EMG 81-7 replacement for ESP LTD SCT607b

[danielowers]

Hi guys,

I have just bought a ESP LTD SCT 607b, I am head over heels for the guitar, if feels amazing to play and looks sexy as hell!
However I am not a fan of the EMG 81-7's it has going on. Sounds way too thin and bright so i'm looking for a replacement (direct fits only).
I will be removing the middle pickup to make it just single humbucker, I play in drop G and need something tight and pronounced, brutal and with lots of clarity. I mainly play hardcore mixed in with some metal and djenty bands.
Open to all ideas really, don't care how cheap/expensive (as i get to save myself the money not buying a neck pup) if it sounds good it sounds good!
Forgot to mention the guitar is a an Alder wing, Maple thru, Ebony fretboard.

Cheers

[Dave Sloven]

Sounds like it would be a very bright guitar.

Out of the BKP range I am betting people recommend either the Miracle Man or the ceramic Nailbomb.  Possibly even the ceramic Warpig.  I would tend to go for the Nailbomb for your style of music.

[Alex]

I remember reading about that guitar in "Gitarre & Bass" and that it's strength was the rather thin, very defined sound that works good in a band context.
If you want to make it sound bigger, the Miracle Man is the best to make things "colossal". The Black Dog, which I've now fallen in love with, as well, makes the sound bigger and fuller and works great with baritones.
I'm not familiar with the Warpig.

[danielowers]

Thanks for the help so far guys.

I've recently started hearing a lot of things about the Miracle Man, how does it hold up to something like the nail bomb or Aftermath?
I haven't really had much experience with BKP apart from the aftermath so it's the only thing i can really relate with at the moment.

[Slartibartfarst42]

The Aftermath tends to be very dry, tight and aggressive. The Nailbomb is is also tight and aggressive but more organic. I tried an alnico Nailbomb in a maple neckthru and hated it but then my style is nothing like as extreme as yours. For me, in that guitar, it was very aggressive and very tight and quite a bit in the upper mids so it may not have been a great fit for that guitar as a maple neckthru with alder wings tends to have quite pronounced upper mids anyway. The Miracle Man is the top suggestion for a maple neckthru guitar as it's slightly scooped nature fits the guitar perfectly. It is tight and aggressive but much warmer, smoother and more organic sounding than the Aftermath or Nailbomb. The Miracle Man has more body to it than your EMG. I really liked mine as it seemed to combine the best of late 80s Metal with the tightness and aggression of more modern styles.

[Lucas]

The Black Dog, which I've now fallen in love with, as well, makes the sound bigger and fuller and works great with baritones.

I don`t have any experience with Black Dog, but it`s a bright pickup, apparently even brighter than RY. Some time ago I was emailing with Ben from BKP about Black Dog (bridge) and he stated that.
I don`t know if BD would be a safe bet, especially with maple and ebony.

On the other hand, BD is an interesting pickup, for some reason it keeps grabbing my attention, but there`s not much good sounding samples. Recent ones don`t really show off BD`s attitude so well.

[Yellowjacket]

Super bright guitar, eh?  The EMG 81s are pretty harsh.

I'd be inclined to say C-Pig or Juggernaut bridge.  A guitar that bright need a pickup that can add body to the tone and BKP are known for their tightness and clarity.  The Juggernaut bridge is a warmer / darker pickup but in a guitar that is all top end, I think it would balance out to great effect.  Why not email Ben and see what he thinks?

The Painkiller is a crazy clear and aggressive bridge pickup but my buddy has it in a Schecter 7 that is a mahogany / rosewood board instrument.  It's a very dark and scooped sounding guitar that required a pickup to accentuate the mids.   

[Alex]

The Black Dog, which I've now fallen in love with, as well, makes the sound bigger and fuller and works great with baritones.

I don`t have any experience with Black Dog, but it`s a bright pickup, apparently even brighter than RY. Some time ago I was emailing with Ben from BKP about Black Dog (bridge) and he stated that.
I don`t know if BD would be a safe bet, especially with maple and ebony.

On the other hand, BD is an interesting pickup, for some reason it keeps grabbing my attention, but there`s not much good sounding samples. Recent ones don`t really show off BD`s attitude so well.

It sounds absolutely huge in my guitar, in which it replaced a Miracle Man.