need help choosing the right pickup

[Guitarted]

So I have a Sterling by Musicman guitar made of basswood. I LOVE the guitar but not the bridge humbucker. I want a pup that sounds a little dark but clear and crisp. I play mostly blues rock and classic rock. I need help finding a pup that would go well with the basswood and is not to hot. Thanks for any help!

[Telerocker]

Hi
Look at Mules (fantastic 59 PAF replica's) or the middier and a bit more compressed Abraxas.

[Guitarted]

Thanks man! Ill check thoes out. :D

[metale]

My experience with basswood (maple neck) guitars makes me think they are a bit like the SG: put a middy pickup and they clash. YMMV therefore I tend to think more scooped pickups.

I put a Riff Raff on my RG7 and they 'clicked', but as you are saying you want a dark pickup (and don't have a 7th string to tame) I would go one of these 3:

• Mules
• Abraxas if you want a bit more push
• Something completely different like a Cold Sweat neck on the bridge with a neck Mule

Last option should be near a Riff Raff, but with a different wire.

[Guitarted]

The pickup doesn't have to be dark. I'm worried about getting one that's to bright for the basswood. I had Gibson 57 classic and it sounded like a tele pup...    does anyone have the Abraxas? I think it my be my best bet based on the audio samples.

[darkbluemurder]

   does anyone have the Abraxas? I think it my be my best bet based on the audio samples.

I do, and I can assure you it does not sound like a Tele pickup. If you want it to be darker than that, look at the Crawler.

Cheers Stephan

[Telerocker]

Tonally basswood is quite neutral. A Crawler kills in alder and ash, but although I own one, I have some reservations recommending it for basswood. You might find the topend a little too round. The Abraxas has less mids and more chime than the Crawler. And it has still that PAF-pedigree.

[darrenw5094]

The pickup doesn't have to be dark. I'm worried about getting one that's to bright for the basswood. I had Gibson 57 classic and it sounded like a tele pup...    does anyone have the Abraxas? I think it my be my best bet based on the audio samples.

I have the Abraxas in my Gibson Les Paul Standard. It's darker than the others, but has more mids and might clash with the basswood middy nature. But apart from the Mule which is vintage all over, the Abraxas is the closest for you.

[metale]

The pickup doesn't have to be dark. I'm worried about getting one that's to bright for the basswood. I had Gibson 57 classic and it sounded like a tele pup...    does anyone have the Abraxas? I think it my be my best bet based on the audio samples.

I have one. Not too bright, and this is on a laminated maple body.

[Guitarted]

Thank you all for your help! I emailed the BKP support and they recommended the Emerald or the Abraxas. I think I may go with the Emerald because it isn't as hot. My guitar is hss so that's why I don't want to go to hot in the bridge.

[metale]

Emerald owners correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that it's net output may be higher despite lower DC resistance reading. And alot brighter than the Abraxas.

[Guitarted]

So the Abraxas is my best bet?

[Kiichi]

So the Abraxas is my best bet?

Always two ways about it. I will assume metale is right about the outputs.

The Abraxas will fit better with the SCs output whise, but will have more difference in EQ. However  (I think) deliver better split tones and those will work nicely in a HSS set.

The Emerald is brighter, therefore the normal HB mode will tonally fit in better with the SCs, but you might have more output difference. The splits would not be as good I guess, but that can be helped by adding a resistor in series with the coil you send to ground (green and white wire). That way you donīt completly turn off the other coil, just turn it down a lot. The results is a slighly fatter and more powerful split sound. Might help with the Emerald.

[metale]

So the Abraxas is my best bet?

There is not a really wrong bet, they both will work on your guitar, but you said that you wanted a darker pickup..

The Abraxas does split wonderfully.

[Telerocker]

Like Kiichi says, the Emerald is way brigher than the Abraxas-bridge. Also for good splited tones I would stick to the 
Abraxas. And yeah, dc-resistance is not the same as output. Depends on the used wire. Therefore my VHII feels nearly as hot as my Crawler.