BLACK DOG bridge as lead pickup? BD users, need opinion!

[Lucas]

Thanks,
Well, initially I wanted to put Crawler bridge, but after some researches I discovered that I really like that roaring nature of BD plus I`ll be using that guitar from stuff like ZZ Top to Metallica (Load/Reload era). From blues/rock through hard rock to more mellow 'metal', nothing extreme. Metallica Load/Reload era will be the most extreme I would say.
 Was a bit afraid that Crawler will be too loose on the bottom end. BD sounds fantastic, as I already have 2 metal guitars (one with CBomb and second with Miracle Man-will test it tomorrow), this time I want something more rock sounding and less metal.
Holydiver is a safe bet, I know, but I prefer (based on soundclips) BD as it`s a bit more vintage, laid back, more rock sounding. Plus love that roar.

Problem is that I mostly play lead stuff and mostly use bridge pickup for that. Despite great rhythm work of BD Im really concerned about solos.

and BELOW there`s the guitar, Warmoth chambered alder body with maple cap. Neck (waiting, being shipped at the moment) is golcano alves/ziricore (based on woods, warm sounding).

[Lucas]

Basically what I want from bridge pickup (I know I keep changing my mind, but dont have 300 guitars and much money so want to choose carefully):

1. more hard rock than metal
2. tight enough to play stuff like Metallica Load/Reload (most extreme) and subtle enough to play some more melodic rock stuff as well as some blues/rock like ZZ Top
3. great on solos/leads as I mainly use bridge pickup for that (MOST IMPORTANT)
4. GREAT string separation in distorted chords, no to blurry sound
5. roaring sound with distortion, don`t want much saturated metal beast
6. something between vintage and modern, not too much vintage and not too much modern

is it Black Dog?

[johnny_rock_it]

Don't know if there is a pick up that can do it all--meaning it checks all your check boxes.

Most of the times times, a good rhythm pick up doesn't make the best solo pick up and vice versa.

Eric recommended the holy diver, but it seems you are pretty sold on the BD. Why don't you give it a shot and if it doesn't work out, you can always try something else.

If you want the best solo pick up, (which was marked as most important on your requirements) I'd recommend the holy diver as well. It's very full and articulate. The rhythm on that ain't bad but it doesn't have the roar you're looking for.

[mantrasky]

I use both Holy Diver & Black Dog (Charvel and Fender guitars) and they sound awesome!

[ericsabbath]

still sounds like a holy diver to me, except for the zz top thing
but no doubt that the black dog could work really well, but it still doesn't cover the mule/stormy monday ballpark
if you really want to balance things between your  heavier rock tones and the bluesy stuff, then you could look at the abraxas

the holy diver is essentially the ultimate rock pickup, but it's fatter, warmer and cleans up way better than the seymour duncan it was based on and doesn't mess up the string separation in a puddle of mushy mids like the jb, so it's much more versatile
you'll still be able to get bluesy with some little knob rolloff
didn't try a coil tap with the diver, but I'm pretty sure it would sound no less than amazing
(the miracle man splits really really well, by the way)

[ericsabbath]

I use both Holy Diver & Black Dog (Charvel and Fender guitars) and they sound awesome!

that's one serious setup

what are the speakers?

[Serratus]

Personally I would agree with the HD for you - the BD and HD are very similar in overall voicing but the extra output from the HD makes it a more consistent rock pickup (although it can still do blues/clean very well too). The BD I have found to be more guitar dependant for it's overall tone (no idea why!) - I had one in a thick mahogany single-cut and it was really fat sounding - balanced overall but with huge low-mid grunt (and I read on this forum about other people's opinion's on their BD's being very trebley and I couldn't understand it). But then I put the same actual pickup into a korina double-cut and it was more trebley and nowhere near as thick. So I think that it is very dependant on the guitar's inherent tone, whereas some other pickups (HD included) are slightly more consistent in sound across different guitars.
BD also feels much more vintage in output - more open and dynamic but can feel a bit thin for leads unless you have a fat middly lead sound. HD is again a bit more consistent, slightly more compressed and fat (but definitely still plenty of dynamics - it's not a one-trick-pony compressed high-output metal pickup!).
All this doesn't make the BD a bad pickup, I still gig with mine often, but if I can only use one guitar for a gig then it's much more likely to have a HD in it!

