Pickups in a sevenstring evertune equipped guitar

[gustav]

Hi! I bought an LTD KS-7 QM/ET a few days ago that came with EMG 81-7 and 85-7, I'm not a big fan of EMG's so I'm thinking of replacing them with a set of BKP. The guitar itself is 7-string neck through mahogany and mahogany body, ebony 25.5" with evertune bridge. Since the evertune takes up a lot of wood I'm leaning towards a pickup with a thicker sound, but since it's neck through and mahogany i probably need higher mids and some high end as well.

I've been comparing all the BK pickups and right now I'm deciding between a Juggernaut set and Black Dog set, they seem to have that throaty thick mid range  and full low end that i like, and at the same time a nice clear high end definition that i need with thicker strings and drop G#, which tends to get muddy. Black dog seems to have the tone I'm after but I've heard it doesn't have the pick attack like the more modern humbuckers have. I also thought about the painkiller bridge and VHII neck since it seems to be close to the black dog but more modern. Would appreciate you guys opinions since I'm having a hard time deciding.

[Serratus]

I think out of those two you'd be safer going with the Jugg (I have some experience as I only build and play 7-strings and have a couple of evertune'd 7's). The black dog is great but it does seem to be very guitar dependant - I always found it fat and throaty, but others commented that it was very treble'y in their guitars, and then I tried it in a different guitar and found that it was quite treble'y too! It's never unpleasant but to get that fat sound out of it seems to depend more on it going in the 'right' guitar compared to other pickups. It also feels a lot lower in output, a lot more vintage in feel, compared to something like the Jugg, so you might find it feels a bit lacking in output unless you're really looking for that dynamic vintage feel. I would try Juggs first for a fat throaty sound :)

[gustav]

I think out of those two you'd be safer going with the Jugg (I have some experience as I only build and play 7-strings and have a couple of evertune'd 7's). The black dog is great but it does seem to be very guitar dependant - I always found it fat and throaty, but others commented that it was very treble'y in their guitars, and then I tried it in a different guitar and found that it was quite treble'y too! It's never unpleasant but to get that fat sound out of it seems to depend more on it going in the 'right' guitar compared to other pickups. It also feels a lot lower in output, a lot more vintage in feel, compared to something like the Jugg, so you might find it feels a bit lacking in output unless you're really looking for that dynamic vintage feel. I would try Juggs first for a fat throaty sound :)

Thanks for the reply :) I'm leaning towards the juggs, since the black dog with low output can be a bit of a gamble. I've never really played any lower output pickups than crunch lab last years, and that is probably a bit hotter than the black dog still. I actually owned a Skervesen with juggernauts in it, i really loved the neck but the bridge was not as thick sounding as i expected, it could be because it was multi scale and the pickup was almost too narrow for the bridge, it was also a super thin body.  I was thinking about aftermath in the bridge, but it sounds a bit boring and sterile compared to painkiller and juggernaut imo.

[Serratus]

I would think that out of the Jugg/Aftermath/Painkiller, the Jugg would be the thickest sound.
Aftermath is a very tight and direct but very dry sound, PK is hot in feel but with a lot of high mids (so it's pretty lively and in-your-face) whereas I think the Jugg has more lower mids so would sound thicker. If I were you I'd go for a Jugg set and then if the guitar is too dark a sound with that then think about a PK as an alternative.

[gustav]

I would think that out of the Jugg/Aftermath/Painkiller, the Jugg would be the thickest sound.
Aftermath is a very tight and direct but very dry sound, PK is hot in feel but with a lot of high mids (so it's pretty lively and in-your-face) whereas I think the Jugg has more lower mids so would sound thicker. If I were you I'd go for a Jugg set and then if the guitar is too dark a sound with that then think about a PK as an alternative.

Exactly what i think, I don't really need super duper tight pickups since I'm not  shredding that much ^^ Will order a set of jugs with gold covers and gold bolts :) How long does it usually take for them to send it?

[Chargrilled]

I've got Holy Divers in my 7 and I think they are awesome - I used to have Painkillers in a previous 7 I didn't really like them they were really middy but maybe it's personal preference. Juggs are cool I had them as well.

[Kiichi]

I would think that out of the Jugg/Aftermath/Painkiller, the Jugg would be the thickest sound.
Aftermath is a very tight and direct but very dry sound, PK is hot in feel but with a lot of high mids (so it's pretty lively and in-your-face) whereas I think the Jugg has more lower mids so would sound thicker. If I were you I'd go for a Jugg set and then if the guitar is too dark a sound with that then think about a PK as an alternative.

Exactly what i think, I don't really need super duper tight pickups since I'm not  shredding that much ^^ Will order a set of jugs with gold covers and gold bolts :) How long does it usually take for them to send it?

Depends a lot on where you are and just general things, but BKP have a stellar record of customer service and all that comes with it. In my experience if they give you an estimate they will set that as their own worst case and try to beat it. It is a human operation (very much so and I love it) and other factors such a shipping come into play, but I always feel as if they do their best...so...they should be shipped pretty quickly.

Also, the Jugg is a great choice here I recon. Many options in play, but I doubt youŽll go wrong with it. Hope to hear back from you about how it treats you!