Hello Duck2587, "Holy Divers are Weak" That's your opinion and totally subjective. I've tried other pickups from many companies over the years, and what might not work for you will work for others.
I've had almost everything from "Stock to Full Custom", and my criteria is based from my Home Studio, Live & Recorded experience. I've recorded professionally for over 30yrs etc. and yet I'm still humble about "My Opinion". Tim makes great products and until now I wasn't experienced with "Scatter Wound" technique. My style is more classical jazz rock, progressive fusion pop.
My recent Charvel (I've own at least a dozen) was something that I wanted to sound great so I tried a few variations. The stock pup's were Duncan Distortion (Mayhem set) I use them back in the '80s (bridge only was available back then) in most of my rock instruments Les Pauls to Charvels. They were good at that time but today there many choices, like amps & pedals. The SD Distortion were good and powerful but I've kind of grew out of them from my days of Marshall Stacks & Floyd Strats. My next pup's were SD: JB/59/78/EVH/Pearly Gates and the Fender EVH Frankie. YES there all different but I wanted to know the differences for myself and not (generally) from other opinions. I know the difference of A5>A2>Ceramics from years of use, but you can't beat "side-by-side" comparison. Then my son recommended (his exp with owning Miracle Man, HD both Ceramic & Alnico, War Pig, Sinner, Slow Hand, Trilogy Suite) I tried the HD along with SD in all three settings and was blown away by the HD! I did resist at first thinking it might have been A fluke, so I went back and fourth. The 78 was ok, 59 wasn't as good as I remember, PG sounded good for blues/bridge soft A2 tone nice but can't get aggressive (it has an intended use), JB sounds best "Wide-Open" adjusting the gtr volume makes it Weak sounding and lastly the Fender EVH, "that sounded weak" to me? I know it has an A2 and what to expect but if it only had more versatility.
Playing in a live & loud band setting, the Holy Divers really impressed me with tone and articulation "Open & Focus Air" I'm sure is one of the traits of Scatter-Wound, but trying the BKP Miracle Man, I didn't like it, didn't like the overtones. The HD "Ceramic" that was a custom build that Tim did for my son sounded good through his Mesa Roadster but through his Soldano SLO it was a little "Sterile" but the HD-A5 sounds godly (obvious result) so what works in one might not work in another and that means one Les Paul to another etc. The Versatility of the HD's just by adjusting the Guitar's Volume is amazing! Lowering the volume can sound like the '70 Zep/Purple/Sabbath raising the volume like VH, a good OD Lynch/Sykes (as a reference). I look for "Tone" as opposed to High-Output, and the powerfulness comes from the playing (hand & pick articulation). "I respect your opinion" it's funny how the Holy Diver sounds very different in my son's guitars, but awesome in the same.
TK Instruments 7-String Holy Diver (A5)
Custom build: Natural guitar with BKP War Pig & Sinner. Blue guitar with Holy Diver "Ceramic" & Trilogy Suite
And my Humble home studio rig:
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