Hoping for some wisdom on choosing a new BKP set/mix.

[BTS]

Hi All, hoping you may be able to share some wisdom on choosing a new BKP set/mix.

The instrument
I have a mahogany bodied double cut guitar with a maple cap, mahogany set neck, ebony board, 25' scale and a fixed bridge (It isnt a PRS) and with quite a thin body. I have it set up for CGCFAD but also periodically have it in BF#BEG#C#. It isnt a 'dark' guitar by any means considering the woods and the neck construction. It is brighter and more defined than most USA PRS’ ive played before. Acoustically, it is quite loud with very direct response and I personally feel it is quite balanced, perhaps tending a little towards the warm end of the spectrum. Ive had feedback that it is indeed quite a balanced sound.

I play all kinds of modern hard-rock, modern and thrashy metal and heavier-progressive styles of metal (not djent).

It all gets played through a modeller, and either decent speakers or headphones... an unfortunate constraint of living with others and in apartments.

The Search
Ideally I am looking for a pickup to assist in the delivery of a thick and aggressive mid-range sound, with sufficient weight for chugs but doesn’t wander into the ‘massive’ boomy or overly-bassy bottom end category. But, and this is important, I’d prefer to avoid a harsh top end – prefer something smoother for ‘big’ chords. I’d prefer’ smoother’ as opposed to ‘grainy’ if that makes sense. I know that BKPs are usually very balance and detailed across all strings, so im not too worried on that front.

The pickups that came with it are ok, but just quite don’t deliver on the tightness in the bottom end nor the smoothness of the top end.

My experience
Im not entirely new to Bare knuckles. I have had an Aftermath and a Ceramic Nailbomb in an all-mahogany neck thru 7 string. I kept the C-bomb because I felt the Aftermath was too dry and sterile generally and I found the top end spikey and harsh for my style. I also find the Cbomb can be a bit trebly on the high end as well, but I can generally manage it. I also find the Cbomb to be a fair bit more versatile than the aftermath and while I am generally rocking out metal or heavy rock type stuff, I do like a bit of versatility and appreciate being able to get a good passable low to mid-gain sound on occasion.
I’ve now also got a nailbomb neck in that 7 which is ok, but I will probably switch to something which has less weight in low-end. 

The options
Bridge :-
Holy Diver – I love the clips on the BKP site. However, where Ive found it generally impressive (in the clips online) is in bolt-on or maple neck basswood super-strats like guitars or LP style guitars. I’ve not really been able to find examples of it playing modern metal in a similar guitar [to mine]. Ive also read but not really heard, that the HD has a nice smooth top end. From what ive read it is very versatile, im just not sure itll have the appropriate tight bottom end definition for Drop C and B in my guitar nor the thickness in the mid-range given my guitar doesn’t naturally have the LP tonal characteristics. 

Miracle Man – Ive no real experience at all with this. I only mention it because ive read a lot on this forum that it can be like a meaner holy diver (Which sounds good). But I also read it has a large-ish bottom end and can be a bit harsh on the top end (which I’d rather avoid).

Juggernaut – it is the ‘new’ thing right now and all the clips ive heard of it are professionally done (ala Ola, FredtheShred, Misha and Fluff). Those guys are obviously talented at extracting great tone (depending on your definition of great tone) and its Misha’s sig pickup, so it works for him. Ben recommended that the Juggs might be a good option…. But, when I listen to the BKP clips, the Juggs just don’t sound very ‘alive’ to me as compared to say the Holy Diver.

For the Neck
I use the neck mainly for clean or low mid-gain chord passages and melodic lines, with the occasional solo (but these are more bluesy inspired than outright shred).
I have been considering the usual subjects: Cold Sweat and VHII, but also the Holy Diver neck.


So guys, hoping some of you will chime in with opinions or experiences. Upon re-reading the above I am perhaps asking too much, but such is the elusive search for my perfect tone.

Cheers. 


Edited to tidy up formatting - as after posting it was a little cluttered.

