Author Topic: Nailbomb vs Crawler in Ibanez JEM 555 (Read 9789 times)

Donatello · « **on:** May 15, 2006, 01:03:24 PM »

Hi everyone,

1 year ago I ordered a Crawler-set to my Les Paul and they sound super!

Now it´s time to upgrade my Ibanez JEM 555 (DiMarzio Evolution) and since Im so satisfied with my Crawlers in my LesPaul my first thought went to those, but when I search on the forum many recomend Nailbomb in Ibanez guitars.

1. Is Nailbomb a better combination to the Jem compared to the Crawlers (right pickup in the right guitar, right?)

2. Can somebody describe the tonal differences between the two?

3. Any other suggestions? (Im into TonyMcAlpine, George Lynch stuff, still want a good clean tone)

Cheers
/ Daniel

TwilightOdyssey · « **Reply #1 on:** May 15, 2006, 02:51:57 PM »

I guess my question for you is: what DON'T you like about the Evolution?

If you want something with similar output and response, but just better sound, I would recommend the Miracle Man.

Donatello · « **Reply #2 on:** May 15, 2006, 03:24:25 PM »

The Evolutions are Ok picups but I found them a little bit to "cold" and "hard/ice-peaky" I want a warmer and fatter tone but still be able to bite and scream.

With my LesPaul I swiched from Gibson 500T and 496R to the Crawlers on similar resons and got more than satisfied.

I´m not shure but I´m a little sceptical to cheramic magnets, little bit to sterile and cold?

TwilightOdyssey · « **Reply #3 on:** May 15, 2006, 03:38:30 PM »

I think the Rebel Yell might be just what you're looking for!

Jappse · « **Reply #4 on:** May 15, 2006, 10:33:17 PM »

Or the Holydiver, or the Nailbomb. The Nailbomb, would suit almost any genre. And still it has a decent/good clean (depends on what you compare it with).

Donatello · « **Reply #5 on:** May 17, 2006, 07:23:17 AM »

TwilightOdyssey:

Thats exactly what Tim suggested yesterday!
He sent me some clips that sounded good.
Can you compare it to the others, there are no info on the website about the rebell yell.

I also like the Nailbomb demo very much so I think I´m choosing between those two.

JamesHealey · « **Reply #6 on:** May 17, 2006, 10:21:53 AM »

ceramic cold sterile? Never understood that to me they sound smoother, i think nb or ry wud be fine

TwilightOdyssey · « **Reply #7 on:** May 17, 2006, 02:40:17 PM »

Quote from: Donatello

TwilightOdyssey:

Thats exactly what Tim suggested yesterday!
He sent me some clips that sounded good.
Can you compare it to the others, there are no info on the website about the rebell yell.

I also like the Nailbomb demo very much so I think I´m choosing between those two.

Good deal, Donatello!

The Rebel Yell and the Nailbomb share similar high frequency detail and articulation, but the Rebel Yell has way more midrange slam and more harmonic overones. The Rebel Yell simply sounds B I I I G!!

Donatello · « **Reply #8 on:** May 17, 2006, 03:15:59 PM »

(I also have a mailconversation with Tim, so I post his comments here as well, if there are other who are intrerested)

---
Nailbomb DC 15.9K alnico V
Crawler DC15.4K Alnico V
Rebel Yell DC14.5K Alnico V

The Nailbomb has the most gain and strongest mid, the Crawler sounds the
fatest with plenty of bass and low mid, the Rebel Yell is bright and
aggressive with great cut.
---

Arrgh..! This is just getting more and more difficult... (there should be just one PU to choose ;-)

Here are my thoughts...
My LesPaul/Crawlers sounds great, maby I want a little more "bite" in this guitar (I think I will play more "shred"-style on the Jem and well.. "Rock/hardrock" on my LesPaul?) advantage=Nailbomb...
The Rebell Yell might not be strong enought though it is weaker than the Crawlers?
Bright and with great cut? that sounds like a description of my DiMarzio Evolution? disadvantage=Rebel Yell
But the soundclips are great and Tim´s (Is he ever wrong?) recomendation (and yours of course) advantge=Rebel Yell

The Nailbomb are supposed to have the strongest mid, but listening to the clips I found them othervise then the other two? =disadvantage Nailbomb (just recording differences, or?) The Crawler clip sound pretty much what I´ve got.

