The Aftermath - more than just a Djent pickup?

[CommonCourtesy]

So alot of people associate the Aftermath with this Djent style type playing. And ridiculously low ass tunings, (lower than B).

I've got one in my Les Paul studio and it sounds great, I'm in drop c and although I'm not a "Djenter" I do play a lot of chuggy tight riffs and powerchords, which sound huge with an AM in the bridge.

So is it really just a one-trick pony or can it be used for other applications? I remember when I first joined I was asking recommendations for bridge humbucker pickups and the AM was rarely mentioned.

[gwEm]

I fitted one this evening and put some thoughts here:

https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=31617.0

[gwEm]

kind of a thread bump since i'd like to hear more ideas being a new aftermath owner.

clearly, it has a crushing sound. i've been using mine in standard tuning for a whole bunch of old skool thrash. its not quite the classic sound, but it does work really well with this style. good and aggressive tops.

[darrenw5094]

Somewhere, somebody has used the neck pup for Satriani neck tones. I am sure i have seen that on youtube.

[ericsabbath]

I'd say it works quite well for most traditional metal and hard rock stuff, and also for heavier crossover, hardcore and post-grunge styles
just wish it was a little more forgiving
it could use a little more bass too, but it sounded great in my '73 lp custom

[gwEm]

I'd say it works quite well for most traditional metal and hard rock stuff, and also for heavier crossover, hardcore and post-grunge styles
just wish it was a little more forgiving
it could use a little more bass too, but it sounded great in my '73 lp custom

i would agree, the aftermath is unforgiving in many ways. (attack, aggression, clarity, hard timbre)

quite like the bass response as it is, but i know my preference for a lighter low end is different from alot of people.

i also think it would be cool for hardcore.

[Toe-Knee]

I found the aftermath worked pretty well for old school metal and overall I preferred using it in Eb over lower tunings.

My main issue with it was the shape and attack of the low end it was pretty round and didnt have the punch/snap that I like and i almost found it to be quite neck pickupy in a way.

But personally if I had another I would use it in higher tunings again as i thought it sounded really weedy in low tunings.

[Dave Sloven]

Yeah it seems to me like something that could work really well for a certain kind of hardcore, as long as you weren't tuning down further than a full step.  Maybe for Converge style stuff it would work well.

[CommonCourtesy]

Some interesting points on here. Thanks for your contributions.

I'm not sure what to class the stuff I play as - pop punk/post-hardcore/melodic metalcore perhaps? Definitely the more modern type you hear though.

Whilst I like the AM and it gives me more punch in the mids and tighter bottom end as I said I'm not a Djenter and I do play big powerchords and octave lines too.

I have the Nailbomb in my backup guitar which is an Epiphone Les Paul Standard and I do like the chunky sound I get from that, although its a different wood and stuff, tempted to switch out the AM in my main band guitar and put a Nailbomb in that and see if it'll give it more chunkyness on the low end and cover everything mid-range.

[King IzzO)))]

I like the AM for Forever Comes Crashing era Converge/ACME type sounds in B standard, mahogany neck thru guitar. It's definitely not just for jumpy cr@p djent chiz. I think it's an unfortunate association that does the pickup no justice, people are fickle. I love the sharp attack it has, and with heavy strings it fills out nicely without getting tubby tuned down.

[ericsabbath]

I had the alnico bomb and the aftermath in the same guitar (the '73 gibson in my avatar)
the nailbomb was definitely chunkier, although the aftermath had a little more output and a lot more upper mid presence

[MDV]

it was never designed for djent. That connection just sort of happened because bulb used it for a bit.

[Lucas]

I had the alnico bomb and the aftermath in the same guitar (the '73 gibson in my avatar)
the nailbomb was definitely chunkier, although the aftermath had a little more output and a lot more upper mid presence

which one did you like better?

[darrenw5094]

it was never designed for djent. That connection just sort of happened because bulb used it for a bit.

What exactly was it based on or designed for?

Wonder if BKP would tell us via a forum post. 

[FELINEGUITARS]

I have found that for me the Aftermath requires a really bright guitar to sound good to my ears
I've put it in a couple of ash bodied guitars with good results
I found the same to be true of the Alnico Nailbomb.

In a warm mid focussed guitar (mahogany) there was too much low mid for my own tastes.
Tim even made me an experimental Aftermath with a single row of screws and slugs for less bottom end - quite liked it but again careful which guitar I put it in.