More open and midier alternative to Miracle Man

[nightflame159]

Hey guys..i had a Miracle Man set installed in my PRS custom 22 and at first i liked it a lot but over time i find myself trying to tame the output, reducing the bass and boosting the mids...i guess id prefer a pickup that dosent sounds as scooped...more mids and more open with equal bass or a bit less. Im not finding the Miracle man too agressive..id just like to have more cut and presence in the mids and less compression would be nice too.

I am considering right now a alnico Nailbomb set or maybe a Rebel yell or VHII set? Id like to keep top end clarity add more high mids and keed low end tight.

[fhn_lopes]

I have a VHII and I think it has a nice high end cut but the bass ins't that smooth... Not much output as the A-bomb or MM. Can't tell you about the RY but have you ever considered a Holy Diver? It's one of the best buckers I"ve tried, articulate, nice output, smooth but tight. I don't think it is that agressive though... What exactly do you play? Maybe it helps out clarifying.

Anyways, A-bomb, C-bomb, Aftermath and Coldsweat are some options as well.

[BigB]

The a-bomb has really tight lows, is quite clear and open sounding for a hot alnico pup, and has no problem cutting thru a dense mix but - at least on my SG - it's voicing is more about low mids than hi mids. I've not played the RY but from the reviews and clips it might be a better fit (depending on your guitar and amp and hears) if hi mids is what you want.

[darrenw5094]

The RY would work in a PRS CU22, as it's similar in construction to a LP. The Holy Diver was mentioned above which should also work. The tight bass in the pickups would be balanced out by the PRS CU22.

[Telerocker]

Rebel Yell!

[ericsabbath]

the nailbomb is at least as hot as the miracle man and not much middier
it also feels more aggressive, although it's a little warmer
it has lots of low mids like the MM, but the center and upper mids are just flatter, not bumpy

holy diver seems like a wise choice
swapped them around back and forth quite a few times in a couple les paul copies
they were my first bkps and I loved both
it has less bass than the miracle man, but the big overall midrange makes it a quite thick sounding pickup
the rebel yell should get you more cut, but you'll sacrifice part of the thickness

[nightflame159]

Ok this guitar is tuned to E std or drop d and i play mainly heavy prog metal a la Opeth/Mastodon...i also play lead like Liquid tension experiment,Paul Gilbert,Joe Satriani and old school metal like Megadeth,Metalica,Iron Maiden,Doken. I sometime tune to drop d and play some heavier things like Lamb of God

When i play old metal i dont really like scooped mids..im more into agressive mids with a semi 80's vibe mixed with modern tone if that makes sense

I play thru a Mesa Mark IIC+ wich give me easily the John Petrucci tone as well as old metalica and lamb of god style
I also have a Egnater Mod50 wich is marshall style but thicker and smoother...i often want to have more bite when i play this amp.

What i like about the Miracle man is its thightness and clarity under gain but it sounds too polished and smooth to my taste..id prefer something more raw and open...i dont think id like the Holydiver as it seems to be a very smooth pickup and i already find my tone too smooth.

[nightflame159]

I guess that leaves me with the nailbomb..i fear the Rebel Yell would sound too much 80's for what i play.And Holy diver might be too smooth for my taste.

[richard]

' tame the output, reducing the bass and boosting the mids '

Sounds like the RY to me.