Pickup advice for some Custom Jacksons!

[Tho]

Hey guys! I'm new here on the forum, and I was wondering what you guys would say about this. I've mailed this to BKP, and they replied with some advice. Here is my question:

Like the title says I'm looking to buy some (a total of 3 humbuckers) but I need some advice first. I'm gonna try to describe my setup and situation so you can answer my questions better. Here we go!
 
Rig: Peavey 6505 in combination with a Maxon OD808 (to spice things up a bit), ISP Decimator and Shure Wireless system
Tuning: B-standard (0.13 - 0.56 strings)
Style: Death metal. Both rythm and leads (whammy bar screams mostly, I'm no shredder)
 
My 2 Jackson Custom Shop guitars are currently equiped with a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge. They're ok, but I think BKP can do a better job. The guitars are both pretty alike in theory, but sound completely different.
 
The Custom Shop Soloist:
-Mahogany body and neck
-No lacquer (oiled body)
-Non-recessed Floyd Rose
Sound Description: Roaring lows and mids. Almost to bassy. The highs are not so great. Almost no chord clarity
 
The Custom Shop Warrior
-Mahogany body and neck
-Polyester finish
-Recessed Floyd Rose
Sound Description: Very clear high's, almost twangy. Great chord clarity but the highs and mids are not agressive enough. No real power.
 
The sound I'm looking for in both guitars: Very high output, and a hugh ammount of punch. Not to bassy, roaring mids and very clear highs and chord clarity. I like it dirty as in old school Swedish style, but I need a very high response and attack. I was thinking Painkiller or Warpig, but maybe the Warpig is a bit to much and might get muddy? I could very well be that both guitars demand different humbuckers. And am I looking for ceramic or alnico?
 
I also need a neck humbucker for the Soloist that I will use only for clean tones only. Picking separate strings mostly, and I like the tone ringing, clear, and very very clean.

So for the Soloist they said to take the Painkiller in the bridge, and Cold Sweat in the Neck.
For the Warrior they said the Aftermath, but will this have enough "roar" and output for my style?

I'm looking forward to some advice from BKP users!

[gepetto33]

Welcome. I admire this well-thought and comprehensive description you made here, so figured i'd chime in with thoughts based on my own experiences with BKP.

High output is a strange and limiting territory for me, but that does not mean it can not be extremely successful for others with different amp/tone configurations. Based on what you've listed, here's what i've come up with in terms of examples of your style -



Aftermath Death Metal:

Tight. Compressed mids. Plenty of grind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPFEO6ou49w&list=UUOxsj2BT8QiK7CjsN5DUoOA


Nailbomb Death Metal:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef3kVURwCdw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJvgzW5vH-Q&list=UUUUB10_EGJBynBngsv4rPmg



Granted this is just an introduction to the styles and pickups. There's a good chance these would only work for one of you guitars, i.e. the Warrior you described as being midd-y and trebly. Having owned a boomy/bassy mahogany guitar myself, i know this particular search can be very tricky. The painkiller is certainly a valid option, but you have to be affable and copacetic to it's "ice-picky" nature. It's a VERY particular sound... one you might like or might not.

It may even help to pin point what type of death metal sound you're going for - depending on whether it's a modern "chuggy" style or open/mid-rangy more like old school and underground styles. That would certainly steer your direction even further...

[Tho]

Thanks for your reply!

The kind of tone I really like is something like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Yclzn2VumA

Really raw, grindy, dark (! for importance) but yet very clear. That's what my holy grail would sound like. I'm not into this polished modern metal tone, but I like the clarity of it.

I do have a great tone for my taste already, but I thank that to my setup and quality guitars. The JB sound good, but not great. I think BKP can make a difference

[gepetto33]

The kind of tone I really like is something like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Yclzn2VumA

Really raw, grindy, dark (! for importance) but yet very clear. That's what my holy grail would sound like. I'm not into this polished modern metal tone, but I like the clarity of it.
 

By this band as a reference, i would say Alnico Warpig all the way... For that "wall of sound" sound. Again, this option would be suited better to your more balanced guitar (Warrior i think?), whereas you still may need a brighter pickup for the bassy/darker one.

[Dave Sloven]

I'd definitely go for the Painkiller in the Soloist if it is that dark.

For the other one I'd be thinking either ceramic Nailbomb or Miracle Man.  The C-Bomb would probably come out sounding closer to the other guitar with a Painkiller in it.

[Tho]

Gepetto: why would you go with alnico and not ceramic?

Agent Orange: thanks for the input!

[gepetto33]

Gepetto: why would you go with alnico and not ceramic?

Agent Orange: thanks for the input!

More balanced overall. Still PLENTY of grind, and better high end response. You won't need the extra low end presence of the ceramic, trust me.... Especially if you're already operating in b-standard.

If you look again at one of those nailbomb videos I posted he also plays an alnico warpig on a different guitar. Should give you an idea at least....

[Duck2587]

Aftermath or black hawks. Perfect for low tunings. Clarity is so sick with those two pick ups and low tuning. Never flubby either. 

[Tho]

Aftermath or black hawks. Perfect for low tunings. Clarity is so sick with those two pick ups and low tuning. Never flubby either. 

Sounds like I can't afford sloppy playing anymore with those 

[gepetto33]

Aftermath or black hawks. Perfect for low tunings. Clarity is so sick with those two pick ups and low tuning. Never flubby either. 

