Clean Humbucker

[Devon8822]

Im wondering what the best couple clean neck pickups are? most common, what most people would think are best for clean tones in the neck?

[Twinfan]

Mississippi Queen and Stormy Monday seem to be the favourites.

[hunter]

VHII does great cleans on the neck in HB mode and if it's split as well ...

[Antag]

Depends what bridge pickup you're combining it with - looking at each pickup in total isolation can lead to you having a strange combination that doesn't really work.

For example, I bought a pair of Sultans' (mid & neck) to pair with a Miracle Man bridge on my alder strat.  They're really sweet sounding pickups, but there's a HUGE jump in volume when flicking the selector to the bridge - it's so unbalanced as to render the bridge unusable on the clean channel if you've dialled in a nice sound for the mid/neck pickups.  If I could start again I'd get one of the stock HSS sets.

Stormy Monday may well have a lovely neck clean sound, but I'm not sure that it would combine well with a Ceramic 'Pig bridge :)

[Fourth Feline]

Mississippi Queen and Stormy Monday seem to be the favourites.

I agree with the above, the only proviso being that you consider what bridge pick up you will be matching it with and for what musical style etc.

I am a little predudiced as I have just spent the afternoon playing a matched set of Stormy Mondays at half volume with super clean settings on my amp.

Sweeeeet  :D

[Peter Antal]

Mule neck is also great, it's very close to Stormy Monday neck but has a different magnet.

[Fourth Feline]

Mule neck is also great, it's very close to Stormy Monday neck but has a different magnet.

- and Mules have a slight 'hump' in the mid frequencies. The Stormy Mondays have a flatter response curve across the neck.

Both sound very detailed and nice, but Mules sound more 'chewy' and very sympathetic/suited to the 'signature sound' of  Les Paul type guitar.

Stormy Mondays 'breathe' more and have a less focused bass end with an overall more open sound.

 :D

[CaffeineJunkie]

don't forget to include unpotted versions of these marvellous pickups

[Devon8822]

2 questions...

How is the cold sweat for cleans in the neck?

Whats BKPs best neck shred pickup?

[CaffeineJunkie]

^ cold sweat, dunno bout the cleans, apparently pretty good, especially when split

[Philly Q]

Whats BKPs best neck shred pickup?

Not speaking from personal experience, but everyone seems to say Cold Sweat.

[Devon8822]

Whats BKPs best neck shred pickup?

Not speaking from personal experience, but everyone seems to say Cold Sweat.

Ok, thats good news.

Can anyone tell me about the cleans, I mean oviously they will be fantastic because its a barenuckle, but is it one of the bets by BKPs? Hows it sound?

[I_cant_play]

the lower output BKPs like mule and SM will have a better clean sound but for a realatively high output neck pickup it has a very good clean. It is quite bassy and smooth sounding...to my ears..

[Antag]

How is the cold sweat for cleans in the neck?

Very nice IMO. i_c_p's "It is quite bassy and smooth sounding" sums it up nicely.  It has enough grunt to do lead work, but isn't overpowering.  It gets recommended because it's a fantastic all-rounder that you can match up with any of the 'contempory' BKPs.

Whats BKPs best neck shred pickup?

Painkiller.  The only ceramic neck pickup BKP make.  Very punchy, precise & LOUD.  But be warned, it's not a subtle pickup & while you can get cleans out of it (you can get a clean sound out of any pickup), it isn't a particularly warm or subtle clean sound :)

[Devon8822]

So comparing cold sweat neck and painkiller neck, what are some unique features of each. so cold sweat is smooth and bassy for cleans, what abotu for shred? and whata botu painkiller. These are good helpful responses Im getting im going to take the advice and also compare with any clips I can find.