Best BKPs for classic Slayer

[Alex]

That reminds me - is there a pedalboard-friendly equivalent of a Pro Co Rat?

The Moonphase Moondriver

[Dave Sloven]

That reminds me - is there a pedalboard-friendly equivalent of a Pro Co Rat?

The Moonphase Moondriver

Cheers, but I bought a Mooer Black Secret last night on a whim for $75 delivered (with a free patch cable) from a local ebay seller.  The reviews on that were good enough and the price was low enough

[ericsabbath]

mooer pedals sound great

[Dave Sloven]

Tiny too, should fit well on my pedaltrain!

[p4vl]

Yeah back in the early '80s the distortion came mainly from pedals and not from the amp itself.   The high-gain amps by Soldano, Peavey, Mesa etc were all in the future.  I wonder what pedal?  Maybe a Boss HM-2?  I will have to look into this more.  The Boss DS-1 though seems like a more obvious one for them to have used.

To be honest I am more interested in developing my own sound and early Slayer is just one of several reference points.  I'm not in a Slayer cover band or anything, it's just a sound that I like, and I like it much better than the sound they started to use after Seasons in the Abyss.

As far as I know, Slayer recorded all their early stuff through Marshalls (late 70's Marshalls in the early days, then JCM800's w/6550), with a Boss 10-band EQ in front (mid-boost pyramid setting).  Pickups were either Dimarzio PAF/Super D combo or Bill Lawrence L500L's (one of Kerry's mid-80's Warlocks came with a Megadrive stock). 

Slayer Tone:  Tight, angry Ceramic pickups and lots of mids.  Kahler definitely optional.   

One of the reasons that Hetfield modded his original Marshall and later began using Mesa's & EMG's was that he wanted an aggressive tone while scooping out the mids. 

Anyways, do you folks think that the Black Hawk could cover Slayer-esque machine gun riffage?  In Basswood?

[Slartibartfarst42]

That DiMarzio PAF/Super Distortion combo is certainly an effective and iconic one, which only makes me more convinced that BKP is missing a Super D style pup.

[p4vl]

That DiMarzio PAF/Super Distortion combo is certainly an effective and iconic one, which only makes me more convinced that BKP is missing a Super D style pup.

The world of electric guitar is totally different than it was when the Super D was released ('72).  These days, people want different magnets & windings for all manner of configuration of tonewoods and hardware.  You can't have an iconic pickup when you're trying to appeal to a diverse crowd with diverse gear. 

The locking tremolo craze of the 80's is probably what made the Super D iconic.  Locking tremolos would never have gotten off the ground if aftermarket pickups hadn't been available to cancel out a locking tremolo's natural shrillness. 

Back in 1995, my first aftermarket pickup was a Super D (Washburn MG44).  Why?  Slayer. 

[Slartibartfarst42]

The fact that modern players want different pickups with different magnets doesn't mean you can't have an iconic design that stands the test of time as well. If that were the case, why does Tim make the Mule pickup? If ever a pickup pays homage to a time-honoured design and tone it's that one. It might be argued that much of the BKP range follows this same route. They are iconic designs and sounds and Tim makes a lot of using vintage correct materials and techniques yet he also appeals to a modern and diverse market. The Super Distortion is no different and has its place even in the modern world. For the first time in almost a decade my next pickup is probably not going to be BKP because I'm looking for something that has a lot in common with the Super Distortion and that's missing in the BKP range.

[p4vl]

The fact that modern players want different pickups with different magnets doesn't mean you can't have an iconic design that stands the test of time as well. If that were the case, why does Tim make the Mule pickup? If ever a pickup pays homage to a time-honoured design and tone it's that one. It might be argued that much of the BKP range follows this same route. They are iconic designs and sounds and Tim makes a lot of using vintage correct materials and techniques yet he also appeals to a modern and diverse market. The Super Distortion is no different and has its place even in the modern world. For the first time in almost a decade my next pickup is probably not going to be BKP because I'm looking for something that has a lot in common with the Super Distortion and that's missing in the BKP range.

I wasn't saying that BKP only appeals to the modern player.  BKP does of course make some really lovely vintage humbuckers & singles (and in the context of the 'vintage pickup' market, their prices are actually reasonable).  Of course, as a player, I barely rate the pricetag for a single bkp bridge humbucker, let alone a $150 PAF neck pickup.

Sounds like you need to get a Super D and put in a guitar. 

[darrenw5094]

Of course, as a player, I barely rate the pricetag for a single bkp bridge humbucker, let alone a $150 PAF neck pickup.

What you mean?

[p4vl]

Of course, as a player, I barely rate the pricetag for a single bkp bridge humbucker, let alone a $150 PAF neck pickup.

What you mean?

I tend to use the bridge pickup a lot more.  I really didn't even start using neck pickups until I got a guitar that happened to have a mellow, PAF-style tone.  So, I'd pay for a $150 bridge humbucker but for the neck position I can get by with something cheaper.