[lamp]

Before I got to your options, I was thinking Juggernaut.  It's a bit difficult, as being the new one there's less information about it, but it does sound like it would fit your criteria.  For the neck, one of my favourite pickups is the Rebel Yell.  I'm not a shredder, mainly rhythm and occasional solo and I really like the clear tone it delivers.  It's apparently somewhere inbetween the VHII and the Cold Sweat, though I have played neither of those. 

[Dave Sloven]

I thought the Miracle Man was more like a darker, meaner Cold Sweat bridge pickup.

I agree that if you are considering both the VHII and the Cold Sweat in the neck you should split the difference and get the Rebel Yell neck.  I have the Cold Sweat neck but if I were to change it the Rebel Yell is the one I'd go for, given that I am relatively happy with the CS but something a little warmer/brighter sounding could be good.

[BTS]

Thanks for the input guys (so quick)!

Ill most certainly have a good look at the rebell yell. It sounds like it has a good balance of the things I am looking for which would work for me.

Re: the Miracle Man, I can only go on what I've read... but in any event, seems like it may be out of contention.

[Dave Sloven]

The fact that it is a thin mahogany guitar makes me think it might be a bit tricky like an SG.

Does it have a relatively 'focused' acoustic sound with a strong emphasis on the mid- and low-mids?  If so you would best off with one of the more scooped bridge pickups like the Miracle Man, Cold Sweat, or C-Bomb.  Rebel Yell neck and C-Bomb bridge could be a good combination.  If your two guitars sound quite different acoustically then they will react quite differently with the C-Bomb and won't sound the same.  Otherwise you could try a Cold Sweat set or even a Rebel Yell set, as if the acoustics are anything like an SG the peak of the pickup will be above that of the guitar and won't compound it to make it exceptionally nasal and middy.

[BTS]

The fact that it is a thin mahogany guitar makes me think it might be a bit tricky like an SG.

Does it have a relatively 'focused' acoustic sound with a strong emphasis on the mid- and low-mids?  If so you would best off with one of the more scooped bridge pickups like the Miracle Man, Cold Sweat, or C-Bomb.  Rebel Yell neck and C-Bomb bridge could be a good combination.  If your two guitars sound quite different acoustically then they will react quite differently with the C-Bomb and won't sound the same.  Otherwise you could try a Cold Sweat set or even a Rebel Yell set, as if the acoustics are anything like an SG the peak of the pickup will be above that of the guitar and won't compound it to make it exceptionally nasal and middy.

Certainly appreciate that the 7 string and the 6 will react to pickups differently. I find the 7 string (being a thin mahogany bodied guitar also) has more of that mid to low-mid focus I think you are describing. Comparative to that 7, and my past experiences with SGs (granted a little while ago now), this new 6 is much more balanced and even, from the high end through to the bottom.

[Arthurus]

Just saying, I've had both the Holydiver and the Juggernaut in the same guitar, and they are quite different. The bass response on the Holydiver is much more controlled, almost held back as opposed to the Jugg.
However, the Jugg is sweeter in the high-mid area.
But the Holydiver had one damn sound for soloing. Its mid-heavy characteristics I guess.

By the way, for the neck pickup, beware. The VH-II is kinda dark. I do like its attack, but I guess it works better with lighter strings. I also tune my guitar to Drop C and I use 11-54 gauge strings (more or less). Cheers !

[ericsabbath]

I've had both the holy diver and miracle man in that tuning in the same guitar
they sounded great for the same things, but they sounded very different from each other
the miracle man had this huge and punchy bass, lot of low mid growl and a strong top end
diver had a lot less bass,  and had the growl on the center mids instead and a much rounder top
the only thing they had in common is that both had the easiest and loudest pinch harmonics I ever pulled from passive pickups, but even on that they sounded pretty different and unique

I think I'll vote for the juggernaut, anyway

[Slartibartfarst42]

I agree with most of what Eric says. I share his experiences with the Holydiver and Miracle Man yet despite that, I still see them as similar in some ways, probably because both are warm, organic, smooth and great at 80s Metal +. I'd go with one of them rather than the Juggernaut but that may well be because I've never heard a Juggernaut clip yet that I'm particularly fond of.

For the neck, both the Holydiver and Emerald are superb.