Next please...neck pickup suggestions

[Ddbltrbl]

You might want to try the new BlackHawk set from BK. The balanced set have an Alnico V magnet in the Neck and 3 Ceramic magnets in the bridge, they are really awesome sounding!

I really like my Nailbombs as well! :guitarplayer2:

 

[Tipperman]

I'll say Nailbombs again... Anyone reading this, be you from the future or another planet, get yourself some BKPs. Nailbombs, Mules, Abraxas, you'll be satisfied regardless.

The Nailbombs are seriously rockin' pickups.  :guitarplayer2:  :headbang1:

 

[Patrick from Davis]

I've got a set of Nailbombs.  I have a set of Ken's Roadhouses, that are voiced similarly.  I like Ken's better.  There is more depth to them, and the neck pickup is way cool.  I am generally not a big neck pickup fan, but this one is very clear with a healthy does of slank to it, and ballsy like a neck pickup should be.  The Roadhouses also have a smoother sound to the upper mid, where the staticy/abrasive amp noise starts.  I think that the Roadhouses respond better to my style of playing with harder and softer picking to get the amp to do what I want.  They are very similar in tone, but Ken's just have a different Mojo, more depth for lack of a better description, that I like better.  And, he will put up with my descriptions of what sound I am after and make something from that.
Patrick

 

[Tipperman]

I've got a set of Nailbombs.  I have a set of Ken's Roadhouses, that are voiced similarly.  I like Ken's better.  There is more depth to them, and the neck pickup is way cool.  I am generally not a big neck pickup fan, but this one is very clear with a healthy does of slank to it, and ballsy like a neck pickup should be.  The Roadhouses also have a smoother sound to the upper mid, where the staticy/abrasive amp noise starts.  I think that the Roadhouses respond better to my style of playing with harder and softer picking to get the amp to do what I want.  They are very similar in tone, but Ken's just have a different Mojo, more depth for lack of a better description, that I like better.  And, he will put up with my descriptions of what sound I am after and make something from that.
Patrick

You guys are really making me want to buy some pickups from Ken. Think I'll ask him about strat pickups. Have you ever tried any of his single coils? I only do singles, so.... If anyone is reading this and has first hand experience with his strat or tele pups please let me know what you think of them.

 

[bagman67]

You guys are really making me want to buy some pickups from Ken. Think I'll ask him about strat pickups. Have you ever tried any of his single coils? I only do singles, so.... If anyone is reading this and has first hand experience with his strat or tele pups please let me know what you think of them.

I'm wildly pleased with Ken's P90's, so technically I can speak to his prowess winding single coils - but I haven't experienced his strat or tele offerings.

 

[Tipperman]

You guys are really making me want to buy some pickups from Ken. Think I'll ask him about strat pickups. Have you ever tried any of his single coils? I only do singles, so.... If anyone is reading this and has first hand experience with his strat or tele pups please let me know what you think of them.

I'm wildly pleased with Ken's P90's, so technically I can speak to his prowess winding single coils - but I haven't experienced his strat or tele offerings.

I see. I was considering an LP JR build eventually. Next up is a tele, but after that an LP JR with p90s. How would you describe them? Do they push the amp a little bit? Do they have that kind of "grit" to them, or are they clearer and clean? It seems everyone is extremely satisfied with Ken's pickups. Maybe I'll get them for the strat AND my squier tele. Now there's an idea!

 

[bagman67]

I would characterize them as very responsive:  they do to the amp what you do to the strings.  Hit the strings hard, and the amp feels it; back off, and the amp cleans up.  Banging away at it gives a very pleasing roots-rock snarl on an amp set for medium distortion.  This of course is based on an effects rig consisting of a 15-foot guitar cable, running into either a 100-watt Yamaha T100C tube combo running 6L6GT's, or a four-watt Vox tube combo running an EL84. Once  you put other crap in your signal chain, all bets are off; but I've also enjoyed the sounds I get running into some of the wetter patches on the Fender Mustang III.


Tonally, they are...well, they're what you hope for from P90's - fat without being sludgy, edgy without being shrill.

