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Author Topic: Miracle Man / Warpig set into Epiphone Explorer  (Read 14074 times)

Dave Sloven

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Miracle Man / Warpig set into Epiphone Explorer
« on: July 04, 2013, 01:19:39 AM »
I have an Epiphone Explorer that is a decent guitar (2006 production, Unsung Korea) with the ebony finish but I just don't like the sound of the cheap humbuckers that someone put in it.  I'm thinking of getting a set of uncovered Miracle Mans to put in it, with a view of one day swapping them out into an SG Special or similar, or maybe even a chrome covered set so that they can be moved between that guitar and my SG Standard if needed, but I'm wondering if it's a waste of time (it might be the wood that's the issue)?

I've always thought the guitar to be a bit dark, but not sure if the pickups, the wood, or both.  I could also swap out the pots and caps if needed, but I have to check what's in there now.

Given that I am only likely to get $400-500 for this guitar (with case) it might be worth putting some decent pickups in it and then swapping them out into something else if I do eventually sell it.

I'm assuming that these pickups are a good combo with the Explorer.
« Last Edit: July 07, 2013, 02:52:34 PM by Agent Orange »
BLACK HAWKS
IMPULSES
COBRA-T
WAR PIGS
STOCKHOLM
COLD SWEATS
MIRACLE MAN
TRUE GRIT

https://slovendoom.bandcamp.com/releases

ericsabbath

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Re: MM set into Epiphone Explorer
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2013, 07:35:33 AM »
the miracle man is quite bass heavy, and a little dark voiced, although it has a lot of treble
I felt that the cold sweat was already a bit too bass heavy in a gibson explorer
how about a painkiller?
Riff Raff, Mules, Black Dog, VHII's, Cold Sweat

Dave Sloven

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Re: MM set into Epiphone Explorer
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2013, 07:56:37 AM »
Well I was thinking of just letting them sit there a while until I could get a second SG to move them into.  I find the Explorer a little uncomfortable to play compared to the SG (the heavier guitar irritates my neck/spine problems) so I would move to an SG eventually.  It was just a thought about how I could make a guitar I don't use into one that might be useful.

Alternatively if someone in my area had an Epiphone SG that they wanted to swap for the Explorer I would do that and use a BKP set in that.  It's just that prices are so low at the moment that I don't feel like selling it

This combo would also be with a view to playing grindcore and death metal, in C# and below
BLACK HAWKS
IMPULSES
COBRA-T
WAR PIGS
STOCKHOLM
COLD SWEATS
MIRACLE MAN
TRUE GRIT

https://slovendoom.bandcamp.com/releases

ericsabbath

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Re: MM set into Epiphone Explorer
« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2013, 02:07:31 PM »
the pk should well on both
Riff Raff, Mules, Black Dog, VHII's, Cold Sweat

Dave Sloven

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Re: Miracle Man / Warpig set into Epiphone Explorer
« Reply #4 on: July 07, 2013, 02:58:37 PM »
I'm thinking now that a Warpig set might be the best option for my second guitar.

Application: downtuned (crust punk, old school death metal, & grindcore), C# and lower tunings.  Nice if it could be versatile enough to do some older style stuff in C#, like Sabbath and Venom.

Again, it is an Epiphone Korina Explorer, with the ebony poly finish, TOM bridge.

Would like it to be compatible also with an Epiphone or Gibson SG in case I find the Explorer annoys me again, so that I could swap the pickups out of it into an SG and sell the Explorer on with other pickups in that case.

I'm wondering what experiences of the Warpig set in Gibsons and Epiphones has been like, and opinions regarding the alnico magnet version versus the ceramic magnet version.  I'm leaning toward the alnico version, but I'm interested to hear various views.
BLACK HAWKS
IMPULSES
COBRA-T
WAR PIGS
STOCKHOLM
COLD SWEATS
MIRACLE MAN
TRUE GRIT

https://slovendoom.bandcamp.com/releases

Roboten

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Re: Miracle Man / Warpig set into Epiphone Explorer
« Reply #5 on: July 07, 2013, 09:38:56 PM »
I have a caparison horus with an uncovered ceramic warpig. The guitar itself sound pretty much like a flying v or explorer, being thick mahogany, though it has a floyd rose and a maple neck, but the sound is pretty close. For your genres I think a warpig would be optimal, it fits my grind/death/sludge band perfectly. I've never found it to be dark or muddy, the opposite in fact, it has its fair share of upper mid bite. It's also very tight, but you wont notice since the pickup sounds so massive. I play in drop B which I think is the best tuning for the pickup. However, I have used a les paul with emeralds as my backup guitar, and is has got me thinking about getting a alnico warpig aswell, the somewhat softer bass and bigger sound I think could be useful, especially when playing on higher strings. Just food for thought.

