Pickups recommendations for an Epi G400 [stoner-doom]

[Lowdown]

Hi everybody !

it's time for my good old SG replica to get new pups ! I've been looking at BKP for a while now but I can't decide on which models to choose... Calibrated set or mix 2 diferent models ? What about humbucker sized P90's ?... Hope that you could help me 

As said in the title I play on an Epiphone G400, C standard tuning through a Zakk Wylde OD, a Big Muff and my main amp is a RedBear MK120 (JCM800 replica with balls  ) slightly overdriven, the saturation comes from the pedals, with a Marshall 1960AV cab. With my band we play what we called doomed stoner, or stoned doom (depends on the song ^^ ). On my guitar, I use a lot the volume knobs and switch a lot between the two pups (neck for the larsens and clean to overdriven tones - bridge for the heavier tones)

If it can help you, here are two songs that are, I think, representative of our music :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQhKHNqIMu8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM3HYEgI5Ag

So guys, what would be your recommendations ?

[ericsabbath]

warpigs, of course
most likely the ceramic one in the bridge

[gepetto33]

warpigs, of course
most likely the ceramic one in the bridge

Gen-rals gather in their mass-eeeeees!!! Hahah

Depending on whether or not you wanna go the modern/vintage output route i would recommend the Black Dogs for a stoner doom tone. 1000%. Especially considering your tuning, and if you already have a heavy sounding amp you don't need masses of low end from a pickup such as the warpig. The black dog is voiced heavy in the lows/low mids, which is further embellished by a low tuning with heavy strings.

I suppose the question would be whether you like your pickup more compressed (modern sounding) and what kind of rig you play through.....

Edit: You listed the rig in your post, which i didn't read all the way. With all that cascaded gain from 2 pedals + the Red Bear you shouldn't have a problem keeping up with a 9.5k (BD) pickup as opposed to a 22k (WP) one. Will come down to a dynamics preference between the two pickups.

[Dave Sloven]

I have the alnico version of the Warpig in my Gibson SG Special Faded and it is doing a nice job.

Has the doom tonality down pat in C# standard

You can see a photo and comments on it here.

https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=32270.0

[Lowdown]

Thanks for the replies !

I was expecting the warpig recommendation. But I think that it will be too modern sounding and as my amp has a huge bottom end (monstruous when coupled with the muff  )  I fear that my lows become out of control.

What is interesting is that I've contacted the guys at BKP and Ben recommends me alnico Nailbomb (as said I'm not into modern sound) and Black Dogs.

Depending on whether or not you wanna go the modern/vintage output route i would recommend the Black Dogs for a stoner doom tone. 1000%.

So with Gepetto's advice BD seem to be the way to go  I've always been intrigued by P90's and the Supermassive descriptive just excited me ("From light crunch through to colossal fuzz tones, low notes stay sharp and focused ") but I'm a bit frightnened by the "massive bottom end" part...

What do you think of Black Dog bridge + Supermassive Neck for my G400 ?

[gepetto33]

Thanks for the replies !

So with Gepetto's advice BD seem to be the way to go  I've always been intrigued by P90's and the Supermassive descriptive just excited me ("From light crunch through to colossal fuzz tones, low notes stay sharp and focused ") but I'm a bit frightnened by the "massive bottom end" part...

What do you think of Black Dog bridge + Supermassive Neck for my G400 ?

Yeah, i'd probably be wary about using that neck pickup...... mostly because of the output (it's the same as the Black Dog bridge). Neck position is acoustically louder already, so you generally get a better match with something lower output. Not to mention when you adjust the pickup height - which you should always set to taste, or try to match in volume with the bridge pickup. With something of equal output to your bridge pickup you'd have a harder time matching the volumes together.

So I'm assuming you're looking for a humbucker sized P90 in the neck position - most any of the other ones around the 7k-ish range should suit you very well. As fate would have it, i actually this almost identical setup in a guitar already. Before i replaced the bridge pickup with the Black Dog, i had a set of Seymour Duncan Phat Cats in that guitar. Since i never used the neck pickup anyways, i left the PC neck pickup in while the Black Dog was in it. One day i just got curious and matched the neck pickup together with it volume-wise; it sounded killer.

I'm guessing something like the Nantucket/Blue Note would work great - though i'd certainly ask for Tim/Ben's input on a good HSP90 accompaniment, now you've settled on the BD bridge.

[Dave Sloven]

Black Dog might be alright.  I can't say though because I've never owned one.

Somewhat puzzled by the A-Bomb suggestion though.  I had one in my SG Standard and it was very middy and raspy, even after continually adjusting the height I didn't find a setting I liked.  It also sounds pretty modern.  Like Sepultura

Personally I think it's hard to go wrong with P-90s in an SG.

I play through a Peavey 6534+ ... I just turn down the bass and resonance a little for the Warpig compared to my Stockholm and Cold Sweat equipped SGs.