Queen tones from semi-hollow (long post alert!)

[Roboten]

Of the bkp humbuckers i own i'd say mules sound the most similar to bm's tone, however, i actually think they are a bit too clear so if i were going for that tone i would probably use vhii, abraxas or maybe even mq's.

[Telerocker]

Sorry, overlooked the dummy at the neck. Abraxas then.

[metale]

Regarding the MQs, I would consider it more if I could fit them as a set. That way, if I felt that the bridge was too punchy or had too much attack, I could mix the neck in to tame it a bit. Ur.. Or use the tone knob  :?

Keeping this in mind, I think a Mule or VHII would be a safer bet (and more versatile with coil splitting and parallel option) than a single bridge MQ. It's still on the table.

I keep thinking that the Abraxas would be too hot, especially since I will run a treble booster, no?

Ah, decisions, decisions  :x (good ones to have to make). Also, in you guys' opinion:

• Raw Nickel cover or open reverse zebra (if humbucker)?
• Coil split or parallel (if humbucker) on a push-pull?

[Dave Sloven]

Personally I'd go for a covered pickup.

On the push-pull, I really don't know.  Normally I'd say that it's easy enough to change the wires around and try each configuration out once you have the switch in place, but working through F-holes it really isn't!  I'd probably go for a split if using a VHII

[metale]

Normally I'd say that it's easy enough to change the wires around and try each configuration out once you have the switch in place, but working through F-holes it really isn't!

Oh, the beauty of an ES-333 comparing to an ES-335 :D

[Telerocker]

Keeping this in mind, I think a Mule or VHII would be a safer bet (and more versatile with coil splitting and parallel option) than a single bridge MQ. It's still on the table.

I keep thinking that the Abraxas would be too hot, especially since I will run a treble booster, no?

Ah, decisions, decisions  :x (good ones to have to make). Also, in you guys' opinion:

• Raw Nickel cover or open reverse zebra (if humbucker)?
• Coil split or parallel (if humbucker) on a push-pull?

A Mule and a treblebooster could work fine, but you have a bright guitar and the Mule-bridge has quite some topendsnap. I'm keeping some doubts. I think the Abraxas is not that hot (the VHII is quite hot, nearly same output as my Crawler), but I can see you want an opensounding vintage(hot) pickup. Maybe you can adjust the balance with a 380k pot.

[metale]

I see. The Abraxas has quite some resistance reading (14k IIRC) but a weaker magnet than the VHII. How does it clean up?

[AndyR]

I've got one of the BM Guitars Red Specials, and it's a peculiar beast. From my experience, what I've read about how he used it does fit - definitely bridge + middle series, in phase, is his main "rock" sound. Bridge on its own gets used a fair bit as well. Neck + Middle, series, out of phase is his signature lead sound. I think a big part, though, is the AC30s running full tilt with a treble boost :lol:

Anyway, I was thinking MQs, MQs, MQs... all the way until I got to "Can't fit a pair"

I have MQs, and the BM pickups sound most like them in a humbucker size - MQs are a bit more powerful and thicker than the BMs I have. (What the BMs really sound like is a cross between a tele bridge and a strat pickup - but neither of those will work for your guitar).

If you're talking one humbucker-sized pickup only, I think you might need to consider a humbucker with switching for splitting, phase, etc... (as I don't do this kind of thing, I don't know which BKPs take best to this)

Otherwise, for me, it would be a toss-up between an MQ or a Mule - I'd probably choose a Mule myself.

[metale]

AndyR, that's priceless info, thank you. Good to hear how the tri-sonics compare to the BKPs.

I'm at the moment torn between the MQ and the Abraxas. MQ was also recomended to me by Tim, but keep in mind that he recomended me A PAIR of them.

The stock Gibson humbucker is now out of the guitar and for sale, so things will have to happen sometime soon since there is a hole on the guitar! One more than usually, I mean :)

I'm also considering splitting the tones between two guitars. Get a humbucker sized pickup for the ES-333 and get a set of baseIplated slowhands for one on my strats, wired on series and with BM's switches. Getting expensive though.

[Telerocker]

The Abraxas cleans up very well, it's a hotrodded Mule, but nothing ott.

[metale]

Thanks.

Got a couple more questions:

1- Is the Abraxas assymetricaly winded? If coil-spliting, which coil would sound better, the one with the screws (nearer the bridge) or the slug coil?

2- Keeping in mind the look of the tailpiece on the guitar, which is a bit aged (see pic on first post), would raw nickel match it well? I think aged nickel could be a bit too much.

[Telerocker]

Most BKP's are asymetrical. Abraxas too. I think the slugcoil sounds better in terms of tonal balance.
Raw nickel would look badass.

[metale]

So... It's ordered.  8)
The cover will not be everybody's cup of tea, but it does not have to ;)

[FELINEGUITARS]

Sorry I'm late to the party , but I would go MQ or if it needed to be a HB , then a VH2

Andy is bang on about the Trisonics and treble booster and vox AC30 NORMAL CHANNEL TURNED TO FULL (not top boost!)

Been a bit of a Queen fanatic my whole life and BM is the reason I got into playing and later making guitars

Those who know me will be able to spot me in this crowd - clue - mine is the only non-bandmember face showing :)

[metale]

Jon, great to hear from another Queen fan, thank you for your feedback.

I've been a BM fanatic for 20 years (I'm 29yo) and also picked up the guitar because of them. Unfortunatly, as soon as I started listening to music and found Queen, Freddie had already left us.
All this years I gravitated towards metal, but keep coming back to Queen, and nothing gives me shivers like alot of their music.

As for the pickup, I went with none of those. I went with an Abraxas, since I ended up feeling that it compremented the very bright nature of the guitar. It will be split via push-pull pot. It's also said to be very smooth, which makes me want to try some layered orchestrations with it.

If it becomes worst case scenario, it won't do many Queen tones but still be a great pickup on a good guitar. I will then have to modify one of my strats to try to achieve those tones (baseplated slowhands are calling for me) with the BM switching options.

Or... try to explain my wife that we need a Red Special more than a new sofa... :) I bet she would be happy for me to sell my honda cbr for buying a guitar.

Cheers! And great 20th Anniversary guitars you have there.