Bridge pickup for all-maple Kramer

[fechart]

Hi,

I own a cheap but really good looking Kramer 84 (2016 Gibson made). It has a Diver Down pattern paintjob and just one humbucker in the bridge position. Floyd and one volume knob, that's all. I don't know which kind of maple the body is. Neck is chunky and one piece, doesn't feel *that* heavy, I'd have to see how much it weights one of these days...

Guitar comes with a stock JB, but no matter which pickup I try, it always sounds kinda thin and has a huge upper-mids spike.

Actually I have an EVH Frankenstein installed in it, because I wanted something with less output and with an open feel (I prefer less output pickups with high gain amps, and mine is a 100W EVH 5150 EL34).

I tried a Duncan Custom Custom, which I love in other guitars, but sounded awful on this one, because of its mids and upper mids being boosted.

I like the Frankie a lot, but I'd like something with more balls, so basically these would be my ideal specs:

1. Medium output *FEEL* (don't care about DC Resistance value, I need an open sound with good string separation)
2. Boosted Bass response. Doesn't have to be super tight, because the guitar is already snappy.
3. Not too warm sounding. Warm pickups usually have pronounced upper mids, and also my amp is very midrangey. Maybe not Alnico II, dunno... I'm open to suggestions.
4. High end sizzle is welcome. Actually I don't want a dark pickup, just one that's not harsh or has an upper -mids spike.
5. Definetly nothing hot or compressed

Thanks!

 

[Blix]

While I haven't tried it myself, your specs got me thinking of the description of this pickup:
http://customshop.seymourduncan.com/george-lynch-hunter/

 

[fechart]

Hey Blix,

That one could be cool! I wonder about how hot it feels... Description says "With its high output, ceramic magnets, and custom wind, the Hunter brings all the muscle for power chords and easy access to harmonic squeals, while remaining transparent enough for the “not quite clean but not exactly dirty” tones that he is so great at.

I'd also like to know how it differs from the classic Screamin' Demon...

 

[Crunchtime]

Never played one but, I believe the Dimarzio Steve's Special is said to have boosted lows and scooped in the mids. Might help that mid spike you described.

 

[Otter351]

The Hunter is very different from the Screamin' Demon. I found the Hunter to be very muddy when used with high gain amps, I think Lynch is favoring low-med gain amps lately hence needing a pickup with more output. If you're looking for a pickup that sounds open, the Screamin' Demon is it but it will most certainly favor the highs, especially combined with an all-maple build. If your "string separation" is a high priority, look at scatterwound pickups but now we're talking about high-end boutique pickups, I don't know what your budget is. If you do go the hand-wound route, I highly recommend Jim Wagner Pickups...and if you're looking for that late 70s-80s sound, get the Darkbursts. Or, if you want a JB with that extra special somethin', look at the Murkats

 

[fechart]

Never played one but, I believe the Dimarzio Steve's Special is said to have boosted lows and scooped in the mids. Might help that mid spike you described.

Thanks for the input, never been a Dimarzio guy, but this one seems to be developed specially for midrangey high gain amps, which seems perfect, but on the other hand it seems to be really hot.

Generally high output pickups have a midrange emphasis, but this one was designed different from the scratch...

 

[eyobeez]

Screamin Demon all day.

 

[fechart]

Screamin Demon all day.

Yo! Tell me more... Do you have one installed? Which guitar / woods?

 

[83stratman]

I haven't read all the responses, so sorry if I may repeat something...

Back in the day with my maple body Kramers, I always used a JB. Most of what you describe is inherent to a maple body IMO. I found that a maple body is super tight and articulate with high gain, and maybe a bit thin and plinky clean. No pick up will change this. The only way to shape this type of sound IME is to use an EQ, preferably in the effects loop. Back then I used a Rockman EQ.

 

[Mincer]

If mids or upper mids are an issue, go the other direction. A Custom or Custom 5 should be scooped enough so the mids won't be an issue. For something not as hot, look at the 59/Custom Hybrid.

 

[Otter351]

Yo! Tell me more... Do you have one installed? Which guitar / woods?

Both the ESP Kamikaze and Lynch's Tiger are maple bodies, you could say the Demon was designed specifically for all-maple guitars. The S'Demon also makes a fantastic neck pickup

 

[eyobeez]

Yo! Tell me more... Do you have one installed? Which guitar / woods?

I have one in my 89 Peavey Tracer. Has a sharp attack almost like a single coil, but its kind of a dark-sounding pickup which could be part of the reason it comes standard in the maple (bright) Lynch guitars. It's an overwound PAF-ish rocknroll tool.

 

[Benz2112]

Yo! Tell me more... Do you have one installed? Which guitar / woods?

I have one in an alder bodied Carvin Bolt+, it definitely has the high end sizzle and nice bottom end without sounding muddy. Not a super high output pickup surprisingly.

 

[stratguy23]

I would say as another poster mentioned if you want great string separation and open tone, scatterwound pickups are the way to go. They are pricy, but a Bare Knuckle Holy Diver would probably slay in that guitar. It has plenty of bass to fatten up a Strat. It is high output, but because of the clarity it feels more open than other pickups of similar output. I put one in an alder Super Strat with a maple neck and Floyd Rose and it is awesome.