may give you a middle ground between that classic voicing and the modern edge of the Nailbomb.
BKP owned:

Bridge - Emerald; Cold Sweat; Crawler; A-Bomb; Holydiver; Miracle Man; Sinner; Trilogy Suite

Neck - Emerald; Cold Sweat; Crawler; Holydiver; Sinner; Trilogy Suite

Zaned

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Re: New to Forum and opinions please!
« Reply #7 on: June 26, 2013, 07:29:34 PM »
He means this kind of Europe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpzXPX3k1n0

Killer song! I'd say Nailbombs are a good choise for the LP :)

-Zaned
Paths are for followers.

ericsabbath

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Re: New to Forum and opinions please!
« Reply #8 on: June 26, 2013, 10:30:13 PM »
He means this kind of Europe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpzXPX3k1n0

Killer song! I'd say Nailbombs are a good choise for the LP :)

-Zaned

well, this doesn't really sound like a high output pickup to my ears
he does use some emgs and hot seymour duncans, but he has lots of les pauls with different paf based pickups
he's a bit obsessed with pickups and he swaps them himself even on backstage, when he's not completely happy with the tone
Riff Raff, Mules, Black Dog, VHII's, Cold Sweat

FELINEGUITARS

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Re: New to Forum and opinions please!
« Reply #9 on: June 26, 2013, 11:57:10 PM »
Hey there
Resident John Norum and Michael Schenker nut here

John uses very vintage pickups in his guitars and gets a huge sound - seems that he is tuned as low as B and C on some stuff since Start From the Dark onwards

BKPwise I would go for Mule/Riff Raff/maybe VH2 - no higher than Emerald (PG Blues would work although A2 magnet maybe isn't as stinging)
John uses a Marshall 2205 - same as Schenker - so not huge gain either compared to many newer amps (John is a big fan of Gary Moore too)

Also strip out whatever pots and caps Gibson put in there and get some 500k/550k ones - 50s wiring with paper and oil caps
John seems obsessed with Bumblebee ones but the BKP Jensens are ace.
www.felineguitars.com - repairs & custom built
Great fretwork!
Buy your BKPs & Earvana from ME!

Kiichi

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Re: New to Forum and opinions please!
« Reply #10 on: June 27, 2013, 10:53:44 AM »
Amen! Feline tells it like it is!

Get one of the ones he describes and use a booster or overdrive and you should be there. Nothing beats a boosted / overdriven low to medium output pub.
BKPs in use: 10th set / RY set / Holy Diver b, Emerald n / Crawler bridge, Slowhand mid MQ neck/ Manhattan n
On the sidelines: Stockholm b / Suppermassive n, Mule n, AM set, IT mid

Philly Q

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Re: New to Forum and opinions please!
« Reply #11 on: June 27, 2013, 02:09:33 PM »
Good knowledge Jonathan!  :D

How did you find all that out?
BKPs I've Got:  RR, BKP-91, ITs, VHII, CS set, Emeralds
BKPs I Had:  RY+Abraxas, Crawlers, BD+SM

Afghan Dave

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Re: New to Forum and opinions please!
« Reply #12 on: June 27, 2013, 02:12:32 PM »
Good knowledge Jonathan!  :D

How did you find all that out?

WARNING! Name drop approaching...  :lol: :lol:
"There's more knowledge on these boards than there are necks under PhillyQ's bed"