Pickup suggestions for my new mahogany guitar

[ikundovic]

Hi all, first-time poster here.

I read a lot of posts on this forum and heard a lot of clips which sound amazing, hence my problem with deciding which pickups would be perfect for guitar which is currently being built for me. The guitar is mahogany, with mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard, with Trem King system installed.

I play a lot of Dream Theater's stuff, and i really love Jonh Petrucci's sound. I also like a lot Lamb Of God and i especially like early In Flames Stuff (Clayman and Jester's Race albums). So basically, that is to sum all the relevant influences related to sound quality. I play mostly in standard tuning and drop D, but sometimes i go to drop C for In Flames stuff.
I think that Cold Sweat is the right choice for the neck pickup, as it has something that i am looking for the neck pickup, to me it sounds (at least from the clips) like early Jon Petrucci sound and shredders like Marty Friedman (another great influence), and i really dig that sound. If you think there is better alternative for the neck pickup, please suggest.

And for the bridge pickup, i am really thorn between a lot of BK pickups, because a lot of them sound perfect for the sound i am after, judging by the audio clips, because unfortunately i can't try them here were i live (Serbia), but i will order them once i make decision. I really dig Nailbomb, both ceramic and alnico, maybe i actually prefer alnico even though it is not as bass focused as ceramic, but it has something organic that i really like in the distorted sound. I also really like Warpig and Painkiller. I am not looking for djent sound, i like progressive metal a lot, but i don't play djent. I like diversity in the pickup, but i really like when all the notes are well heard even under distorted sound (i play Messa Boogie Mark V 25, Mark IV mode mostly), because i like to hear all the notes in the chord under distortion and i like when all the notes are really well defined and all can be heard.

Just for the reference, if it will help you somehow, here how i sound with the EMG's, guitar is ESP LTD EC-1000, also with mahogany body, but ebony fingerboard, but i will probably swap EMG's for BK pickups in this guitar also, as soon as I install them in my new guitar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBH45cytyUA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUaJ_esdwWs
I like this sound, but honestly I much more prefer the sound from BK pickups (again, from what I heard in the audio clips), it just feels more natural and alive.

If you have any suggestion for any of BK pickups whether i mentioned it or not, please suggest. I hope you will help me find the ones that are best suited for me, although i understand it is very difficult for you to suggest based on just the info i gave you, but i really don't know how better to describe what i am looking for.

Thank you very much!

[DavePrs]

Hi there,

I had the same decision to take like you having a PRS SE Marty Friedmann all mahagony guitar with a maple top. Even playing similar music like you, too. :-)
At the end I choose the alnico version of the nailbomb for the bridge and didn't regret it so far.  I listened to many songs/videos about these pickups and came to the conclusion that the alnico version has more the mid sound I was looking for. Better for playing leads. The didn't like the lead sound of the ceramic version....

Here some songs from our band to hear it in action:
https://soundcloud.com/alisons-rough/

A few things to mention, though:
After installing I thought gain was missing, because these BKPs sound  really transparent and tight, but not as punchy and high output as expected.
Reading about them, these pups seem to be really sensitive concerning pickup height!
I had to play around with it to find my sweat spot. After that I had the sound I really wanted!

For the neck I want to get the CS, too, but I have to save up some more before doing so.
Hope this helps a bit...

Cheers,
David

[ikundovic]

Hi David, thanks for the reply!

These sound very cool and playing is really nice, great job!

I contacted bare knuckle also for advice and i got advice from Ben. He also said that cold sweat should be great choice for the neck, so i will definitively buy that pickup for the neck. But, he suggested ceramic nailbombs or even better Aftermath, which are
more modern. Have you maybe had a chance to try Aftermath for the bridge(or someone has experience with this kind of music and similar guitar characteristics)?  I also read that ceramic nalbombs are not so great for the lead, and i do a lot of leads on the bridge, maybe not like on neck pickup, but very often. Can you tell me because your guitar is also mahogany, does it have enough punch and tightness since you are using Alnico magnet and not ceramic, because of the wood character? Your leads really do sound excellent to my ear, and i really like your rhythm sound, but i don't no how tight would it be for Lamb Of God sound, or high gain riffs of Dream Theater?

Again, thank you very much for the reply, greatly appreciated all the advice!

