Erock":30389mvn said:
interesting. I absolutely love my Painkillers, but I've been curious about these since Matt was gassing me up over them. Clarity and note definition hasn't been something I've felt lacking in the PK's, I love them for rhythm under high gain. However, I wouldn't mind trying something new for some different lead tones and clean/low gain application, while still keeping a snarly tight hardrock/metal tone obviously.
Yeah man. I dont feel like the painkillers are lacking in anything in clarity and note definition, but the hellbabies have more of it. I think some days they can sound harsh to my ears, just because of how my ears are acting. I still love the painkillers, for sure. I just like these better...actually, significantly better. They hellbabies seem tighter than the painkillers, IMO, but dont have the slight harshness that I sometimes hear wtih them. (and its VERY slight, and only 1 out of 10 times that I hear it). The hellbabies add this interesting dryness to the tone, that I have been trying to get out of my amp, but isnt there with the 6505....now its there. They have a woodiness in the tone that seems very deep and percussive. I havent really tried leads on them yet, but for rhythm....there is no question in my mind, that these are absolutely, hands down, my favorite pickups. I think the BG pups are better for leads than rhythm, so they are in my lead guitar now (or when I get it back from the tech). The painkillers are still gonna be awesome for that grindy midrange tight and aggressive as shit sound. I think the hellbabies give me exactly what I need out of a pickup though.
Im considering replacing my painkillers with some hellbabies in my ninja, but I havent decided yet. The ibanez and the ninja are the same wood, and have sounded pretty much the same with other pups I have tried, so I think they would sound pretty close with these as well....but idk if I need to have 2 guitars with the same pups in them...Ill have to think about it.
Hellbabies! 