Replace PAF-style pickups in Strat with BKP's

[schneidas]

A very good morning to all of you nice folks! :)

Another one of my trusty guitars needs replacement pickups.
It is a dual humbucking Strat with a fixed bridge and a 1-piece lightweight Honduran Mahogany body.
The neck is a really fat, shortscale (24-3/4") 2-piece Maple neck.
It has a fixed vintage bridge.

The natural voice of this guitar is quite loud and generally very tight in nature. Tonally, it sounds balanced though.

Currently, I have a Haeussel (German maker) 1959 set in it.
Bridge (7.9k Alnico V) - Neck (7.4k - Alnico V)
While I'm generally pleased with this set, I wish the bridge was hotter and overall a tad fatter in nature.
The neck pickup is really great for soloing on the neck pickup - warm yet articulate - but again a little too much on the "vintage" side - I wish it was a bit hotter and maybe a tad middier.


Now, to my history, I have tried a few BKP's before and this is how I feel about them:
(Please keep in mind that I had these in a PRS Singlecut Bernie Marsden - quite a different guitar, but this is how I perceived the following pickup sets):

Emerald set: Bridge pickup is not at all what I like. I could not point my finger on it what it was, but I could not bond with it at all. Left me totally unispired.
                      Neck pickup - again was not my taste at all. I didn't like the attack of it (felt slightly soft to me) - it did not react good enough for speedy YJM leads or more toneful Dave Murray style leads on the neck pickup, I felt like it                        was missing something in its tone

10th anni set: a great set! Loved both pickups for its Slash-style sound but this is not where I want this guitar to be.

VH2-set: Loved the bridge pickup! One of the greatest, punchiest, harmonically rich pickups I ever played and really inspiring!
                In contrast to my love for the bridge pickup, surprisingly, I hated the neck pickup. Sounded waaaaay too vintage, not enough of a strong voice in the midrange. While I love singlecoil pickups, this had a bit of a singlecoil                      voice in a humbucker - but in a way that just sounded off to me. It did not sound like a PAF and it did not sound modern. To me it sounded like if a good singer was hoarse. Sorry, but this is the best I can describe it.


So after these impressions, I am considering these candidates:

Bridge:
VH2 (naturally - although I would love something a tad hotter)
Holy Diver (currently, I'm strongly leaning towards this one)
Black Dog?
Rebel Yell? (afraid that this one might be too bright though)

Neck:
now this seems to be my biggest concearn. The pickup has to be able to sound strong and full, yet be able to pull YJM style alternate picking off, as well as Dave Murray leads. (e.g. I had really good resultes with a DiMarzio PAF (the older 1980s model) in another guitar)

HD neck? (specs seem to be exactly like the VH2 neck, so I'm ruling this one out, unless I'm missing something)
Abraxas neck?
Mule neck?
Rebel Yell neck? (again, I might have to rule this one out as I read somewhere that it is really close to the VH2 neck in voicing)?
Nailbomb neck?

Would be happy for any suggestion.

[darkbluemurder]

Another one of my trusty guitars needs replacement pickups.
It is a dual humbucking Strat with a fixed bridge and a 1-piece lightweight Honduran Mahogany body.
The neck is a really fat, shortscale (24-3/4") 2-piece Maple neck.
It has a fixed vintage bridge.

The natural voice of this guitar is quite loud and generally very tight in nature. Tonally, it sounds balanced though.

Currently, I have a Haeussel (German maker) 1959 set in it.
Bridge (7.9k Alnico V) - Neck (7.4k - Alnico V)
While I'm generally pleased with this set, I wish the bridge was hotter and overall a tad fatter in nature.
The neck pickup is really great for soloing on the neck pickup - warm yet articulate - but again a little too much on the "vintage" side - I wish it was a bit hotter and maybe a tad middier.

I am not familiar with these particular Haeussels but the ones I tried made every guitar tame that I put them in.

