Humbucker Recommendation

[Jrstewart173]

I'm looking for all you BKP veterans to give me a recommendation for my first set of BKPs. I'm getting a 7 string guitar made to the following specs:
- Swamp ash body
- Walnut top
- Wenge neck
- Birdseye maple fretboard

I play power and progressive metal. I have used EMG 707s for the past 5 years but feel they lack character which is obvious when recording. I use an ENGL PowerBall mk2.

Any advice of what would work with the above criteria would be helpful.

Thanks

[Dave Sloven]

Power metal well everyone's going to say Holy Diver!

[Jrstewart173]

My concern with the HD is that it's more geared to that old school sound. I'm not wanting to sound like old maiden or Helloween, I would prefer a much more modern tone like the last 3 stratovarius albums, Symphony x, dream theater, epica etc. If you think the HD would suit those as well then I will definitely consider it.

[Kiichi]

My concern with the HD is that it's more geared to that old school sound. I'm not wanting to sound like old maiden or Helloween, I would prefer a much more modern tone like the last 3 stratovarius albums, Symphony x, dream theater, epica etc. If you think the HD would suit those as well then I will definitely consider it.

Not too familiar with most of those, but for DT the HD is one of two choices. It covers the classic era very well. I consider 6 degrees the beginning of the turning point where John went into more modern sounds. HD still does that but Train is where the C-bomb starts to take over. Everything before that, especially Awake era is pure HD to me (with an Aftermath neck interestingly).

Donīt underestimate the HD in itīs modern potential, especially when paired with a proper amp, which from what I know your Engle is.

If you truely want to be more modern the C-bomb, as mentioned, is the next option I recon, at least in regards to DT. If that were the case the CS neck is the classic DT pairing then.

[Telerocker]

I would check out the Blackhawk and the Juggernaut as well.

[Dave Sloven]

I did think of the Juggernaut as well, especially with all of those bright woods.

[Yellowjacket]

In my experience, ENGLs are dark amps, which would work with a brighter pickup.  Still, a bright guitar would be great with a Juggerset.  For Dream Theater, get Juggernauts, flip the ENGL, and get a Mesa Boogie Mark V.  That amp basically is progressive metal / rock. 

[Jrstewart173]

Thanks for all the input so far!
I think I've ruled out ceramics as the pickups I've not liked previously were all ceramic driven (dimarzio Evo/dimebucker).

[Telerocker]

The Blackhawk is available in alnico too.

[Kiichi]

Thanks for all the input so far!
I think I've ruled out ceramics as the pickups I've not liked previously were all ceramic driven (dimarzio Evo/dimebucker).

I see what you are saying and would remain cautious too, however not rule it out completely. BKP ceramics are shockingly more organic than those from other companies. With the CS Iīve often heard that people were shocked that they got that sound out of a ceramic.

[Dave Sloven]

The Cold Sweat bridge definitely does not have a ceramic sound to it (although it does have the characteristics of a tight bottom end and bright highs) but I think the top end of a CS could be too much for this guitar.

[gwEm]

The thing about power and progressive metal is they aren't the most aggressive metal genres out there.

Strangely I've been listening to alot of modern power metal recently including a bunch of Stratovarius.

The modern sound you speak of comes mostly from the amp and to a certain extent tuning. I'm searching for a broadly similar tone myself right now.

You want a big fat, not-too-aggressive pickup I would say. The woods are on the bright side certainly, especially that fingerboard will have a lot of snappy attack.

I think you'll do fine with that Holy Diver. It has a lovely sweet clean tone too.

[Dave Sloven]

Yes I would think that a Holy Diver would be a great choice for any kind of power metal.  I think the ENGL will give you the modern edge you are after.

[Kiichi]

Yeah, HD is great that way. In a darker, mahagony heavy guitar the RY is also fantastic for powermetal, but here HD should really get you there. Maybe with the EM neck though to really make those shreddy leads smooth and fluid.

[Slartibartfarst42]

Can't go wrong with a Holydiver bridge and Emerald neck