Last Question:BK Painkiller vs BK Coldsweat vs Anderson HN3

[HELSTRUME]

These three seem to have what I want. Tight low side bass, with good treble and high mids. Whats the differences in the three? They would be going into an Alder Strat. And of course the Suhr Aldrich is still on the table

 

[Ventura]

These three seem to have what I want. Tight low side bass, with good treble and high mids. Whats the differences in the three? They would be going into an Alder Strat. And of course the Suhr Aldrich is still on the table

First off, what kinda music are you playing?? That's kinda critical. I own various BKP's and love 'em all for their specific applications. If in doubt, and literally the EOM of this thread, email Tim Mills from BKP and he'll professionally guide you to the right choice.

Tim knows his tones, woods, styles and amps. Good shit that guy!

V.

 

[glpg80]

i havent played the HN3, but i have played the H3. that pickup was always clear and clean no matter where you were on the neck - it always cut like nothing else and with the volume rolled back on your guitar it also cleaned up amazing as well. a very dynamic pickup and overall very balanced - although it had less sustain compared to a wolfgang bridge pickup.

with a boost in front of your guitar i no doubt would choose the Anderson.

if you didnt care about rolling your volume back, owning a pickup with alot of dynamics, or you prefer that overwound PAF tone, go for the aldrich.

cant speak for the BK's because i havent played them, however i spent alot of time comparing their sound clips and although they have alot of different options, they didnt create anything i thought deserved the pricetag and/or sounded any better than what dimarzio or seymour duncan offers. just my honest opinion.

 

[JakeAC5253]

cant speak for the BK's because i havent played them, however i spent alot of time comparing their sound clips and although they have alot of different options, they didnt create anything i thought deserved the pricetag and/or sounded any better than what dimarzio or seymour duncan offers. just my honest opinion.

+1

While I do agree, better is so subjective.

I've heard DI comparisons (DI means no amp effect or speaker coloration) from someone on here of various BKP's compared to Duncan's and there is quite a nominal difference. The BKP's seemed wide band while the Duncans were mid focused. It was like the difference between the engine of a Shelby Cobra compared to a Toyota Corolla. If anyone is wondering if there is a difference for the money you pay, there pretty goddamn well is. If someone is wondering if that difference will make a difference for the better, they'll have to decide that for themselves.

 

[HELSTRUME]

i havent played the HN3, but i have played the H3. that pickup was always clear and clean no matter where you were on the neck - it always cut like nothing else and with the volume rolled back on your guitar it also cleaned up amazing as well. a very dynamic pickup and overall very balanced - although it had less sustain compared to a wolfgang bridge pickup.

with a boost in front of your guitar i no doubt would choose the Anderson.

if you didnt care about rolling your volume back, owning a pickup with alot of dynamics, or you prefer that overwound PAF tone, go for the aldrich.

cant speak for the BK's because i havent played them, however i spent alot of time comparing their sound clips and although they have alot of different options, they didnt create anything i thought deserved the pricetag and/or sounded any better than what dimarzio or seymour duncan offers. just my honest opinion.

Yea, I don't care about cleans or a lot of dynamics. I was told that Anderson had more compression, less dynamics.

 

[HELSTRUME]

These three seem to have what I want. Tight low side bass, with good treble and high mids. Whats the differences in the three? They would be going into an Alder Strat. And of course the Suhr Aldrich is still on the table

First off, what kinda music are you playing?? That's kinda critical. I own various BKP's and love 'em all for their specific applications. If in doubt, and literally the EOM of this thread, email Tim Mills from BKP and he'll professionally guide you to the right choice.

Tim knows his tones, woods, styles and amps. Good shit that guy!

V.

Hard rock to metal. I'll give em a call.

