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Author Topic: Noob Question - please be gentle!  (Read 12256 times)

Telerocker

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Re: Noob Question - please be gentle!
« Reply #30 on: September 14, 2013, 11:26:29 AM »
About the height Kiichi gave you already excellent advice.
The VHII is a gem too in the right guitar. This BKP feels way hotter then the dc-resistance might tell you.

what has been your experience with the 'right guitar' for the VHII?  I'm pondering a few options while it's en route, and am always interested in suggestions.

In general in guitars that don't have a (very) bright natural voice. The VHII is a bit of a chameleon, that can be a succes in both strats and mahogany or basswood based guitars. By example: works fine in my ash/rosewood-board Fender strat, but that has a middy character. The VHII has enough bass and midrange for most bolt-on alder/ash guitars.
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darthphineas

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Re: Noob Question - please be gentle!
« Reply #31 on: September 15, 2013, 02:34:49 AM »
the VHII arrived today.

I really wanted to put it to a relative testing ground.  earlier this year, I tried another VH-themed pickup with an A2 (if that helps tell you which one it was *wink wink*) in my basswood Charvel Predator.  so I thought I'd put the VHII in the same guitar.  where as that other one really sounded a little dampened, flat and dull in the basswood, the VHII is nice and lively.

so far I've only tinkered with it about a half-hour just to get a basic idea, but it comes across as a nice rock-n-roll pickup.  it didn't really slap me in the face as an 'Eddie' pickup, but I could tell that if I dialed up the amp and the effects that it'd all be there (that'll come in the next day or so.  lol!).  once again, the harmonic squeal pop right out really well and there's plenty of sustain.  it seems to have a really well-balanced tone in the basswood Charvel.  playing the typicaly 80s riffs with the chugga-chugga on the lower strings did get loose or flub out, and were actually a little more precise than I was expecting.

something that impresses me with both BKPs I have is how the respond to changes in the volume pot.  it's really night and day from what I'm used to.  I put the VHII on a clean setting and rolled back to about 8-ish on the pot and it came on in with no breakup at all....I could still switch back and forth between dirty and clean at that position and everything sounded great, with a little more left in reserve for some lead work.  really handy for all those changes that are in so many of those 80s tunes.

very cool.  liking it a lot.

still really looking forward to getting to the RY.  there's a guitar show in a month, and not wanting to break into my guitar show budget (lol!), I hope to be getting around to the RY around the beginning of Nov... which is handy, as that'll allow for plenty of time to really stretch my legs on the HD and the VHII.

Dave Sloven

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Re: Noob Question - please be gentle!
« Reply #32 on: September 15, 2013, 02:41:58 AM »
playing the typically 80s riffs with the chugga-chugga on the lower strings did get loose or flub out, and were actually a little more precise than I was expecting.

Good to hear you like your purchase.  I'm a little confused here though.  Do you mean that it did not 'get loose or flub out' (because you then describe it as more precise than you expected)?
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Telerocker

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Re: Noob Question - please be gentle!
« Reply #33 on: September 15, 2013, 01:48:35 PM »
He actually means the VHII is pretty tight for a vintagehotpickup.
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darthphineas

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Re: Noob Question - please be gentle!
« Reply #34 on: September 16, 2013, 09:47:08 PM »
playing the typically 80s riffs with the chugga-chugga on the lower strings did get loose or flub out, and were actually a little more precise than I was expecting.

Good to hear you like your purchase.  I'm a little confused here though.  Do you mean that it did not 'get loose or flub out' (because you then describe it as more precise than you expected)?

you are correct... It should read "did NOT" get loose or flub out.

you'd almost expect there to be a degree of 'sag' or 'girth' in the low end of a pickup like this.  and while it has a full tone, it's articulate and concise without being thin or brittle.  it fills out very well in the basswood, especially considering another A2-based VH-type pickup sounded muted and dull.  after having a few days with each, I'm getting tempted to swap the BKPs and put the VHII in the alder and the HD in the basswood to get a better idea.  I'm really liking the VHII in the basswood, so it's a tough call.  lol!  there are parts to the mids of the HD that are so clear and chimey that I'm probably a little more curious how the HD would manage the basswood or the mahogany.  decisions, decisions.  lol!

darthphineas

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Re: Noob Question - please be gentle!
« Reply #35 on: September 17, 2013, 04:19:57 AM »
Glad you like the Diver!
Did you tweak the height a bit? With scatterwound pickups it can make quite some difference. Beware when you get an RY, which is especially sensitive for height.

did a bit of back and forth today with the HD and the VHII.  I think I'm considering some height tweaks on the HD.  while I'm OK with the lows and highs, the mids are just the slightest bit crisp.  not a bad thing, but I might try to take the edge of just a smidge.  or maybe it's just that clearer quality I've not been used to hearing.   :lol:

