Choosing the right pickup for me..

[genocide98]

Firstly, I'm already a proud owner of a set of BKP, a miracle man/trilogy set in fact. Now, I've got a couple of questions in regards to selecting pickups for a couple other guitars...

My current rig-
ENGL Powerball
Peavey 5150 (up for sale)
Mesa/Boogie Rectifier 2x12s

Firstly, I've got a Les Paul standard that I enjoy playing and I'm looking to switch it up and get a new set of pickups for it..

The problem: I'm pretty happy with the tone I have in my neck pickup, which is a Bill Lawerence 500L, but I hate the Dimarzio Super Distortion in the bridge, it just doesn't cut through. I'm pretty sure I want a BKP Miracle Man bucker.. Just a tad bit hotter.

 I'm also wondering if I could find a counterpart to the Bill Lawerence 500L in BKP's lineup, but I'd also like THAT wound a bit hotter as well, not much, and in all honesty I'd be fine with it the way that it is, I just wanted an extra bit of bite for solos. I suppose it would help if it had polepieces to adjust!  If not, thats fine and I can just use the one I have in there.

Now for my second question-
I'm buying a Schecter 7 string of some unknown variety in the future.It'll be mahogany and a set neck so I'd assume that the tone would be closer to a Les Paul...Assuming I find one that doesn't have EMG pickups.. Does BKP do 7 string pickups? If so, what would they cost and would I be able to get any model or would it be a limited selection? Once again, I was thinking of getting a Miracle Man set for this as well, because they're probably my favorite BKP. I'm big into Metal, but with a virtuoso-esque touch, so I'd need something smooth and refined that works well for sweeping, tapping, and legato .. and could I get the bridge position bucker with a tad more power behind it?

And on another note, I was wondering about polepieces.. Can you get both coils with adjustable polepieces? What about different styles such as polepieces similar to like a Duncan Invader? If its possible, how would it effect the tone?

Styles- Mostly Metal- progressive metal to technical death metal... Nevermore, Opeth, Cryptopsy. My favorite tone is probably from Opeth's "Still Life" but I also love a very fluid tone for a sweep, anyone farmiliar with Nevermore should know exactly what I mean. I've got a pretty decent amp already and I don't use much as far as effects go, I'm adding an EQ, compressor... The only effect I've really got in my rig now is a TC Electronics Stereo Chorus/Flanger.

Sorry about the long post, thanks in advance.

[Ratrod]

Welcome.

The Miracle Man will suit you style perfectly. If you want something hotter in the neck position for smooth and thick leads, I would suggest a Cold Sweat.

You can get a double screw coil but will give alot of extra bass, the pickups might get muddy.

The huge allen bolts in the Invader are way too big, they do all sorts of weird stuff to the magnetic field.

You can get (small) allen caps fitted to your BKP's. They're somewhere in the gallery. A single row of those would make a Miracle Man slightly beefier.

Hope this helps.

[dave_mc]

welcome to the forum, man, glad to see you've joined.

BKP do 7 string pickups, I'm certain of that. I think you need to contact them to find out the price (unless tim or steve mr pig answers).

or you could just wait for the new website, should be up soon.

I'll let the other guys who've tried them answer your questions, lol- BKP are normally very accommodating to custom options.

[genocide98]

Welcome.

The Miracle Man will suit you style perfectly. If you want something hotter in the neck position for smooth and thick leads, I would suggest a Cold Sweat.

You can get a double screw coil but will give alot of extra bass, the pickups might get muddy.

The huge allen bolts in the Invader are way too big, they do all sorts of weird stuff to the magnetic field.

You can get (small) allen caps fitted to your BKP's. They're somewhere in the gallery. A single row of those would make a Miracle Man slightly beefier.

Hope this helps.

I'm not sure how the cold sweat stacks up to the 500L I've got,.. I'll look for some clips and stuff... I'm only interested in placing this one into the Les Paul, to have a matching set of BKP (might as well)

As far as the polepieces go I don't really have to have the huge allen bolts but I would really like to, for cosmetic reasons more than anything else.

Can anyone explain to me what the different polepieces can do?

I'm more concerned about having a more adjustable pickup than not.. Especially if I'll be splitting the coils it would be nice... how would the Miracle Man humbuckers sound split? Would it be possible to get a nice classic single coil tone from it? I'm not talking about a real big twang because I can be really inventive.. but I'm thinking a nice clean tone for when I need it.. Think Opethy cleans in a mahogany bodied guitar.

