New axe, so new BKP's. Jackson SL2Q

[Baby Evil]

Couldn't pass on this one :
http://www.jacksonguitars.com/guitars/soloist/models/pro-series-soloist-sl2q-mah-ebony-fingerboard-transparent-root-beer/

I was already looking for a sporty FR guitar, and this had the right looks.  The SD Distortions sound quite good with distortion, but too clinical with clean, and there's that c--ked wah sound all the time, which gets tiring.

So, I use an Axe FX, mostly Plexi models, and I'd like that 70's hard rock tone like Marsden/Moody, Mick Jones, Martin Barre, Ace.... Fat LP into Marshall sound.
I'm thinking Nailbombs for this mahogany/maple neck thru guitar.  What do you gentlemen think?

best

Jan

[Dave Sloven]

I can't imagine that a Nailbomb in this guitar will give those sounds.

Personally if I had this guitar and wanted to upgrade to BKPs I would fit a Miracle Man in the bridge.  It would have a smoother, fatter sound here than the Nailbomb.  Otherwise I might look at a VHII

[Slartibartfarst42]

Absolutely NOT the Nailbomb in here. I tried one in a maple neck-thru Soloist and it was hideous unless you want a tone that is very aggressive, tight and hairy. The Miracle Man would work a lot better and the Holydiver was good too. Those would be my recommendations. BTW, I tried all three of those pickups in my Soloist so I speak from experience.

[Dave Sloven]

I was wondering about the Holy Diver.

In that case I change my vote to Holy Diver or Miracle Man.

[Yellowjacket]

Couldn't pass on this one :
http://www.jacksonguitars.com/guitars/soloist/models/pro-series-soloist-sl2q-mah-ebony-fingerboard-transparent-root-beer/

I was already looking for a sporty FR guitar, and this had the right looks.  The SD Distortions sound quite good with distortion, but too clinical with clean, and there's that c--ked wah sound all the time, which gets tiring.

So, I use an Axe FX, mostly Plexi models, and I'd like that 70's hard rock tone like Marsden/Moody, Mick Jones, Martin Barre, Ace.... Fat LP into Marshall sound.
I'm thinking Nailbombs for this mahogany/maple neck thru guitar.  What do you gentlemen think?

best

Jan

Listen, I LOVE the look and the feel of a super strat and I have one.  But, I tried to get THAT metal tone from my Les Paul and it just didn't work. 

What I did:

Loaded my super strat with Juggernauts!

Got a Les Paul Standard and put an A-Bomb in the bridge and a Rebel Yell in the neck ^_^ 

That being said, Holy Divers are probably your best bet unless you want the added muscle from the Juggernauts.

[Baby Evil]

Absolutely NOT the Nailbomb in here. I tried one in a maple neck-thru Soloist and it was hideous unless you want a tone that is very aggressive, tight and hairy. The Miracle Man would work a lot better and the Holydiver was good too. Those would be my recommendations. BTW, I tried all three of those pickups in my Soloist so I speak from experience.

Well, I do like the sound of the Duncan Distortions that are in there now, and they fit your description of the Nailbomb.  It's just that they sound very sterile and brittle clean, and judging from the clips here, the Nailbombs sound fine.  The Holy Diver sounds good too though.

Thanks all for the recommendations

Jan

[Dave Sloven]

If you do go for a Nailbomb definitely order the ceramic magnet

[Slartibartfarst42]

Well, I do like the sound of the Duncan Distortions that are in there now, and they fit your description of the Nailbomb.  It's just that they sound very sterile and brittle clean, and judging from the clips here, the Nailbombs sound fine.  The Holy Diver sounds good too though.

Thanks all for the recommendations

Jan

Keep in mind that the clips here were recorded on a Les Paul and you're going to get drastically different results through a maple neck-thru guitar. My eldest son generally loves very tight and aggressive pickups like the Distortion and the Nazgul but when I fitted the Nailbomb to my Soloist and started playing, even he came through to say how truly awful they sounded! Don't get me wrong, the Nailbomb can be a great pickup in a guitar like a Les Paul but not in a Soloist.

[feenix11]

Thanks for your post.

After reading this I changed an order for a ceramic Nailbomb set to a Miracle Man set.   It's going in this : http://www.themusiczoo.com/product/17726/Jackson-Custom-Shop-Exclusive-SL2H-V-Soloist-Natural-Series-Electric-Guitar/.

This guitar very tonally alive tending toward warmth and slightly dark ,however, it  is overly middy with the JB bridge. Distorted tones  are loose and not articulated ( muddy) . I'm hoping the MM's will brighten the overall tone and any harshness in the treble end will be mitigated by this chunk of Mohog.

The ceramic Nailbomb has a very similar tone profile to the MM  according the the description. I guess the extra output of the MM makes the difference ?

[Slartibartfarst42]

The JB was horrible in my Soloist too yet sounded great in a Strat and absolutely fantastic in a Jackson Pro Dinky. I think maple neck-thru guitars can be very picky and certainly don't like pickups with plenty upper mids. The Holydiver works because the mids are spread more evenly and the Miracle Man works because it is scooped just where maple neck-thru guitars spike so it ends up nicely balanced.

[feenix11]

I just noticed my neck is Mahogany. Do you think MM's are still a go ? Or do I need to change again ?

thanks

[Slartibartfarst42]

The Miracle Man works in Les Paul guitars so should still work in yours. The Holydiver would be another option for you if you wanted the mids a bit more pronounced or even a Cold Sweat if you wanted it brighter and a bit more open.

[feenix11]

Thanks for the great info!

[Yellowjacket]

I just noticed my neck is Mahogany. Do you think MM's are still a go ? Or do I need to change again ?

thanks

Wow, that was NOT the recipe I was expecting to be used on a Soloist!! Mahogany neck through with Mahogany wings and an ebony board?  Not surprised at all that it is dark and warm! 

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

[Slartibartfarst42]

I just noticed my neck is Mahogany. Do you think MM's are still a go ? Or do I need to change again ?

thanks

Well that link you gave us in your original post clearly states that it's a mahogany body but for the neck it equally clearly states that it is:

'Neck Material: 1-Piece Maple Neck-Through-Body with Graphite Reinforcement and Scarf Joint'

Miracle Man should be fine, as would the Holydiver. The mahogany wings should warm it up a bit but it should be as nothing compared to the impact the maple neck-thru will have on the tone. The Soloist I had was the more common alder wings and I always felt that guitar was surprisingly warm too. Every maple neck-thru guitar I've ever owned has been a pig to get pickups for, which is why I don't bother with them anymore but the Holydiver and Miracle Man were the pickups I had most success with. The Miracle Man seemed to sit slightly better with the tones of the guitar but the Holydiver was more versatile.