Sharing my success story with the Juggernauts - Finally!

[hussamj]

Hi Forum,

For whatever it's worth, I wanted to post here and let you all know my experience with finding the perfect BKP pickup for my guitar. I've been looking to replace my stock pickups for my baritone PRS Mushok guitar for about 8 months now. I decided to stick exclusively to BKPs. Long story short, I based my judgement solely on the bridge pickups since I'm a rhythm modern hard rock/metal player. I spent this whole weekend comparing and contrasting several pickup sets. I tried the black dogs first, then Nailbombs, aftermaths, and finally the Juggernauts. Right off the bat, the aftermath sounded harsh on the top end and the nailbombs had more of an old school vibe that I wasn't really looking for...to my ears at least. The black dogs sounded great, but I thought they were a bit too bassy while chugging and didn't have that pick attack response I was looking for, a bit lose for me. But the cleans were especially amazing...Finally,the Juggernauts... The first 30 seconds I tried them, I knew. THAT'S MY PICKUP! Well, Misha's...but they're mine now. There was nothing I could pin-point that I didn't like or stuck out as unpleasant. The balance, the dynamics, the pick response...It was just all there, nothing harsh about them. It's really hard to explain in words. They are sensitive to your picking, but in a good way. You just get a different sound out of them based on your picking style, it's almost got this new dimension to it, 3-D. They just inspire you to keep playing. The cleans are amazing and the high gain sounds are unreal. I really think they are versatile for whatever you want to play. I THINK! But disclaimer, my guitar is tuned to Drop A# so I have no clue how they'd sound in tunings closer to standard. I'm so glad I went through the pain of trying all these different pickups since they led me to the Juggs and convinced me that those are the ones for me...but my wallet hurts now and so do my fingers after a few soldering burns...now time to sell some of the BKPs I won't be using and make up for my losses a bit. Hope this helps someone on here reading...

Disclosure: I'm not even a big fan of Periphery or into playing Djent. So hopefully this tells you something about these pickups...

Cheers!
Hussam

[Yellowjacket]

They sound great in a 25.5 scale guitar tuned to Eb standard / Drop C#

Disclosure: I'm not even a big fan of Periphery or into playing Djent. So hopefully this tells you something about these pickups...

Cheers!
Hussam

Yes, exactly.  The pickup set simply rocks like crazy!  They're astounding.

[Chris Rowberry]

The Juggernauts have been massively successful for us because, as you said, they're truly a versatile set of pickups.

[Slartibartfarst42]

I wish I could see the appeal but try as I might, I still haven't found a single demo/clip I like and can't see that much versatility in it. Perhaps it would be more apparent if I tried them myself rather than listening to clips, especially as I bought a very similar pickup from another manufacturer (much the same but alnico 8 instead of ceramic) and it's absolutely sublime as a Rock/Metal pickup and I'd never change it. Maybe there are just too many Djent clips out there but even when Misha tried to demonstrate their versatility I didn't like the tone. However, clearly I'm in the minority so I'm pleased you've had so much success with it 

[hussamj]

I bought a very similar pickup from another manufacturer (much the same but alnico 8 instead of ceramic)

I'm not sure how similar the other pickup from different manufacturer would be though. As far as I know, the Juggernauts are the only ones on the market that are hybrid Alnico/Ceramic? What kind of music do you play? I'd be happy to post a clip of their versatility using different amp settings...if that helps.

[Slartibartfarst42]

Well, the Juggernaut is Alnico V with Ceramic magnets either side while mine is Alnico VIII with Alnico V magnets either side. Both pickups, as far as I'm aware, use 43AWG wire. The Juggernaut is a DC resistance of 13.3K while mine is 14.5K. They're not the same but they're certainly pretty similar and that's what always keeps me wondering about the Juggernaut. In fairness, I love mine so much I wouldn't change it for a Juggernaut anyway but it still seems to me that the Juggernaut is a pickup I should really like because it's clearly aimed at the same kind of market as mine.

[Yellowjacket]

Well, the Juggernaut is Alnico V with Ceramic magnets either side while mine is Alnico VIII with Alnico V magnets either side. Both pickups, as far as I'm aware, use 43AWG wire. The Juggernaut is a DC resistance of 13.3K while mine is 14.5K. They're not the same but they're certainly pretty similar and that's what always keeps me wondering about the Juggernaut. In fairness, I love mine so much I wouldn't change it for a Juggernaut anyway but it still seems to me that the Juggernaut is a pickup I should really like because it's clearly aimed at the same kind of market as mine.

Haha.  I don't like sound clips because it isn't really representative of what something will actually sound like in person.   The Juggernaut set is astounding and my Juggernaut loaded super strat has impressed many people that I have showed it too.  Now, the pickups ARE versatile meaning they do clean, rhythm, low gain, and high gain leads well and sound good across the entire guitar.  As I have said before, they have a distinctive character to the midrange and the voicing is very modern.  If you can't get past the tone, then they aren't the pickups for you haha. 

[hussamj]

As I have said before, they have a distinctive character to the midrange and the voicing is very modern.  If you can't get past the tone, then they aren't the pickups for you haha.

I think we should keep in mind that these days with digital modelers and profilers, all these subtle differences can be EQ'd in or out so I think if you own an AXEFX or KEMPER, you probably have less to worry about.

[Kiichi]

The Juggs continue to sound interesting to me. Same as Slarti really. However, pardon this, my taste in tone is older than my age suggests.

Still, I am intrigued. I, by now, am on the side that IŽd probably like the Jugg when played in person....for some things. I do have modern metal in my blood, no doubt, but right now I find it hard to think that there is a better PU out there for my vision of that than the SH/SM combo. I end up loving the half classic combos, which seem to directly reflect my upbringing.

Now anytime I hear someone praising the Jugg IŽd rather dream of trying the Impulse. Dunno where IŽd put it, but by comparison it seems to  be more of the Jugg that I wanted.

I really need to hear these I think as they are beyond what I am used to.

[Slartibartfarst42]

they have a distinctive character to the midrange and the voicing is very modern.

Which is what I think the problem is. Having the ceramics either side of an AV seems to generate a very modern tone, which really isn't me at all and I can only think it's due to the magnets as so much else about the pickup is the same as mine. Conversely, my pickup with AV either side of an AVIII magnet produces a tone that's far more reminiscent of 80s Metal. It's darker overall than the Holydiver and it's a bit tighter as well as being a bit hotter but it still has plenty mids and it's very smooth. The nearest thing I can think of is to describe it as a combination of 60-70% Holydiver and 30-40% Miracle Man.

[Yellowjacket]

Wait, there's a problem!?  =-o 

Ya, you mean you're trying to diagnose what about the pickups bothers you.  I get it.  I love them.  That hollow mid almost farty voicing bugged me in all the demos but when I heard them in person it was instant <3     The feel, the dynamic response, the aggression, the absolutely wonderful clean tones.  It's the amazing cleans that make the pickups transition onto breakup so perfectly.  But ya, even when I record them there is that distinctive 'farting' hollow sort of a mid tone.  But it has grown on me and they're honestly my favourite BKP set...


...until I play my mahogany axe with the VHII  N Rebel Yell B set!!!

[Slartibartfarst42]

I can see that and the clip you sent me of the Juggernauts was the only clip I've ever heard of them that I actually liked. Thanks