Come on guy´s... Help me out here :?

TwilightOdyssey · « **Reply #9 on:** May 17, 2006, 03:33:23 PM »

Do you want help, or do you want someone to make up your mind for you?

Based off of what you've said, get the Rebel Yell!

Donatello · « **Reply #10 on:** May 17, 2006, 03:45:22 PM »

Sorry about that, I was trying to make a joke... :oops:

I´ve spent hours by listening to clips (lately the Nailbomb) and no one really hits the spot like when I lissened to the Crawler clip the first time, so I guess Im not going for the Nailbomb.

The Rebel Yell is definitive interesting.
Maby I could get Tim to make it a little bit more powerful?

Thanks for all input.

Ced777 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 17, 2006, 05:58:54 PM »

Don't worry about the RY power. I owned a NB and now a RY and did not see so much change in output (a bit less than NB, it's true, but not so much). The RY's tone is big.
And it did sound like an Evolution AT ALL! (I owned one too a few years ago)

PS: what Crawler clip did you talk about?

fps_dean · « **Reply #12 on:** May 18, 2006, 07:32:48 AM »

Quote from: TwilightOdyssey

I think the Rebel Yell might be just what you're looking for!

I'm putting that in my Les Paul, but I wouldn't put it in a Jem. Normally I tell people with Jems who don't like the Evolutions to get a Tone Zone and PAF Pro and they're usually happy with that. Evos are a black and white pickup in the sense that either you absolutely love them (like me) or you absolutely hate them. The Evolutions are the only ceramics that I actually like. The rest of them are a lot of mud... sounds like you have an army of people who eat way to many beans in the room whenever you play!

I'd think possibly a Cold Sweat but more likely Nailbomb for the bridge and a Riff Raf or Black Dog or something quieter for the neck.... or a set of Crawlers.

And I would be more concerned with balancing the pickups with each other than the amount of output power. Between todays amps that do not require power, and various input boosts, it's not really an issue anymore as long as whatever you have sounds good!

Donatello · « **Reply #13 on:** May 18, 2006, 08:15:59 AM »

Ced777:

Thank´s for the input!

The Crawler clip I am talking about did Tim send me but I think its the same on the Crawler product page (Geoff Whitehorn). When I first heard it, it was like "yeah, thats what Im lookin for" And when I got the PU they actually sounded like the clip (the caracter) so I was very pleased.

So... thats why I´m so interested in the Rebel Yell, the clips sounds very good and I hope its a hint just like the Crawler clip.

Can you do compare the Evolution vs Rebel Yell, and also the Rebel Yell vs Crawler (listen to the clip)? I would apreciate it.

I like the Crawlers and could go the easyway and order them again, but why not try someting different? (but not too different) don´t wanna change the eq everytime I´m switching the guitar. I´m looking for a Crawler kind of tone, but maby a little more agressive and bite.

Donatello · « **Reply #14 on:** May 18, 2006, 10:22:38 AM »

fps_dean:

Before I thought of BKP I was heading for a set of DiMarzio Breed which I think is almost the same as ToneZone (TZ doesn´t have a neck version but Breed does) your suggestion TZ+PF Pro sounds like a good advise if you are heading for DiMarzios.

I don´t hate Evolutions and I don´t love them neither, they are a little bit too special sounding and little bit too "sterile"? I could stay with them etc but I want the guitar to have the best sound I could get from it, like my LesPaul who really came alive with the Crawlers.

Question: Why shouldn´t you put a Rebel Yell in a JEM? Can you develop that statement?