[mantrasky]

The Bogner 2x12OS cabinet has Celestion Vintage 30's (8yrs old now) and the Soldano cabinet has Celestion G12K-100 both setups sound great. In the Charvel I'm using a Schaller Mega-E 5-way switch which splits the coils then arranges them so you get one coil from the bridge HD and the center "Trilogy Suite" Single coil and so on so there are Five different tones, sounds wonderful! very Tele to Strat-quack like and then full Neck HD & Bridge humbucker tones. My Custom Shop Fender Strat has the BKP pickup wiring specification, bridge Black Dog in the center & neck are Seymour Duncan Antiquity "Texas Hot" wired where the "2" position from the bridge is split, so there are also Five different tones and it sounds awesome, I wanted the Strat to have more of a "Vintage-Vibe" so the BD & Texas Hot are a killer combination whereas the Charvel has the '80s Super Strat plus the in-between tones, both are extremely versatile instruments. This is part of my equipment in my home studio, I have so much gear but the Charvel & Fender get the most play when I'm in the professional session work (I hardly use my LP's or PRS's).

[mantrasky]

Serratus, I really love the tone from the HD Calibrated set and I also agree with you there is an inherent similarity between the HD & BD, and as you mentioned your right about the Black Dog is depended on the guitar, which the Strat is a "Lite-Weight" Alder and sounds awesome!! I tried other pups before choosing the BD for the Bridge and so far has been a great choice, covers so much area. Both guitars can cover from the '60s to Today and between my SLO & BE100 covers a lot.   

[Lucas]

Cheers!
When it comes to Holydiver, there`re 2 things that I`m worried about:

1) will be too 'metal' and too saturated, I`m mainly aiming in hard rock rather than metal
2) I`m not a big fan of 80`s metal, don`t like power/glam metal  and bands like Dio, Whitesnakes, Manowar  (sorry, my personal taste). ect. I don`t dig that sound at all. I`m afraid that I might end up sounding like that with HD. Unless I`m wrong.

[Serratus]

The HD's definitely not a saturated metal pickup, there's loads of dynamics and it's still pretty open sounding, just not as much as the BD as that has more of a vintage low-output feel.
And despite the name, it's got much more going for it than 80's rock! I have to admit that I avoided it for quite a while because of the early 80's metal reference but it's now probably my favourite BKP, just the right balance of warmth and balls with power and dynamics.

Having said that, you seem very set on the BD over the HD, which is fine! They are pretty similar in overall tone, etc - I like both of them - I think probably you'd be best to go for the BD as that seems to be what your gut is telling you that you'd like! And then be aware that if you find it a bit lacking in power then the HD would be the alternative!

[Serratus]

FWIW this is something I recorded a few weeks ago with the Black Dog :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1weZ885ilo

[Lucas]

FWIW this is something I recorded a few weeks ago with the Black Dog :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1weZ885ilo

I know it`s 7 string, but I would be happy enough achieving that sound. Sounds amazing, I like that roar, string separation. Generally speaking to my ears, BD has more attitude, sounds more different in a good way. After listening few clips, when Holydiver is ultra fast Superbike, BD is Harley Davidson. Would you agree?

[ericsabbath]

FWIW this is something I recorded a few weeks ago with the Black Dog :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1weZ885ilo

I know it`s 7 string, but I would be happy enough achieving that sound. Sounds amazing, I like that roar, string separation. Generally speaking to my ears, BD has more attitude, sounds more different in a good way. After listening few clips, when Holydiver is ultra fast Superbike, BD is Harley Davidson. Would you agree?

THIS is the superbike 
https://youtu.be/P3us-PA7zPo

[Serratus]

Haha, yeah the Painkiller is definitely more like the superbike! 

I think the HD is closer to the BD than the relative output's would suggest, but yes it is a bit more compressed and smoother for sure, whereas the BD is more open, so your motorbike analogy isn't too far off.
Output is a funny thing - I find the HD much closer in overall feel to the BD than to the Painkiller, even though the HD and PK are close in output and the BD is a lot lower!