I need help!!! HD(b)/Em(n) Or CBomb(b)/CS(n)

[JPHaze]

Hello,

I could use some help picking my pickup set....I know I want either the CBomb(b)/CS(n) or the HD(b)/Em(n).....I play metal (mostly Symphony X, Dream Theater, Wintersun, Rhapsody of Fire(When Luca was guitarist), Etc.) I told my friend I think the CBomb(b)/CS(n).....But he really suggested the HD(b)/Em(n), He told me "You would like the leads out of the emerald much more than the CS and the CBomb is a amazing pickup, but the Holydiver would be better paired with the emerald" What are your thoughts?   - RGT42 :?

[Lucas]

Well, that  RGT42 features mahogany body and what sort of a neck wood?

I use CBomb bridge/CS neck combo in my Dean Caddy (mahogany body with maple cap, mahogany neck, rosewoood fingerboard) and:
I find CBomb more on the darkish side with huge bottom end, pronounced mids and warm highs. It`s an aggressive pickup giving you some nasty huge tone, it`s tight and in-your-face pup. It handles distortion with pride but also I find it pleasant while playing some more classical rock with overdrive but that little aggression retains which doesn`t bother me at all. Cleans are quite good, cannot complain but they won`t be as good as with alnico version for example.


CS neck is a truly superb pickup in many aspects. Really.
First of all it has beautiful cleans, really defined, crispy and musical at the same time, really pleasing cleans.
Lead parts? That`s the place where that baby starts singing and screaming! Really fluid, defined lead tones.
Summing up CS neck is a superb bright pickup, really defined, crispy, lively sounding, ideal for screaming solos, shredding as well as beautiful clean parts as well.

Middle position with 2 humbuckers is good as well, while brightness of CS takes over more darkish CBomb, so the tone is more crispy and slightly brighter than I would be expecting.

About other combination, HD/Emerald you`ll find truly amazing review written by Slarti, for example here:
https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=31081.0

Jugging by my own experiences with CBomb/CS and what Slarti said about HD/Emerald I would go for CBomb/CS or if CBomb would be too dark for your taste Cold Sweat set.

[Slartibartfarst42]

The RGT42 is a maple neck-thru guitar so it's the maple that dominates the tone rather than the body wood. That will make it brighter than a normal mahogany guitar and the locking trem will make it even brighter still. I've had a couple of maple neck-thru guitars, including an RGT42 so I know they can be picky about pickups so here's what I tried:

Cold Sweat set - Bright, scooped and open sounding. Tight pickups that sound great if you like quite a bright and open sound from the bridge. Worked quite well but the neck version worked better.

Alnico Nailbomb bridge - Very aggressive, very tight and very hairy sounding. Surprisingly open for a hot pickup. I REALLY didn't like it in a maple neck-thru and sent it back. The C-Bomb should be even tighter, brighter, more aggressive and hairy so personally it wouldn't work for me at all but it's personal preference I guess.

Holydiver bridge - Completely different to the Nailbomb. Tight and aggressive but without the extreme nature of the Nailbomb. Very smooth and with an awesome lead tone. Good cleans too. I liked this one a lot.

Miracle Man bridge - Smooth like the Holydiver but more scooped, which suits a maple neck-thru. More bottom end than the Holydiver and more prominent highs. This is absolutely THE pickup if you have a maple neck-thru guitar. Truly a match made in heaven. There is a damn good reason why this is the number 1 recommendation for maple neck-thru guitars. For a matching neck pickup, the Cold Sweat will work well but other options might be the Painkiller neck or Miracle Man neck, both of which are supposed to be very good and will match well.

[JPHaze]

Thanks for your replies....from the reading Ive done, I think Im gonna go with the Miracle Man(b)/ ColdSweat(n)

[Slartibartfarst42]

I very much doubt you'll regret it. That is an absolutely perfect match for your guitar and if I were to buy another maple neck-thru guitar at some point, that's certainly thye combo I'd go for. Remember to write a detailed review when you get them.  :D

[JPHaze]

I very much doubt you'll regret it. That is an absolutely perfect match for your guitar and if I were to buy another maple neck-thru guitar at some point, that's certainly thye combo I'd go for. Remember to write a detailed review when you get them.  :D

Will do! Im so excited to get me some for my ibanez! Thanks for the help :)