Coverband musician - One Guitar that does it all? - Mule, Riff Raff, HD BD?

[Serratus]

FWIW, I play an all mahogany 7-string in a rock/pop covers band and I have a Holy Diver set in it. I think you'll be really happy with a Crawler set too (I've had a Crawler bridge before but not tried a neck crawler), but I do love the HD set. The bridge is hot when you want it to be, but has plenty of dynamics and warmth, and the neck is actually quite vintage sounding (to me, anyway), but the two pickups together is a beautiful mix - ballsy and fat but not bloated, almost a combination of a humbucker/single coil sound. That's with a fairly low gain sound that I use for stuff like Sheryl Crow, etc, and for cleans. It really is extremely versatile. I found the Crawler to be a good sound too, but to my ears it lacked a bit of character somehow. I think the HD is probably fairly similar in terms of frequencies and output, but I find it has a more unique character to the sound, which I prefer. Having said that, the crawler might be nicer when split - I don't tend to use the split sound on this guitar much, because the full humbucker sound is so good and the split sound is quite a bit quieter.
Just my thoughts.......

[Cboysen]

FWIW, I play an all mahogany 7-string in a rock/pop covers band and I have a Holy Diver set in it. I think you'll be really happy with a Crawler set too (I've had a Crawler bridge before but not tried a neck crawler), but I do love the HD set. The bridge is hot when you want it to be, but has plenty of dynamics and warmth, and the neck is actually quite vintage sounding (to me, anyway), but the two pickups together is a beautiful mix - ballsy and fat but not bloated, almost a combination of a humbucker/single coil sound. That's with a fairly low gain sound that I use for stuff like Sheryl Crow, etc, and for cleans. It really is extremely versatile. I found the Crawler to be a good sound too, but to my ears it lacked a bit of character somehow. I think the HD is probably fairly similar in terms of frequencies and output, but I find it has a more unique character to the sound, which I prefer. Having said that, the crawler might be nicer when split - I don't tend to use the split sound on this guitar much, because the full humbucker sound is so good and the split sound is quite a bit quieter.
Just my thoughts.......

Thank you so much for your input, it means a lot. My initial idea for this guitar was definitely also the holy diver, but for what I remember, it's a little more suited for heavy metal and rock purposes, lead playing, which for sure it does well for what all the reviews are saying. What you must not forget, is that my guitar is a maple neckthrough with alder wings, and ebony neck, a fairly bright superstrat, compared to an all-mahogany, that carries a much warmer and meater tone. Thus will the meaty crawly in already meaty guitar like mahogany, might come off as a little dull in your case, whereas the Holy Diver will be a much better match for that kinda guitar.
Of course I have not owned any of the two, and only retelling the same stories of what I hear on the internet, so don't take my word for it completely.

I still think, that for my guitar, the Crawler is a really good bet, for making a good all-around guitar.

Cheers, Christian

[Yellowjacket]

I bet the Crawler set will be awesome!  I wonder how a Holy Diver B / VHII neck would work?

I have a Rebel Yell / VHII set in a lump of mahogany and it's really quite wicked but the VHII is warm enough that it should be at home in a super strat.

At any rate, it sounds like you've made your decision and I bet you won't be disappointed.  Crawlers!!! 

[Cboysen]

I bet the Crawler set will be awesome!  I wonder how a Holy Diver B / VHII neck would work?

I have a Rebel Yell / VHII set in a lump of mahogany and it's really quite wicked but the VHII is warm enough that it should be at home in a super strat.

At any rate, it sounds like you've made your decision and I bet you won't be disappointed.  Crawlers!!!

So, just before clicking 'purchase' on the crawler set from BKP, I wanted to be completely sure that these pickups were right for me. But then I just so happen to stumble upon these two kids:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvsTCDeaj8U

Now I don't know if the guitar is maple or mahogany, but either way, I pretty much revisited most BKP posts about crawlers and abraxas, and even VHII, and I gotta admit - Those abraxas sound amazing. Listening to a lot of clips, it appears that the crawlers are indeed extremely fat and rounded, even too rounded for my taste, you know, something was just not 'right' when listening. The tone on that Jackson cover video, is just what I'm looking for, very open and with a good amount of top end, not as rounded as the Crawlers - In fact, it's one of the covers we are playing in the band as of late.

So not saying we're back to square one, I just want to get your thoughts on the abraxas, in my maple neck-through / alder wings guitar.

Sorry for dragging this out. Cheers Christian

[Dave Sloven]

If you like the Crawler and you like the Holy Diver then I think you will like the Abraxas.  They are on the same spectrum, as is the alnico Warpig in many ways (although that is too powerful for what you want).  Warm thick mids seem to be what you want/need in that guitar

[Serratus]

I have an abraxas bridge too (as well as the HD and Crawler that I mentioned earlier) that I used for a year or so in my main guitar in a covers band. I prefer the abraxas to the crawler. As I said about the HD, I find more character to the abraxas than the crawler. It's like a hot thicker PAF.

