[HighGain510]

Well I've already put in my order for the custom Carvin so I need to figure out what pickups to go with it. Here are the specs for those who missed the thread:

Maple neckthru with Swamp Ash sides
Birdseye maple fretboard
Stainless steel fretwire (I don't think they add TOO much high end, but you can sense a little extra I *think*, worth mentioning)

I'm definitely keeping away from DiMarzios as I haven't really tried a 7-string DiMarzio that I liked yet. I know the guitar is going to be bright so I would like some suggestions on how to balance it without either making it too dark or making it's EQ totally flat. No scooped mids either, I'm not looking for a hollow sounding 7!

I'd like to keep some nice strong mids, aggressive/tight bass and treble that is present for pinch harmonics but not ear-piercing. I'll most likely be using the 7 for chugging riffs as I don't shred much (i.e. at all lol ) but still need to keep mids and highs because I do venture up to the higher strings from time to time. Neck pickup should be able to do the whole liquid lead, Les Paul woman tone deal as any good neck pickup should. I also have coil-split toggles so a pickup set that splits well would be good.

I could go BKP because I know I like their 6'ers already, but then it gets pricey ($300+ for a set... ouchies). Could go Duncan but I didn't really like the JB7/Jazz7 set I tried in an Alder/Maple Carvin, however it could have just been THAT guitar that sounded like poo. Maybe a Duncan custom shop pickup? Even those are about the same as BKP prices so might be worth looking into. I could even grab a Lundgren M7, although I didn't really get to spend too much time playing with Misha's 7 so I'm not sure if I dig it a ton yet or not. Any suggestions for a pickup set that might cover what I'm looking for? Thanks gents!


EDIT: Also worth noting - I remember seeing Daemon BBQ post about his Custom Shop Duncan PATB-2 7-string version. I like the look of that pickup and from the description he gave as well as the 6-string comment on the SD website I'm almost tempted to give that baby a try. Pair it with a Jazz7 perhaps, or maybe get a second custom shop PATB-1n7? Still would be less than a set of BKPs.... decisions, decisions...

[Nick]

i was going to recommend the JB for the bridge lol, mainly due to me pulling out my ESP with one in it recently and realising how much i prefer its tone to that of my caparison (stock pickup) and EVO in my 1527.

Tone wise it does fit the bill for what your looking for.

What about the SD Custom (SH5.......i think)

Im also considering BKP at the moment for my caparison but like you say its going to skin me £220 for the set ($400 for you ) but hey you get out what you put in in this game

[HighGain510]

Originally Posted by Nick

i was going to recommend the JB for the bridge lol, mainly due to me pulling out my ESP with one in it recently and realising how much i prefer its tone to that of my caparison (stock pickup) and EVO in my 1527.

Tone wise it does fit the bill for what your looking for.

What about the SD Custom (SH5.......i think)

Im also considering BKP at the moment for my caparison but like you say its going to skin me £220 for the set ($400 for you ) but hey you get out what you put in in this game

The JB7 is kinda flubby on the lows in my experience, not really the same pickup as the 6-string version for some reason. I haven't tried the Custom-5 7-string version yet so I'm not sure if I would like it or not. Yeah I agree, BKPs are high quality and I'm tempted to go with them just because I know I like his stuff already... arg, hard to decide. The exchange rate kinda hurts me though, because I could order a full set of Seymour Duncan Custom Shop pickups (also wound by hand just like BKPs) for the same or less than a set of Bare Knuckles.

[eaeolian]

Originally Posted by Nick

What about the SD Custom (SH5.......i think)

I think that would actually be an excellent choice for the bridge of that guitar.

[Nick]

Originally Posted by HighGain510

The JB7 is kinda flubby on the lows in my experience, not really the same pickup as the 6-string version for some reason. I haven't tried the Custom-5 7-string version yet so I'm not sure if I would like it or not. Yeah I agree, BKPs are high quality and I'm tempted to go with them just because I know I like his stuff already... arg, hard to decide. The exchange rate kinda hurts me though, because I could order a full set of Seymour Duncan Custom Shop pickups (also wound by hand just like BKPs) for the same or less than a set of Bare Knuckles.

Ahh mine is a 6 string version and its in a mahogony Horizon NT II so maybe not a good comparison.

Id try out a custom just because it could save you some cash, you never know....

I recently found out that one of the guitar techs 20 mins from where i live gets BKP in his tech area of a local soundcontrol (like GC) so that kind of spurred me into saying right its to easy to get hold of these things now im having a set.

[eaeolian]

Originally Posted by Nick

Id try out a custom just because it could save you some cash, you never know....

It's definitely cheaper. Knowing what you liked about the Thorn pickups, Matt, I think the Custom might work very well for what you want.

[7 Dying Trees]

I know you don't like Dimarzios, but your swamp ash wing maple thru neck is pretty much the same wood combo as my LACS. I put an air norton in it and an x2n in the bridge. x2n is a fairly flat pickup, and gives me the punch i want, as the wood combination makes the guitar sound very even across the board if that makes sense.

Both work really well for my tastes.

But, I'd actually just say that you may as well splash out the extra cash for some nice boutique pickups. Go bareknuckle!

[Nick]

im sure you dont need both your kidneys, cut back on drinking and sell one, youl get a lump sum up front AND save money in the long run

win!

[noodles]

Swamp Ash is such an incredibly well balanced and musical wood, it is really hard to go wrong with just about anything you could put in there. Having said that, the "pop" of the attack can be a bit much with some of the hotter ceramic pickups.

Lucky for you, the Carvin pickups use Alnico 5 magnets. I'd be willing to bet it is just a bar magnet, like Duncan and Dimarzio, meaning you can buy a Duncan Custom and do the magnet swap. I'd try it both ways first, since the Custom5 pulls out more of mids. While this has the effect of tightening up mahogany, it may suck some of the spank out of ash.

Jazz for the neck, like there is any other neck pickup in existence.

[HighGain510]

While we're on the topic, Dave (or Mike) do you know anyone in the area I could trust to route out the pickup cavities to accept all standard sized humbuckers without fucking up the gorgeous top wood? I'm definitely going to do it (in case I want to swap pickups in and out ) but I want someone pro to do it for me so I don't ruin a beautiful guitar.