In conclusion, ceramic warpig is the safe bet, though the alnico version could potentially sound awesome as well, I have no experience regarding that version.
Stormy Mondays, Mules, Riff Raffs, '63 Veneer Board Set, BG52s, Emeralds, C-Pig(b), Trilogy(n)

Dave Sloven

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Re: Miracle Man / Warpig set into Epiphone Explorer
« Reply #6 on: July 07, 2013, 10:04:47 PM »
Cheers.

Yeah the songs you have posted are probably the closest out of forum members to what I want this guitar to be able to do, although I suspect that if anything my guitar would possibly be less dark as a starting point and my needs for precision and tightness a bit less.  If you feel that you could get by in your style with an A-pig I'm sure it would probably suit me really well, and give me more scope for the Sabbath, Venom, and Autopsy type material.  I might also play some Electric Wizard or even Ahab type doom on this, which is of course tuned down pretty low

My amp is also very close to yours - it's a 6534+, but the lead channel of all of the 5150/6505 series Peavey amps seem pretty similar to me, although mine might be a tad warmer.

I have read that the A-pig can seem like it is a lower output when compared to other high-output pickups due to not being as compressed sounding as the high output Duncans etc, depending on how hard you drive it with your right hand, but that suits me fine.

I'd be interested to see your EQ settings as well, even though the 6505 and 6534+ pre-amps are different (6505+ are almost the same).  What I have noticed in the week or so that I've had the Peavey is that the presence and resonance controls make a big difference, especially when you go over 8.

P.S. I'm assuming that an A-Pig into an SG is a no-brainer - is this a fair assumption?
« Last Edit: July 07, 2013, 10:36:44 PM by Agent Orange »
BLACK HAWKS
IMPULSES
COBRA-T
WAR PIGS
STOCKHOLM
COLD SWEATS
MIRACLE MAN
TRUE GRIT

https://slovendoom.bandcamp.com/releases

Roboten

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Re: Miracle Man / Warpig set into Epiphone Explorer
« Reply #7 on: July 07, 2013, 10:53:54 PM »
Aw that's nice to hear! :D Compared to other high gain pickups it's petty uncompressed, but very compressed compared to my other bkp's, though they are all vintage or vintage hot. It cleans up very well, I usually play some blues between songs during band practice, which my band mates hates haha. If an A-pig sounds they way I think it sounds, it should suit you perfectly.

I havent tried my warpig in my sg 61 ri, but when comparing the sounds a get from it when i've swapped other pickups in and out of it, I'd say the sg will have less bass and more of a gnarly twangyness, which I think will suit the warpig.

Regarding my eq-settings, when we recorded our ep and single I was using a way huge green rhino as a booster, but during practice I usually dont bother, it sounds good the way it is. I have the bass set halfway, 5-6, and the mids somewhat lower, from 4-5, it depends on what my ears are like that day. I have the treble very low, at 2-3, resonance at 6-7 I think, and the presence dimed, between 9-10 all the time. I use the lead channel, the master is usually on 4 and the gain is on 1.5 to 2.5, depending on my mood. I dont know if this is the regular way to set up an 6505 eq, but it works for me. I use an orange 2x12 cab with v30's and a orange 4x12 cab with g12t-75's, however, my drummer/recording technican said he used the 4x12 mostly on this recording.
Stormy Mondays, Mules, Riff Raffs, '63 Veneer Board Set, BG52s, Emeralds, C-Pig(b), Trilogy(n)

Dave Sloven

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Re: Miracle Man / Warpig set into Epiphone Explorer
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2013, 11:01:58 PM »
Cheers

I figured that was how you would EQ the Peavey to compensate for the huge bass of a C-Pig.  Yeah I think that the SG I have is definitely brighter than the Explorer with the same pickups, which quite a lot of mids.  It works well with an A-bomb for me, as I wanted this guitar to do more punky stuff, but I can see how a Warpig (either version) could work well with it when tuned down.

My cab is an Orange PPC412, i.e., four V30s, so I'm guessing its sound is somewhere between your two cabs
BLACK HAWKS
IMPULSES
COBRA-T
WAR PIGS
STOCKHOLM
COLD SWEATS
MIRACLE MAN
TRUE GRIT

https://slovendoom.bandcamp.com/releases

Dave Sloven

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Re: Miracle Man / Warpig set into Epiphone Explorer
« Reply #9 on: July 08, 2013, 01:46:12 AM »
Actually when I think about it probably the sound I am really going for is that Spanish deathgrind sound that you get on albums by Machetazo, Looking For An Answer, & Nashgul.  A Gronibard sound in B tuning would also be nice!  Those guys get an amazing fat sound that is still very crusty

In case people don't know what these bands sound like here are some samples on youtube.

