Warpig or Painkiller

[WraithChild]

Hey guys, I don't get on here much but I just got me one of the newer Jackson RR24's and immediately want to replace the EMG bridge pickup 'cause every pickup I play now sounds like ass compared to my Nailbomb in my other guitar.

I'm swinging between the Warpig and Painkiller. I want something heavy but not too too heavy 'cause I still want to retain an organic tone of my equipment. Just by looking at the DC resistance I can already say i'm leaning toward the Painkiller more but you never know. If anyone has any good clips for me to listen too then that would be great! Or if anyone has any opinions that would be great too! Don't worry i'll be searching through older threads for clips also. Thanks a lot!

[ailean]

There was a thread on here recently about how the Warpig is underrated in terms of it's versatility, I've not used on myself (unfortunately), but I don't think Tim makes a pickup that loses it's organic tones.

[ericsabbath]

warpig sounds more organic to me
painkiller is tighter and more aggressive

[Neemo]

I'm torn between these two myself as well. I should be recieving my new alder-body custom shop guitar any week now and I ordered it with an emg81 but I'm going to replace it with a bkp. I always loved the guitar tone in the main riff of Sad but true, so crushing. I'm using a Mesa Quad preamp (mark IIC/III). I want a tight but ballsy bass response, can't make up my mind which one would be more fitting. Any help?

ps. oh and the cleans don't matter at all

[ericsabbath]

I'm torn between these two myself as well. I should be recieving my new alder-body custom shop guitar any week now and I ordered it with an emg81 but I'm going to replace it with a bkp. I always loved the guitar tone in the main riff of Sad but true, so crushing. I'm using a Mesa Quad preamp (mark IIC/III). I want a tight but ballsy bass response, can't make up my mind which one would be more fitting. Any help?

ps. oh and the cleans don't matter at all

pk will give a lot more density and more cut

[WraithChild]

I recently heard a comparison between a Miracle Man, Holy Diver, and Painkiller. I totally love the Miracle Man and think that will be my first choice.

[The Emperor]

The nailbomb pickup is awesome indeed. I have a MM and it has more bass and gain then the nailbomb but slightly more compressed. I have it in a jackson alder body neckthru guitar


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[ericsabbath]

I recently heard a comparison between a Miracle Man, Holy Diver, and Painkiller. I totally love the Miracle Man and think that will be my first choice.

if you're talking about antag's clips, you must consider that the miracle man is in a big mahogany guitar and others were in alder or korina

if you put the MM in a jackson (alder?) it will sound a lot thinner compared to the painkiller
more mids mids will give you more meat

[bobthemerciful]

I have a Warpig in my Stagemaster 7 (alder body, maple neck). Does crushingly heavy very well, but with great definition. It also cleans up very nicely if you back the volume off a bit. I do sometimes forget how powerful it is, unless someone uses my amp after me at a jam I go to often, and generally they are half the volume on the clean channel. I do have a clip recorded but thats at home. I'll try and post it when I get home. painkiller is a damn good pickup too, but I think the warpig is a bit more "organic" meself.

[fps_dean]

Maybe a Holy Diver even... but since you got Nailbombs, why not Painkillers?  I think they'd give you good variations.

[Stevepage]

Painkiller deffinatly. It would work well in the RR

[MDV]

Well, having the PK and the WP I think the WP is the more organic of the the two by quite a way, even with its greater output.

Short list of characteristics:
PK: Chunky, tight as hell, crisp, crunchy mid range, biting highs that level out the mids very nicely, but dont get anywhere near the scream of a miracle man. Modestly powerfull, but it gains push and cuts from its superb mids. Really great thrash rhythm pickup.

WP: Fatter, smoother, heavier, growlier, not as tight (but still very tight by conventional pickup standards). Its a warmer sounding pickup and its quite a bit more powerfull. More compressed. Somewhat more 'liquid' in the high end for leads but its got plenty of definition. Its got a huge low end and quite even mid, bar maybe a touch of additional low mids to give it its growl. Highs are very balanced: this is a heavy pickup, but never a muddy one. Much more versatile, you can use this for any flavour of heavy music and quite a few non-heavy ones.

Edit: personally, I love the painkiller. It does what it does brilliantly. But with it having a more specific sound (ultra-tight, middy, permanently agressive) I'd sway toward the pig for its ability to do many more sounds with authority.