Which Motor City Pickups For My Jackson

[braintheory]

I have a Jackson SL2H that currently has a set of Bare Knuckle Black Hawks (ceramic version) and they do not suit my tastes. The bridge pu is way to smooth, polished/refined, and lacking in rawness and aggression, and the neck pu is just bland and lacking character. Before the Black Hawks I had a set of Alnico Warpig, which also were not aggressive or cutting enough, but had a nice growl and super thick (but not tight) chugs. Before that was the stock seymour duncans, which actually suited the guitar quite well, but still didn't sound as good as my favorite boutique pickups.

So, I'm pretty set on replacing the Black Hawks with Motor City's of some sort, since the Detroiter's in my SG are so awesome, but I'm not sure which ones to choose. I want something high output, preferably alnico, and also to be super raw and aggressive (rather than smooth or polite like the black hawk, holy divers, etc.). I want it to be at least as aggressive as my Detroiter's. What I love so much about the Detroiter's is that most of the aggression lies in the mids, while the highs are still full and musical (not harsh or thin).

Which mcp do you guys suggest?

I've never tried any of their high output pu's, but the one's that sounded intriguing to me are: solution, black iron, zeus, and on mcp's facebook page it looks like Wade's making his own version of a blade pickup (like the black hawk).

 

[chunktone]

If you want more aggressive than the Detroiter's you may want to try Afwayu's. I have a set in my Hamer, and they are GREAT!

 

[braintheory]

If you want more aggressive than the Detroiter's you may want to try Afwayu's. I have a set in my Hamer, and they are GREAT!

How do Afwayu's compare to the solution, black iron, or zeus?

I heard that the Afwayu is quite bassy and also similar to the bare knuckle nailbomb, but with more mids.

Is the Afwayu actually more aggressive than the Detroiter or just heavier and hotter?

When I say aggressive, I guess what I really mean is angry sounding and unsmooth/rough sounding. One reason I'm shying away from ceramics is because they are generally smoother in the mids, which I want to avoid.

 

[Tone Monster]

This thread is relavant to my interests.

 

[braintheory]

This thread is relavant to my interests.

Any thread about motor city pickups should be relevant to everyone's interest IMO

In general, we need more info about all the motor city models and for the mcp website to finally be updated after all these years. If he can make such awesome pickups, he should have an adequete website as well.

 

[metalmaniac93]

Afwayu for the Jackson for sure!!! I sold my underwound ones to my buddy who put it in his Jackson RR neck-thru with Floyd and it destroyed. It can be a little bassy in certain guitars and was in my guitar, but it kicked ass in that guitar played through my former amp, which I also sold him. He previusly had a set of Holy Divers and they were OK and I sold them to him since he was a huge BKP fan. On that note, I have a custom wound Afwayu coming for my 2005 reissue Charvel pointy headstock guitar which is a very bright guitar and currently has the Garuda and has had an overwound and underwound Angel Dust.

 

[metalmaniac93]

If you want more aggressive than the Detroiter's you may want to try Afwayu's. I have a set in my Hamer, and they are GREAT!

How do Afwayu's compare to the solution, black iron, or zeus?

I heard that the Afwayu is quite bassy and also similar to the bare knuckle nailbomb, but with more mids.

Is the Afwayu actually more aggressive than the Detroiter or just heavier and hotter?

When I say aggressive, I guess what I really mean is angry sounding and unsmooth/rough sounding. One reason I'm shying away from ceramics is because they are generally smoother in the mids, which I want to avoid.

Most of Wades pickups are agressive sounding and the Detroiter is just as aggressive as the Afwayu, but they are different sonically and in output. The Angel Dust is also an agressive pickup. I have not had the Solution, Black Iron, or Zeus. The Black Iron is basically a more aggressive/modern Angel Dust A2 and that pickup itself is aggressive. I have heard of the Zeus, but Wade has never talked about it or even recommended it.