Dave Sloven

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Re: Noob Question - please be gentle!
« Reply #36 on: September 17, 2013, 05:43:37 AM »
Did you try the Holy Diver in the basswood guitar?
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Telerocker

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Re: Noob Question - please be gentle!
« Reply #37 on: September 17, 2013, 12:21:50 PM »
Glad you like the Diver!
Did you tweak the height a bit? With scatterwound pickups it can make quite some difference. Beware when you get an RY, which is especially sensitive for height.

did a bit of back and forth today with the HD and the VHII.  I think I'm considering some height tweaks on the HD.  while I'm OK with the lows and highs, the mids are just the slightest bit crisp.  not a bad thing, but I might try to take the edge of just a smidge.  or maybe it's just that clearer quality I've not been used to hearing.   :lol:

Maybe the last thing, but the HD doesn't lack in crispiness. The height can make quite a difference. I had to tweak my Crawler quite a bit to get it right.
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darthphineas

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Re: Noob Question - please be gentle!
« Reply #38 on: September 17, 2013, 06:24:13 PM »
Did you try the Holy Diver in the basswood guitar?

not yet.

Maybe the last thing, but the HD doesn't lack in crispiness. The height can make quite a difference. I had to tweak my Crawler quite a bit to get it right.

kept on playing it through different amp settings last night and will give it a tweak later today.  since so many people suggested the HD is great in alder, it might just be my ears adapting.


edit:  did some swapping around.  put the HD in some mahogany and the VHII in the same alder the HD was in.  they have a lot of the same characteristics in alder with the VHII being just a little sharper in the highs.  the HD will not be staying in the mahogany.  lol!  while it's tempting to do the full round-robin and try the HD in the basswood, from hearing the VHII in that basswood and the VHII and the HD in the same alder, I'm certain the original pairings were best for what I'm trying to get from these guitars.  I can also see now where Tim said the VHII would also work in mahogany...pretty versatile pickup.  it's tempting to try the HD in the basswood, but I can tell the VHII is better suited in that one for what I want.  it's also clarified that if the RY is a little brighter than the HD that it'd be the one for that mahogany.  starting to GAS again!  lol!
« Last Edit: September 17, 2013, 10:31:39 PM by darthphineas »

darthphineas

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Re: Noob Question - please be gentle!
« Reply #39 on: September 22, 2013, 12:27:57 AM »
I've got too much BKP gas going on.  lol!

instead of waiting until after next months guitar show, I think I'd like to go ahead and jump on the Rebel Yell.

when I put the HD in the mahogany Hamer, I could definitely tell the piercing sustain for the pinched/tapped harmonics were not quite there in the same way they were for the HD in the alder.  and I can still see how that little extra bit of sharpness in the VHII would work in the mahogany.  I don't find it to be a overly dark mahogany, but I can tell where tamed the sustain on the highs of the HD just enough to know I was doing to need something specific for that guitar.

maybe it's being in TX, but the name 'Rebel Yell' just seem like providence.  lol!  I've been looking at this model from day one, and only put it off because other models of interest became available sooner.  it's finally time to jump on this bad boy.  keeping the fingers crossed.   :P


edit:  if someone in the states has a 53m RY bridge they want to move, please let me know before I get the order rolling.  thanks!
« Last Edit: September 22, 2013, 12:40:20 AM by darthphineas »

Dave Sloven

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Re: Noob Question - please be gentle!
« Reply #40 on: September 22, 2013, 05:09:31 AM »
I'm worried that if I get a Rebel Yell set I'll have to start wearing leather trousers and grow some hair.  Or maybe buy one of those tragic wigs that old glam rockers wear.

Problem is I'd look rubbish in leather trousers.  I look bad enough in jeans.  Is there a BKP that would go well with a kilt?  Maybe that would suit me ;)

Seriously though a Rebel Yell and a Les Paul sound like a match made in heaven.  Any guitar with similar tonal characteristics to an LP should suit the RY

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Telerocker

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Re: Noob Question - please be gentle!
« Reply #41 on: September 22, 2013, 01:51:31 PM »

Problem is I'd look rubbish in leather trousers.  I look bad enough in jeans.  Is there a BKP that would go well with a kilt?  Maybe that would suit me ;)


Must be the Cold Sweat!  :lol:
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Dave Sloven

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Re: Noob Question - please be gentle!
« Reply #42 on: September 22, 2013, 01:58:21 PM »
I've just installed one of those ;)

The A-Bomb was very kilt friendly too.  Very '80s punk, the sort of sound Wattie would approve of
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darthphineas

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Re: Noob Question - please be gentle!
« Reply #43 on: September 23, 2013, 04:23:23 AM »
now you've done it... I'm going to download the entire Slade catalog!

Dave Sloven

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Re: Noob Question - please be gentle!
« Reply #44 on: September 23, 2013, 05:21:40 AM »
Even in Japan they wear kilts:



But with trousers underneath?  WTF?
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