H-S Pickup Replacement for ESP Forest-GT?

[visualrocker69]

Hey everyone! I have an Original Series Forest GT and was looking to upgrade the pickups.

Here are the specs, in case you're unfamiliar: http://espguitars.co.jp/original/forestgt/index.htm
(In a nutshell, 24 fret, swamp ash top, mahogany back, maple neck, ebony fretboard, Floyd Rose bridge).

The Nail Bomb and Holy Driver have both been highly recommended to me for the bridge position. Please feel free to weigh in on this.

I'm not sure which way to go for the neck pickup. I really enjoy the rail visual aesthetic of blade/rail pickups like the Duncan hot rail my guitar has as the stock pickup, but it's a tad bland sounding. I was hoping to get something that sounded more inspiring... Dimarzio Cruiser à la Andy Timmons, perhaps? Joe Barden S pickup? Bare Knuckle Trilogy Suite?

I'd greatly appreciate any recommendations on this - and you certainly don't have to limit it to rail/blade style pickups.. I'm open to considering all options!

[JimmyMoorby]

Nice guitar ive only ever seen the ones on the US and UK market and can see this is made very differently.

Think before any one can suggest any thing youll have to tell us what sort of music the guitar will be for.

[darkbluemurder]

The only guitar of mine that has a HS configuration has a Holydiver bridge in the bridge and a DiMarzio Injector neck in the neck. That would be my recommendation. If you want a humcancelling rail type pickup in the neck, BKP does not make any such thing at the moment. DiMarzio Cruiser sounds good, even though my experience with that pickup is limited to playing one in an Ibanez AT-100 in a store for about half an hour.

Cheers Stephan

[Philly Q]

I'm not sure which way to go for the neck pickup. I really enjoy the rail visual aesthetic of blade/rail pickups like the Duncan hot rail my guitar has as the stock pickup, but it's a tad bland sounding. I was hoping to get something that sounded more inspiring... Dimarzio Cruiser à la Andy Timmons, perhaps? Joe Barden S pickup? Bare Knuckle Trilogy Suite?

That is a very cool looking guitar, I must say.

Just to chip in on the blade pickups, have you tried Joe Barden pickups before?  I've had a few of them and eventually decided they're not for me, but that's just personal taste.  They are well made and have a unique sound, very "hi fi" I would say, not really much like real single-coils.  They're quite bright but they do this unique thing where the sound seems to get not just darker but thicker as you roll off the tone control.  That's the best thing about them, IMO.

Of course it all depends what sort of sound you're after.

[Slartibartfarst42]

I'd go with the Holydiver in the bridge as it's simply the most versatile Metal option I've tried; far more versatile in reality than the Nailbomb. For the neck, as already mentioned, BKP don't do singlecoil sized humbuckers and there is no immediate likelihood that they will as Tim simply doesn't like them. For that basic sound however, I'd strongly suggest looking at a Sinner for the neck.

[visualrocker69]

That is a very cool looking guitar, I must say.

Just to chip in on the blade pickups, have you tried Joe Barden pickups before?  I've had a few of them and eventually decided they're not for me, but that's just personal taste.  They are well made and have a unique sound, very "hi fi" I would say, not really much like real single-coils.  They're quite bright but they do this unique thing where the sound seems to get not just darker but thicker as you roll off the tone control.  That's the best thing about them, IMO.

Of course it all depends what sort of sound you're after.

Thanks, Philly! Not everyone's taste, but it is pretty damn edgy \m/

Barden S was definitely in the running, but a few people disuaded me from going that route. I'm not looking for something super bright and single coil-esque by default, I'm looking for something that can do thick and creamy leads, but can also do the single coil thing nicely when split.

I'd go with the Holydiver in the bridge as it's simply the most versatile Metal option I've tried; far more versatile in reality than the Nailbomb. For the neck, as already mentioned, BKP don't do singlecoil sized humbuckers and there is no immediate likelihood that they will as Tim simply doesn't like them. For that basic sound however, I'd strongly suggest looking at a Sinner for the neck.

Why the Sinner over the Trilogy, if I may ask?

[darkbluemurder]

I'm not looking for something super bright and single coil-esque by default, I'm looking for something that can do thick and creamy leads, but can also do the single coil thing nicely when split.

In that case you may ignore my recommendation above as I was looking for a single coil tone in my guitar.

Cheers Stephan

[visualrocker69]

I'm not looking for something super bright and single coil-esque by default, I'm looking for something that can do thick and creamy leads, but can also do the single coil thing nicely when split.

In that case you may ignore my recommendation above as I was looking for a single coil tone in my guitar.

Cheers Stephan

I mean, I wouldn't MIND it, but... wouldn't that be sorta redundant since the guitar's already set up for coil tapping? Unless I had it rewired to switch between series/parallel like Anderson does.

[darkbluemurder]

Sure - if you already have the switching capability on your guitar and put in a pickup that cannot take advantage of that - you will lose a function (and a tonal variation).

Since all of the BKP single coils are true single coils nothing in the BKP range would offer that.

There is a video on youtube where a guy demos a guitar that has the Air Norton S in the neck wired for series and parallel options, and I must say I liked the parallel wiring on that pickup.

Cheers Stephan

[visualrocker69]

I'm really glad you mentioend that, because the Air Norton S just caught my eye. I'd been using EBMM Petrucci models for years, so I'm very familiar with that pickup.

The guys at Axe Palace highly recommended the BC2 (Billy Corgon):
http://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/strat/hum-canceling-strat/dimarzio-bc-2
Apparently it's based on the Air Norton! And the tone structure seems pretty similar to the Trilogy Suite, so that's always a plus...
I lack the expertise to compare the other specs, though.

Any thoughts on this pickup?

[darkbluemurder]

The BC-2 is designed as a bridge pickup and may be too dark in the neck position. BC-1 would be the one designed for that.

Cheers Stephan

[Philly Q]

I quite like the description of those DiMarzio BC pickups, they sound like they'd be fun - not even trying to emulate vintage Strat pickups!   

I did consider getting a Billy Corgan signature Strat when Fender first introduced it, it was only (of course) the skinny neck which put me off.

[visualrocker69]

Yeah, I noticed that. In the BC set, the BC2 is actually used in the middle position.

I asked Axe Palace whether the BC1 would be more suitable for neck, and they stood by their BC2 recommendation to pair with the Holy Diver.

*shrug* I mean, Andy Timmons has a Cruiser bridge model in the neck position of his guitar, so I don't see why not?

Anyway, I found something slightly more exciting...
https://www.riograndepickups.com/scart/ProductPage.asp?ImageLink=RGBC&ProductName=For+Strats

Does anyone have any experience with Rio Grande pickups?

I thought this might be a good match, since I actually have Rio Grande humbuckers in both positions on a very similar ESP to the one in discussion, and it suits it perfectly:
http://www.espguitars.co.jp/original/reindeer/index_end.html

[darkbluemurder]

Anyway, I found something slightly more exciting...
https://www.riograndepickups.com/scart/ProductPage.asp?ImageLink=RGBC&ProductName=For+Strats

Does anyone have any experience with Rio Grande pickups?

I played the BBQ and the Genuine Texas. Had them in the same guitar as some BKP sets (A-Bomb/VHII neck and Black Dog set) and preferred the BKPs. Never played the Railgun, so no idea.

Cheers Stephan