There is plenty of information about MCPs on this site.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=53489&start=0

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=125224&p=1462377&hilit=garuda#p1462377

viewtopic.php?f=57&t=86069

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=67480

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=122921

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=121150

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=132489&p=1541113&hilit=garuda#p1541113

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=130137&p=1512433&hilit=garuda#p1512433

 

[braintheory]

Thanks for the info. I had a feeling they'd all be aggressive (just in different ways). The afwayu, black iron, and solution all sound very promising to me. I'd also like to know about the zeus or the blade pickup.

I also considered the nuke, but I thought it might have the same issues as the warpigs (too dark, smooth, compressed, not aggressive, etc.) based on the descriptions and considering it's DC is 23K!! (the warpig is 21.5K). Even though on the mcp website they say it doesn't suffer from high end loss and other issues normally associated with such high DC resistance, I'm very skeptical.

Anyways, my decision is getting harder, but so far it seems like my best options are afwayu, solution, and black iron.

 

[metalmaniac93]

Thanks for the info. I had a feeling they'd all be aggressive (just in different ways). The afwayu, black iron, and solution all sound very promising to me. I'd also like to know about the zeus or the blade pickup.

I also considered the nuke, but I thought it might have the same issues as the warpigs (too dark, smooth, compressed, not aggressive, etc.) based on the descriptions and considering it's DC is 23K!! (the warpig is 21.5K). Even though on the mcp website they say it doesn't suffer from high end loss and other issues normally associated with such high DC resistance, I'm very skeptical.

Anyways, my decision is getting harder, but so far it seems like my best options are afwayu, solution, and black iron.

The Solution is a bright piclup based on what i have read here and might not work well with the Jackson. I talk to Wade now and then, but he has never mentioned the Zeus. I agree the Nuke might be over the top and could be dark, but you never know.

 

[braintheory]

Thanks for the info. I had a feeling they'd all be aggressive (just in different ways). The afwayu, black iron, and solution all sound very promising to me. I'd also like to know about the zeus or the blade pickup.

I also considered the nuke, but I thought it might have the same issues as the warpigs (too dark, smooth, compressed, not aggressive, etc.) based on the descriptions and considering it's DC is 23K!! (the warpig is 21.5K). Even though on the mcp website they say it doesn't suffer from high end loss and other issues normally associated with such high DC resistance, I'm very skeptical.

Anyways, my decision is getting harder, but so far it seems like my best options are afwayu, solution, and black iron.

The Solution is a bright piclup based on what i have read here and might not work well with the Jackson. I talk to Wade now and then, but he has never mentioned the Zeus. I agree the Nuke might be over the top and could be dark, but you never know.

I was also wondering if the solution would be too bright and you may be right about "you never" with the nuke, which again makes things more complicated

Hasn't anyone on this forum tried either the solution or nuke? I'd shocked if not.

 

[metalmaniac93]

Thanks for the info. I had a feeling they'd all be aggressive (just in different ways). The afwayu, black iron, and solution all sound very promising to me. I'd also like to know about the zeus or the blade pickup.

I also considered the nuke, but I thought it might have the same issues as the warpigs (too dark, smooth, compressed, not aggressive, etc.) based on the descriptions and considering it's DC is 23K!! (the warpig is 21.5K). Even though on the mcp website they say it doesn't suffer from high end loss and other issues normally associated with such high DC resistance, I'm very skeptical.

Anyways, my decision is getting harder, but so far it seems like my best options are afwayu, solution, and black iron.

The Solution is a bright piclup based on what i have read here and might not work well with the Jackson. I talk to Wade now and then, but he has never mentioned the Zeus. I agree the Nuke might be over the top and could be dark, but you never know.

I was also wondering if the solution would be too bright and you may be right about "you never" with the nuke, which again makes things more complicated

Hasn't anyone on this forum tried either the solution or nuke? I'd shocked if not.

I know there is info on RT concering the Solution, but not much on the Nuke.

Here is Wade's decription of them compared to the Afwayu from an email about a year or so ago.

