How does the Manhattan distort?

[clarkecaine]

Hey everybody,

I'm playing an Epiphone Dot through a Vox AC15, and I think it's about time to change the pickups from the stock to some way better. I play a wide variety of styles - jazz, blues, classic and indie rock, and a bit of country, but no metal. Garage rock / psychedelia is as distorted as I get.

I really low the clear bottom end and the smooth midrange on the Manhattans, but I'm wondering what they'd sound like if I drive them through this Vox a little bit. Does anyone have any experience trying this? I'm also considering the Mules, but they just don't sound as good clean to my ears, and I do enough clean playing to want a really smooth sound.

Thanks a lot,

CC

[Kiichi]

Hi and welcome mate!

I only have the MH neck placed in a Feline Guitars custom all mahahony with rosewood board downsized, headless, semihollow LP type I got second hand. Ok that was a mouthfull. Anyhow, MH neck, semihollow as the bottom line.

I have not in my life heard such a natural pickup. Far as I heard this is as close to amplifying the string as you hear it acousticly as you will get with a normal pickup. Warm, sweet, defined as nothing else. Especially on the low strings there is a combination of natural low end and that P90 attack and midrange that is really special. Musical and wonderful as all hell.

To the point, it does take gain suprisingly well. I am playing into a Orange Tiny Terror Hardwired with OD in front and with those it can get a seriously wonderful vintage rock sound out there. Actually, tomorrow I will try it without the OD. What I get now however is full, warm, and old school. Is it tight for palm mutes under what should be considered metal gain? No. But it is a freaking neck PU. It is however one of my favorites for old schoold riffing and lead work. I feel a lot of 70s psych rock in there for sure. It even has a certain organic fuzz quality at those gain levels. Out of all my pickups for psych rock and clean this is my first pick. Again, just talking neck here. I really with that guitar had a bridge slot, trust me.

So yeah, short version here, I think these can work for you really well. The set will in all imagination ace the jazz, blues, and psychedelia. Indie rock...I donīt know too much about it, but for post rock it can work wonders too imho. Country? Donīt ask me. Garage...again not too much knowledge (I probably listen to it without knowing), but is that not mostly dirty and nasty? Nasty this one can do in a special way.

If unsure check with the BKP guys, maybe a MQ bridge or similar could be a great way to cover everything.

[Dave Sloven]

Yeah the Blue Note neck & Nantucket bridge combo seems to work well, so a Manhattan + MQ combo should be similar.  I'd definitely go for the MQ in the bridge just for that extra punch, but if I do a MQ or Nantucket guitar I will definitely put a Manhattan or Blue Note in the neck slot.  REALLY nice sounding neck pickup.

[clarkecaine]

Thanks for the warm welcome! I think I'm sold on the Manhattan for the neck - that old school psychedelic tone sounds like it's just the ticket, so I'm pretty excited to see how it works out. I'll check out the MQ for the bridge - it sounds like that could give me the punchy, dirty, nasty sound I like. Neither one is going to get metal gain, so should be in the clear there.

Thanks again, both of you!