RY - modern ?

[richard]

Many of you have described the RY as a modern take on a classic sound.

What do you consider to be it's modern characteristics ?

[GuitarIv]

I guess it means you can do this with it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20zSjw98Gvg

As well a this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaFeG6vLbR0

Both clips are done with the RY

[Kiichi]

Ha, my phrase is now something that is know. Repeating works I guess.

What I mean when I say that is that you get classic qualitys like the openness, the agression in the upper mids which to me feels classic, the warm organic basefeel which also translates into the highs being present but not harsh, etc. All the things that give you that warm fuzzy feeling of having something you know and love. Yet the RY takes those things and adds that certain new polish to it. A certain definition and clarity, a modern cut, modern tightness.

A bit like a well done modern recording of a classic hard rock band. All the modern advantages, all the old school heart. Classic sound, faithfully brought to modern times.

[Telerocker]

Ha, my phrase is now something that is know. Repeating works I guess.

What I mean when I say that is that you get classic qualitys like the openness, the agression in the upper mids which to me feels classic, the warm organic basefeel which also translates into the highs being present but not harsh, etc. All the things that give you that warm fuzzy feeling of having something you know and love. Yet the RY takes those things and adds that certain new polish to it. A certain definition and clarity, a modern cut, modern tightness.

A bit like a well done modern recording of a classic hard rock band. All the modern advantages, all the old school heart. Classic sound, faithfully brought to modern times.

Amen!

[Slartibartfarst42]

Ha, my phrase is now something that is know. Repeating works I guess.

What I mean when I say that is that you get classic qualitys like the openness, the agression in the upper mids which to me feels classic, the warm organic basefeel which also translates into the highs being present but not harsh, etc. All the things that give you that warm fuzzy feeling of having something you know and love. Yet the RY takes those things and adds that certain new polish to it. A certain definition and clarity, a modern cut, modern tightness.

A bit like a well done modern recording of a classic hard rock band. All the modern advantages, all the old school heart. Classic sound, faithfully brought to modern times.

In many ways, what you say seems to theoretically apply to the alnico Nailbomb as well based on its description and what a number of forum members have said so how are they different? It's an issue that yesterday suddenly became more important to me because I mentioned to Tim that I was thinking of putting my Holydiver into my Vintage for a Classic Rock/80s Metal sound and a Miracle Man in the PRS for an 80s Metal/Modern Metal sound. He confirmed it would work but said that a better option would be to leave the Holydiver where it was and use an A-Bomb in the Vintage instead for the Classic Rock/80s Metal tones I'm after from that guitar.

[Kiichi]

From what I gathered over time (owning the RY and reading about the Nailbomb) I think the RY in comparison to the A bomb has:
-less bass
-less low mids
-less hairy
-rounder treble
-less output
-more open
-more old school
-more rock than metal
-less agressive
-perhaps more cutting even
-80s at heart instead of 90s

So a bit as if the A bomb is a RY on steroids really. A lot is the Nailbomb being hotter and fuller than the RY.

[Slartibartfarst42]

Obviously, given my history with the A-Bomb, I am naturally wary but if that is Tim's advice (Ben's as well) it seems silly not to at least give it a go.

[Dave Sloven]

Obviously, given my history with the A-Bomb, I am naturally wary but if that is Tim's advice (Ben's as well) it seems silly not to at least give it a go.

Did they recommend it?

[Slartibartfarst42]

Yes they did and Tim knows I sent the last one back but he seems to think that the A-Bomb helps to draw out upper mid frequencies that are prominent in maple neck-thru guitars but it will be very different in an all mahogany guitar. I reason that it would be silly to ignore Tim's advice if that's what he feels would be best and I can always return it again, though I'd rather not. To tame the aggression he might have suggested a Rebel Yell but I'd said I didn't want anything brighter than a Holydiver and I assume that the Rebel Yell is brighter than a Holydiver.

[Dave Sloven]

It can't hurt to try if it's easy enough to return.

From Australia it's a pain in the arse.

[Kiichi]

Either you find "hey it works here" or you are really done with it. =)

I do think the RY is brighter than the HD in that it has that upper mid spike and the hights are a bit more cutting too. However from what I gather while the Nailbomb all in all is darker than the RY it also seems to be more prominent in the highs, harsher, which might lead to you liking the RY more actually. Cause there is brighter, more alive (the RY) and there is treble heavy and harsh (more the Nailbomb). At least that is one factor I think might be there.

[Guitarteach]

I have both a Holydiver and an RY...  I concur that the RY is def. the brighter pickup...

I have it In a thru neck ibanez and it's very versatile. Can be aggressive and modern when full on tone/volume but any extra edge it has can be tamed with the tone.  In a band context I like the extra top end it has to cut through. Better to have it spare than not at all! I remember being completely knocked out by the vintage scattewound airiness it has on the first play. It does nail the vintage/modern thing.

With light overdrive and out of phase switching the RY can do some great vintage, Peter Green sounds too which was really suprising and welcome. So overall my keeper set.

The HD seems thicker and slightly more compressed to me, but not in any bad way.  Nice for sweet, legato lead, quite similar to a 20yr old SD JB I have in another set neck.

With a good amp - I use boogie combos and cabs, they both are really great.

I'd personally be looking at the amps at this point too as the nuanced differences of HD, RY, A-bomb are probably outweighed by the tone shaping, sustain enhancing power and compression of a high quality, cranked amp.

[Slartibartfarst42]

I do like that mixture of vintage and modern in a Rebel Yell and I can see how the same thing is there in the Nailbomb too, albeit in a more obviously aggressive form. Tim seemed convinced that the A-Bomb was great for Classic Rock and I did notice that it was more open than other contemporary pickups I've tried so in that respect it makes sense. It's the fact that it was so insanely harsh and aggressive last time that has me a little concerned. Ben said they have people playing Christian Rock who use Nailbombs so they must get very different results than I managed because it was the most unchristian sound I can imagine! I've just got to give it a go again as I already know it's close to what I'm after. I do want it to be a little more open than my other pups, don't want it too bright and I do want it to be a bit more aggressive sounding; I just don't want it quite so harsh and aggressive in the upper mids. The trouble is, I can't think of another pickup that is any closer. Perhaps covers might help to take the edge off things.

[Dave Sloven]

Perhaps covers might help to take the edge off things.

I have a chrome covered A-Bomb.  I can't imagine that it toned it down at all.

I suspect the reason why you were recommended the A-Bomb is that you already said you wanted something not as bright as the Rebel Yell.  It might well be the case though that you are happier with the Rebel Yell.  Personally I would order a Rebel Yell pickup and if you found it was to shrill return it for an A-Bomb.  I suspect this approach may save you some hassle and postage costs ...

Plus better to try one that you haven't had than try again one you've returned.  If nothing else you will have an idea of what it sounds like from first-hand experience.  If I lived closer I would be more glib about returning stuff.  I took way too long to make my mind up about the A-Bomb because of the hassle factor of international post

[Slartibartfarst42]

I can return things far more easily yet I still spend forever making up my mind because I just don't want to mess BKP around. When I have returned a pickup, it hasn't been for the lack of trying to get it right in the first place and that's why this forum is so useful. After the A-Bomb, my backup choice would have been a Black Dog as opposed to the Rebel Yell. I know very little about the Black Dog and it's not discussed that often here but I just have a gut feeling it would work as long as it wasn't too open sounding.