Now, to my history, I have tried a few BKP's before and this is how I feel about them:
(Please keep in mind that I had these in a PRS Singlecut Bernie Marsden - quite a different guitar, but this is how I perceived the following pickup sets):

VH2-set: Loved the bridge pickup! One of the greatest, punchiest, harmonically rich pickups I ever played and really inspiring!
                In contrast to my love for the bridge pickup, surprisingly, I hated the neck pickup. Sounded waaaaay too vintage, not enough of a strong voice in the midrange. While I love singlecoil pickups, this had a bit of a singlecoil                      voice in a humbucker - but in a way that just sounded off to me. It did not sound like a PAF and it did not sound modern. To me it sounded like if a good singer was hoarse. Sorry, but this is the best I can describe it.


So after these impressions, I am considering these candidates:

Bridge:
VH2 (naturally - although I would love something a tad hotter)
Holy Diver (currently, I'm strongly leaning towards this one)
Black Dog?
Rebel Yell? (afraid that this one might be too bright though)

Funny - I felt the exact opposite with the VHII set - loved the neck, did not like the bridge.

Black Dog would be good tonally but it does not have more output than the VHII. For what you described Rebel Yell would get my vote for the bridge. It has the aggression and fullness while keeping a warm tone, strong output but not going over the top - in no way a distortion pickup. Holydiver would also be good but that is definitely a more modern sounding pickup.

Neck:
now this seems to be my biggest concearn. The pickup has to be able to sound strong and full, yet be able to pull YJM style alternate picking off, as well as Dave Murray leads. (e.g. I had really good resultes with a DiMarzio PAF (the older 1980s model) in another guitar)

HD neck? (specs seem to be exactly like the VH2 neck, so I'm ruling this one out, unless I'm missing something)
Abraxas neck?
Mule neck?
Rebel Yell neck? (again, I might have to rule this one out as I read somewhere that it is really close to the VH2 neck in voicing)?
Nailbomb neck?

HD neck is not at all like VHII neck - different wire, different magnet, different coil offset. I would guess it's much closer to what you seek than the VHII neck since it's less hot and very articulate.

Mule and Abraxas neck are vintage styled pickups, only lower output than VHII neck. Abraxas neck is a fine pickup but for your needs HD neck is preferable. I had both in two different guitars and preferred the HD neck in both.

I heard that the Rebel Yell neck is closer to the Cold Sweat neck than to the VHII neck - same wire and magnet as the CS neck and the HD neck, only a hotter wind compared to the HD neck.

Not familiar with the Nailbomb neck at all.

Black Dog neck would be a viable alternative - it has that clear attack and  a more modern tone.

So my recommendations would be:

Bridge: Rebel Yell, Holydiver
Neck: Holydiver, Black Dog, Rebel Yell

Cheers Stephan 

[Telerocker]

I concur to that, but I would also inspect the Crawler, which is more vintagehot than contemporary. It does great in strats, even with mahogany bodies. This one will sound a little fuller and a little less tight than the HD. The Crawler-neck might be to warm for you. Maybe a HD-neck suits it better.

[schneidas]

Thanks guys... very interesting suggestions :)

The thing that worries me about the HD neck is that someone said it sounded a little scooped - this is not something I would like.

How about a cold sweat neck? It seems to be the same as the RY neck, only with a tad more output? Maybe this one is the ticket for me...

The Crawler bridge is something I have considered as well, but ruled it out because I think I read that it would be too fat and too middy?
Less tight might be good though, as the guitar is already mighty tight! So I might have to rethink that.

To be honest, I have not heard one clip that would make me choose the RY neck or bridge.
On the other hand, when I heard the clip of the VH2 neck - I was sure this would be a great humbucker for me - but it was immediate dislike with my gear.
So clips are not that reliable.

Black Dog neck - hmmmm. The clips did not help much. Is it a middier and hotter pickup than the VH2?

[Telerocker]

The Crawler is fat, but it doesn't lack in the topend. It's often overlooked for heavier styles, but it does hardrock and (oldschool) metal quite well. What you describe for the neck is a VHII-neck, or an Abraxas- and Crawler-neck.  The VHII is warmer and bigger sounding than the CS-neck.

[schneidas]

Ouch! I did not like the VH2 neck at all, as it felt too weird sounding to me. Sounded like a cross between a singlecoil and humbucker to me with a voice that I can only describe as hoarse.
Sorry, I know it gets a lot of love here... but I could not bond with it at all.

