BKP = Vai??

[Dave Sloven]

The Cold Sweat is definitely nice in my guitar.  The mids are quite scooped on the pickup, which is great because the guitar it's in (an SG) has a lot of mids already. On some other guitars it might sound scooped, but in my SG it sounds very balanced, much more so than the A-Bomb, which was a hardcore mids monster when combined with this middy guitar.  I imagine a Painkiller would be even more like that.

[fps_dean]

The Cold Sweat set has a fairly smooth sound like Evos only I think with more midrange (judging from what I've heard).  That might be worth looking into as well

Quite the opposite to my ears - Cold Sweat is pretty open and almost scooped whilst Evo had a shedload of mids.
I use the Cold Sweat a lot - love it .

I've heard some clips where people get a passion and warfare era-like sound pretty nicely.  They probably dimed their mids -- you'd know better than I.  Regardless, they have a similar smoothness to the tone which is essential for a Vai sound.

I had a jem with evos and it did have a fair amount of mids to it, but I sold it a while ago...

[m t soule]

I have had a play with the crawler in my neck and so far that is giving me what i am after in that position. especially for the tender surrender cleans.
So for the neck.........?

Thanks again for the input guys!

[darrenw5094]

I think Vai's Legacy amp is quite middy to match the scooped Evo's.
But side by side at any G3, Satriani's tone is much better than Vai's.

[fps_dean]

I think Vai's Legacy amp is quite middy to match the scooped Evo's.
But side by side at any G3, Satriani's tone is much better than Vai's.

I have a modded Marshall SL-X and 2 cabinets but the one I mostly use has Classic Lead speakers, which is a very middy combo as well which saw most of my use with the Jem when I had it, so I'm probably not the best reference. That said, the Les Paul and Rebel Yells have far more mids than the Evolutions in the Jem did and also a clarify that the Jem couldn't match.  What evos did really nicely was their smooth tone and also they're fairly dynamic -- both of which are why I think the Cold Sweat would be a good choice for a Vai tone.

And I've seen G3 several times and I always thought Satch's live tone was better than Vai's.  Vai's live tone always sounds super scooped but with an excessive amount of high tones for whatever reason (where I wouldn't say his studio tones are), where Satch sounds like Satch either way.

[m t soule]

The more i research Pick ups in whatever format it seems more like pot luck given the variables.
the guitar, the wood, the finger board, the player the amp, the pick up, the venue, and all the possible combinations  etc etc.
The opinions all simultaneously conflict AND confirm each other but rarely with a solid 'fact' but mainly likes and dislikes.

There is one point of consistent hope however and that is the long dimarzio/ibanez relationship. Evos here i come.

Thanks for the advice!

I shall keep an open mind!

[darkbluemurder]

Vai's live tone always sounds super scooped but with an excessive amount of high tones for whatever reason (where I wouldn't say his studio tones are), where Satch sounds like Satch either way.

I only heard the G3 recordings - never seen them live - and Vai's tone came across to my ears as extremely middy - certainly nothing scooped.

The only DiMarzio which is associated with Vai and that I played is the Breed Bridge - a fairly dark and middy pickup as well - much darker than e.g. a Holydiver or Miracle Man. I don't think there is a BKP equivalent to that. I have never had the Evolution or Steve's Special, although I have tried an Ibanez with the Evolution in it, and I thought that was a monster output fizzy pickup - not my cup of tea at all.

Cheers Stephan

[Philly Q]

Just to be pedantic, a couple of people have mentioned the DiMarzio Steve's Special.... that's not actually a Vai pickup (although he may well have used it at some point). 

"Steve" in this case is Steve Blucher, DiMarzio's pickup design guru.

[Kiichi]

Just to be pedantic, a couple of people have mentioned the DiMarzio Steve's Special.... that's not actually a Vai pickup (although he may well have used it at some point). 

"Steve" in this case is Steve Blucher, DiMarzio's pickup design guru.

Interresting. Did not realize that before. Thanks for clearing it up.
So that only leaves the Evo, Breed and the Gravity Storm? Give the man some more signature PUs, guitars, amps, pedals, etc.

Disclaimer: I really love Vai. Great playing, inspirational talker galore and amazing live show.

[ericsabbath]

Just to be pedantic, a couple of people have mentioned the DiMarzio Steve's Special.... that's not actually a Vai pickup (although he may well have used it at some point). 

"Steve" in this case is Steve Blucher, DiMarzio's pickup design guru.

Interresting. Did not realize that before. Thanks for clearing it up.
So that only leaves the Evo, Breed and the Gravity Storm? Give the man some more signature PUs, guitars, amps, pedals, etc.

Disclaimer: I really love Vai. Great playing, inspirational talker galore and amazing live show.

I would never know that  :lol:
thanks

anyway, the miracle man has been recommended for the Steve Vai stuff for a long time on the forum
but I've seen Tim recommending not only the MM, but also the nailbomb on early posts
none of them sounds like dimarzios anyway

[fps_dean]

Vai's live tone always sounds super scooped but with an excessive amount of high tones for whatever reason (where I wouldn't say his studio tones are), where Satch sounds like Satch either way.

I only heard the G3 recordings - never seen them live - and Vai's tone came across to my ears as extremely middy - certainly nothing scooped.

The only DiMarzio which is associated with Vai and that I played is the Breed Bridge - a fairly dark and middy pickup as well - much darker than e.g. a Holydiver or Miracle Man. I don't think there is a BKP equivalent to that. I have never had the Evolution or Steve's Special, although I have tried an Ibanez with the Evolution in it, and I thought that was a monster output fizzy pickup - not my cup of tea at all.

Cheers Stephan

Yeah the recordings never sound scooped.  I wouldn't say his gear itself is particularly low on midrange by any means.  I saw him in New Haven once where I was right in front of him all night and that show had tons of mids, but when I see him in larger venus with G3s, the mids just don't carry past the first few rows where Satriani's do.