I gutted my Explorer today ..... currently have the Duncan Hot Rod Standard set in it ... JB /59 ....
looking for something new and different ..... mainly going to be playing hard rock / thrash with it ...
looking to stay Passive also ..........
I've had 4 different sets in my Explorer.
Came with the Gibson ceramic 496r/500t. Not a fan.
Put in a set of Godwoods. Love those for everything, from clean to blues, classic rock, hard rock, metal, thrash. Favs.
Years later, installed a ToneNerd set, Psykes bridge (old school Dirty Fingers, but potted), and a similar spec neck with an A5 mag. I really don't like the feel of ceramic pups, but
@scottosan Psykes is good. It offers more punch, lows and highs than the Godwoods. Perfect for pushing a lower gain amp, like a JCM800, to glorious crunch. I feel the Psykes sounds like what Angus was using for BIB. Het used em thru RTL, at least.
Most recently, installed an SD Antiquity neck, and old JBJ bridge. Beautiful neck and middle position sounds, rocking to thrashy bridge sounds. Not sure if I'm going to keep em in. I feel like the Godwoods suited the Explorer better, more than the 2 LPs I put em in afterwards. They have more range, and bring out the best qualities of that darker sounding guitar.
Something like Scott's Psykes would probably make you happy. I posted a comparison of the Psykes vs Godwoods when I made the swap:
Did a pickup swap on my Gibson Explorer. Figured I'd make some recordings while I was at it.
Here are the results.
This isn't exactly an apples to apples comparison.
The Godwood is like a hot-rodded PAF. It packs a wallop, and hangs with most high output pups, but has a vintage vibe. Tight, upfront mids, open, super dynamic. Love what it did in the Explorer when I replaced the crappy Gibson 496r and 500t.
The Psykes is a handwired pickup based on an old-school, don't make em like they used to, Gibson Dirty Fingers. Those are currently going for $350-$700+ on Reverb.
Scott...
