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Author Topic: Pickup For A Bright Guitar/Bright Amp?  (Read 3210 times)

se7en

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Pickup For A Bright Guitar/Bright Amp?
« on: May 12, 2007, 09:52:47 PM »
Hi, this is my first post. I am looking for a pickup (Bare Knuckle, or otherwise) that will compliment an Alder bodied ESP (bright guitar) and a Soldano SLO (bright amp). Currently I'm using a Duncan JB, but am finding it to be too bright for my tastes, with little low end and a shrill high end. I'm looking for something that is a little smoother on the high end and has good tight low end, without being muddy.

Sailor Charon

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Re: Pickup For A Bright Guitar/Bright Amp?
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2007, 10:02:48 PM »
Quote from: se7en
Hi, this is my first post. I am looking for a pickup (Bare Knuckle, or otherwise) that will compliment an Alder bodied ESP (bright guitar) and a Soldano SLO (bright amp). Currently I'm using a Duncan JB, but am finding it to be too bright for my tastes, with little low end and a shrill high end. I'm looking for something that is a little smoother on the high end and has good tight low end, without being muddy.

Hmmm...
Warpigs are probably overkill, Painkillers have a fair amount of top end, Cold Sweats or Nailbombs?

MDV

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Pickup For A Bright Guitar/Bright Amp?
« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2007, 10:08:06 PM »
cold sweats are pretty bright.

I'd say nailbomb or maybe holy diver.

se7en

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Pickup For A Bright Guitar/Bright Amp?
« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2007, 03:06:08 PM »
I didn't realize how expensive these pickups were when I posted. Any alternatives that are under 100 dollars?

Peter Antal

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Pickup For A Bright Guitar/Bright Amp?
« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2007, 04:16:14 PM »
If you'd like a warmer alternative to the JB with a similar price tag, you could check out the Dimarzio Air Zone, or maybe the Norton but I haven't tried the latter one.

_tom_

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Pickup For A Bright Guitar/Bright Amp?
« Reply #5 on: May 13, 2007, 04:37:45 PM »
Duncan Custom Custom seems to be quite a warm, round pickup.. I didnt like it at all in my Charvel (basswood body, maple neck) but it sounds ok in my strat copy (no idea what wood that is)

Antag

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Pickup For A Bright Guitar/Bright Amp?
« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2007, 04:57:21 PM »
Quote from: se7en
I didn't realize how expensive these pickups were when I posted. Any alternatives that are under 100 dollars?

Not by BKP.  The current exchange rate makes them expensive to buy in the US at the moment, but to a certain extent you get what you pay for.

FWIW, I would have recommended Holy Diver.  It's sensational in alder, totally transformed my Jackson RR1T (a bright guitar by any standards).   but now it's a moot point :)
BKPs: HD, MM, NB, PK, CS, Ab (b&n); Am (b only); VHII, Tril (n only); IT, Slow, Sult (m&n)

MDV

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Pickup For A Bright Guitar/Bright Amp?
« Reply #7 on: May 13, 2007, 05:04:01 PM »
Since you ask, swinsehead and kent armstrong are much cheaper (about half the price of BK) and sound great (not as good, or at least I dont think so and wouldnt have 1 set of SH and just one KA pickup to my four sets of BKs). Go for a SH warthog.

ProjectX

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Pickup For A Bright Guitar/Bright Amp?
« Reply #8 on: May 13, 2007, 05:13:23 PM »
Quote from: Antag
Quote from: se7en
I didn't realize how expensive these pickups were when I posted. Any alternatives that are under 100 dollars?

Not by BKP.  The current exchange rate makes them expensive to buy in the US at the moment, but to a certain extent you get what you pay for.

FWIW, I would have recommended Holy Diver.  It's sensational in alder, totally transformed my Jackson RR1T (a bright guitar by any standards).   but now it's a moot point :)
It sounds killer in mahogany too.

dave_mc

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Pickup For A Bright Guitar/Bright Amp?
« Reply #9 on: May 13, 2007, 08:44:03 PM »
Quote from: MDV
Since you ask, swinsehead and kent armstrong are much cheaper (about half the price of BK) and sound great (not as good, or at least I dont think so and wouldnt have 1 set of SH and just one KA pickup to my four sets of BKs). Go for a SH warthog.


problem with the exchange rate with BKP affects swineys too... not as much as they're cheaper to start with, but they're still dearer than you expect when you do the conversion...

if value/cheapness (since they aren't necessarily the same thing) is what really concerns you, and you are in the USA, you probably want to look into USA-made pickups...

a bunch of guys from the USA here will tell you the BKP's are worth it, though, I wager... of course it's up to you what you do.

:drink:

se7en

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Pickup For A Bright Guitar/Bright Amp?
« Reply #10 on: May 14, 2007, 12:37:24 AM »
I'm sure many will tell me that BKP are worth it and they seem like very intelligent reccomendations/people. It's just hard for me to justify 200 dollars for a pickup I can't hear myself...With Seymour Duncan, I can listen to samples on their website and I know that I like what I hear when I listen to the Duncan Custom model and it's only 70 bucks (and I could buy 3 pickups for the price of one BK)...but, then again, there are plenty of variables that aren't accounted for in any sound clip like guitar wood, amp, etc. The reviews on the BKP are encouraging, though. I'm going to look for some sound clips and re-evaluate this further. Right now I am leaning towards a Duncan Custom and a lil '59 in the neck.

EDIT: found some sound clips on the forums....yeah, BKP sound pretty killer...this is going to make it even tougher to decide. :?  :)