BKP humbucker neck ?

[Jkouf]

Looking for a humbucker neck that when split will give me a sweet lead tone. I don't want to say stray but the closest thing to it.

Play mostly heavy metal and shred. Thanks

This is going in a Mayones Duvell Limited - Black Limba body, Koa top, Ebony fretboard. Thanks

[darkbluemurder]

That wood combination is going to be bright, at least in the highs. I would therefore go for a pickup that is on the warmer side. VHII neck comes to mind. Strong output for a neck pickup, tight but full low end, and a bit of "smoke" around the highs which could do well to balance the sharp attack that ebony tends to impart.

Cheers Stephan

[Telerocker]

VHII is indeed a good option. Also an RY-neck might fit.

[Slartibartfarst42]

Emerald. Unlike the bridge version, it's not too bright at all, it's hot enough to split well and the AIV magnet gives it a really sweet tone while being tight enough for shreddy, PAF-type leads. It's an incredible neck pickup that is very versatile.

[schneidas]

A question on the side: Why do you need a split lead tone that is sweet and not a regular sweet lead tone?

With the music played - I would consider a Cold Sweat neck

[Jkouf]

Thanks everyone. Not necessary to split. I do play some Pink Floyd as well, and those types of PAF type leads.

How would the juggernaut neck fair vs the cold sweat, RY, emerald or VH2?

[Kiichi]

The Jugg neck is in essence a VHII neck modded to match the Jugg bridge. It thus is boosted up all around.

I can never recall fully, but the RY is also somewhat of a modified version of another neck, I think it was the CS. Made to match the RY bridge it is a bit brighter. Great allround neck for sure, but less mellow and more modern than the EM.

With the ebony board and your style I can really see the EM neck work nicely here. It loves the kind of wood combo you have and should be incredibly versatile with them. Low gain you can do Floyd like leads, especially if you do a split, perhaps with a resistor in series with the ground path, or a series / parallel switch, and under gain it can sing and shred with the best of them while retaining more character and organic warmth than most shred pickups. If I had to name the single best neck humbucker across the board it would have to be the EM cause it just does everything in an amazing way. True jack of all trades.

[Slartibartfarst42]

And master of most of them too. The Emerald neck is an incredible pickup. In that and the Holydiver neck I think I've already tried two of the best neck pickups in the world. For your style and your guitar, I really can't see you going wrong with the Emerald as it sits so perfectly between vintage and modern.

[Alfi27]

The VHII is probably the best neck pickup I have ever tried! I like it much better than the Cold Sweat, but due to the lack of covers the CS is in my Les Paul and the VHII is lying unused in a drawer... It's a damn shame really.

[m t soule]

Yeah for the vhii and cold sweat necks. I have both in rg550s
I find the vhii splits better (to my tastes) and is a little richer. It has a more stratty woody attack cluck. Beautiful cleans.
I heard the cs neck is rumoured to be gilmore esque and thats partly why i got it, but i dont hear it.
 Vhii = versatile

[Jkouf]

Thanks for all the replys. I should have just said I want the most Gilmouresque neck for leads.