Nailbomb for me?

[cam_rock]

Hey guys,

I finally got an ENGL Screamer today, and it's GORGEOUS. Anyways, now I've got my amp, I can better assess my needs pickup-wise (the stocks on my Schecter C-1 plus are very muddy). The amp is gorgeous, but obviously being EL34 based, it's got a lot of punch in the mids and sounds quite bright, whereas the guitar itself is very bassy.

The stock bridge pickup in my Schecter is based on the SD JB. I looked on their site, and their estimated EQ is bass-5, mid-6, treble-8. This, mixed with the bright and middy ENGL, makes my tone very fizzy and harsh. However, the Schecter IS a bassy guitar so I don't want to overcompensate TOO much.

I guess I'm looking for something that you could estimate the EQ at around 7ish on the bass, 6ish on the mids, and around 5-6 on the treble... Obviously I'm not looking for an uber-bassy sound, but I feel somewhere in the middle is needed to balance out the brightness of the amp and the fizziness and treble-oriented nature of the pickup.

Here's what I'm after:

- Aggressive, hot and loud rather than really gainy and saturated.
- Open, not compressed sounding.
- Lots of low-mid. Fair amount of bass, not too much upper mids and trebs, but obviously they gotta be tight.
- Lots of clarity, no muddiness whatsoever.



I think the Nailbomb's what I'm after, but I'm not sure if it has too much mids for me? Thanks.

[indysmith]

I'd say you're after an AV Warpig

[FELINEGUITARS]

Holy Diver is another good choice there

[jimmy_fowler]

Thanks for the replies guys, any one else agree?

If a comparison would help, I tried out some EMGs the other day. I liked the 81 for the way palm-mutes just jumped off the fretboard. I loved how clear and tight and focused they sounded, but I found them too compressed sounding, not wide or open enough, and far too middy. So an EMG 81 with less gain and compression, more low mids and bass, and a lot wider sounding... I guess is another way of describing what I want...

[Catalyst77]

I'm pretty simliar to you in that I like punchy mids and god bottom end with open sounding pickups rather than compressed/focused sounds.

I think if youve got load of gain on the amp, i'd consider getting something a little less powerful in the pick up area, maybe something from the vintage hot section.  I find (although i may be wrong) that more often than not hotter pickups will compress the sound more.

[cam_rock]

That's exactly what I thought... The Screamer is pretty gainy so I don't want to go overboard gain-wise... Don't know what to go for though...! Hopefully someone will be able to point me in the right direction!  :D

[Oli]

I just recently swapped my SD JB out for a Nailbomb, and couldn't be happier- more aggressive tone, more articulate and a much better clean... so i'd vote for the Nailbomb :)

[steve]

VHII gets my vote.

[MDV]

Thanks for the replies guys, any one else agree?

If a comparison would help, I tried out some EMGs the other day. I liked the 81 for the way palm-mutes just jumped off the fretboard. I loved how clear and tight and focused they sounded, but I found them too compressed sounding, not wide or open enough, and far too middy. So an EMG 81 with less gain and compression, more low mids and bass, and a lot wider sounding... I guess is another way of describing what I want...

For my money you just described a Miracle Man.

[Catalyst77]

I'd have to disagree there, I had a set of MM's and I hated them, not because they werent any good, but because they were the complete opposite of what i wanted.

They are a pretty focused type of pickup, quite compressed and  not very open sounding at all.  

I guess it depends what type of music you want to play.  If you want to sound like metallica/Zakk Wylde, then go for the Miracle Mans.

[MDV]

I too have miracle men, I've had a total of 3 bridge versions, and I've had EMGs. I based what I said on the reference point that Jimmy gave us of what he thinks of EMGs. Given that, I think MMs will be great for him. They're a lot less compressed than EMGs, they have more bass, plenty of low mids but overall much less mids, and are bigger and more natural sounding.

[Catalyst77]

Each to his own I guess, otherwise we'd all be playing the same stuff with the same pickups!

[cam_rock]

Thanks for the replies so far guys, it's so much appreciated. It's so hard to choose without being able to try, and it's pretty hard to accurately describe the tone I want.

With the Miracle Man, how bassy is it? Because although I'd like more bass, I don't want an ostensibly bassy pickup, because my guitar itself is quite bassy. Mids and low mids are where I want the focus, but with ample bass, and less treble.

In terms of the compression and gain thing, I find it hard to discern the difference sometimes. In terms of the EMGs, I liked how tight and focused they sounded, especially when palm-muting; the way every note was defined and articulated and clear. However, what I did not like was how it sounded unbelievably gainy but very narrow. Is that compression? If so, will the Miracle Man give me the clarity and definition I want without being compressed?

Thanks again.

[cam_rock]

Just heard Johnny Mac's MM clip:

http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1341

That is gorgeous! Is that a fair representation of the bridge position MM? Also, if Johnny is reading, what neck pickup did you use? That was amazing too. Perfect clip!

[MDV]

Yeah, cam, thats pretty MM.

Thats not the sound I play em with (I'll give you a clue: one of mine is 23k and double screw pole for more low end  :twisted: ) but that tone there will fall right out of it