Sounds like I can't afford sloppy playing anymore with those 

Clarity is a hallmark of all/any BKP's, across the board. Even when the guitar/pickup mismatch causes a muddy sound (like w/ my mahogany neck-through Telecaster HH using a Aftermath in C standard) it consequently STILL sounds clear. String separation and big chords are always coherent.

That's the thing you'll notice about these once you install them - right away your guitar has a more open sound. I realized their capabilities to expand my sound, even with the wrong pickup choice for my first few BKP's. Hell, it may even take a few to get a grasp on your guitar's acoustic sound and it's reaction to pickups. But the better you know both of those (guitar's natural sound and each pickup's sound) then you can get closer to nailing your perfect tone.

[Duck2587]

Aftermath or black hawks. Perfect for low tunings. Clarity is so sick with those two pick ups and low tuning. Never flubby either. 

Sounds like I can't afford sloppy playing anymore with those 

Clarity is a hallmark of all/any BKP's, across the board. Even when the guitar/pickup mismatch causes a muddy sound (like w/ my mahogany neck-through Telecaster HH using a Aftermath in C standard) it consequently STILL sounds clear. String separation and big chords are always coherent.

That's the thing you'll notice about these once you install them - right away your guitar has a more open sound. I realized their capabilities to expand my sound, even with the wrong pickup choice for my first few BKP's. Hell, it may even take a few to get a grasp on your guitar's acoustic sound and it's reaction to pickups. But the better you know both of those (guitar's natural sound and each pickup's sound) then you can get closer to nailing your perfect tone.

^^ he nailed it. 

[Duck2587]

Hey guys! I'm new here on the forum, and I was wondering what you guys would say about this. I've mailed this to BKP, and they replied with some advice. Here is my question:

Like the title says I'm looking to buy some (a total of 3 humbuckers) but I need some advice first. I'm gonna try to describe my setup and situation so you can answer my questions better. Here we go!
 
Rig: Peavey 6505 in combination with a Maxon OD808 (to spice things up a bit), ISP Decimator and Shure Wireless system
Tuning: B-standard (0.13 - 0.56 strings)
Style: Death metal. Both rythm and leads (whammy bar screams mostly, I'm no shredder)
 
My 2 Jackson Custom Shop guitars are currently equiped with a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge. They're ok, but I think BKP can do a better job. The guitars are both pretty alike in theory, but sound completely different.
 
The Custom Shop Soloist:
-Mahogany body and neck
-No lacquer (oiled body)
-Non-recessed Floyd Rose
Sound Description: Roaring lows and mids. Almost to bassy. The highs are not so great. Almost no chord clarity
 
The Custom Shop Warrior
-Mahogany body and neck
-Polyester finish
-Recessed Floyd Rose
Sound Description: Very clear high's, almost twangy. Great chord clarity but the highs and mids are not agressive enough. No real power.
 
The sound I'm looking for in both guitars: Very high output, and a hugh ammount of punch. Not to bassy, roaring mids and very clear highs and chord clarity. I like it dirty as in old school Swedish style, but I need a very high response and attack. I was thinking Painkiller or Warpig, but maybe the Warpig is a bit to much and might get muddy? I could very well be that both guitars demand different humbuckers. And am I looking for ceramic or alnico?
 
I also need a neck humbucker for the Soloist that I will use only for clean tones only. Picking separate strings mostly, and I like the tone ringing, clear, and very very clean.

So for the Soloist they said to take the Painkiller in the bridge, and Cold Sweat in the Neck.
For the Warrior they said the Aftermath, but will this have enough "roar" and output for my style?

I'm looking forward to some advice from BKP users!

For the soloist. Def the aftermath. It has great mids and a very tight sound that will compliment the natural bass of the guitar. For the Warrior, Black hawk or Ceramic warpig. Depends how your high end really is. Since you will be doing lower tuning, the black hawk may fit better than the warpig-ONLY if you want the highs to really shine through. The black hawks actually have great bass to them and are very sensitive to pick up height. Once they are in the right guitar and at the right spot, they are perfect. The warpig excels at metal, shred, and jazz. It has so much depth and it growls like no other pick up. It is still my favorite bridge pick up. The highs won't be as present compared to the black hawk. Depends how much treble you want to shine through. Neither should produce a shrill or flubby sound. 

[Tho]

Thank you all for your valuable input!

I think I'm gonna go with Aftermath's in the Soloist, and the Warrior Aftermath or Warpig. I'll let you know what I went with and how it sounds!

Thomas

[Alex]

I would have said Juggernaut for the Soloist; it's not too far from the Aftermath actually, but the leads have a bit more of a JB vibe.

For the funny shaped guitar I would have recommended a Nailbomb, because it is quite raw and abrasive. They do a ceramic version as well.

[gepetto33]

Thank you all for your valuable input!

I think I'm gonna go with Aftermath's in the Soloist, and the Warrior Aftermath or Warpig. I'll let you know what I went with and how it sounds!

Thomas

The Aftermath sounded really muddy/dark in my all-mahogany guitar. Everything you described seems pretty much exactly like my guitar sounded (roaring low mids, bassy, highs not so present). Darker sound might be your intention, but i was more going off the clip you posted for my recommendation.

The Juggernaut is even more bassy/darker than the AM, but let us know how it all works out once they're in.