 

[glpg80]

Anderson pickups compressed and no dynamics? i dunno who told you that but Anderson's H3 pickup was the exact opposite of that. not compressed at all but very balanced - the increase in your volume pot gave more of the character of the pickup into the amplifier - not just adding compression on top of your tone or playing.

its also stupid dynamic - very responsive to your volume controls on your guitar.

if anything i would say the aldrich lacks dynamics and is the compressed pickup. IMHO out of what you seem to be looking for id go with the aldrich out of all three.

 

[HELSTRUME]

Anderson pickups compressed and no dynamics? i dunno who told you that but Anderson's H3 pickup was the exact opposite of that. not compressed at all but very balanced - the increase in your volume pot gave more of the character of the pickup into the amplifier - not just adding compression on top of your tone or playing.

its also stupid dynamic - very responsive to your volume controls on your guitar.

if anything i would say the aldrich lacks dynamics and is the compressed pickup. IMHO out of what you seem to be looking for id go with the aldrich out of all three.

I was told the HN line used a different mag then the rest of the line. So it sounded different. Guess i'll give em a call, and find out.

 

[HELSTRUME]

You were right 80, not compressed. Tom said it was very tight, and very defined, but not compressed.

 

[glpg80]

You were right 80, not compressed. Tom said it was very tight, and very defined, but not compressed.

 

[HELSTRUME]

Thanks man

 

[glpg80]

Thanks man

no problem. my problem with the H3 is that although it sounds the best out of alot of the pickups i have played, it just does not have enough "umph" behind the notes - it needs just a tiny bit more. just isnt quite there.

if you go to an H3+ you lose what makes the H3 great with its clarity and defined character - what i hear on youtube compared to the H3 and H3+ arent adding what you would think it would add or needs. personal opinion here.

if i could have a boost on of some sort at all times to increase the sustain of the H3 without changing the pickups character ill get an H3 sometime. but with an aldrich you dont need anything - sustain and compression for days and very very articulate. its one hell of a metal style pickup

anyways ill STFU now and quit bumping this topic

 

[Mr. Willy]

The HN3 is very focused in the upper mids, whereas other Andersons are more focused in the lower mids, at least to my ears. It's a very detailed and Hi-Fi sounding pickup as the Andersons are. I've had the HN3, HN3+, and the H2+. The H2+ is my favorite by far.

 

[HELSTRUME]

So many choices, and not enough money to try them all lol. Thanks guys, I'll probably give the Aldrich the first try, and go from there.

 

[parntz145]

I play a lot of metal and just bought the BK Nailbomb set. I have them is a Les Paul and they sound great. Well worth the money. The Aldrich set is anotehr fave of mine. If you dont want to lay out that kind of cash theres nothing wrong with a good ole Duncan JB or Distortion. I agree that a lot of these expensive pickups out there are not worth the money, but there are a few that sound great.

 

[fearhk213]

I play a lot of metal and just bought the BK Nailbomb set. I have them is a Les Paul and they sound great. Well worth the money. The Aldrich set is anotehr fave of mine. If you dont want to lay out that kind of cash theres nothing wrong with a good ole Duncan JB or Distortion. I agree that a lot of these expensive pickups out there are not worth the money, but there are a few that sound great.

Not to derail the thread, but anyway you could expound on the differences between the the Aldrich & Nailbomb? I'm familiar with the Aldrich, but I've never played the alnico Nailbombs.

 

[billm408]

So many choices, and not enough money to try them all lol. Thanks guys, I'll probably give the Aldrich the first try, and go from there.

I was in the same boat as you and just dropped a set of Aldrich's in an LP this weekend. No regrets at all. In my limited time with it, the Aldrich is punchy, cleans up well and is very dynamic in both neck and bridge. It's fairly hot, but not extremely high output so it maintains a classic feel to it. In the end, I pulled the trigger on the Aldrich because I could get them fast and they're less expensive. I may still order the Aftermath, but right now I'm real happy with these.

 

[HELSTRUME]

I emailed BK, and they said they will have an all new website Jan 4th. Tone charts and everything.