Wich pickups should I buy

[dockn]

Hello there,
It is my first message on this forum.
I write down here because since today I'm the happy owner of a Gibson les Paul studio from 1993.
I would really like to dress it with bareknuckle pickups but I really don't know which one I could choose.

I basically play Black Metal, sludge metal and ambiant-soundscape improvisations.
Here is how I'm used to sound : https://deuil.bandcamp.com/

I'm looking for an agressive, blowing mind, dark but still clear bridge pickup (warpig, juggernaut, nailbomb ???).
Regarding the neck pickup I would love something rich in basses but still dark wich allows me to get definite chords while I improvise my ambiant, drone soundscape.

My guitar runs into an Engl Powerball, Marshall 4x12 1960 Vintage cabinet and some delay, reverb, and octaver pedals

Can you please help me to find out the pickups that will make the difference to me ?

Ps : sorry for my poor English

[Slartibartfarst42]

I saw this post yesterday and didn't bother replying because I suspect I'm too old to help you but as nobody else has pitched in I'll do what I can. I wasn't sure what to expect from your description so I did listen to the song you provided a link for but as I say, I think I'm too old as all I heard was noise and shouting but remarkably, it did give me some ideas. I do have one question though: what tuning are you using?

This is relevant because if you're in standard tuning, I think you're on the right lines with a Warpig if you want a huge and dark sound. I'd guess the ceramic option would be best but I daresay that either one would do the job. The Juggernaut would also be a valid option and give you something that is rather more versatile than a C-Pig. With the Nailbomb, I'd actually be more inclined to go with the A-Bomb as opposed to the C-Bomb to give you a more aggressive tone but again, either option should work. If you use a lower tuning, I'd also throw an Aftermath into the mix. The lower tuning would give you extra bottom end anyway and your amp isn't going to be lacking in beef either so although I know the Aftermath looks quite bright on the tone charts, I think it could work very well for you, especially in a Les Paul. Being very tight and aggressive, it could be ideal for you. I'll also throw one final option into the ring for you to consider, especially if you use a tuning that is below standard. With an amp like a Powerball you really don't need a hot pickup at all as the amp will provide all the power you need and more than enough gain so all you really need is a pickup that is tight enough to take plenty gain and possibly work well with lower tunings so I'd also suggest a Black Dog. The tone is wonderful, it's very versatile and is used by a number of bands who play material similar to yours because it takes gain all day long.

Sorry I can't be of more help but I didn't want you to get no replies. Broadly speaking I think you're on the right lines but I think that in that guitar and with that amp, you have even more options available to you.

[dockn]

First of all : Thank you for your reply and the time you took to listen to what I do.

Regarding the tuning : I'm playing in Dropped D so it's basically the same than standard tuning.
I'll check some videos and sound samples of what you proposed to me and will make a choice really soon.

If someone else wants to take some time to help me, it would be appreciated.
All advises are welcome.

[Dave Sloven]

Personally I have some experience with one of those early '90s Les Paul Studios, having installed an Emerald set in one.

The first thing I'd say is to avoid the brighter pickups in the range like the Emerald, Riff Raff, Stormy Monday, and Rebel Yell.  They sound thin in those guitars.  You want something with a nice fat bottom end.  I might be inclined to avoid the Black Hawk, Aftermath, and Painkiller too.

Humbuckers that I would consider for that model are Abraxas, Crawler, Holy Diver, Cold Sweat, Nailbomb, Juggernaut, Miracle Man, and Warpig.  For what you want to do - I had a listen your recording and really liked it, I am probably the guy on this forum working in the style closest to yours - I would probably go for an  alnico Nailbomb.  I have one in my Explorer and I like it for sludgey stuff and I've had pretty good results with trem picking too.  The matching neck is also nice, quite bright.  I would say that the bridge pickup is really a rhythm pickup, not amazing for leads.  My other guitar for the band is an SG with an alnico Warpig set.  I would also recommend that pickup to you, but it is lacking the treble detail of the A-Bomb, which I think would suit you best.  I'd recommend either going for the set or, if you want a different neck pickup suggestion maybe the Holy Diver neck

[Slartibartfarst42]

Naturally I would bow to Agent Orange's greater knowledge of this style and interestingly, if I had to pick just one of the pickups I'd suggested to you, it would have been the alnico Nailbomb so I think that says a lot about where you should go. I did have an A-Bomb a few years ago and really wasn't keen on it at all for what I play and that alone should suggest it's the right pickup for you  Joking apart, I think it's perfect for what you're after. I suspect you might find the Abraxas and especially the Crawler too loose in the bottom end while the Holydiver and Miracle Man would be too smooth. I think the Cold Sweat is actually a really good idea because it's nothing like as bright as the tone chart suggests and takes plenty gain but it doesn't have anything like the aggression of the A-Bomb. The A-Bomb is really tight, will take loads of gain, cuts through the mix superbly, is really hairy and has plenty aggressive upper mids while retaining real body in the tone. In many ways I did actually really like the A-Bomb, it was just that I had it in the wrong guitar for that particular pickup and it was just a bit 'too much' for what I play.

[dockn]

The problem I meet is that I have to get a pickup that can sound as massive during slow and sludgy parts as tight, agressive and powerful for the tremolo, fast parts.

Anyway, I think I'm going to go for a Alciino Nailbomb for the Bridge
This one was in my selection but your advises and good explanations confirm me that choice.
@agent orange : don't you have samples of this nailbomb mounted on the explorer ?

For the neck one what would you advises me for ambiant, soundscapes, drone riffs ?
I'm not sure that the the Nailbomb set could do the job perfectly and anyway a mix could be really interesting as well.

[Slartibartfarst42]

My instinct would be that either a Cold Sweat or a Juggernaut in the neck would be an ideal match but again, I would bow to Agent Orange's greater experience with this style.

[Dave Sloven]

I think the idea of a fluid pickup like a Cold Sweat or a Juggernaut is not a bad idea but for this style I would tend to recommend a brighter pickup than those, such as a Holy Diver or a Rebel Yell.  The Nailbomb neck is not as fluid as either of those, but I still find it okay for the delay soaked type leads like Swamp Lung etc (I am not in Swamp Lung by the way, but I am friends with them).

If I can find a half way decent example of my A-bomb in the Explorer from tonight's practice I will post it.  I think most of the recordings I have are of the Warpig in the SG.

None of the pickups I have used in the Explorer have been optimal because it is a very dark guitar.  It really needs something like an Emerald or a Rebel Yell.  It is much better there than the Warpig was there, however.  I had the A-Bomb in my SG Standard (tuned to EADGBE) and it was too raspy there, so I replaced it with a Cold Sweat and then put the Nailbomb set in the Explorer and moved the Warpig set from the Explorer to the other SG.

Both my Explorer (Nailbombs) and SG Special (Warpigs) are tuned to C Standard (CFA#D#GC).  Both are fine in that tuning for the style I play.

Bands that you might know that are similar to what I am writing at the moment are Crowskin and Black Shape of Nexus.

[dockn]

I'm a big Black shape of nexus fan 

Anyway thanks a lot for all those advises.
I think I'll buy the nailbomb as bride pickup.
For the neck one i'll continue my investigations since the pickup I have now in the neck position sounds really great for what I want to do with it.

I will place my order tonight

[Dave Sloven]

Damn ... I log on to Facebook and see that both Deuil and B.Son have split up in the last 24 hours 

Was looking forward to some new Deuil stuff ... let us know what you do in the future