 

[Tipperman]

I would characterize them as very responsive:  they do to the amp what you do to the strings.  Hit the strings hard, and the amp feels it; back off, and the amp cleans up.  Banging away at it gives a very pleasing roots-rock snarl on an amp set for medium distortion.  This of course is based on an effects rig consisting of a 15-foot guitar cable, running into either a 100-watt Yamaha T100C tube combo running 6L6GT's, or a four-watt Vox tube combo running an EL84. Once  you put other crap in your signal chain, all bets are off; but I've also enjoyed the sounds I get running into some of the wetter patches on the Fender Mustang III.


Tonally, they are...well, they're what you hope for from P90's - fat without being sludgy, edgy without being shrill.

Thanks Bagman! I'm gonna have to check them out when I build a p90 based guitar. Your setup is a lot like mine, cord-length wise and tube wise, so that's nice and helpful. I appreciate it!

 

[Alfang]

I bought one of them $150 EVH Frankenstein pickups.

They have a lot of good reviews online.

And for good reason, It's a great humbucker ( to me of course) cleans up well when you want it to, has crunch, clarity, it's about the best ballanced pup I've tried.

I've tried the pearly gates too, and that's a great pup as well, probably any pup mentioned so far is gonna be good

 

[Ddbltrbl]

I would characterize them as very responsive:  they do to the amp what you do to the strings.  Hit the strings hard, and the amp feels it; back off, and the amp cleans up.  Banging away at it gives a very pleasing roots-rock snarl on an amp set for medium distortion.  This of course is based on an effects rig consisting of a 15-foot guitar cable, running into either a 100-watt Yamaha T100C tube combo running 6L6GT's, or a four-watt Vox tube combo running an EL84. Once  you put other crap in your signal chain, all bets are off; but I've also enjoyed the sounds I get running into some of the wetter patches on the Fender Mustang III.


Tonally, they are...well, they're what you hope for from P90's - fat without being sludgy, edgy without being shrill.

Bagman67 - How would you compare them to other P90 like TV Jones, BKs or any others? I'm thinking I need to try a pair. :icon_scratch:

 

[bagman67]

Bagman67 - How would you compare them to other P90 like TV Jones, BKs or any others? I'm thinking I need to try a pair. :icon_scratch:

Don't have any experience with TVJones (which I think is more of a Filtertron type pickup, yes?) nor with Bareknuckles.  I can say they compare favorably with the Genuine Article, i.e., Gibson P90's, which I happen to like pretty well in their own right.

 

[AutoBat]

as the owner of a 81X/85X set, mixing magnet types is awesome.

is a 81x and 85x set emg's?  aren't they both ceramic?  i dunno much about active pu's.  cheers
to finding something that works for you.  I am hoping my new set of bkp will end my quest...

The regular 81/85 are sold as a set (Zakk Wylde)
In either trim the 81 uses Ceramic & 85 uses AlNiCo V
I quite like them. I've never had an axe with active pups and hadn't played one before either.  They clean up surprisingly well. I thought they might be sterile and useful for metal-only stuff (think early megadeth & metallica).
I got the chrome covered version in lieu of the black synthetic covers.  For some reason you can get gold (or white or cream), but that's just crazy talk.

 

[keeper006]

I have a DiMarzio Tone Zone in the neck of one of mine with the same bridge pup you have and they go together great. The Tone Zone is deep and rich and jazzy alone and with both of them together I think it's the best 2 pup sound I have along with the SD Custom 5 and '59 combo in one of my others.

 

[KaiserSoze]

Thanks for the suggestions. Several I may try. I guess what I don't want to happen is to install another one and have it be very similar to the 59.  I'd like more tight in the bottom end and clarity, so I have some good choices

 

[ezas]

I just updated my pickup impressions for my new neck and bridge combo in my hum-hum thread.

Short version: I like the Alnico II much better in the Neck, and the Alnico V much better in the bridge.

 

[KaiserSoze]

At your urging, I contacted Ken at Roadhouse.  I like the idea of supporting a small builder rather than a large company, and jeez what a nice guy. 

I had a couple requests and he was happy to oblige, so I ordered a Triple Crown for the neck and am really looking forward to it.  I think it will be a great fit.  I'll update when I have spent some time with it.  Thanks again and thank you Ken,