Machetazo

Looking For An Answer

Nasgul

Gronibard

Basically sort of Swedish with something dirty and silly going on.
« Last Edit: July 08, 2013, 02:28:54 AM by Agent Orange »
BLACK HAWKS
IMPULSES
COBRA-T
WAR PIGS
STOCKHOLM
COLD SWEATS
MIRACLE MAN
TRUE GRIT

https://slovendoom.bandcamp.com/releases

Dave Sloven

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Re: Miracle Man / Warpig set into Epiphone Explorer
« Reply #10 on: July 08, 2013, 02:51:26 AM »
Actually I just picked up these online.  GAS over (for now)!

1 x    6 String Warpig humbucker - Calibrated Open Set

    Bridge Spacing: 50 mm
    Conductor: 4
    Leg: Long (1/2")
    Coil Colour: Black
    Bridge Magnet: Alnico V
    Aged Coils/Cover(s): No
    Pole Screws: Black Bolts

Given that I'd probably only get AU$400-500 for the guitar (with hard case) as it stands if this converts it into a guitar that I want to play again then it's a bargain at just over $300 for the pickups delivered.

I figured it wasn't worth paying the extra $40 for battleworn camo covers
« Last Edit: July 08, 2013, 02:53:15 AM by Agent Orange »
BLACK HAWKS
IMPULSES
COBRA-T
WAR PIGS
STOCKHOLM
COLD SWEATS
MIRACLE MAN
TRUE GRIT

https://slovendoom.bandcamp.com/releases

Dave Sloven

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Re: Miracle Man / Warpig set into Epiphone Explorer
« Reply #11 on: July 11, 2013, 01:56:00 PM »
I just got my Epiphone Explorer out for the first time in a while as it appears my SG might be experiencing an earthing problem and I was getting a lot of noise on cleans on two different times through both pickups and then it went away later.  Changing straight from the SG to the Epi there was no problem with the Epi so that eliminates the cables, PolyTune, and amp as sources of the problem.  I will have to look into it tomorrow or Saturday.

Having another play of the Epi though reminds me that it is a very dark guitar compared to the SG, even though it has 500K pots and what looks like an orange cap in there (the previous owner rewired it when he installed the Mighty Mite pups).  Now these pups are pretty cr@ppy (especially for mids), but I am wondering if when I install the A-pigs whether I should upgrade to either 550K or 1 meg pots and what cap value I should use?  What have people generally used with Warpigs in a dark sounding guitar?

One great thing about the Epi though is its sustain, which I think is due in part to the heavy thick body but also the fact that the bridge and especially the tailpiece sit real low with no problems.  The tailpiece is flat against the wood whereas my SG has its jacked up.  Although the Explorer doesn't need topwrapping the strings to achieve this I am more and more convinced that I should topwrap the SG's strings so that I can lower the tailpiece as far as possible.  It also convinced me that with the proper pickups, pots, and caps that this will be a great death metal and grindcore guitar that I don't need to worry about scratching up (resale is nothing special and the poly finish is pretty tough anyway). The gold hardware looks a bit tarnished and there is a ping in at least one of the strings when you tune it (hopefully it is the nut, not one of the grovers) but overall these Korean made Epis are decent bar the electricals.
BLACK HAWKS
IMPULSES
COBRA-T
WAR PIGS
STOCKHOLM
COLD SWEATS
MIRACLE MAN
TRUE GRIT

https://slovendoom.bandcamp.com/releases

ericsabbath

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Re: Miracle Man / Warpig set into Epiphone Explorer
« Reply #12 on: July 11, 2013, 10:41:32 PM »
what are the mighty mite pickups? if they are 22k alnico motherbuckers, those are in fact very dark and compressed
Riff Raff, Mules, Black Dog, VHII's, Cold Sweat

Dave Sloven

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Re: Miracle Man / Warpig set into Epiphone Explorer
« Reply #13 on: July 11, 2013, 10:59:35 PM »
The bridge is a motherbucker (marked 'MB').

Not sure of the output but as you say very dark and compressed.

They have a very 'plasticy' look.  I'll post a photo when I get the chance.

If the output is around the same as a Warpig that's good because I like the output on these, just not the compressed, dark character of them, which seems a bit muffled.

Not sure what the neck pickup is, it's not marked 'MB' like the bridge. It might be their bluesbucker
« Last Edit: July 11, 2013, 11:45:15 PM by Agent Orange »
BLACK HAWKS
IMPULSES
COBRA-T
WAR PIGS
STOCKHOLM
COLD SWEATS
MIRACLE MAN
TRUE GRIT

https://slovendoom.bandcamp.com/releases

ericsabbath

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Re: Miracle Man / Warpig set into Epiphone Explorer
« Reply #14 on: July 12, 2013, 02:30:09 AM »
the motherbucker is definitely hotter than a pig
good news is that it's that the excessively dark tone is probably the pickups fault
I had that pup for a short period in my jap les paul copy (that had about 23 pickups)
Riff Raff, Mules, Black Dog, VHII's, Cold Sweat