Author Topic: Another which bkp's for my Les Paul thread (Read 3179 times)

Dazza1004 · « **on:** November 29, 2006, 11:06:01 AM »

Hi all,

Looking for a bit of advice. I am going to change the pups in my les paul, just can’t decide which way to go. I realise there is ales paul thread going on already but I am in a bit of a different situation so hopefully you will think it is worth me posting this.

Initially I was going to put in a set of painkillers as I love the rebel yell bridge I have in my pacifica and wanted something in a similar vein but with a bit more scream (plus Tim recommended them to me). I am looking for a kind of petrucci type of tone from the neck.

After speaking with one of the guys on this forum I am a bit concerned the pk bridge will be a bit too edgy for me. Options I am considering are moving my ry to the les paul and matching with either a ry neck or cold sweat. I would replace the ry with a nailbomb in the pacifica (other pups in the yam are dimazio HS2 & 3, it’s my work horse, jack of all trades guitar), although I am very, very tempted by the VHII.

Another thing for me is I am hesitant to go down the ceramic magnet route (although I realise the cs is ceramic) as the only pups I have had which were ceramics were the evolutions in one of my Jems and I hated them, much preferred the breeds in my other one which are alnico.

Should probably say I play in a covers band, usual suspect with respect to songs, anywhere from classic to hard rock / metal (depending on your definition).

Any advice welcome,

thanks

Twinfan · « **Reply #1 on:** November 29, 2006, 12:01:46 PM »

Greetings!

I would suggest moving the RY to the Les Paul and getting a matching neck. Lots of people reckon that the RY/Les Paul tone is a monster for classic and modern rock sounds.

For the Pacifica, the VHII sounds like a good choice for more vintage tones and the Nailbomb for more modern stuff.

If you just do regular rock and pop covers, I'd go for a RY set and a VHII.

Philly Q · « **Reply #2 on:** November 29, 2006, 01:23:40 PM »

Quote from: Dazza1004

Options I am considering are moving my ry to the les paul and matching with either a ry neck or cold sweat.

Welcome aboard, no different suggestions to offer, I agree that moving the RY into your Les Paul sounds a good idea.

Just a bit of additional info, I'm 99% certain (well maybe 95%) that the RY and CS neck models are the same. And although the CS bridge is ceramic, the neck is alnico V.

Dazza1004 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 29, 2006, 01:29:12 PM »

thanks guys,

I had heard that about the cs & ry necks being the same, pretty sure the cs is a bit cheaper.

I am tempted to buy another guitar just so I can stick a VHII in there, I've got it bad !!!

carlaz · « **Reply #4 on:** November 29, 2006, 02:16:48 PM »

Quote from: Philly Q

Just a bit of additional info, I'm 99% certain (well maybe 95%) that the RY and CS neck models are the same.

Aren't we overdue for that long-rumoured web site upgrade which will have more info about the bridge/neck stats and more official clips? :P

Philly Q · « **Reply #5 on:** November 29, 2006, 02:33:47 PM »

SSSSSHHHH, don't mention the site upgrade!

Looking forward to it though, neck pickup specs are rather shrouded in mystery. And it might finally settle some of those endless "does X have more upper mids than Y" debates....

Quote from: Dazza1004

I had heard that about the cs & ry necks being the same, pretty sure the cs is a bit cheaper.

I am tempted to buy another guitar just so I can stick a VHII in there, I've got it bad !!!

Good point, the CS is cheaper because it's not a signature model.

And I know what you mean about the VHII, I'm really interested in that pickup but I don't think it would suit most of my guitars. I was going to get VHIIs for my Strat, but I was playing it the other day and the Duncan humbuckers sound so harsh, I think maybe I should get Crawlers or even Abraxases (is that the correct plural? :? ) to warm it up.

carlaz · « **Reply #6 on:** November 29, 2006, 02:48:16 PM »

Quote from: Philly Q

I was going to get VHIIs for my Strat, but I was playing it the other day and the Duncan humbuckers sound so harsh, I think maybe I should get Crawlers or even Abraxases (is that the correct plural? :? ) to warm it up.

I've wondered about the plural of Abraxas, too, but (if I may betray some book-learnin' here!) since I believe term is drawn from Greek numerology, I suppose it would have been declined as a regular masculine a-stem (1st declension), so perhaps the plural should be "Abraxai". :)

Anyway .... yeah, Crawlers would certainly warm a Strat up nicely. I believe I recall the official web site description saying they had been voiced to sit well in either Strat or LP body types. I'm sure I've read people on the forum saying that they've had success with Abraxai :) in Strats, too, though I suppose it might depend more on the type of wood. An Abraxas will bring less mid-range with it than the Crawler ....

Philly Q · « **Reply #7 on:** November 29, 2006, 02:51:39 PM »

Quote from: carlaz

I've wondered about the plural of Abraxas, too, but (if I may betray some book-learnin' here!) since I believe term is drawn from Greek numerology, I suppose it would have been declined as a regular masculine a-stem (1st declension), so perhaps the plural should be "Abraxai". :)

Boffin!

Actually, I am very bloody impressed by that bit of knowledge, Carl m'man.

carlaz · « **Reply #8 on:** November 30, 2006, 09:52:27 AM »

Ah, well, I promise it's not so impressive as it seems! I was a grad student in a former life (before I got a 'Real Job' to support my food habit ;)) but in any case that comes close to exhausting my knowledge of Greek! :)

I dig "Abraxai" for a plural though. Pleasantly exotic looking. 8)

PhilKing · « **Reply #9 on:** November 30, 2006, 11:39:58 AM »

I just got a set with a Cold Sweat bridge and Painkiller neck for a Les Paul. These are both ceramic magnets (the Painkiller is the only ceramic magnet neck pickup in the BK range). I will fit them tonight, so if you can wait I will let you know how they sound.

Dazza1004 · « **Reply #10 on:** November 30, 2006, 11:54:00 AM »

please mate, thanks

PhilKing · « **Reply #11 on:** December 01, 2006, 11:28:29 AM »

OK, I didn't have much time to play last night, it was after 8 when I got home from work. I put the pickups in my goldtop and compared the sounds to my Emerald/Mule set in the Zematis copy.

Both the CS and PK will cut through a mix! This doesn't mean that they are hash sounding though, they just have a lot of mid and top in them. The Painkiller has a prodigous amount of bass too, but it is never overwhelming. The Cold Sweat has a bit more high mid. I could turn both of them down and get good clean tones, but even with them cranked there was a lot of clarity in both pickups.

Comparing with the Emerald/Mule, I could hear a bit of 'ceramic', however when you listen to them alone this doesn't come though. It is just that the A5/A4 combo is very organic.

My overall impression was that the sound was a lot more focused and contolled than with the alnico's. Pinch harmonics leap out at you (but to be fair, I can get them from the Emerald too with no problem). The bass is tight on both, but definately fuller on the Painkiller (though it is the neck pickup too).

Not sure of what you want in a Petrucci sound since Space Dye Vest is the only Dream Theatre track I listen to much.

Next week I can do a bit more of a compare, I will pull out the PRS with RY's and my other LP's with BK's to see where these fit in.

Dazza1004 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 01, 2006, 01:23:01 PM »

that would be great, thanks. I am really interested in how this sits with your rebel yell as this is my favorite bucker, it is my only BKP bucker however.

Thanks