If the VH2 neck is bigger and warmer sounding than the CS-neck, the latter of which is a higher output RY neck and this one is, in turn, a higher output HD neck, then I doubt any of those would make me happy.
Maybe I should look at the more hardcore pickups (even though I'm not a hardcore kind of guy?)

[Kiichi]

Mhhh have you considered the Emerald neck? Pretty awesome thing. Vintage AIV magnet with modern wire. That way it has that modern cut and pick attack with older character. Really fluid and organic, warm, yet defined. Amazing shred and blues pickup.

There also is the Aftermath neck, which does not share a lot of DNA with the bridge, although they work well together. It is full and fluid. The best description imho is still early John Petrucci (Awake era).


Add a series / parralel switch to either for added dimensions and you might have something you like.

[schneidas]

Yes I actually have a covered Emerald neck.
The attack was too soft for me and the tone felt like it was fairly neutral and lacking a bit substance in the PRS that I tried it

[schneidas]

There also is the Aftermath neck, which does not share a lot of DNA with the bridge, although they work well together. It is full and fluid. The best description imho is still early John Petrucci (Awake era).

Interesting. Thanks for this.
Does the Aftermath neck share any resemblance with DiMarzio's Air Norton or Liquifire? I did not like DiMarzio's Air Norton or Liquifire at all as, to me, their attack was too airy/soft, which is how I also percieve Petrucci's sound. Although I really liked his Images & Words sound (but it had a big production behind it).

[Dave Sloven]

Maybe I should look at the more hardcore pickups (even though I'm not a hardcore kind of guy?)

Have you considered the Nailbomb neck?

[Telerocker]

Miracle Man-neck, problem solved. 

[Yellowjacket]

For what you described Rebel Yell would get my vote for the bridge. It has the aggression and fullness while keeping a warm tone, strong output but not going over the top - in no way a distortion pickup. Holydiver would also be good but that is definitely a more modern sounding pickup.

Heh Rebel Yell NOT a distortion pickup.  That, my dear sir, depends entirely on the guitar and the amp it is being used with.  The Rebel Yell is right on the balance point, teetering between vintage and modern.  It has a vintage soul but it can get plenty aggressive, especially through a high gain head like a Dual Rectifier.  It's super tight, super clear, and really crunchy sounding in a very pleasing way.  It's also fantastic for leads and ripping solos!  Personally, I prefer it in a lo mid monster block of wood like a mahogany axe, but that's just my own preference. 

Bridge: Rebel Yell, Holydiver
Neck: Holydiver, Black Dog, Rebel Yell

Cheers Stephan

Rebel Yell neck is awesome.  It is very organic and responsive with a wide pick attack.  It has a positively rich, singing, bell like, and buttery clean that makes Martin acoustics run in fear.  It's also very dynamic and does some fantastic vintage sounding chording and lead playing and it can handle blues like a boss!! 

[schneidas]

Have you considered the Nailbomb neck?

Yes I have, sir! :)
I see that you have that pickup in one of your guitars. How do you like it for soloing on the neck pickup?
How does it compare to the CS neck?

[schneidas]

Miracle Man-neck, problem solved. 

Yes that is another option I have considered. To go all Miracle Man (set)

[Dave Sloven]

Have you considered the Nailbomb neck?

Yes I have, sir! :)
I see that you have that pickup in one of your guitars. How do you like it for soloing on the neck pickup?
How does it compare to the CS neck?

Well I prefer it for hardcore and '80s thrash metal stuff.  It is more angular and less rounded than the CS.  I think it is brighter too.  The Nailbomb guitar is the only one with a neck pickup that I use for my hardcore band. I prefer the CS guitar for playing stuff like Judas Priest.  That said I'm not one for solos; I occasionally bust out the odd short lead part at band practice but they are mainly handled by the other guitarist and I play rhythm. Most of the songs with leads in them that I play would be at home in standard tuning on the Cold Sweat SG, often through the Classic 30.  You know, some Thin Lizzy or something like that.

I'd also say that the person who is attracted to the A-Bomb bridge because they've heard it is 'versatile' is more likely to appreciate it paired with the CS neck, while the person who gets the A-Bomb to play it as intended - i.e., as a hardcore and/or thrash pickup - is more likely to be attracted to a NB neck.  The NB neck is not smooth like the CS

Also the NB and CS 'hair metal' clips probably give a better indication than my comments