Author Topic: Holy Diver Question (Read 5913 times)

zerolight · « **on:** January 12, 2007, 02:28:59 PM »

What's the eQ'ing on the holy diver like? I ask because I'm tempted to order a set but my guitar can be quite dark sounding thanks to the rosewood neck. As well as getting oodles of power for a great hi-gain tone, I'm looking for good definition between individual strings under hi-gain, and to brighten the tone of the guitar up a bit too. I also want to get good cleans. Tim suggested that the Holy Diver is similar to the Miracle Man, but with an Alnico, so I'm hoping it does the job.

Twinfan · « **Reply #1 on:** January 12, 2007, 03:16:01 PM »

From the tone you're after, I would have said Miracle Man. I'm guessing (like myself) that you don't like ceramic magnets though?

How about a Rebel Yell? I find them very bright and would be good clean?

zerolight · « **Reply #2 on:** January 12, 2007, 03:29:26 PM »

I don't like the RY.

I don't like ceramics.

I do like the Miracle Man, but i wanted that type of tone that cleans up well with an Alnico... Tim suggested Holy Diver. Every clip I've heard confirms that diagnosis, except that Antag keeps saying they're dark. They don't sound dark to me from the clips, but he's playing them in a maple bodied ESP which is bound to be bright anyway... so I started thinking are they darkening his bright guitar, in which case they might darken my dark guitar. Then again, maybe McCarty Pups are just dark anyway.

_tom_ · « **Reply #3 on:** January 12, 2007, 03:32:09 PM »

How about a VHII? Sounded nice and bright (but not harsh) to me in the PRS at Music Live a couple of years ago even when the amp wasnt cranked.

Antag · « **Reply #4 on:** January 12, 2007, 03:45:01 PM »

If I've used the word "dark", I meant it relatively. I've never come across a BKP that lacked definition or top end "sparkle" - I doubt Tim even knows how to make a dead/muddy pickup :)

I find that the HD bridge has a really fat midrange to it - particularly low mids. It's a very thick, full sound that drives the amp hard - there's also plenty of output :twisted: However it also has a wonderful clean sound - really smooth & warm, yet still bright.

Compared to the MM, I think it has more mids, but not as much low end & slightly less output. To my ears MM sounds "harder" but not as nice clean, the HD has this heavy raunchy punchy midrange & is much warmer & smoother clean. Single note riffs & ringing chords sound HUGE with the HD.

The HD neck is a different beast altogether & seems to compliment the bridge with really bright lively cleans. Tim described it to me as "DC7.8K alnico V, it's very clean and clear, a very precise tone. In comparison to a VHII it's not as warm and not quite so powerful." which sums it up nicely - it wouldn't be my first choice as a neck pickup to play high gain solos on (Cold Sweat rules for that) but it IS my preferred neck humbucker for cleans.

Hope this helps :)

Antag · « **Reply #5 on:** January 12, 2007, 04:23:54 PM »

Quote from: zerolight

They don't sound dark to me from the clips, but he's playing them in a maple bodied ESP which is bound to be bright anyway

You might be confusing me with Twilight here :)

I have HDs in 3 guitars:
Jackson RR1T (maple thru-neck, alder body wings) - HD set
Gibson Les Paul (mahogany set neck, mahogany body w/maple top) - HD set
Warmoth strat (maple bolt-on neck, korina body) - HD/Irish Tour HSS set

Just had a look back at previous posts I made on the HD (yes, that's a fair proportion of my post count :lol:) - when I used the word "dark" in a recent thread, I meant it in the musical sense (i.e. dark, menacing, heavy riffs). Tonally, I mean dark as in "the mids thicken up the tone" rather than "lack of high end". Poor choice of words, apologies for any confusion... :)

Quote from: zerolight

Then again, maybe McCarty Pups are just dark anyway.

FWIW, I just looked at the PRS site. I've never tried McArthy pickups, but they describe them as darker than the HFS & the Dragon II (both of which I HAVE tried) - IMO the HD has at least as much top end as either of those pickups.

zerolight · « **Reply #6 on:** January 12, 2007, 07:04:53 PM »

Cool. I'm now starting to wonder if I should go the whole hog and get the not so clean friendly MMs instead? It'd certainly put to bed my temptations to pick up the oh-so-cheap EMG Zakk Wylde kit...

Then again, I do love my 80s Hard Rock with a dose of extra gain... which points to the HDs again.

Crazy_Joe · « **Reply #7 on:** January 12, 2007, 07:41:13 PM »

Get the Holy Divers, if Antag's clips are anything to go by then they can definatley go as extreme as the MM's.

JamesHealey · « **Reply #8 on:** January 12, 2007, 08:00:57 PM »

you could play death metal on a mule if u tuned down, had a high gain amp and hit it hard enough..

so yea the HolyDiver which is a high output pickup will fine for metal and i think it'd be an excellent choice for you.

zerolight · « **Reply #9 on:** January 12, 2007, 09:15:41 PM »

Cheers. I just sold a camera lens that I've not been using much, via eBay. So that's nets me more than I need to order a set of HDs.

G.

zerolight · « **Reply #10 on:** January 13, 2007, 03:18:06 PM »

So what would be a nice neck pickup to go with the HD bridge. I was thinking perhaps a Mule?

indysmith · « **Reply #11 on:** January 13, 2007, 04:16:28 PM »

i'd definately get a calibrated set of HD's if i were you. They will be wound to work perfectly together, and from Tim's description above it sounds quite Mule-like, and sweet.

zerolight · « **Reply #12 on:** January 13, 2007, 05:00:21 PM »

Yep. Tim agrees. I'm ordering next week.

zerolight · « **Reply #13 on:** January 14, 2007, 09:48:21 PM »

Ordered via Axiomatic to save some pennies. My PRS is hanging on the wall, pickup-less as I type.

Eric · « **Reply #14 on:** January 14, 2007, 10:50:08 PM »

Waiting for new gear is always brutal. You have my sympathy.