Author Topic: Warpig, Nailbomb, Painkiller, MM - Whats the Difference? (Read 5696 times)

steeldragon_mark · « **on:** February 18, 2007, 11:30:10 PM »

I have been a Bareknuckle user for 3 years now with my warpig equiped Les Paul.
However, over the last few years I have, to my shame, not been following Tims work and as a consequence when I recently logged on to the site found a few changes.
Firstly a FORUM! fantastic!
Secondly some new pickup models. Fantastic again!!
But I feel left out.....
Can someone please tell me the differences between the Nailbomb, Painkiller, MM, Warpig and Ceramic Warpig (don't think mine are ceramic)?
I play through a Mesa Dual Rec and my sound is somewhere between Mark Tremonti, Zakk Wilde and those guys from Soilwork.
Should I be trying out these new pups?
Cheers

BloodMountain · « **Reply #1 on:** February 19, 2007, 08:43:10 AM »

they're all different
Warpig: very heavy, alnico 5 magnet, fairly dark, organic sounding, over the top output...... etc. you know this because you have one.
MM: this is a tight Ceramic compressed sounding pickup, great for thrash. the name comes from a song by Zakk i think.
Nailbomb: Alnico 5 magnet, slightly dark like the Warpig, organic sounding, but not as much gain and apparently does good cleans. it is said here to be the most versatile BKP: from crystal cleans to heavy Death Metal.
Ceramic Warpig: because it uses a Ceramic magnet, it takes the Warpig, brightens it up and adds more bite, more gain and slightly more compressed. it is less organic sounding than the Warpig however.

i don't know about the PK, can someone add to this please?

i think you have chosen the right pickup for somewhere in between those bands that you mentioned: i love Zakk Wylde's tone and Soilwork's! Maybe the MM or CWP may be a thought for trying things out. they are better for a tight thrash sound, but will do ZW fine IMO.

hope this helps,
BM

maliciousteve · « **Reply #2 on:** February 19, 2007, 10:10:52 AM »

the Painkiller is the pickup with the most mids. The tightest bass responce and has a biting treble that never gets harsh, just right. Very open sounding pickup in my opinion.

ericsabbath · « **Reply #3 on:** February 19, 2007, 07:07:27 PM »

ahm... :roll:

soilwork = emg 85 -> alnico warpig
zakk wylde = emg 81 -> miracle man
tremonti = prs tremonti treble -> gibson 500t -> painkiller :idea:

BloodMountain · « **Reply #4 on:** February 19, 2007, 08:03:16 PM »

Quote from: Eric Hellstyle

ahm... :roll:

soilwork = emg 85 -> alnico warpig
zakk wylde = emg 81 -> miracle man
tremonti = prs tremonti treble -> gibson 500t -> painkiller :idea:

yeah, the A5 warpig isn't tight enough for Zakk's tone.

JoshuaLogan · « **Reply #5 on:** February 20, 2007, 10:02:47 AM »

how do the miracle man and the ceramic warpig compare in tightness? which is tighter? or are they about the same?

MDV · « **Reply #6 on:** February 20, 2007, 05:32:46 PM »

The A5 pig certainly is tight enough.

The miracle man is a shade tighter than the CWP

And I'd say the ceramic warpig is closest to the 81: its more compressed, still has loads of highs and is about the same gain level, where the MM is a fair bit less.

ericsabbath · « **Reply #7 on:** February 20, 2007, 06:10:11 PM »

i think miracle man has more of 81 tone, cause they both lack mids
cwp seems to sound a lot fuller than 81 (but i still prefer miracle man)

i wanna hear an alnico miracle man :/

painkiller specs and sound are similar to duncan distortion and gibson 500t
so if duncan jb and distortion have the same winding, an alnico painkiller would be close to holy diver? :roll:

steeldragon_mark · « **Reply #8 on:** February 20, 2007, 07:40:08 PM »

Thanks everyone for your replies.
I think I am still onto a winner with my A5 warpig but having read your comments I may try a nailbomb or 2 in my next guitar.
Cheers again for all your help.
Mark

OD-Black_Fire · « **Reply #9 on:** February 20, 2007, 11:10:37 PM »

Some of you have no idea what you are talking about. The EMG 81 is ALL MID RANGE. It has a reduced amount of bass so you can pull out more midrange. The reduced bass is also more controlled and tighter.

The EMG 81 has a lot of mids.

ericsabbath · « **Reply #10 on:** February 21, 2007, 02:09:36 AM »

except for duncan '59 and bill lawrence l-500xl, emg 81 was the most scooped pickup i had in my guitars
i don't think it has reduced bass, just less low mids

BloodMountain · « **Reply #11 on:** February 21, 2007, 11:53:38 AM »

Quote from: Eric Hellstyle

except for duncan '59 and bill lawrence l-500xl, emg 81 was the most scooped pickup i had in my guitars
i don't think it has reduced bass, just less low mids

haha i guess you haven't tries the Dimebucker then..... scooped to HELL!!
i suppose the BL is roughly the same though....

MDV · « **Reply #12 on:** February 21, 2007, 06:09:15 PM »

Yeah, 81s are very midrangy.

They have very high highs and very low lows too which might confuse ears a little, I dunno, but theres a ton of mids there.

ericsabbath · « **Reply #13 on:** February 21, 2007, 08:21:38 PM »

not enough to my ears
emg 85 is like 2x the mids of 81
when i think of a middy pickup, i think of JB
duncan custom, distortion, tone zone and gibson 500t have a lot more mids than emg 81

ericsabbath · « **Reply #14 on:** February 22, 2007, 06:58:09 AM »

Quote from: BLOODMOUNTAIN

haha i guess you haven't tries the Dimebucker then..... scooped to HELL!!
i suppose the BL is roughly the same though....

never tried dimebucker, but judging by clips and comparisons with L500XL, dimebucker sounds fuller and has more low mids
BL is a great hard rock pickup, but it's kinda thinny next to most high output pickups
lawrence voicing, output and tone is between duncan screamin demon and duncan custom
thicker bass than screamin demon and less balanced than custom
very clear pickup and cuts through the mix very well

Author Topic: Warpig, Nailbomb, Painkiller, MM - Whats the Difference? (Read 5696 times)

maliciousteve