Alder body.Advice

[Vilches3]

Hey,

I have an alder bodied strat with a maple top from warmoth. It has a maple neck with a pau ferro board which I plan to switch out for a wenge neck and ebony board with a gibson neck scale. Currently in the bridge it has a cold sweat and abraxas neck. I like the way that the cold sweat crunches and the piercing highs it has, but I feel it sounds a little bit transparent and kinda forces you to play harder to sound harder. Now , I like that fight quality the guitar has since it forces me to be on my A-game, but I suppose Im looking for the same voice only with just a bit more color, like a cold sweat that hits the amp hard and doesnt depend on you to beat the notes out. Would the simple switch from a maple to wenge neck make the tone more appropriate? I've been thinking I should switch the cold sweat into my larger mahogany style guitar (to give it that mass that I have to fight to get out)and stick something else in the alder strat......I play this guitar in D standard and occasionally dabble in drop C......i suppose my ideal pickup would have Chuck Schuldiners voicing in the rhythm and steve vai/ dimebag in the leads/ highs..............I'd say when I play this guitar my hands make me play along the likes of DEATH, Exodus bonded by blood era and FBD era Pantera....with singing leads....Im thinking a painkiller/cs combo but Im not certain how its voicing would hold up in an alder strat.....Regardless the neck is gonna be switched for a wenge/ebony neck since I hate the strat scale. Any advice would be appreciated/Thanks a million!

-Rob

[Lucas]

Miracle Man for the bridge. It seems to be big and heavier brother of Cold Sweat. Also it performs really well in guitars like yours.

[Vilches3]

Thanks a bunch man. I feel like painkillers got a voice im lookin for but might be too bright/ shrill with alderbody/ maple top and a (future) ebony board.....I'll probably take the Miracle Man route. Just being certain i find that sweet spot....Its got similar piercing highs to the CS in that case? Thanks man

[Vilches3]

The EQ in the MM isn't too smooth for death/exodus pantera type stuff???? not that Im doubting your suggestion, just wanna be sure since I already put the wrong bkp in the guitar. Thanks man

-Rob

[Lucas]

Painkiller will be too bright.
I haven`t used either of them, but if you like Cold Sweat and have alder/maple guitar and looking for metal pickup, it`s definitely Miracle Man. Hands down.

you might also consider CBomb, I have one in all mahogany Dean Cadillac (totally opposite sound wise to your guitar), but once I play few songs in drop C sharp, it gets muddy, looses definition a bit and cannot keep up with lower tunings in my opinion (or to my taste...)

I dont know how CBomb will behave in brighter guitars, but Miracle Man I think is your pickup without the shadow of the doubt.

[Dave Sloven]

Miracle Man for the bridge. It seems to be big and heavier brother of Cold Sweat. Also it performs really well in guitars like yours.

This is the approach I'd take, given what you've said regarding what works and doesn't work with the CS

[Vilches3]

I always thought of the MM a more modern metal voiced  pickup, but  Im gonna give that one a go. Suppose ill stick the CS into my mahogany/ebony boarded guitar. Thanks for the responses guys

[Lucas]

As far as I know, MM is more modern voiced than CS. You`re welcome!