Opinions on RY/NB/Stockholm??

[Serratus]

Another quick question :)

My son wants a set of BKPs for his 7-string. He's tried my 7-strings with BKPs and really likes the Rebel Yell, but he also really likes the Stockholm I have in another guitar. So my gut feeling is that a Nailbomb will be similar to the Rebel Yell, but also have some of the added bite and raspiness of the Stockholm - does that seem right??

He does play some pretty heavy stuff but also wants some versatility, so I don't want to go NB if it's a lot less versatile than the RY, but then I feel that the NB is probably slightly better for the really heavy stuff!?

Any opinions? Anyone had both NB and RY and can comment on the differences?

Thanks :)

[Dave Sloven]

I suspect that if this guitar has plenty of bottom end and is a seven string that RY is a very good choice.

A-Bomb has more bottom end but is not as good for leads.

Not sure about the Stockholm in a seven.

I have used the Emerald and A-Bomb. I am going by the fact that it should be in between those two, and what I have heard online.

I have the Stockholm but haven't really used it for leads and not in anything lower than DGCFAD

[Serratus]

I guess really it's NB/RY comparisons I want - is the NB is similar to the RY but with a bit more nastiness!!??? (so does it have a bit of the Stockholm's bite and rasp, but is still in the RY area tone-wise?).
Although if you say that the NB is not so good for leads then I'm guessing it's not as fat in the mids as the RY, maybe?
Might be best to stick to the RY then....

[ericsabbath]

I think he meant that the nailbomb is not as good for lead as the rebel yell
it has more of a boosted paf lead tone rather than a scorching midrangy hard rock lead
I'd say the tone sits somewhere between a riff raff and a vhII, but pretty loud and modern

I've always had mixed feelings about the alnico nailbomb, as it lives in the borderlines of many styles
it has this aggressive post-grunge/NY hardcore era character, but it also has this classic gary moore thing going on
it does blues rock really really well for such a hot pickup and its lead tone fits perfectly for that sort of thing

I tend to prefer more dense lead tones like with the holy diver and black dog, or more focused and intense tones like with the cold sweat and miracle man, but there's nothing "wrong" with the nailbombs lead tone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6AsHu3Q5zM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86zOVOZUYvU

[Yellowjacket]

I guess really it's NB/RY comparisons I want - is the NB is similar to the RY but with a bit more nastiness!!??? (so does it have a bit of the Stockholm's bite and rasp, but is still in the RY area tone-wise?).
Although if you say that the NB is not so good for leads then I'm guessing it's not as fat in the mids as the RY, maybe?
Might be best to stick to the RY then....

Rebel Yell is a very clear and consonant sounding pickup.  It has that nice chainsaw roar and feels great for leads and solos.  The tone has a tight, high, and clear bottom with a focus on the upper mids and a nice harmonic sheen.  The pickup yields a nice wide pick attack and it cleans up exceptionally well with the volume pot.  It is VERY bright for clean tones but if you have an extra tone stack for your clean channel, you can EQ it to work with the bridge pickup.  Or, roll down the tone knob.

The Rebel Yell  A-Bomb  is more 'dissonant', compressed, and hairy.  It has a more defined 'cut' in the treble and is noticeably higher output.  The 'hairy' characteristic makes it feel like it has a lot more 'gain' than the Rebel Yell but it just doesn't 'feel' quite as good as the Rebel Yell for leads and solos.  It also cleans up well with the volume pot.

The Rebel Yell will make a Les Paul sound like a Les Paul and you can cop all these great R&R tones.  The A-Bomb imparts a hairy, pissed off,  badass, biker tone to basically everything it touches.  I swapped it on my Les Paul because I had a lower gain amplifier that was too polite and I wanted more edge and aggression.   The difference between the two felt quite dramatic at first but I think it was a good decision anyhow. 

[Dave Sloven]

The Rebel Yell is more 'dissonant', compressed, and hairy.  It has a more defined 'cut' in the treble and is noticeably higher output.  The 'hairy' characteristic makes it feel like it has a lot more 'gain' than the Rebel Yell but it just doesn't 'feel' quite as good as the Rebel Yell for leads and solos.  It also cleans up well with the volume pot.

You mean an A-Bomb here, right?

[Yellowjacket]

You mean an A-Bomb here, right?

HAHA ya.  I'll fix it now!

Oh, to the OP.  If you like drop tuning and using heavier strings, DEFINITELY go for the Rebel Yell.  It sounds really thick and huge this way, and it still is tight and clear.

[Serratus]

Thanks people!! Sounds like we'll stick with the RY, now I just have to decide on a neck pickup! Hahahaha 




(I'm thinking probably a VHII)

[Yellowjacket]

I like the VHII / Rebel Yell combination but not everyone does.  The VHII has a gnarly character which is actually more similar to a Nailbomb.

What sort of guitar is your son playing?  If he is using a 24 fret instrument which is not a Les Paul, maybe a Rebel Yell neck would be perfect? 

[Serratus]

I like the VHII / Rebel Yell combination but not everyone does.  The VHII has a gnarly character which is actually more similar to a Nailbomb.

What sort of guitar is your son playing?  If he is using a 24 fret instrument which is not a Les Paul, maybe a Rebel Yell neck would be perfect?

Possibly - it's a 24-fret ash bodied 7-string :)

[Yellowjacket]

Is that a bolt on maple neck or a neck through? 

[Serratus]

Bolt-on maple neck with a rosewood board. The body is two-piece heavy ash; it's thinner than 'normal' but still a decent weight because the wood is pretty heavy.

[Yellowjacket]

How would you describe the tonal characteristics of the guitar?  Is it dark with focused low mids, or is it bright?  Is it balanced overall? 

[Serratus]

I think it's fairly balanced, based on the unplugged tone. Doesn't sound overly bright or bassy compared to the unplugged tone of some other electric guitars, maybe a touch scooped in the mids, if anything.
It's hard to say what the plugged-in tone is like because it's only had very cheap active pickups in it, and I don't think they represent the guitar's tone very well. I built the guitar a few years ago for my son, and at the time we were keeping costs down so I just used a set of actives from an Ibanez RGA7 that I got from eBay for about a fiver!! Now he's playing more than ever and wants a better tone from it, hence replacing them with BKP soapbar 7's 

[Yellowjacket]

Have you emailed BKP about this?  I'm really curious what they would say!

I'd recommend Juggernauts as I do for everything because I absolutely love them.

That being said, I wonder if an A-Bomb may be a good option for that instrument.  REALLY curious what BKP would recommend.  Like VHII neck and A-Bomb bridge?  I absolutely love the Rebel Yell but I would be more likely to put it in one of the Schecter mahogany body / Maple neck instruments.