"More low end with the solution. The solutions are very tight also. They have scooped mids. They really do. Some say you can not achieve that with a pickup, Bullocks!! Much more power also/ Its a paint melter for sure. I guess where the afwayu has a really nice vocal response, the solution is a bit less with strong Low mids and highs, plus it does use ceramic"


(MCP info on various pickups) viewtopic.php?f=3&t=132489&p=1541113&hilit=motor+city+solution#p1541113


Solution


viewtopic.php?f=3&t=66778&p=770156&hilit=motor+city+solution#p770156

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=85023&p=998917&hilit=motor+city+solution#p998917

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viewtopic.php?f=3&t=66778&p=768518&hilit=motor+city+solution#p768518

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=67480&p=774898&hilit=motor+city+solution#p774898

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=133199&hilit=motor+city+solution

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=112539&p=1318878&hilit=motor+city+solution#p1318878

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=111580&p=1308554&hilit=motor+city+solution#p1308554

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=88669&p=1046537&hilit=motor+city+solution#p1046537

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=88077&p=1039143&hilit=motor+city+solution#p1039143

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=57973&p=661380&hilit=motor+city+solution#p661380

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=58002&p=669350&hilit=motor+city+solution#p669350

 

[braintheory]

Thanks for the links, but I've actually seen all those threads already because I myself in the past have specifically looked for threads with the solution (as well as black iron and nuke).

I found this to be super helpful though: "More low end with the solution. The solutions are very tight also. They have scooped mids. They really do. Some say you can not achieve that with a pickup, Bullocks!! Much more power also/ Its a paint melter for sure. I guess where the afwayu has a really nice vocal response, the solution is a bit less with strong Low mids and highs, plus it does use ceramic"

I trust this description way more than those threads. Based on this description (strong, tight lows, scooped mids, strong low mids and highs) it sounds a lot like the bare knuckle miracle man, which I have currently in a Gibson Les Paul Custom 68 RI. I also did not realize that the solution is ceramic. I would think the vocal response he's talking about may be because the Afwayu has more mids.

 

[metalmaniac93]

Thanks for the links, but I've actually seen all those threads already because I myself in the past have specifically looked for threads with the solution (as well as black iron and nuke).

I found this to be super helpful though: "More low end with the solution. The solutions are very tight also. They have scooped mids. They really do. Some say you can not achieve that with a pickup, Bullocks!! Much more power also/ Its a paint melter for sure. I guess where the afwayu has a really nice vocal response, the solution is a bit less with strong Low mids and highs, plus it does use ceramic"

I trust this description way more than those threads. Based on this description (strong, tight lows, scooped mids, strong low mids and highs) it sounds a lot like the bare knuckle miracle man, which I have currently in a Gibson Les Paul Custom 68 RI. I also did not realize that the solution is ceramic. I would think the vocal response he's talking about may be because the Afwayu has more mids.

I think there is an Alnico option for the Solutions.

 

[braintheory]

I just got a crazy idea. What about replacing the Miracle Man in my Les Paul with a Solution and either a Black Iron or Afwayu (still unsure about the Zeus) in my Jackson. I do though really like the Miracle Man, but it seems to me like the Solution might be similar, but better and more aggressive.

 

[braintheory]

Anyone else? How would the Afwayu compare to either the Angel Dust or Black Iron? Additional information about the Solution would also be greatly appreciated.

 

[metalmaniac93]

Anyone else? How would the Afwayu compare to either the Angel Dust or Black Iron? Additional information about the Solution would also be greatly appreciated.

Here is what Wade stated about the Angel Dust vs the Afwayu. I would go for the Afwayu for a maple neck-thru!!


The Angel dust has a more pronounced Low mid vocalness going on and a strong topend. Again, not sterile, just great bite and rich. The low end is fast and punchy also. Afwayu's are a bit more in the lowend and so it eliminates the stronger lowmids. They are there, just more and balanced with the added bass. The mids are flat and the top end is just above that. When you get past the 9th/12th fret for solo work, the afwayu shines with a thicker voicing- Kinda like a perfect marriage between the neck and Bridge tones- just the right cut.

