Author Topic: Versatile 7-string pickup (Read 6809 times)

chavhunter · « **on:** May 15, 2007, 01:37:09 PM »

Hi everyone :)

Ive recently purchased a 7-string guitar (Ibanez RG1527) and Im looking to replace the stock pickups. This is the post I wrote on a sevenstring guitar forum:

"This is probably a impossible question to answer but basically Im looking for a 7-string pickup that does EVERYTHING. Maybe an exaggeration, but I play with such a varied style that I need very versatile pickups. Everything from full-gain heavy metal (Pantera, Killswitch Engage, All That Remains, Nevermore) to totally clean jazz, and everything in between. i do a lot of instrumental guitar work too (Satch/Vai type stuff). I play an Ibanez RG1527 which is basswood, and my favourite tone so far comes from my Les Paul with an EMG 81 on the bridge through a marshall valve amp with a load of extra pedals.

I know thats a lot to ask for but basically I'm going to want something with as hi-output as possible but will still go completely clean when it needs to. Does such a beast exist?"

Most people recommended Dimarzio evo7/blaze 7 and seymour duncan JB7s, but then I got this reply:

"As you're in England, maybe you should give Bareknuckle a call. Tim really knows his stuff and will almost certainly have a pickup to suit your needs. They don't list 7's on the website, but I believe they're a no cost/minimal cost option."

Any suggestions?
Cheers.

Crazy_Joe · « **Reply #1 on:** May 15, 2007, 01:42:10 PM »

Nailbomb

chavhunter · « **Reply #2 on:** May 15, 2007, 03:07:12 PM »

that thing goes clean? sound like a bit of a brute from what Ive read about it...

Crazy_Joe · « **Reply #3 on:** May 15, 2007, 03:27:58 PM »

Despite being called the Nailbomb and being a metal pickup, it's very versatile and capable of great cleans aswel as soaring metal.

Antag · « **Reply #4 on:** May 15, 2007, 03:30:33 PM »

Quote from: chavhunter

that thing goes clean? sound like a bit of a brute from what Ive read about it...

Nailbomb has a really sweet clean sound - it's pretty hot but not massively high output. It has lots of upper mids & top end which translates into a bright & clear clean sound. With high gain, it has a really organic, percussive dynamic kinda feel rather than super-saturated - I find myself wanting to hit the strings really hard :twisted: IMO Nailbomb has a nicer cleans than Miracle Man or Painkiller (can't comment on Warpig as I don't yet have one)

You can get a clean sound from any pickup but it might be overpoweringly loud, or not particularly dynamic, or lacking warmth if you use a super hot beastie. If you're using a single channel amp & rely on rolling back the guitar's volume to get clean, then it's going to be harder with a higher output pickup.

Somewhere in here is a post from Tim that says all BKPs are available in 7-string. IIRC it's no extra cost, but they are only available open-poled. Mail him if you can't find it...

chavhunter · « **Reply #5 on:** May 15, 2007, 04:07:15 PM »

cheers for that :) and at the moment im using a marshall TSL so going clean is no problem; it just doesnt work with EMGs very well.

I may well go for a set of nailbombs then, but i'll wait til Im sure of what else there is on offer.

ericsabbath · « **Reply #6 on:** May 15, 2007, 04:11:59 PM »

i think a regular warpig would sound great and massive

TomW · « **Reply #7 on:** May 15, 2007, 04:18:05 PM »

I also reccommend the nailbomb as it really is very versatile and sounds awesome. I have a marshall dsl100 which i think is the same as yours just with less channels and I love my nailbombs through it. :twisted:

Heres a clip of my nailbomb bridge through a marshall dsl100

http://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8147

MDV · « **Reply #8 on:** May 15, 2007, 04:52:57 PM »

Thats easy.

Crawlers.

They will do anything from metal to jazz. With aplomb.

gingataff · « **Reply #9 on:** May 15, 2007, 05:06:19 PM »

Quote from: chavhunter

that thing goes clean? sound like a bit of a brute from what Ive read about it...

Here's my clean Nailbomb clip: http://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6209

OD-Black_Fire · « **Reply #10 on:** May 15, 2007, 09:56:40 PM »

Warpig in the bridge, stormy monday in the neck?

chavhunter · « **Reply #11 on:** May 15, 2007, 11:37:18 PM »

thats a plan! who says I have to have the same pickup in each position? new plan: need a bridge pickup thats an absolute beast for distortion metal-guitar-riffs, and a neck pickup that sounds smooth for leads with distortion but will go totally clean when it needs to for jazz/classical/funk. including 4-conductor cable if possible, but thats just me being picky :p

Eric · « **Reply #12 on:** May 15, 2007, 11:39:51 PM »

You might want to try a War Pig in the bridge position and a Cold Sweat in the neck position.

OD-Black_Fire · « **Reply #13 on:** May 16, 2007, 12:01:55 AM »

Don't forget about coil splitting. A fat pickup that get spit (warpig) would probably still sound good split...

MDV · « **Reply #14 on:** May 16, 2007, 12:23:15 AM »

Unless you want a backed off humbucker sound on that pickup and dont really care about a single tone.

Parallel is an option, but its a different type of tone again.