A-Bomb / Emerald Combo: Good to go?

[TimmyPage]

Hey there guys, I'm finally taking the plunge and ordering my first set of BKPs. I sent an email to them asking which pickups would be best for me and got a very expedient and well thought out response, I'm already super impressed with this company as a whole. Ben suggested an A-Bomb in the bridge and either a VHII or Emerald in the neck, though he said he was leaning towards the Emerald and I've heard really interesting things about it here.

The pickups will be going in my HH hardtail strat, alder body, maple neck with a rosewood fretboard. It's a pretty balanced sounding instrument but I've noticed scooped neck pickups in it can sound really dull. My style of music would be within the progressive realm, I've studied jazz guitar in university and being able to get a nice airy jazz tone is still important to me, though I'd also like a bright, 'pretty' pristine sound in the middle position for chord work. From an overdrive side, I'm into Guthrie's sound a lot, and I'd also consider modern heavy prog bands to be an influence (Porcupine Tree, Opeth, even a few of the djentier bands.) Basically I need something with a cutting lead sound but a lot of clarity in big distorted chords.

I'm currently playing in a funk or soul band.. but realistically if I can get a decent rolled back jazz tone the guitar will be good for that.

So basically.. was his suggestion good, shall I take the plunge or are there better options for me?

[darrenw5094]

So basically.. was his suggestion good, shall I take the plunge or are there better options for me?

Probably not. If Tim say A-Bomb and Emerald, then he's probably right.

[darkbluemurder]

A-Bomb sounds right for the bands and styles you mentioned.

Never heard the Emerald neck - from all the descriptions here I don't think you can go wrong with it. The VHII neck would have worked well, too.

Cheers Stephan

[Dave Sloven]

I've installed an Emerald neck in a Les Paul and I think it's definitely one of the best pickups I've heard, and in terms of neck pickups it is on a par with my Cold Sweat, but suited more to the player who enjoys using bends and vibrato rather than hammer-ons, sweeps, etc (where the CS excels).

[dgaroz]

I have that set (Emerald neck, A-Bomb bridge) in a Schecter Hellraiser Solo 6 (a Les Paulish model with mahogany neck and body and rosewood fretboard).

IMHO Emerald is just the perfect neck pup, but it has an unmistakable vintage character... (not really sure if you're looking for that). Definitely excellent for blues, jazz and rock, no matter clean, or lead sounds. I use it both as humbucker and splitted.

A-bomb is a very different beast. It's darker than (at least I) expected, but definitely clear (as all BKPs). For me its main character is the grunt... never heard that throaty sound in any other pup ever. That said I see this pup better in the low-mids than in the low-end... and not very good in the high-mids. I have the holydiver in other axe and I find it much better for soloing. It is also a dark low-middy pickup but much better for lead tones. I am about to try the Rebel yell which I guess I will find better for lead tones (as it is a high-mids pickup).

However, Tim is most of the times right... I can tell you that...

[Dave Sloven]

The A-bomb is a GREAT pickup for rhythm playing, very tight sounding and throaty.  I would not tend to use it for the kinds of solos one might do with a Holy Diver bridge, however.  It tends to suit the kind of player who switches up the neck pickup for solos.  The Emerald is great for that, but I guess it all depends on how they fit together.  In part though the that will be determined by the woods etc, so in one guitar the pickups might match up better than in the other.  I found that the A-bomb matched poorly with the Cold Sweat neck in my SG, but I can also see how they might match up much better in my Explorer, where I get a wider range of usable tones out of the A-Bomb

[darkbluemurder]

The A-bomb ... tends to suit the kind of player who switches up the neck pickup for solos. 

You make a very important point here - sometimes it's all about the application. I liked the A-Bomb for soloing though - great for aggressive lead playing with a fat sound.

Cheers Stephan