[ericsabbath]

I'd pick the miracle man (better leads, high end definition and harmonics, thumpier low end)
or the ceramic nailbomb (more compressed and aggressive, but more balanced voicing)

the aftermath is a lot drier, middier and has a leaner low end

I'd say the miracle man gets closer to classic dream theater and most of the swedish metal stuff

[ikundovic]

Thanks for the suggestion Eric, i haven't consider miracle man, but now i will consider it definitely.

How is it for the mahogany body and leads on the bridge for music that i play specifically? Do you think that ceramic nailbomb is not so good for the leads or miracle man is better alternative to it, because as i said, i play a lot of leads on the bridge, but also play heavy rhythms (progressive or groove metal mostly, not djent)?

Thanks for the suggestions, they really mean a lot, since i will definitely buy pickups based only on the suggestions i get from bare knuckle directly or this forum.

[ericsabbath]

I really liked the ceramic nailbomb when I had it for a couple weeks in my 70's les paul custom
it surprised me a lot cause I wasn't fond of the alnico version in the same guitar, and I turned to low output models later
the c-bomb has a thick compression that most bkp models don't have and a quite voicing balance

that said, the miracle man sounds quite unique, with its really distinctive treble response, big but tight bass and a really focused lead tone
some might speak ill of its clean tone, but I like it, specially in split coil mode and through low gain channels
both pinch and natural harmonics sound quite loud thick compared to to the c-bomb or cold sweat

I had the MM in (3) les pauls, but my bandmate had the miracle man in a bolt-on all brazilian mahogany floyd rose guitar that sounded really good
he sold the guitar but kept the set for his prs mccarty, and it kills in it too

[DavePrs]

Hi there again,

Ben also advised me to take the ceramic nailbomb,  because he thought I would do leads with the neck pickup. but after telling him I play a lot of leads with the bridge PU, he opted for both saying it is personal taste. 
For me the alnico is more versitale being a bit of  old school with a modern touch. Ceramic PU's tend to be too restricted in what you can play with them and they always sound a bit compressed (my personal opinion). Cool for rhythm, not really for leads.

Listen to this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2OxcFS3_QY

This guy is playing nailbombs and has a great lead sound. He himself doesn't know if he is playing ceramic or alnico, but as  a guy mentioned in the comments, I also think it sounds more as the alnico version.

At it end it comes down to personal taste and the other equipment you are using. (Amps, effects, distortions, cables, etc.)
The choice is yours! :-)

Cheers
David

PS: I also modified the capaciter and the pots to CTS 550, both from BK

[ikundovic]

Thank you Eric and David, it really means a lot!

I will find a way (don't know how yet) to try at least somehow both variants (Miracle Man and Alnico Nailbomb), even if that means buying two pickups, because unfortunately
there is no official dealer in Serbia, but i will need to order. I can at least always sell the other one :) I agree that really is a personal preference, and that is the reason that in the
end i need to hear them live, with my rig, in the mix, and make decision.

Thank you again for your help!

[Dave Sloven]

The MM has a better rep for leads on the bridge pickup.  If that's important for you I would choose it over either Nailbomb.

[Lucas]

I`ve been using my CBomb in all mahogany Dean Cadillac for years and definitely wouldn`t recommend that when you play loads of leads on the bridge.
It`s great rhythm pickup but when it comes to solos, it`s not as fluid, focused plus its overall aggressive nature do not suits leads that well.  That`s my opinion. I think that leads are the weakest point of Cbomb, but it has nice cleans for ceramic pickup though.
I only started playing Miracle Man in my Ibanez copy bolt on guitar a short while ago, but noticed straight away that it has better leads than CBomb.

[ericsabbath]

I didn't have a problem with leads with the nailbombs
it's just that the miracle man, holy diver and cold sweat do it much much better
I wasn't fond on the pinch harmonic response, though

[Lucas]

It could be my only subjective opinion, but I never was 100% happy with leads on CBomb. Same as I wouldn`t call CBomb strictly metal pickup, to me it`s more hard rock, rock pickup with added aggression and modern twist rather than strictly 'metal' one. I find Cbomb really shining in (modern-ish) hard rock territory.
For last few years Dean was my only guitar, so had no other option. Started using MM only over a week ago, so still 'discovering' good and bad sides of Miracle Man. But one thing for sure, it does have better leads to my ears.

[Dave Sloven]

As soon as I can get another job and pay off my mastercard I'm going to buy a Miracle Man bridge pup for my SG Standard.