Tight & crunchy BK for LP Custom

[Asce77]

Hi,
maybe some of you can suggest a BK humbucker.
I bought Alnico Nailbombs for my LP Standard 2008 some years ago.
Absolutely loved the PU, exactly what I needed.
I looked for a tight & crunchy yet still defined PU and that it did sound great.

Sold the guitar later and kept the Nailbombs.
I thought I'd use it with my 79 LP Custom but this wasn't a good decision.
The 2008 LP Standard was brighter than most of the LPs and my Custom is more or less the opposite.
A very heavy and dark sounding guitar and with the Nailbombs it simply doesn't work.
The necks sound is great. Warm and bluesy, it will stay.
The bridge PU sounds way too dark, muddy, not crunchy at all and without definition.
Compared to the sound in my LP Standard it's definitely not what I was looking for.

I play metal. Sometimes more melodic, sometimes thrashy.
Fast riffs, many single notes but also lots of open chords and lead work.
I look for an aggressive, tight, crunchy PU with not too much low end and crispy mids and highs.

Maybe the Painkiller or the Aftermath could be the answer...?
Would be nice if some guys could suggest some PUs.
The Nailbomb is the only BK I ever played so I really don't know where to go...

[ericsabbath]

sounds like a cold sweat
perhaps the painkiller, if you're looking for mids and even more tightness

[Dave Sloven]

+1 on the Cold Sweat

[Kiichi]

Cold Sweat will work, but I would not count out the Rebel Yell either since it is a bit like an underwound nailbomb that delivers more high mids, making it amazing in darker LPs (really at home there).

[Asce77]

Sounds good. Thx, guys. Sounds like a good idea.
The output is similar?

[ericsabbath]

remember the differences between a 2008 lp std and a 79 custom are huge
chambered or weight revelieved vs solid pacanke with thin maple veneer between mahogany pieces
rosewood vs ebony
mahogany neck vs 3 piece maple neck

the mahogany from that era also sound quite different from 2000's gibson guitars, in my experience
usually darker and very dense sounding, with more sustain and less resonance

a 1980 les paul standard already sounds completely different from a 2000's solid body les paul standard with similar pups
it's really a huge difference, and some might prefer the more open tone of newer ones and others will prefer the massive sound of the norlin era ones

so just going for a supposedly similar pickup with a brighter voicing won't make it sound more like your les paul standard did with nailbombs
you really gotta find out what works best for the custom, and that takes a while sometimes

I definitely would go ceramic in your case (not that a rebel yell wouldn't sound great)

[Asce77]

Yes, that's what I meant. Both guitars sound totally different.
But don't get me wrong. I don't want to "copy" my 2008 Standard. I love the bottom and the chunk of the LP Custom.
The only problem is that the Nailbomb definitely is no option. I definitely need more highs, more mids and less bottom end.
Also more tightness would be great. When I look at the specs the Cold Sweat could fit my tastes. Maybe the Miracle Man also would be an option.

[Kiichi]

The only problem is that the Nailbomb definitely is no option. I definitely need more highs, more mids and less bottom end.
Also more tightness would be great.

Again, this does to me also sound a lot like the RY. The bottom end is less, but tight and very punchy. Hits fast and hard. Suited for modern technical metal too (our own Nolly demonstrated that with Red Seas Fire). There is a lovely high mid scream to it and a high end consisting of harmonic overtones, so you get a load of cut without being shrill or harsh.
In terms of output it is a bit under the Nailbomb of course, but still proper.

By comparison the MM and CS of course got ceramic magnets and less emphasis on the midrange. Especially the MM has a lot of low mids, which could be too much here. CS should work nicely still. It should have more agressive high end and more bottom end that the RY though.

[Asce77]

THX 
Seems the RY or the CS will be my choice of weapon!

[darrenw5094]

Rebel Yell is tight and crunchy

[Dave Sloven]

When I look at the specs the Cold Sweat could fit my tastes. Maybe the Miracle Man also would be an option.

I don't think you'll like the Miracle Man in this guitar.  You say that you want 'not too much low end and crispy highs'.  That pretty much describes the Cold Sweat.  The MM is similar but it has more highs (some say too much highs) and more bottom end.  The guitar sounds as if it has more than enough bottom end already.  The CS will add some, but it will be tight and punchy down there.  The highs can definitely be crispy.

I play metal. Sometimes more melodic, sometimes thrashy.
Fast riffs, many single notes but also lots of open chords and lead work.
I look for an aggressive, tight, crunchy PU with not too much low end and crispy mids and highs.

To me the whole guitar and what you want to do with it says Cold Sweat.  Rebel Yell could work too, but your comments on mush with the A-Bomb sound to me like you could benefit from the scooped mids of the CS

[Slartibartfarst42]

If I was going ceramic, I'd be looking at the Cold Sweat for sure. If I was going alnico, I'd be looking at either the Rebel Yell or the Emerald. The Emerald is an often overlooked bridge pickup but it's tight, bright, punchy and has fantastic tone. Well worth considering.

[Asce77]

Thx so much.
I think I go for the CS :)