Abraxas - lowest output of the three, nice open sound, lots of character while still being nicely balanced.
Crawler - Medium/hot output, very balanced through all frequencies (which to my taste made it a little bland compared to the others, although very smooth).
Holy Diver - Medium/hot output, slightly less open than the Abraxas with more low mids, very thick when you want it to be. Again, lots of character.

Obviously these are only my experiences and all three were in different guitars which will affect it, but hopefully gives you a bit more help in making your decision :)

[Cboysen]

I have an abraxas bridge too (as well as the HD and Crawler that I mentioned earlier) that I used for a year or so in my main guitar in a covers band. I prefer the abraxas to the crawler. As I said about the HD, I find more character to the abraxas than the crawler. It's like a hot thicker PAF.

Abraxas - lowest output of the three, nice open sound, lots of character while still being nicely balanced.
Crawler - Medium/hot output, very balanced through all frequencies (which to my taste made it a little bland compared to the others, although very smooth).
Holy Diver - Medium/hot output, slightly less open than the Abraxas with more low mids, very thick when you want it to be. Again, lots of character.

Obviously these are only my experiences and all three were in different guitars which will affect it, but hopefully gives you a bit more help in making your decision :)

Specifically comparing the HD and the Abraxas for my purposes, mostly clean coverband, slight gain, and occasional metal for when I'm jamming alone - How does the HD perform on cleans, crunch, volume-roll off, splits etc, compared to the abraxas?

[JimmyMoorby]

My guitar is an esp m1000 similar specs to yours and has vhii's in.  I feel it can cover just about any thing and can even get into thrash territory.  VHii's are made for super strats!

[Cboysen]

My guitar is an esp m1000 similar specs to yours and has vhii's in.  I feel it can cover just about any thing and can even get into thrash territory.  VHii's are made for super strats!

Interesting, I just fear that the vhII will be too bright in an alder, maple-neckthrough, since thats quite a bright guitar already. And that VHII will be too thin?

[JimmyMoorby]

My guitar is an esp m1000 similar specs to yours and has vhii's in.  I feel it can cover just about any thing and can even get into thrash territory.  VHii's are made for super strats!

Interesting, I just fear that the vhII will be too bright in an alder, maple-neckthrough, since thats quite a bright guitar already. And that VHII will be too thin?

I suppose it depends on the amp.  Put it this way since I put the set in I prefer it to my strat in every way.  It sounds ace for classic rock and classic metal and it 'could do thrash' if you were desperate.

If youre in any doubt listen to the first couple of van halen albums.  If you like that tone thats essentially what the pickup does....if you dont like it...dont get it! Its not a thick pickup but its clystal clear, crunchy and the harmonics are insane.

I suppose it all depends on your covers band too.  As a guitar teacher I think my esp with vhii's in is my most versatile guitar.

[Telerocker]

A Crawler has more weight in strats than a VHII, which needs imo an amp with solid mids and lowmids. I have both in (swamp)ash strats.

[Yellowjacket]

VHII lacks lows / low mids?  HA!  I guess it's all the guitar I have that VHII neck in that makes it so warm, huge, and beefy.

[Cboysen]

VHII lacks lows / low mids?  HA!  I guess it's all the guitar I have that VHII neck in that makes it so warm, huge, and beefy.

So, the safe choice is the abraxas?

[JimmyMoorby]

I think he was being sarcastic and saying the vhii can sound big and it can ive heard some awesome thrash clips.

The crawler sound awesome from clips ive head but i have no direct experience. It will sound fuller than the vhii but the vhii has its own thing going on.

Its all just opinions its like asking which is better a hammer or a spanner?

The vhii bridge covers van halen tones and thrash at a push.  The neck is an underwound version of the bridge. Sounds a little single coilish but thick and full like a humbucker too its awesome in a super strat.

[Cboysen]

I think he was being sarcastic and saying the vhii can sound big and it can ive heard some awesome thrash clips.

The crawler sound awesome from clips ive head but i have no direct experience. It will sound fuller than the vhii but the vhii has its own thing going on.

Its all just opinions its like asking which is better a hammer or a spanner?

The vhii bridge covers van halen tones and thrash at a push.  The neck is an underwound version of the bridge. Sounds a little single coilish but thick and full like a humbucker too its awesome in a super strat.

Well yeah, I get that - Thing is though, I don't really play that much thrash compared to blues, poprock, fusion, jazz etc - Thus, I think the VH2 might not be suited for that kind of music?