If you guys need any more answers, or even specific songs/tones, whatever, Its no big deal, I'm interested in purchasing whatever works for me best, weither its a $80 duncan or a $150 BKP. I'd prefer to do it for the lowest price, but if it takes a 100% custom pickup to do it, hell.. its either let these dudes do it or stick it out myself and learn how to wind :)

And hi Dave, thanks for the welcome. I registed before but I forgot my password and such, so I just made a new account. Haha.

[maliciousteve]

For 7 strings i would suggest the Warpig if you're in a one guitar band. I used to use one in a old 7 string i used to have and it made the low B sound alot tighter with a much more lively sound. Great for metal.

If you're in a two guitar band i would maybe suggest a Nailbomb as it has more mids which will help you cut through better.

Going by the price i paid for a 7 string BKP, it cost the same as a regular 6 string BKP. but you can't get the custom covers for them as there isn't 7 string pickup covers available, anywhere.

[genocide98]

I was in a two guitar band and I didn't have TOO much trouble cutting through.. I've got an amp that cuts like a knife at the moment (My powerball)

I don't really like to crank my amp's gain up, Its got alot of it but I prefer to keep it as low as possible, I'm not entirely sure how the nailbomb sounds.

That sucks about the covers, though... Even tho I wouldn't really be using em and I'm fine with open coils. I liked the option.. Hmmmmm. Someone needs to make 7 string covers!

[dave_mc]

if you're worried about cold sweat clips, I'd just wait for the new website- it's supposed to have controlled clips of all the pickups, it should be up soon (even though it was meant to be up in time for LGS, which was last weekend, lol).

 :lol:

[genocide98]

Yeah...

I'm looking at guitars and theres a schecter 007 Elite in teh area.. its H/x/S.. what would be a good single to pair with the guitar? Its a sweet guitar and a decent price, but Its got a neck single rather than humbucker... I was thinking maybe an uber trilogy...? But what else would be a suggestion? I was starting to like the idea of having two humbuckers rather than just a hum and a single, more like a PRS..

Does BKP even make 7 string singles? lol

Any ideas?

What about some kind of gain boost.. ? How do you think the pickups would work out with em.

I hope the site is up soon so I can figure out what I want :D I don't have money for the pickups at the moment.. but.. It'll be easier to make the choice then.

This is my last bit of gear I can buy (rather than sell) before I buckle down and work my way towards an engagement ring. *gasp*

[OD-Black_Fire]

You have great amps. You can make any pickup cut through, especially with that Engl.


If you want something like a MM but slightly hotter, the BKP team can customize it. Someone had their MM boosted to the same power as the Warpig, I bet that grinds like f***.

[genocide98]

Thanks, I've got a single recto, too but its gonna be the first to go. By the time I move I'm gonna be down to a Powerball, cab, and guitars :( not even any effects.

BUT

I heard about that beastly MM bucker. I was thinking about having the MM overwound to be a bit hotter because well, Its not quite punchy enough for me. I mean.. its a custom pickup so why not? haha.

I'm REALLY leaning on that 007 elite, I don't know why, but I like the way it looks.. Its pretty much exactly what I want, save the single in the neck.. anything I could do about that?

[n_mountain]

I'm REALLY leaning on that 007 elite, I don't know why, but I like the way it looks.. Its pretty much exactly what I want, save the single in the neck.. anything I could do about that?

Get a C7 Blackjack!!
Same guitar, different shape, two Hums :D

[genocide98]

Yeah I know.. but I'm going used (can't afford a new guitar now..)

Its A: Good price B: Available and C: Looks decent.. so I figure it can't be too bad of an idea..?


Its not that I don't like neck singles, in actuality its what I've been shooting for for the last few guitars I've bought.. but I duno, I thought I might try something different. I've only found one neck humbucker I really liked (the 500L as mentioned before) but yeah..

[Ol]

i...it should be up soon (even though it was meant to be up in time for LGS, which was last weekend, lol).

 :lol:

Damn, some of you have a good memory!

Well, erm, we did have plans to do that, but all the preparation for the LGS got in the way! :)

I suspect a blitzing session to come along shortly...

rgds
ol.

[lepersmeesa]

If you havent already check out my seven string clip ( its called pastel shades ) it is the cold sweat in the neck and the nailbomb in the bridge. If you  want a certain type of clip just ask.

[dave_mc]

Damn, some of you have a good memory!

Well, erm, we did have plans to do that, but all the preparation for the LGS got in the way! :)

I suspect a blitzing session to come along shortly...

rgds
ol.

 :lol:

Cheers, ol!