Need Pickup Advice

[Detroit1973]

I Have been a long time EMG 81 User & i'm considering switching to Passives. The only Pickups i have ever been interested in was the Seymour Duncan Custom & The JB. i'm looking for something that's tight but not surgically so...has bloom or a bit of sag in the low end.

After watching videos on youtube I've Considered the following pickups:

1. BK Miracle Man

2. BK Warpig Alnico

3. BK Black Dog

4. BK Ragnarock

5. EMG 57 (not passive i know)

6. EMG 85 (not passive i know)

7. MCP Solution

 

[MetalHeadMike]

I just installed a MM in a walnut neckthrough superstrat and it absolutely rips It is however "surgically" tight IMO, just as how they describe it on the site. Compared to the PK I had in there before it, the MM's low end is as tight, if not tighter, but it seems a bit easy to play than the PK. Maybe there is a little more saturation/compression making it a bit more "fun" to play on.

Honestly, I'm not sure any of the BK contemporary pups are gonna give you sag on the low end response, but then again I have only owned the MM, PK, C-pig, and RY. All of those are tight, tight, tight, and pretty immediate on the low end response.

If your looking for low end sag with some bloom, just buy and Uber and call it a day

 

[Detroit1973]

I just installed a MM in a walnut neckthrough superstrat and it absolutely rips It is however "surgically" tight IMO, just as how they describe it on the site. Compared to the PK I had in there before it, the MM's low end is as tight, if not tighter, but it seems a bit easy to play than the PK. Maybe there is a little more saturation/compression making it a bit more "fun" to play on.

Honestly, I'm not sure any of the BK contemporary pups are gonna give you sag on the low end response, but then again I have only owned the MM, PK, C-pig, and RY. All of those are tight, tight, tight, and pretty immediate on the low end response.

If your looking for low end sag with some bloom, just buy and Uber and call it a day

i Play through a Soldano Avenger 100 watt & i like the immediacy of the 81 But want something less compressed.

 

[MetalHeadMike]

I just installed a MM in a walnut neckthrough superstrat and it absolutely rips It is however "surgically" tight IMO, just as how they describe it on the site. Compared to the PK I had in there before it, the MM's low end is as tight, if not tighter, but it seems a bit easy to play than the PK. Maybe there is a little more saturation/compression making it a bit more "fun" to play on.

Honestly, I'm not sure any of the BK contemporary pups are gonna give you sag on the low end response, but then again I have only owned the MM, PK, C-pig, and RY. All of those are tight, tight, tight, and pretty immediate on the low end response.

If your looking for low end sag with some bloom, just buy and Uber and call it a day

i Play through a Soldano Avenger 100 watt & i like the immediacy of the 81 But want something less compressed.

Well.....in that case maybe you'd dig the MM. It's a fairly uncompressed pup compared to a lot of the hot passive pups out there IMO, just a bit bit more compressed than the PK which is quite uncompressed. The Duncan Distortion in comparison to the MM is much more compressed, which doesn't really help ya I guess considering you've never played on passives. I've never played on active pups, so I have no reference there.

 

[Detroit1973]

I just installed a MM in a walnut neckthrough superstrat and it absolutely rips It is however "surgically" tight IMO, just as how they describe it on the site. Compared to the PK I had in there before it, the MM's low end is as tight, if not tighter, but it seems a bit easy to play than the PK. Maybe there is a little more saturation/compression making it a bit more "fun" to play on.

Honestly, I'm not sure any of the BK contemporary pups are gonna give you sag on the low end response, but then again I have only owned the MM, PK, C-pig, and RY. All of those are tight, tight, tight, and pretty immediate on the low end response.

If your looking for low end sag with some bloom, just buy and Uber and call it a day

i Play through a Soldano Avenger 100 watt & i like the immediacy of the 81 But want something less compressed.

Well.....in that case maybe you'd dig the MM. It's a fairly uncompressed pup compared to a lot of the hot passive pups out there IMO, just a bit bit more compressed than the PK which is quite uncompressed. The Duncan Distortion in comparison to the MM is much more compressed, which doesn't really help ya I guess considering you've never played on passives. I've never played on active pups, so I have no reference there.

i'm considering switching out the 81 for an 85 Or a 57 cause i have heard they are both less compressed. i actually have a 57/66 set in an LP Studio but i have not been able to play it through an amp yet.

