NEW to BKP - PRS Modern Eagle II set ?

[matthewmsp]

Hi guys my whole playing life i have used DiMarzio pickups, for over 25 years and I've still to find my prefect sound in my new baby which is a 2008 PRS Modern Eagle II (with trem, mahogany back and maple top).

So I am about to take the plunge and buy a pair of BKP hum buckers that i can also coil tap too.

Age old question of which set i am afraid. Its hard when all's i am going off here is reputation and reviews, I was going to go for some Seymour Dunc's which i have some knowledge of but thought NO.....keep it British and take a gamble on something i dont know.

So some info on what i am looking for. I play blues rock to prog rock and some Jazz/rock fusion stuff too. Some artists names that have a influence on the tones i go for are Guthrie Govan, Steve Howe, Alex Lifeson, Nuno Bettencourt on the 'Waiting For The Punchline' album. I am after a real transparent organic tone where i can still here the guitar. I want a chord to sound like the sum of its notes and note a wall of mush.....that said I dont want to go to vintage and weak, so kinda balllsey and articulate. Not too much shrill top end from he bridge.

I notice it seems quite common with BKP to by sets which of course I have never done before with DiMarzio, do you guys tend to go with the sets rather than making your own combos up ?

I have already chatted with a couple of guys at BKP and got some great advice form them which helped but just thought i would say hi here on the forum and see if anyone has any advice for me, maybe someone who has got a similar PRS ?

Thank you in advance of any help guys.
Matthew

[darrenw5094]

Abraxas all the way

[matthewmsp]

Hi Darren

Thanks for chipping in, much appreciated. Why would you go ABRAXAS over say the Black Dog or the VH II.

I notice you have a PRS CU22 with VH II's in there, whats your experience of them in there and what makes you then go for the ABRAXAS ?

Thanks Darren.
Matthew

[richard]

'kinda balllsey and articulate. Not too much shrill top end from he bridge.' This is the Abraxas. What pickups are in the guitar now and what don't you like about them ?

[matthewmsp]

Hi there. I have been through a few pickups that i used to like in an old guitar...right now in the bridge is a Tone Zone and the neck there is an Air Norton. The Air norton i like but the Tone Zone is just not right mainly in the mids and lows. Its a bit almost fizzy in the mids and doesn't coil tap well at all, the single coil sounds really unbalanced and thin.

So i was looking for something a little thicker but without being muddy.....i guess a bit Joe Bonamassa esc. Hot vintage is kinda me really (even if i do say so myself) i dont want weak vintage.

Thank you for this help.
Matthew

[richard]

I guess you've looked at the specs of the various BK pups so you'll know that you're providing a perfect description of the Abraxas. It's based on the lower output Mule but provides a much heftier output with a fantastic punch in the mids. Vintage to hard rock in spades.

[matthewmsp]

Hi Richard, yeah i have read and read all the specs and as many reviews as i can.......been through this process so many times in my life of trying to find the perfect pickups and of course the web is a wash with conflicting views. I take your point though that the Abraxas does seem to tick all my boxes.

When i spoke with Ben the other day from BKP he was really helpful he and I came to a conclusion of the VH II set. Just out of interests as users what would anyone say would be the difference between the VH II and the Abraxas both in the bridge and the neck ?

I really appreciate your help guys, i know its the game old question here and its hard to pin down but these PUP's aren't cheap and i want to get it right first time with them ?

Thank you
Matthew

[darrenw5094]

Yeh, i have a VHII set in my PRS CU22, they are punchy and clear. They are not what you are describing though.
The BD is all about the low mids and are prominent in the high end also.

The abraxas has the extra mids and is mild in the highs and has a tad more output than a PAF.

[Telerocker]

How bright/dark is the natural voice of your PRS?

I tend to recommend the Abraxas too, because that is closest to your description, however if your is your PRS is on the brighter side I dare to suggest the Crawler too. Mediumoutput, still PAF-pedigree there, huges tones, big mids, more round topend but chimey enough for most guitars so it cuts enough, growls like a bear when pushed, solonotes keep weight above the 12freth and they blossom beautiful with some ampdrive, cleans up and splits great. Splitted you get a tele-esque tone. Neckpickup is warm, but your could opt for a Mule or an Abraxas-neck.

The Abraxas is a good option. It's a hotrodded Mule with a tad more compression, less topend and a bit more mids. Still airy enough when you like Mules (which are one of my fav BKP's). You could define the Crawler as the uber-Abraxas. Both tend to very well in PRS's. Both have excellent noteseparation, dynamics and stay clear with loads of gain. But that's a BKP-trademark.

I have the VHII in ash strat, so that's not really comparable to a PRS. It's a punchy, noncompressed, focussed pickup that you really can steer with your pickattack and volumeknob. When you dig in, it can really scream. It's a great rockpickup, yet imo not as versatile as the Crawler. Also a little dry compared to the Crawler. I like the VHII best with medium to highgain.

[richard]

'I have already chatted with a couple of guys at BKP and got some great advice form them ' What did they say ?

[matthewmsp]

Hi Telerocker, my PRS isn't acoustically that bright or dark.....bit of a non answer but its kinda in the middle. If either i would say darker than brighter though.

The Crawler certainly is interesting too i will look at this in more detail, whats the neck Crawler like compared to the Abraxas neck ?

The guys at BKP came up with the VH II as a set, they didn't really mention the Abraxas set. The more i read though on here and other forums the more i am thinking the Abraxas are looking good. I started off thinking VH II or Black Dog.

This is my first pickup choice where I am pulling back a bit on gain......years back when i was in big hair metal bands it was all about the most powerful pickup won.....but now I am looking for clarity and tone.

I was listening to Black Country Communion this morning and thought thats a tone i would like from my rig. Big tone but with definition and clarity and cleans up beautifully.

Thanks for your helps guys
Matthew

[ericsabbath]

the VHII should also work well
it has a punchy, clear and uncompressed sound
but if you want a little more compression and smoothness, instead of a 'woody' tone, the abraxas will deliver that

[ericsabbath]

I was listening to Black Country Communion this morning and thought thats a tone i would like from my rig. Big tone but with definition and clarity and cleans up beautifully.

I suppose that should be lower output pickups, more in the PG blues or stormy monday ballpark

[darrenw5094]

The VHII set works well in my PRS CU22, punchy and clear, also it balanced nicely in that guitar also.
The Abraxas would have more body to it than the VHII because of the extra mids in there.

[Telerocker]

Hi Telerocker, my PRS isn't acoustically that bright or dark.....bit of a non answer but its kinda in the middle. If either i would say darker than brighter though.

The Crawler certainly is interesting too i will look at this in more detail, whats the neck Crawler like compared to the Abraxas neck ?

The guys at BKP came up with the VH II as a set, they didn't really mention the Abraxas set. The more i read though on here and other forums the more i am thinking the Abraxas are looking good. I started off thinking VH II or Black Dog.

This is my first pickup choice where I am pulling back a bit on gain......years back when i was in big hair metal bands it was all about the most powerful pickup won.....but now I am looking for clarity and tone.

I was listening to Black Country Communion this morning and thought thats a tone i would like from my rig. Big tone but with definition and clarity and cleans up beautifully.

Thanks for your helps guys
Matthew

Crawler-neck is one of the warmest and darkest in the BKP-range. That might be overkill.

The Black Country Communion-songs I listened, actually make me say: Mules or PG Blues. But, I think you'll be quite happy with the Abraxas-set.