MCP Angel Dust vs. BKP Rebel Yell (Alder/Maple Bolt)

[metalmaniac93]

Does anyone have any experience with both of these pickups for medium to high gain applications in an Alder strat type guitar for 80s metal and some of the heavier stuff like thrash? I was orginally going to go with the BKP RY's for this guitar, but settled on the BKP HDs because I thought the RY would be too bright. Struggling with the sound of the Holy Divers played thru an Engl Savage 120. It is way too bassy/lo-middy for the Engl and my Shiva (EL-34). I do have a Cameron CCV coming, but I might fear that it will be too bassy/low mid for even the CCV. I have heard great things about the MCP Angel Dust and the RY. I actually played the RY through my rig and loved it, but it was in a mahogany bodied/maple top set-neck guitar. It was clear and open for rhythm work and handled the heavy gain of the Engl very well with the leads actually sounding very good. I would really like to support Wade and buy his pickups over the BKPs since I am orignally from the Detroit area. I did order a MCP Detroiter from Jerry at Luxxtone and cannot wait to put it in my old 80s Kramer Baretta.

 

[Erock]

before you give up on the HD's, have you tried adjusting the height? They can get pretty close to the strings for a high gainer without noticeably affecting sustain/intonation, being an A5 compared to ceramic. I actually like them pretty close. Oddly enough, it almost sounds a bit deeper/fuller/rounder to my ears backed off from the strings a bit.

 

[metalmaniac93]

before you give up on the HD's, have you tried adjusting the height? They can get pretty close to the strings for a high gainer without noticeably affecting sustain/intonation, being an A5 compared to ceramic. I actually like them pretty close. Oddly enough, it almost sounds a bit deeper/fuller/rounder to my ears backed off from the strings a bit.

Erock,

Yes, i have tried them up somewhat close around 3/32" to 4/32" (2.4-3.2mm), but I will try to get them closer since I have read on the BKP site that the bridge could be as close as 1mm.

Thanks

 

[metalmaniac93]

Well, I tried them up about 1mm for the bridge and it improved, but not what I was looking for. Great lead pickup (actually one of the best I have played through), but is has too much bass/lomids for the thrash type riffs. It does have the Jerry Cantrell tone though and AIC is one of my favs, but I am looking for something a little bit more open sounding/less compressed. Maybe a upper mid-spick would help with this pickup. By no means a bad PUP. Just not for me for high gain applications on the lowend strings. So, my quest continues!!!