 

[Rex Rocker]

The 85 is as compressed if not more so than the 81. I have not tried the 57, though.

Have you tried 18V-modding the 81? It opens up the pickup's dynamics and low-end (and high-end) a bit.

 

[the4thlast1]

have you tried Fishman Fluence ?

 

[braintheory]

have you tried Fishman Fluence ?

That’s what I was thinking. They’re like a much better version of EMG’s. My 2 favorite sets are the Killswitch Engage and Abasi’s

If you wanna go the passive route, I’d recommend either a Dunable Big Foot or a WCR (Jim Wagner) like the Iron Man. I’d take those over any Bare Knuckle or Motor City I’ve tried

 

[MetalHeadMike]

have you tried Fishman Fluence ?

That’s what I was thinking. They’re like a much better version of EMG’s. My 2 favorite sets are the Killswitch Engage and Abasi’s

If you wanna go the passive route, I’d recommend either a Dunable Big Foot or a WCR (Jim Wagner) like the Iron Man. I’d take those over any Bare Knuckle or Motor City I’ve tried

I want to try an Iron man

 

[Kevin11]

Having been through a ton of passive high output pickups over the last few years, I have to throw the PRS \m/ (metal) pickups into the ring. They came stock in a PRS CU24 Floyd I picked up a while back and quickly shot to the top of my favorites list. Not a lot of discussion about them out there unfortunately, but I can't recommend them highly enough.

 

[Detroit1973]

have you tried Fishman Fluence ?

I have not but i have been interested in the Devin Townsend one....But i've only heard clips on my phone so i can't take them to be a fully accurate representation.

 

[NinjaRaf]

I would go with the Solution. I have a Nuke, and its killer. Also loved his Hellbaby pickups. Have yet to play a BKP that I like.

Fishmans are also a great option. They have some bloom in passive mode, but can be surgically tight in active mode, too.

 

[splatter]

I traded for a MCP hot head just on a whim, thought why not give it a try.
So now its replaced my BK rebel yell with the ceramic mag that I had in my CS6.
pup is tight and articulate with lots of overtones and is really well balanced EQ wise not to middy like alot of pups, highs are clear and bright and lows aren't to boomy

 

[firejack]

If you wanna go the passive route, I’d recommend either a Dunable Big Foot or a WCR (Jim Wagner) like the Iron Man. I’d take those over any Bare Knuckle or Motor City I’ve tried

This! The Jim Wagner Iron Man is a very unique pickup. All of Jim's stuff is extra special. Fave bridge models being the Iron Man and the Darkburst.

 

[NewWorldMan]

I used EMGs (81, 89, 60) exclusively for years, and it was a rough go finding passives I agreed with after because I was so used to that particular sound. I finally settled on the 500T, which I really enjoy, though it's still jarring to play the EMG and 500T guitars back-to-back.

 

[jeff5]

If you want something with sag and bloom in the bottom end I don't think a Solution would be right for you. I have one, and it is a cool pick up, but it is very tight! Too tight and dry for me. I'd recommend the Afwayu for what you want, but it is pretty tight too. (Although not too much for me)

 

[guitarbilly74]

You should try out the 57. It has the EMG clarity but it's much dynamic and open sounding.

 

[D-Rock]

Try the 85 in the bridge. I did and never went back to the 81.

 

[Detroit1973]

You should try out the 57. It has the EMG clarity but it's much dynamic and open sounding.

I have one in my LP Sudio but i have yet to try it through my rig...since i live in a town house. I'm planning to try it this weekend.

 

[Detroit1973]

Try the 85 in the bridge. I did and never went back to the 81.

I'm considering this too since i know the 85 has more mids. I have 2 LP's that i won't be changing the EMG's on since those 2 guitars sound amazing with EMG's.

i have 2 LP's that i'm picking up this weekend from my repair guy....1 of them sounds a little thin with EMG's & 1 Sounds compressed with EMG's.