EMG 81X/SAX HSS Alternative

[Fuzzy86]

Hi,

I recently purchased a  Kramer 211 Custom with the intention of replacing the pickups to get a more "Vernon Reid" like sound. A mid and high heavy, natural overdrive sound.  Also, I really wanted an HSS Superstrat.  I know that he's been using EMG 81x and SAx pickups in an HSS configuration for the past few years and the non "x" models before that.  I have a ESP LTD JH-200 that runs a calibrated set of Warpigs (Ceramic/Alnico) that I love (hence BKP being the first choice for this) and would rather not have to deal with converting the Kramer to active pickups.  The ESP turned into a monster after that change.

The guitar is a mahogany body with maple neck and fingerboard.  It plays wonderfully but the pickups lack the punch that I'd like (my Jazzmaster blows it out of the water on distorted tones).

My initial thinking is an Alnico Black hawk in the bridge and Trilogy's for the mid and neck, but the Holydiver and Trilogy's are also another option.

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

[Fuzzy86]

Even though I didn't get any replies on this thread I figured I'd give an update.

I decided to do a bit of experimentation since it's a cheap guitar bought for that purpose.

I've decided to take the Warpig Neck out of my ESP and use it as the bridge pickup with a Reverse Wound Sinner Middle and Sinner Neck.

I will be replacing the Neck pickup in my ESP with a Juggernaut Bridge to go with the C-pig bridge that's currently in it.

Will post the results of this experiment when the three new p'ups arrive.

[JimmyMoorby]

Be interesting to see how that works out.

I think the obvious alternative would be a black hawk bridge with a sinner neck in any case I prefer the sinner to the trilogy suite any way but the black hawk and sinner are well suited.

[Fuzzy86]

I think the obvious alternative would be a black hawk bridge with a sinner neck in any case I prefer the sinner to the trilogy suite any way but the black hawk and sinner are well suited.

I considered that and decided to go with the Juggernaut bridge. I wanted to try it out and it was a bit of an aesthetic decision as well. (BKP doesn't sell rail single coils.) So that's what I ordered.

Over the weekend I decided to do a bit of experimentation since I am also changing to 500k pots in the ESP.  I also decided to go for more of sludge metal sound  which in all honesty isn't that far off of what I was looking for in the first place.

[Fuzzy86]

UPDATE: Change of plan #2.   
C-Pig is going into the Kramer since the Pig neck string spacing was too far off and I didn't have enough string spacing adjustment on the licensed Floyd Rose.  Had it had a Kahler like my ESP it wouldn't have been a problem.

Wired it up last night and ran into a problem with the 5-way switch.  It now has position 1 is a kill switch and positions 2-5 are all three pickups at once.  This produces amazing tone but pretty much takes the guitar's versatility down to 0.

The ESP is empty at the moment. I will wire it up tonight after I figure out my switch problem on the Kramer.

[miguelbatalha]

I think you'll be happy with Black Hawks...

"active style power but passive tone and dynamics"