 

[MichaelG]

I've got Solutions/Afwayu/Detroiter but alas not the angeldust yet.

I find Solution and Afwayu to be very aggressive but pretty evenly balanced across the frequency range, perhaps with added midrange, but definitely not as pronounced as the Detroiter. All of the MCP pickups rip... even my 2nd deg. blackbelt also drives my amps pretty hard for its ~9K winding. In Solution vs. Afwayu I'd say that the Solution is more aggressive, in my guitars I'm finding that the bass frequencies of the Solution are not as present as the Afwayu. Both are tight! Afwayu also splits into single coil sounds really well and cleans up better than the Solution when rolling the volume off.

For your purposes I'd start with Afwayu or Soultion, and then experiment with Angel-dust a bit later. I've had a few of the BKPs as well and also find them to smooth for my tastes, except for the painkiller. The painkiller is pretty aggressive, but didn't suit the particular guitar that it was in well enough for my liking.

 

[MichaelG]

Forgot to mention... FWIW my Afwayu is in a similarly configured guitar to yours, an ESP Horizon (ash body/neck-through with maple neck and ebony fingerboard) and I'm very happy with what it is giving me. Very aggressive, highs are not overbearing at all and great bass response. Not too bassy at all in that guitar. Mids are not overly emphasized.

One of the pearls of wisdom that I have learned from RigTalk: "there is no such thing as a bad pickup, just a bad guitar/pickup combination". So true....

 

[blackie13]

MichaelG which Motor city would be the best for an alder-maple-floyd-single hum guitar...??
I have a BK VHII...I love it but it's nice to change sometimes...

 

[braintheory]

Anyone else? How would the Afwayu compare to either the Angel Dust or Black Iron? Additional information about the Solution would also be greatly appreciated.

Here is what Wade stated about the Angel Dust vs the Afwayu. I would go for the Afwayu for a maple neck-thru!!


The Angel dust has a more pronounced Low mid vocalness going on and a strong topend. Again, not sterile, just great bite and rich. The low end is fast and punchy also. Afwayu's are a bit more in the lowend and so it eliminates the stronger lowmids. They are there, just more and balanced with the added bass. The mids are flat and the top end is just above that. When you get past the 9th/12th fret for solo work, the afwayu shines with a thicker voicing- Kinda like a perfect marriage between the neck and Bridge tones- just the right cut.

Interesting description. It sounds like the Angel Dust would be more hi-fi/polished and the Afwayu more raw or direct? It's also interesting that Wade said the Angel Dust has more low mids and highs compared to the Afwayu because he said the same about the Solution, but I suspect they would sound very different from each other. What about the Black Iron?

I've got Solutions/Afwayu/Detroiter but alas not the angeldust yet.

I find Solution and Afwayu to be very aggressive but pretty evenly balanced across the frequency range, perhaps with added midrange, but definitely not as pronounced as the Detroiter. All of the MCP pickups rip... even my 2nd deg. blackbelt also drives my amps pretty hard for its ~9K winding. In Solution vs. Afwayu I'd say that the Solution is more aggressive, in my guitars I'm finding that the bass frequencies of the Solution are not as present as the Afwayu. Both are tight! Afwayu also splits into single coil sounds really well and cleans up better than the Solution when rolling the volume off.

For your purposes I'd start with Afwayu or Soultion, and then experiment with Angel-dust a bit later. I've had a few of the BKPs as well and also find them to smooth for my tastes, except for the painkiller. The painkiller is pretty aggressive, but didn't suit the particular guitar that it was in well enough for my liking.

Were the Afwayu or Solution you had alnico or ceramic? Also, it's interesting that you say the Afwayu has more lows because in Wade's description above he says the Solution has more lows.

Right now I'm thinking: Afwayu for the Jackson and Solution to replace the Miracle Man in my Les Paul, but I'm still very curious about the Angel Dust, Black Iron, and Zeus (if it even exist ). I'm also not sure about what neck pickups I'd want for either guitar, but that should probably be its own thread .